Post Sex Nachos are more than “your second favorite boy band.” Atwood Magazine sat down with the group before their Chicago show on The Minor League Tour. Their sense of humor, comfort, and compatibility shine in their live performances and their music.
Stream: “Walk Away” – Post Sex Nachos
A Mr. Coffee whirred on the table.
It was 5 p.m. on a Friday, and the members of Post Sex Nachos had a few hours to spare before playing to a sold-out crowd in Chicago. An excitingly calm energy filled the green room.
4 out of 5 members were present: Sammy Elfanbaum, lead vocalist, Chase Mueller, bassist, Mitch Broddon, guitarist, and Hunter Pendleton, drummer. (Keyboardist Kevin Jerez is about to have a kid, so Jack Hazel is touring with the band in his place.)
“We’ve always had such amazing connections with Chicago,” Broddon said. “We have friends here that always come out to support.”
Post Sex Nachos are a Midwestern band through and through. They began at the University of Missouri (Mizzou) and performed everywhere from house shows to festivals. Their show at Bottom Lounge on February 28, 2025, was their first Chicago show after Lollapalooza.
“Dear reader, I just knocked on wood.”
It’s safe to say the show was a success. The band is on The Minor League Tour through the end of April, with a short festival run at the beginning of summer.
Post Sex Nachos’ chemistry shines – it’s clear they’re having fun. Their friendship and love of music are the backbone of the group. Despite knowing one another for years, they seamlessly make those around them feel part of the band too.
Many people enjoy hearing the “how you met” story in relationships. When asked about their initial impressions of each other, a profound silence filled the room followed by stark laughter.
“I thought Mitch [Broddon] was very quiet,” Pendleton said after a moment of thought. The others were quick to agree. “Mitch is now one of the funniest, most outspoken people I know.” He continued, pointing at Elfanbaum and Mueller, “I dislike these two. And I still do.”
“I’m honestly offended you said nice things about me and endearingly mean things about those two,” Broddon replied. He and Elfanbaum met growing up in St. Louis, but he joined Post Sex Nachos when it was ⅗ of what it is today. “I felt like I was joining a group of brothers.”
Elfanbaum looked up from his spot on the couch. “Whoa.”
The four of them laughed, but all agreed calling them a group of brothers was the best way to describe their relationship.
“I already knew Chase [Mueller] really well,” Elfanbaum said, “and when Hunter [Pendleton] joined, I was like ‘Oh this is great! We’re going to have someone smart in the band.’”
Mueller was quick to second this.
“And then when Mitch [Broddon] joined,” Elfanbaum continued, “I knew it was going to be an immediate fit.”
“Not for any gain of knowledge,” Broddon added, “at that point.”
The intimacy of Post Sex Nachos was immediate. From rounding out the band – for this tour and at Mizzou – they always worked well together. The group knows that type of relationship is vital and valuable; on tour, they’re spending every moment together.
“Like someone walks in the room,” Pendleton said, “and the energy fits? That’s rare.”
Before Post Sex Nachos became who they are today, they cycled through different members who were fantastic musicians but didn’t fit the group personally. It was noticeable to Elfanbaum, Mueller, Broddon, and Pendleton, as well as their fans.
“Mitch [Broddon] and I used to have terrible chemistry on stage,” Mueller said, the others laughing at the memory. “I think somebody pointed it out, and we really worked hard on it.”
At their Chicago show, Mueller and Broddon found each other multiple times. They often gathered at center stage alongside Elfanbaum; fans at the barricade were quick to pull out their phones and capture the moment in an excited shout of lyrics and adrenaline.
They’ve worked on bringing their effortless, tight-knit relationship into performances. Their sense of humor mixed with thoughtful stories play a role in their songs too. Titles are often clever and direct or comically catchy, like “We’re All Dying, Want Some Juice?” or their album ‘Your Second Favorite Boy Band.’
As the band pointed out, some of these titles don’t make the chorus – or any lyric. They have fun making music and want their listeners to have fun too, whether they’re live or streaming.
“The first two albums and the third album, we were really loosey-goosey with a lot of stuff. And it turns out that we’ve carried that into the fourth album,” Elfanbaum said, peeling the label off a water bottle.
They released a single titled “Walk Away” in January. It was written quickly on “a very old keyboard” and reworked with Micah Tawlks, their new producer in Nashville, where the band relocated after Mizzou.
“That song is basically about going the extra mile for people and being able to communicate well through the tough times and the good times,” Elfanbaum said.
It’s more somber and melancholier than a majority of their catalog, but it’s a phenomenal piece of music. “Walk Away” is a single from their fifth album, which they’re working on between shows and back in Nashville.
The Chicago crowd knew the entire song, despite it coming out two weeks before the show. They also played the unreleased track “Supergirl,” which will be another single from their fifth album.
“It’s been an interesting direction where everything is going,” Broddon said. “It’s a little bit different than what we’ve done in the past, but at the same time catches the same dance-y vibe that we have.”
