Wetsuit - “Local Celebrity”

We’ve been waiting patiently for more music from Brooklyn’s Wetsuit, the indie pop quartet fronted by songwriter Allison Becker. Their 2021 debut single “Sticky Sweet” was just that: three minutes of gooey dream pop that was reminiscent of Glaswegian acts of the late 20th century. Saccharine, lulling, and charmingly sparse, “Sticky Sweet” showcased Becker’s well-refined pop palette and keen ability to convey relatable experiences in a meaningful way. So, naturally, we’ve been quite eager to hear more.

Today, we’re excited to share Wetsuit’s first new music since the release of their debut, a nostalgia-driven, heart-on-your-sleeve-styled track called “Local Celebrity.” The song recounts a specific humiliating memory for Becker, which involved attempting to get tickets via a Craigslist ad to a “very cool” ex-boyfriend’s performance at Manhattan’s Mercury Lounge in support of a blog-era “indie darling” type band. The attempt was, unfortunately, unsuccessful, and resulted in a bit of embarrassment, as the lyrics suggest: “I hear you laughing at me. On the dewy field I try to breathe,” but Becker wields the benefit of perspective through an apt sports metaphor: “Lost my scorecard over my head. Lost my jersey and my helmet. You were the star player on my team. Turns you you’re just a washed-up local celebrity.” The song pairs these confessional lyrics with a stirring vocal melody that showcases Becker’s dynamic and emotive range. The revving, hazy sounding guitars and steady drumming serve as a solid bedrock to support her vivid story.

The video, which was either shot on VHS or an early digital camcorder, splices together highlights from Becker’s 2004 Bat Mitzvah with a modern-day reenactment of the event at Sundown Bar in Queens. There’s plenty of dancing, and if you pay close attention, you’ll notice that current Wetsuit band members and friends mix pretty well with the 20-year-old video. They totally blend in the Y2K setting.

Becker shared the following about the real-life story that inspired the track:

This one starts with a story about one of my most embarrassing moments. When I was 18 I was in a long-distance relationship with a guy who I was madly, unhealthily in love with. He was in a band, he had cool friends, he lived in Williamsburg in 2009 (further proof he was very cool.) We went to high school together but he always had an aura of mystery about him that made me think of him like a local celebrity (he was not.) He was a junior at NYU while I was heading off to freshman year at Mizzou. I felt like such a loser stuck in Missouri, I wanted to be in New York where I could finally be the person who could be worthy of him. I never felt worthy of him and always felt lucky that he chose me. If he ever stopped choosing me (he did) I would not be worthy of anything, I would cease to be a person. 

Anyway, the story is, his band was opening for Surfer Blood at Mercury Lounge. Big deal. I wanted to come visit him to go to the show but he told me all the tickets were sold out and I couldn’t go. I was determined to come to the show anyway. So I did what anyone would do in 2009, I made a Craigslist ad looking for tickets. However, I saw there was another Craigslist ad where someone was also looking for tickets. I knew I had to stand out somehow, so I wrote in my post to say that I was looking for tickets because my boyfriend is playing in the opening band and I want to be there to “support my man.” A few days later I get a call from him at band practice. I can hear his bandmates laughing in the background. He says “babe, did you make a Craigslist ad?” and I could just hear them laughing and laughing at me. I denied it, but he coaxed the truth out of me and I was humiliated. I’ve lived in NYC for 13 years now and I’ve still never been to the Mercury Lounge.  

Stream the video below!

“Local Celebrity” is the lead single from Wetsuit’s debut album Sugar, I'm Tired, which is out on August 17th via Substitute Scene Records. You can also stream “Local Celebrity” on Spotify.

Wetsuit will be performing at The Sultan Room on July 8th as part of the inaugural Rogue Music Festival. Tickets are available via Dice.fm.

Keep up with Wetsuit by following them on Instagram.