Getting to know Blood Club with Jesse Flores and Daniel Vela

Blood Club is emerging as one of the pioneers of the post-punk scene in Chicago. Blending moody gothic melodies with romantic bilingual lyrics into a style that everyone can dance to. Fresh off their latest EP release, Sufres Porque Quieres, the band continues to work at a killer pace.

From amassing 60,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, recording an AudioTree Live session on YouTube, to touring sellout shows in the U.S. and Mexico. The trio of lead singer Jesse Flores, bassist Daniel Vela and new guitarist David Garcia recently headlined Cruel Fest at Navy Pier. Now they prepare for a SoCal tour and a European tour this fall. Taking a break from practising for Cruel Fest, Jesse Flores was kind enough to invite Quip Magazine into his studio and allow us to speak with the three men about Blood Club and share their story.

Vidal Granados: Hey guys, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me. It’s been a long time coming; I’ve been following your guy’s journey over the last 2 years. Thank you for letting me into your sanctuary.

Jesse Flores: Of course, thank you for wanting to talk to us!

VG: You are preparing to headline Cruel Fest at Navy Pier. How are you guys feeling?

JF: We’re feeling good. You just heard some of the songs, so I’m happy with our set list. We just got a new member too [David Garcia], so he’s been learning the songs and we pretty much have it down now.

VG: You sounded great! I wanted to cheer after each song, but I knew you were locked in and didn’t want to interrupt.

Daniel Vela: [laughs] You could’ve been the echo going “Yeah!”

VG: How proud are you of your team, Cruel Management? How has it been collaborating with the other bands on the lineup?

JF: I’ve known Vincente Ramirez [manager] forever. It’s cool to grow with him. I appreciate everything he’s done. It’s cool to work with someone whom I’ve been friends with so long that I confidently tell him what I want instead of some business guy. It makes me feel comfortable asking for things and planning stuff with him, so it’s great we both have had a rise together.

As for the other bands, Vinny works with a lot of other bands for booking. We’re cool with most of them because we’re all in a friend group chat trying to support each other.

DV: We’re friends, so Vinny and Cruel Management created this environment to grow together. That’s what makes all this really fun, cause it’s not a business thing, it’s friends. I know we can go to each other and say, “Yo you’re fucking up.” (laughs)

JF: You’ve got to be able to have the freedom to say that, but also take it too. It goes both ways, or else it’s not going to work as a team.

VG: Congrats on your latest EP Sufres Porque Quieres. What has the feedback been since it dropped?

JF: It’s actually been pretty great. It’s doing better than I expected (laughs). I’m happy it’s doing well. Sufres Porque Quieres came together quick. I wrote it all in a month and a half. We were busy with tours, so I had to set time aside to write it in the spring. I gave myself a tight deadline since we had our No Llores North American tour coming up at the time, so I wanted it to give fans an incentive to listen. Plus, we also wanted to play new songs.

VG: What has the experience been like being able to travel the country as well as the globe with your art?

JF: It’s the dream! We are super grateful. A lot of it really is luck, so we’re never going to take it for granted. It is hard work though, so we don’t always get to explore the cities we’re in. It’s the van, venue, and hotel room. We love it though; I can keep going forever.

DV: Honestly, on the outside, it may seem like a vacation, but we know what we go through on the road. What makes it the best is that I’m literally experiencing it with my best friends. It makes it so easy. Touring to me is like a retreat. You see everyone’s highs and lows. If you crash out, everyone sees it. You have to get your emotions together. Whatever problems you have at home, stay at home. It’s still there, yet you’re out and away, so you have to balance everything and still stay locked in to be ready for shows. This is what we want, we are doing it, and we’re super grateful it’s all happening.

VG: What has been your favourite city to perform in?

JF: Chicago for sure is one of our favourite cities to play in! It’s cool we’ve built a fan base here that always shows support. Chicago and LA are my top two cities to play in.

