Chicago’s Ax and the Hatchetmen Ignite a Powerful 2nd Hometown Show with Royel Otis
Review by Shawna O’Hara, Editor – Photos by: Carson Kennedy
Chicago’s popular indie group and their home crowd welcomed each other to the Salt Shed with open arms.
With temperatures hovering around 97 degrees, fans still packed the WXRT-sponsored Royel Otis show well before they took the stage. The audience skewed young, with groups of teenagers standing alongside parents, creating an unusually cross-generational crowd united by one thing: excitement to see Chicago’s own Ax and the Hatchetmen.
As the band launched into their set, the crowd fell almost completely silent before the first vocal, a rare moment of collective anticipation that quickly gave way to a singalong. Fresh off performances at Bonnaroo, Summerfest, and an in-store appearance at Shuga Records on Tuesday, the sextet won over concertgoers at the Salt Shed, the space frontman Axel Ellis called his “favorite venue” in the city.
They wasted little time winning over the crowd. Their melodic rock sound, accented by brass, carried an unmistakable jazz influence while maintaining the kind of upbeat momentum that kept the audience moving despite the oppressive heat. Just as noticeable was the chemistry between the musicians, who spent the set grinning at one another, feeding off each other’s energy, and performing with the confidence of a group that has spent years growing together.
Comprised of Ellis, Salvatore Defilippis, Hunter Olshefke, Phil Pistone, Quinn Dolan, and Chaandmon Croft, the six-piece has become one of Chicago’s fastest-rising indie acts, thanks in part to songs like “Hotel Room” and “Sunscreen” from their debut album So Much to Tell You.
Ellis commanded the stage with a confidence that felt well beyond his years. Song after song, he proved that stage presence has nothing to do with age, and it certainly doesn’t restrict charisma. His grin never faded, save for the moments he leaned into the microphone to belt out a lyric. A devoted Gretsch player, he briefly dropped his guitar to launch into the single “Everybody Talks”, a Neon Trees cover, instantly winning the crowd’s affection.
“It’s great to be home,” he told the crowd. “We’re from right down the street.” His banter remained sparse early in the set before becoming increasingly playful as the audience settled in.
By the second song, more fans filtered into the crowd rather than drifting toward the concession stands, and by the end of the set, the audience was fully engaged, captivated, and eagerly responding to Ellis’ call-and-response.
The ease the audience witnessed wasn’t accidental.
“For us, the first song is about easing in. By the second song, it feels like you’re just having a great time with your friends,” Drummer Chaandmon Croft said of the show.
If Tuesday night’s performance proved anything, it’s that Ax and the Hatchetmen have already outgrown the label of local opener. Their latest hometown show proved to be more of a next step for a band that’s quickly becoming one of Chicago’s defining indie success stories.
Ax and the Hatchetmen will return to Chicago in November for a show at the Riviera Theater.
Read more reviews here!
Gallery:
Ax and the Hatchetmen Tour Dates:
Jul 16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
Jul 17 – Asbury Park, NJ @ House Of Independents
Jul 18 – New York, NY @ BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! *
Aug 20 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Sonic Lunch
Aug 21 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
Aug 22 – Chattanooga, TN @ The Barrelhouse Ballroom
Aug 23 – Charlotte, NC @ Carolina Bloom Festival +
Sep 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre ^
The Late Checkout Tour 2026 Dates
Oct 14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hifi – Annex
Oct 15 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
Oct 16 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
Oct 17 – Charleston, SC @ The Windjammer
Oct 19 – Jackson, MS @ Duling Hall
Oct 20 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre
Oct 21 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk – Outdoor
Oct 23 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
Oct 24 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Oct 25 – San Diego, CA @ Music Box
Oct 28 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
Oct 30 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
Oct 31 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Nov 02 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
Nov 05 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue – Main Hall
Nov 07 – Lansing, MI @ Grewal Hall
Nov 08 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s
Nov 10 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Nov 11 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Nov 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Nov 14 – Washington, DC @ The Howard Theatre
Nov 15 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry
Nov 16 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle – Main Room
Nov 17 – Greenville, SC @ Radio Room
Nov 19 – Columbus, OH @ Skullys
Nov 20 – St Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
Nov 21 – Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre
Dec 07 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
Dec 08 – Wilmington, NC @ Bowstring
Dec 10 – Orlando, FL @ The Abbey
Dec 11 – St Augustine, FL @ Colonial Oak Music Park
Dec 12 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live
Dec 13 – Miami, FL @ Zeyzey
* supporting Royel Otis
^ supporting The Revivalists
+ festival
Video:
About Ax and the Hatchetmen
Formed in 2018, Ax and the Hatchetmen came roaring out of Chicago with feel-great, crowd-pleasing shows, tight-knit musical camaraderie, and a wide range of influences spanning generations and genres. Led by guitarist/singer Axel Ellis, the band also featuresSalDefilippisonguitar, Hunter Olshefke on bass, Chaandmon Crofton drums, Phil Pistone on trumpet, and Quinn Dolan on saxophone. Along with Ellis, the road-tripping sextet originally met in music school, where they were studying jazz. Though each band memberhasa formalmusiceducation, together Ax and the Hatchetmen have a loose, organic, rollicking vibe, channeling everyone from the Strokes to the Specials to the Rolling Stones, the Black Keys, Pink Floyd, ELO, Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Cage The Elephant,andHippo Campus.
Over the past few years, the guys have sold out headlining tours, played the hometown festival they once looked at with stars in their eyes (Lollapalooza), blessed fans with a 2023 live album, scored a deal with Arista Records, and released a steady streamofsinglesculminatingin 2025’s Constant Change EP, produced by Jake Sinclair (Panic! At The Disco, Weezer, Avril Lavigne) and featuring a cameo from Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes on the explosive lead single “Blurry Lights.” Ellis also launchedhison-screencareer thisyear with a featured role in Amazon series The Runarounds.
As the band gears up to unveil more music they hope crowds will connect with their uplifting sound and, as Axel puts it, “aspirationally optimistic” lyrics. If you do catch them live or even in headphones, though, you can bet on one thing: as long as you’rewithAxandThe Hatchetmen, all will feel right in the world.
Ax and the Hatchetmen Links:
Official: https://www.axandthehatchetmen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axandthehatchetmen
Instagram: https://instagram.com/axandthehatchetmen
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@axandthehatchetmen
