Collective Scream presents: a conversation with Strange Neighbors
Strange Neighbors is a power pop outfit from New York City. Their music combines influences from all corners of pop music, crafting hook-filled songs that are bound to get stuck in your head. The band draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists and have been described as a Queer mix of My Chemical Romance, The Beatles, and IRS-era R.E.M.
Founded in Brooklyn by lead singer Aidan Strange in 2018, the band’s current lineup is a sleek four-piece with traditional rock instrumentation. Aidan channels a pop punk passion by way of a teenage career in musical theatre. Drummer Beau Valentine contributes a similarly theatrical edge from behind the kit. Bassist Dana Bennewitz brings her jazz background to the band’s intricate underpinnings, and guitarist Zach Schweikert adds a jangly touch with his nearly exclusive use of a 12-string guitar. They write songs as a group with the common goal of a finely-crafted earworm. In November 2025, the band joined the Mint 400 Records roster.
Get to know Strange Neighbors below — and don’t miss the chance to see them live on May 29th at Bridge & Tunnel Brewery in Ridgewood as part of the Collective Scream Benefit Concert Series.
Why is supporting this month’s cause, Mayday Space, important to you - or what made you want to get involved with Collective Scream?
Beau: Mayday Space is a crucial venue for organizing people for mutual aid and action, as well as a fabulous space to perform and hang out! Spaces like this have always been the backbone of what makes this city so great, amazing people coming together from all corners to envision a new world, and to celebrate while doing it.
Dana: I love Mayday Space’s programming. I’ve been to their workshops and community events in the past and they have a great event space (you might have even seen us there). As venues struggle to keep their doors open, it’s important to support the teams developing and organizing the community. I also love when spaces want to make getting involved accessible. It can be daunting to get involved in your community! The more touch points and options, the more likely someone will try it out.
How do you think music can be and is important in difficult or turbulent times?
Aidan: I think music is so powerful in so many ways. It brings people together, and it can turn a room full of strangers into a room full of friends. Everyone needs community in difficult times and it can be hard to know how to find and foster that community. Music can serve as an outlet for emotions that are difficult to express. It can also be an avenue for escapism, which everyone needs now and again.
What is one unique thing about being an artist in the NYC music scene right now?
Aidan: I think the NYC music scene is best when combined with art and activism, and I'm really grateful to be part of the scene in that way. While human rights are being stripped away from our trans brothers and sisters, bodily autonomy is under attack, and the general rise of fascism and techno-feudalism, being in a part of the scene that aims to uplift marginalized voices and identities feels like a purpose that incorporates and transcends the music.
What have been some memorable experiences playing local and/or DIY shows?
Aidan: After releasing our newest album,“People Pleasers Pleasing People,” it's been really cool at shows having people come up to tell us their favorite song on the album. There is such a wide variety. It's always a reminder that any of the music we put out is going to be enjoyed by someone somewhere, as long as it's made with honesty, care, and good intentions.
Dana: One of the most memorable DIY venues was someone’s backyard that you could only get to through a window and jumping a few feet onto a folding table. Needless to say, the table did not survive the night.
What surprises or challenges can come with being a local musician in NYC?
Aidan: I think local music in NYC is a lot like dating in NYC — sometimes it feels like there's too many great options and it's impossible to get out and actually go meet and connect with people. There are a LOT of bands in NYC and breaking through is no joke.
For us, it's less about breaking through, and more about how we create a memorable and meaningful experience for our fans, and ourselves. I'm always surprised at how great our shows go, I mean, my bandmates are absolute rock stars, and it's so satisfying to see the crowd fill up after a few songs. It's hard to listen to Strange Neighbors and not want to start to dance.
Beau: I think we have been in a serious transition period as a music scene that has been greatly exacerbated by the Pandemic and I think it has mostly to do with the venues. With rents so high across the city, it makes it extremely difficult to open and maintain a venue, so it limits your choices of venues to play. DIY venues crop up here and there, but they often don’t have the funding to provide much more than a space and a PA (even if they have a cool vibe going), and other established venues wind up functioning more as bars because that’s where the money is (and I think for the most part these venues lack their own identity because they follow a formula of businesses that are staying open).
It makes it really difficult for a real scene or movement to root in certain locations, like a CBGB or a Palladium. You might frequent a venue, but you don’t live there, and you’re much more inclined to follow a band around than you are to “see who’s playing at your local haunt.” Venues rely on your draw rather than the venues having a natural built in audience that wants to be there because they love the space and the programming, which makes it harder to catch new acts (because you have to hunt them down) and harder to get new audiences when you’re performing. Overall the whole system just makes it difficult to start a band and build an audience.
Any other local bands that you would love to share a bill with?
Aidan: Super into Gustaf, Um, Jennifer?, and would love to play again with Strawberry Launch!
Beau: I’d love to play with Go Home, Pespi, and The Dream Eaters.
Dana: I would love to play with Tilden, Brower, or Gustaf - I love their music, I love watching them all live. It’d be a party playlist kind of bill - high energy with the right amount of overlap to be cohesive.
If you had to get a NYC-specific niche tattoo, what would it be?
Aidan: The Williamsburg Bridge - great memories over there.
Beau: Arlene’s Grocery logo tramp stamp.
Dana: Cockroach taxi (on my ass ;)
Please let us know about any new or upcoming releases, tours or other projects people should be on the lookout for!
Dana: We’re super stoked to be asked to play at the Lucky 7’s Rock & Roll BBQ on July 19th in Jersey City! If you can’t wait that long, we’re also playing around NYC in June. We’re doing back to back benefit shows on June 21st at Bella Abzug Park and 22nd at Bar Freda. June 27th we’re playing at SoHo Live. And if you like covers, our label Mint 400 Records will be releasing a compilation of David Bowie covers this summer which we are on.