The room shifted slightly as Elfanbaum and Broddon poured themselves another cup of coffee, the hands on the analog clock inching closer to doors. In a matter of hours, there would be a crowd on the other side of the wall screaming the words to “Coffee.”
Their Midwestern roots have influenced their music, but they were quick to point out it’s not Midwest Emo.
“It [feels like it was crafted in the grit of the Midwest,” Pendleton said.
“It’s a lot of soul-bearing, unashamed complaining,” Elfanbaum explained. “All Midwesterners feel that.” It’s friendly and blunt.
Post Sex Nachos have never taken themselves too seriously. While it’s their job to make music, it’s also their passion. Capitalizing on your hobbies has become a widely debated topic in the last few years; Post Sex Nachos are a reminder that you can love creating art without sacrificing your basic needs.
“People do much more impactful and serious work than playing in a rock band,” Pendleton said. “So if we’re not out there having fun, what are we doing? We’re just playing fun music.”
“We’re just driving,” Elfanbaum joking added. It’s true—they’re driving themselves across the country for the next 10 weeks or so for The Minor League Tour.
As social media continues to grow, so does its impact on the music industry. Several musicians have expressed added stress or pressure to create music that goes “viral” from industry executives.
While virality has positively impacted some musicians, it does have negative repercussions on the way musicians make music. Post Sex Nachos have yet to go viral but have experienced pressure to do so.
“It’s hard,” Broddon said. “If you put yourselves in their shoes, it’s at least hard not to put that on the table.” Anything could go viral at any moment; the expectation is to post everything.
The downside is that artists risk putting energy into their online presence that could be put into their art. Post Sex Nachos understand this is the reality of the industry, so their social media reflect their bond – as friends and as bandmates – rather than 5-second clips of their catchiest chorus.
Oftentimes when songs go viral, it’s obvious they were made for TikTok. The best part of the song is the 15 seconds that got billions of views; the other three minutes turn listeners away from the rest of an the artist’s discography.
Post Sex Nachos have followed the most “traditional” trajectory of a band. Their growth has been steady over the last few years, allowing them to truly connect with their fans regardless of if the venue fills 300 or 3,000 people.
“There’s still so much value in playing live and playing live well,” Mueller said.
Instead of playing a sold-out crowd for one viral song, Post Sex Nachos would rather play a sold-out crowd for an audience that appreciates their artistry. In Chicago, they’ve upgraded their venue for each performance and gained a new following after every show. The group continues to polish their sound to be better for themselves and their audience.
What can fans expect on The Minor League Tour? “Baseball,” Elfanbaum quickly said.
It’s true.
Pendleton added, “We play a full baseball game on the stage. There’s no music.”
Post Sex Nachos kept the baseball theme alive during the show. Between their customized “Nachos” jerseys and singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the show’s “7th inning stretch,” the band embraced the tour’s theme.
“You ever heard of the Savannah Bananas?” Elfanbaum asked.
“It’s basically that,” Pendleton answered, “of music.”
Post Sex Nachos are there to participate in the whole show. Where many musicians hide out in the green room before their set, Post Sex Nachos were at the merch table catching up with friends and fans or dancing in the crowd until minutes before they needed to be on stage.
“We don’t want to be unapproachable,” Broddon said. “Part of this is meeting people and making fans, and taking pictures with people, to see them at the next show.”
“It’s so hard to get people out to a rock show, you know?” Mueller added. “Getting people to go to any live concert is really difficult now, so I think that we would be fools to not go and thank everybody.”
Their setlist consisted of throwbacks and new songs – including “Walk Away” – amongst lots of interactions with the crowd and production value. They also covered “Messy” by Lola Young with a Post Sex Nachos twist.
“It’s definitely more of a show than we’ve put on in the past,” Pendleton said. “We were really intentional about people feeling like they came and saw a show, not just a band playing music.”
From playing college parties to selling out shows across the country, Post Sex Nachos are dedicated to their craft and to each other.
Each member had their moment to shine on stage and stayed at the merch table hours after to talk with fans. Post Sex Nachos truly embody what it means to be a band.
They left the stage to “Go Cubs Go,” sticking with the baseball theme and bringing something special to the Chicago fans.
Of The Minor League Tour, Post Sex Nachos says:
- “We’re taking a big swing with this one.”
- “We’re going to hit it out of the park.”
- “So far, this tour has been a home run.”
- “You can’t always bat 1,000.”
“Any others?” Mueller asked through laughter.
“I think we should stop that,” Broddon said, rising from his seat.
What would Post Sex Nachos like Atwood Magazine to know? “We’re just glad to be able to step up to the plate,” Elfanbaum said.
Listen to Post Sex Nachos here, and stay updated on Instagram and TikTok. Get tickets to The Minor League Tour here.
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Stream: “Walk Away” – Post Sex Nachos
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© Annaliese Baker
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