If there were a how-to guide on starting and running a highly credible DIY label in today’s ADD music scene, Dan Goldin and Dave Spak would be the best-selling authors.

Goldin and Spak, who both attended Northeastern University, founded Exploding in Sound Records in 2011, and while they’ve moved their operation to Brooklyn, EIS has quickly become one of the local scene’s most influential labels and helped establish Boston as a hot spot for up-and-coming rock acts.

To understand how influential EIS has become, just take a look at their discography. Pile was the first band they signed, Grass Is Green’s Ronson was their first release, and Speedy Ortiz’s Sports was the first record they pressed to vinyl. The duo also lists Krill, Kal Marks, and Bad History month on their current roster.

The label is throwing a giant party this weekend to thank fans for their support (which is strange, considering we should be thanking them). The Boston version of the “Thank You For Being A Friend” weekend will feature three stellar shows featuring EIS bands and  friends on Saturday and Sunday.

To get ready for the celebration, we asked participating bands about their relationship with EIS and which acts they were most excited to be playing with. Check out their responses below, and visit the event page for full lineups and ticket info.

Saturday Night At Sinclair
Lineup: Krill, Big Ups, LVL UP, Stove, Palehound
Event Page

Big Ups
“Dan Goldin repeatedly puts out records by bands that I look up to and that inspire me to make music. Then, he introduces me to the members of those bands, and I get to feel like part of the fun. He takes the bus to the shows those bands play, pays to get into the show because he doesn’t like asking for guest list spots, and walks back from the shows with me, and we talk as friends. Dan is a huge reason that I’m a part of the music community in New York at all.

I’m really excited to play Dan’s ‘Thank You For Being a Friend’ weekend shows simply because I’ll get to see so many friends in so many great bands (including Krill, Palehound, LVL UP, Palm and Stove, who we are playing with). Dan brings a lot of good people together.”

Palehound
“Nothing excites me more than EIS shows/events because I know that it’ll be a day in which I’ll listen to amazing music by people that I’m astounded to be able to view as my peers. Not to mention the fact that EIS consists of some of the best personalities/friends and makes up an incredibly supportive familial atmosphere and community that I basically waited my whole life to find. I really genuinely cannot name what band I’m most excited to see because I worship all of them.”

Sunday Matinee At O’Brien’s
Lineup: Vundabar, Zula, Washer, Swings, Lady Bones, Great Deceivers
Event Page

Vundabar
“EIS is very straight forward in function. A good fella who puts out good records.”

Zula
“Dan is the ultimate fan and his enthusiasm and support for fledgling bands is contagious. He’s a community catalyst.”

Washer
“We’re relative newcomers to the EIS label, though we’ve been pretty heavily influenced by the bands they put out. They’ve built themselves a little world where everyone involved is super supportive of each other and friendly. It’s very empowering to feel like you’re part of this bigger thing that’s fun and validating but you don’t have to be all stiff and serious about it. We’re very grateful.

“Forever stoked for Pile. And the return of Grass Is Green. Every bill is actually incredible.”

Swings
“Dan has always been super nice to us. And I’m most excited to see Zula cause of their groovez.”

Lady Bones
“EIS is like a directory for finding great music and meeting good people, Dan has helped us a lot these past few months running PR for our new album.  Can’t wait to see Gnarwhal!”

Great Deceivers
“We are counting ourselves lucky that our tour is coinciding with the extended weekend. Not only do we get to watch Gnarwhal rip every night, but a great many of EIS bands are favorites of ours so the opportunity to play alongside them and hang out is great. Plus, who couldn’t get behind A: being a friend?; and B: an extended weekend?”

Sunday Night At Great Scott
Lineup: Pile, Kal Marks, Gnarwhal, Leapling, Bunny’s A Swine
Event Page

Gnarwhal
“We met EIS from booking their bands in Nashville probably. First Grass is Green then Pile then Kal Marks and so forth and they’re all the best. Each and every single one. I’m really excited to see all of our friends. Sadly not playing the same days as Grass is Green or Palm, but it will happen again someday.”

Leapling
“I’m continuously flattered to be part of a label as dynamic & exciting as EIS. I’ve actually always felt Leapling was sort of an outlier on Exploding & I think our inclusion speaks to two things: a) Goldin not at all giving a shit about what is deemed cool & b) a real willingness to take chances on things he likes. Like any great label should be EIS reflects its founder’s tastes more than the musical landscape of the time. I think in the long run it won’t date the label in the same way that some that are more susceptible to certain trends will inevitably be. There’s a real integrity to everything EIS puts their name behind. With a catalog as large (& growing) it’s quite a feat. Very happy to be a small part of that.”

Bunny’s A Swine
“We became a part of the extended EIS family through Pile, I suppose. Pile has been one of our closest bud-bands since we first met them randomly in Atlanta while we were both on our first serious tours. That was probably 6 years ago.

Around the time Dan was really getting things rolling with the label we were also starting up Tiny Radars, our own label, and became pretty tight with Dan as someone to bounce ideas off of and trade tips about pressing plants and how to not go broke because none of us knew what the hell we were doing. Dan proved to be way better at the label game than we were, and I can’t even quantify the amount of respect I have for what he’s done over the past few years. Despite covering a range of sounds, there’s this thematic thing that ties all EIS bands together; they are all brutally honest artists who don’t know how to be anything other than what they are. It’s a rare thing and one that takes a certain kind of ear to pick out, Dan undoubtedly has that gift.

We’re obviously excited to be playing with Pile, I don’t even know how many times I’ve seen them over the years, but it never gets old. The entire bill for Sunday’s Great Scott show is ridiculously solid. Life is Murder is one of my favorite releases of recent years and I’m psyched to check out what Kal Marks is up to these days. It’s also a special show for us as it will be our last before we go on hiatus so Candace can pop out a baby. She is very pregnant, watching her guitar positioning evolve over the process has been quite fascinating. We’re also mid stream on recording a new album and will be debuting some of that material. Hoping to put out a digital single in advance of the show.”