Sun Room Lights Up the Stage at SOMA
Photo by Ana McLaughlin
On Friday, February 3rd, people piled themselves into SOMA to watch the quintessential California band Sun Room play one of their biggest headline shows to date. With the four members originating from different parts of the golden state, their presence in the indie surf rock scene has become well-known since their rise of popularity in 2020. In recording, their music has an easy-going, beachy feel. However, in its live form, their discography is amplified into an energy that generates an exciting restlessness. In a recent interview with Unpublished Magazine, Sun Room described how one of their latest singles “Cadillac” hoped to “capture the chaos of our live shows.” After hearing this, I was eager to see what Sun Room had in store and I can assure you that they did not disappoint.
That night, Sun Room was supported by fellow Californian band The Grinns. They played a powerful opening show, truly charging the crowd up with an electricity that would carry on for hours after. They complimented Sun Room well, combining a 60s charm with a classic garage rock groove with singles such as “Joy” being my particular favorite of their set. They even threw in a cover of The Strokes’ “Someday,” which was an extremely fun addition.
Sun Room came on around nine to the roar of applause from the crowd. People were ready to completely let loose. The band had donned on their finest suits, a evident nod to their music video for “Cadillac” where they reigned in a Beatles-esque style. Gibson Anderson made some noise on the drums as Ashton Minnich on guitar and Max Pinamonti on bass got situated on stage. Beach balls were flying through the air, people were giddy with anticipation. Immediately after singer Luke Asgian shouted out “Alright, let’s do this thing” the room spun into a flurry soundtracked by the first song of the night, “Fun.” Lyrically and sonically, this song set up the precedent for the show. The lines “I just want to have some fun / Live my life before today is done” perfectly described the effect these four had on the crowd. They were spreading the message of pure joy, beaming at the room full of people dancing to their songs.
The entire set felt very collective. Usually an artist or band tends to attract a crowd of different styles but the population in the venue kept the surf-town memo going with flat snapback hats, high-top converse, and skating and surf brands. It reminded me of how music seeps beyond the headphones, appearing in people’s style and other facets of day to day life. Luke introduced the song “Crashed My Bike” with the remark of this being a hometown show. Throughout the song he would point at different members of the crowd, making small conversations through expressions. His grainy yet sweet vocals fanned the room, inviting everyone to join the nostalgic moment.
Their set included a range of hits across a three year discography. Their large social media could be attributed to the amount of phones up in the crowd. In 2020, the band shot to fame across various platforms with the release of songs from their project Sol Del Sur. But I think people quickly realized their hope of getting a steady video was aimless in the sea of dancing. This prompted everyone to give into the sweaty mass of friends jumping and shouting lyrics.
One of my favorite songs performed that night was “Just Yesterday.” I think this song truly captured the range of their sound. With the band still being relatively fresh and new to the scene with three years under their belt as a whole, it is palpable that they are already expanding the genres people may try to set them in. With the terms indie-rock and surf-punk floating around, I feel that Sun Room strays from the box, taking refreshing directions in each song. “Just Yesterday” reveals their capability to take on a heavier, psychedelic edge (and be extremely successful with it). We see this exploration continue in a faster realm with songs like “Cadillac” that are a little more brash than the regular “ooo-ah” beach sound. Live, these songs are hypnotic and full of the youthful turbulence the band tells stories about. Are we in a venue with a 2,700 person capacity or at a house show? The intimacy is undeniable.
The morning of the show, Sun Room had released a new song “Kaden’s Van” that had made its way into the set. In fact, their friend named Kaden was in the crowd as well, whom the band pointed at before diving into playing the song. Moments like these are always special, especially when you can spot fans who already know the lyrics to a song released hours prior. “Kaden’s Van” had the breeziness of their original work with the pace of their latest releases. It has become a playlist staple for me.
One of the last songs of the night was “Sol De Sur.” This was definitely one of the highlights of the night. Between Ashton’s catchy musicality on the guitar and Luke’s gritty vocality, a sun-kissed feeling was achieved that buzzed at our fingertips. Everyone was yelling the chorus “sol de sur,” which translates to “southern sun.” Following this song, the band exited the stage.
With shows lately, an encore has become an expectation. Usually the stage lights are left on, hinting that the band will appear again. Since Sun Room spent numerous minutes off stage, I think people became confused as if an encore was going to happen. I too got a little hesitant as people began to exit the venue. However, the band did eventually run back on stage, causing people to return from the exits to catch another song. They closed off the night with “Red Dress” telling the story of “a summer night in mid-july.” While it may have been the middle of winter, Sun Room did succeed in giving us a taste of Summer.
I am extremely happy that I got to experience Sun Room live. They have such a compelling presence that creates a thrilling atmosphere with their music. Everyone left the venue wired from dancing, drenched in sweat but grateful to have released any worries in the heat of a crowd. We are in the midst of Sun Room enriching the scene with their obvious talent and I am excited to see what they do next.