Sneakthief, an Athens-bred and Columbus-based band, performs at The Union, located on 18 W. Union St., Wednesday as part of the Locals Only showcase series.
Union doors open at 8 p.m., with music starting at 8:30 p.m. The entry fee is $5, and attendees must be 18 or older.
Sneakthief brings material from its debut record back to where it all began: Athens. The band formed in 2018 but welcomed new members over the years. Wednesday’s show marks a homecoming of sorts for the band, which got its start playing Athens venues before relocating to Columbus.
“It is a return home,” Julian Runyon, Sneakthief drummer, said.
The band is wrapping up production on its new record, not yet titled, after a year of recording sessions in New Jersey with producer Erik Kase Romero. Romero has more than 15 years of record-making experience and three years as an audio and production professor, according to his website.
Daniel Palmer, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, said Sneakthief received a grant from the Greater Columbus Arts Council in 2024, which made working with Romero financially viable.
"Honestly, it made that first trip possible," Palmer said. "Without that grant for that first one, that kind of took the onus off of us to have it all figured out, and we got to experiment and see if it was the right thing."
GCAC provides grants, workshops, networking events and services to artists and arts organizations, according to its website. Palmer said the council's approach allows artists to focus on creating work rather than worrying about upfront costs.
Sneakthief started recording in November 2024, traveling to New Jersey for weekend sessions every few months. Palmer said the band connected with Romero after he posted about available recording time on Instagram. According to Sound Better, Romero worked with The Front Bottoms, Lorde and The Gaslight Anthem.
"He's done some of my favorite records and he's a part of some bands that I really look up to," Palmer said.
Sneakthief’s new album showcases a shift from the band's previous releases. Palmer said Sneakthief is moving away from the punk sound of its 2019 self-titled EP and 2021 record, “Postcards.”
"I play electric guitar now, which is new," Palmer said. “(We) used to be kind of full punky. It's a lot more grown-up."
Palmer described the band’s new sound as "singer-songwriter rock, but not singer-songwriter and add some punk in there," citing Slaughter Beach, Dog, an indie rock band, as an influence.
The album explores themes of grief and self-discovery in the aftermath of 2020. Palmer said the album reflects his attempt to figure out "where I exist and how I exist” and should be released sometime this year.
"It's mostly a reflection on rediscovering empathy and processing," Palmer said.
Palmer, who studied music production and audio engineering at Ohio University, said he did not grow up in a musical household and discovered music in college. He got his first guitar in late high school and picked up ukulele in college before returning to guitar.
The band's current lineup includes Palmer, Runyon, and new members Nick Rioch and Danny Darvish on bass and electric guitar. Runyon, 27, started drumming for Sneakthief in the summer of 2023 and also provides backing vocals.
"Working with Erik was kind of a dream," Runyon said. "He pulled a lot out of us."
Runyon said although he started playing with Sneakthief in 2023, he attended the band’s first show at a house venue in Athens years ago, making Wednesday’s performance meaningful.
Runyon said he explored the town's music scene when he was a student before joining Sneakthief.
"The Union was the first venue that I played at in Athens when I was starting out in the music scene in college, and it remains my favorite place in the state to play or see a live show,” Runyon said.
Since moving to Clintonville, a town in Columbus, in March, Palmer said the band plays regularly at local venues including Ace of Cups, Rumba Café, Dirty Dungarees and The SpaceBar.
"They've been really kind to us," Palmer said.
Sneakthief played its first show in Pittsburgh at the end of January. Palmer said the band plans to shoot a music video in April and release singles and samples in the summer ahead of the full album.
The band is running independently so far, but is in talks with labels about potential support for the new album.
"It's kind of neat to be able to say, we've done this ourselves 100%," Palmer said.
The Union’s Locals Only showcase series features five bands at each production. Myke Linscott, show and event organizer for The Union, said the series provides more opportunities for local and emerging acts.
"I think that we have a responsibility to the community to provide a wide array of different acts and also to kind of act as an on-ramp for newer acts,” Linscott said.
Wednesday’s lineup also includes Hourglass, Evil Eye, Airbag and Brick Soul Band. Linscott said the Union is booked through May and wanted to use Wednesdays to give more bands stage time.
"It's five bucks … and it's a pretty good sampler of Athens music," Linscott said. "This is an opportunity to experience a very unique Athens thing.”