DV: I agree, but I also always liked playing in Riverside, California. They always bring the energy. I don’t know, it’s just the random type of people that you may not expect to get down to our style, but they’re the most passionate. I love seeing all types of people get down with our shows there. The first time playing there, I couldn’t hear Jesse singing the song, but the crowd was screaming the lyrics. I will always remember that.

VG: Jesse, Blood Club is your brainchild. How good does it feel seeing your idea come into fruition, knowing this is just the beginning?

JF: It feels amazing. I know it sounds cliché, but I’ve always had this dream since I was a kid. I always said if I can just do tours and a lot of people show up, I’d be happy with that. We’re already at that point so anything more makes me grateful. We’re going to keep going and have a blast.

VG: David, you being the newest member of the band, how excited are you about joining Blood Club and a part of this experience?

DG: I’m in another band [Violet Waves] with my older brother, who is friends with Jesse. I met Jesse last year. Pretty much, we started playing together for a little bit, and chemistry grew with Jesse and Daniel.

JF: We needed a new member so I thought of him because we vibe together, and he plays great. Only recently did he start learning our songs, and it’s going really well. I went to his brother’s house one day, heard David play guitar and thought it sounded good and invited him over, and the rest is history.

DG: It’s crazy what if I was upstairs that day. It would’ve caused a butterfly effect; it was destiny [laughs] I love being in Blood Club, it’s great.

VG: Building off that, what makes this dynamic click between you three?

JF: I write the songs and show the guys what I got. Once I’m done, these guys come to the studio and learn all the parts; we fine-tune it for live performances. Daniel is definitely the glue guy.

DV: I try to do anything to help everyone out. Being the oldest, I feel I have to be the most mature and versatile. It’s easy because Jesse is such a good leader. He’s straight up, and gives you props. He’s doing it because he wants to grow, be better and wants the best out of you. There’s no ego. No games played, let’s fucking run it. We all play our roles and we all root for each other. With David, he’s ready to go. Jesse and me have been going strong for 3 years and our vision is for the future. David was able to step in and do his thing. It’s easy to vibe with him cause he’s ready to go.

DG: I feel like there’s a very strong brother dynamic going on here, which is why it’s worked so far.

VG: All this is an exciting experience, but can be overwhelming. Any hobbies you explore outside of music to stay engaged creatively?

JF: Personally, I handle a lot of the visual side of the band. Like music video or social media posts. I work with my videographer closely to provide feedback. I always had the dream of being a moviemaker so I like that aspect.

DV: Not really too much outside of music for me. After this last tour I finally got a routine down to keep me grounded. I wake early to go running, practice before the set and try to relax. You can get lost seeing the same people so doing my own thing before a show has helped me out.

DG: I ride my bike a lot or go for a jog. I like to draw a lot. I also just focus mainly on music. Mess around with music software on my phone. I play drums, piano, guitar, bass, and played the glockenspiel before.

VG: As we come down the stretch of 2025, what is the rest of the year looking like?

JF: Cruel Fest! We have a show in Chicago at Bottom Lounge on October 10th. Then we’re off to SoCal for a few tour dates. Then we’re off to Europe. I’m planning to write a new album for next year.

DG: It’s going to be a good time. I’ve never been on an official tour before. Going to LA then Europe, is going to be a brand new experience.

VG: Lastly, any advice for anyone trying to chase their dreams and make it in the music industry?

JF: Put in the work. I’ve wanted this since 13 and just now it’s getting traction. If you really love it, you’ll work hard at it. A lot of it is luck too, you have to put yourself in a lot of situations, you can become more lucky than someone who doesn’t do anything. Also, don’t let it get to your head; you have to treat your people well.

DV: It sounds chees,y but believing in yourself is where it all starts. Putting in the work and never giving the fuck up.

DG: Trust your ideas. That idea that keeps coming back and sticks, then get it out to the world anyway you can. Keep creating.

VG: Thank you fellas, appreciate your time and wish y’all the best on your continued success!

Blood Club’s Sufres Porque Quieres is streaming on all major platforms now and visit bl00dclub.com for upcoming tour dates.

Photos by @junnylaraa, courtesy of the band.