Local Weatherman

Formed in New York City in 2018, Local Weatherman began as the project of singer-songwriter Fritz Ortman. After cutting his teeth at shows in basements and backyards throughout New Jersey, moving to New York shifted his focus away from punk and emo and towards songs influenced by the storied back catalog of American independent rock music. Local Weatherman performed as a full band for the first time in 2021, adding guitarist Ford Murphy. In 2023, Local Weatherman teamed up with Zack Robbins and Ian Farmer at Philadelphia’s Metal Shop to record their self-titled album. Following the release and the addition of bassist David Murray and drummer Sam Shahghasemi, the band carved out a niche for themselves, playing shows in New York and hitting the road across the East Coast, Midwest, and Canada. On their new EP “Right One,” Local Weatherman reflects on the process of stitching things back together when they start to come undone. Recorded once again in Philadelphia with Zack and Ian, the release explores self-doubt, new beginnings, and the pain of distance with a sound that pulls from power pop, emo, and slacker rock while building on the distinct style they’ve shaped over the past eight years. localweathermannyc@gmail.com