By Sevauna Stageman
With the world on fire and a hard week of work behind us, it’s always nice to escape through the wonders and pure communal joy of concerts and good tunes.
Last Saturday night at the Loop’s Delmar Hall, the youth found their escape and night of sun, surf, fun, and good times courtesy of San Diego’s Sun Room and hometown openers, Little Cowboys.
Hometown heroes Little Cowboys, formed in 2017, started the party with their exuberant, eclectic, shimmering brand of alternative rock with some midwestern twang and shade. The young live quartet of band members (guitarist, vocalist Collin Mueller, Eric Berliner, lead guitar, bassist Ian Vaughn, and drummer Logan Mohler) launched into their 40-minute set. It was well-received by the electrified young hippies, hipsters, and alt-rock purists, some even donning cowboy hats. They treated the gathered masses to cuts from their self-titled 2020 EP, the 2018 single “Indifferent,” and some new, unreleased tunes.
Drummer Logan Mohler and bassist Ian Vaughn took center stage and became the visual focal point of their all-too-short set. They opened their set by testing a new, unreleased track, “Questions,” and were met with a warm and enthusiastic reception. This band was blessed with several solid vocalists, and it was a treat to hear them blend their voices into a stellar stew of sonic perfection. Their seven-song set included a cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” and ended with two new developing tracks with the working titles “Robopop” and closer, “New Fast.”
Next on deck was the night’s big draw. From the exotic beaches and the silky sands and high surf of San Diego, Sun Room took the stage to a warm and enthusiastic crowd of music fans and young concertgoers. According to their press release, this was the opening night of Sun Room’s first headlining North American tour.
The Sun Room’s twenty-something lads (Luke Asgian (lead vocals & guitar), Ashton Minnich (guitar), and Max Pinamonti (bass) started with a new, unreleased number that went over well with the huddled masses. The Sun Room sound recalls the excitement, innocence, rawness, Haight Ashbury vibe, and flavor of some So Cal surf bands of the late 1960s. It’s fun, never too serious, and features rolling surf, tremolo-laden, sundrenched grooves that are hip, Daddy-O. Lead singer and frontman Luke Asgian explained the inspiration behind many of their songs, including their crowd–pleaser, “Sol Del Sur,” and the encore of “Cadillac.” The crowd lapped it up like a tasty wave and cold Bud.
The band ran through cuts, including their brilliant recent EP, “Outta Their Minds,” as well as their two other excellent EPs, 2020’s Sol Del Sur (2020) and 2021’s EP “Somewhere Tropical.” Fans were treated to the aforementioned “Sol Del Sur,” “Clementine,” “Sunset Blvd.” and much more. Their set was sweaty, clean, fun, and exhilarating. There are no serious themes, politics, or morbid introspective numbers; it’s all about dancing, surfing, beautiful girls, and living a laid-back life without being too laid back.
Catch Sun Room if they’re coming to your town, and keep an eye on St. Louis’ promising band, Little Cowboys.–Sevauna Stageman/Doug Tull
