Concert Review

A NIGHT OF PSYCHEDELIC SPACE POP WITH PEARL & THE OYSTERS

Roman Aguilar

On March 14th Pearl & The Oysters kicked off their first headlining tour here in San Diego at The Voodoo Room in the House of Blues. The group consists of a French American duo of Juliette Pearl Davis and Joachim Polack. The two met in high school in Paris and immediately bonded over their love of music such as 70’s yacht rock, 50’s pop, 90’s space age and other genres. They moved across the Atlantic in 2015 to live together and have been releasing music since 2017.

Their Debut self-titled ep, ‘Pearl & the Oysters’ released in 2017, since they have released three
albums altogether. Some of their most popular songs have been Vitamin D,” “Mercury Comet
Caliente,” and “Canned Music”. A fourth album is on the horizon as their next EP, “Coast 2
Coast,” will be released on April 21, 2023 on Stones Throw Records. Several singles to promote
the album have been released including the scenic but slow groove of “Pariso,” the sweet
sounding “Pacific Ave” and the hypnotic gazing “Konami” track.

I arrived early at 6:00 before the doors opened at 7:00. Once I killed time and was finally in the
venue, I suddenly felt starstruck when the duo had walked in and forgot I had a job to do
covering the show. Quickly gathering myself back together, I introduced myself, and asked for a
picture to which they were so kind to do for me.

As more people came in and the venue began to fill up, the opening band, Tunewave, started
the show at 8:00. Being a local band, Tunewave is a group of University of San Diego students
and friends based in San Diego. They released their first album,“Self-Reflections,” in 2021 and
their ep “Molecules in Motion” is their most recent release back in January of this year. The title
track of which is their most popular song thus far.

Tunewave performs their set at The Voodoo Room. (Corinne Davidson)

They quickly got to playing after introducing themselves, getting the crowd into the swing of
things, and got everyone’s attention. With an electric saxophone, and impressive instrumental
piano breaks, they surprised me with their playing, showing they aren’t just another local band
with your typical covers and alt rock sound but with some depth. Of the songs they performed,
some of note were their aforementioned, “Molecules in Motion,”echo sounding “Gut
reaction”and my favorite of what they performed, “Better Now.”

I caught up with the lead singer of the band, Nick Brumbach, after the show and got the idea the
band are just a bunch of friends hoping to make it and attract new fans as they continue playing,
and opening for Pearl & the Oysters could do just that by their show. Passing band stickers after
the set by following their spotify or instagram definitely helps too. They’ll be performing again
soon Saturday, April 15th, at Soda Bar.

Nick Brumbach sings and plays piano during the Tunewave set. (Corinne Davidson)

After Tunewave’s set was over, the crowd drew closer and gathered around the stage, as all of
us grew in excitement for Pearl & the Oysters to finally come out. Time felt like an eternity, I was
checking my phone only to come to the realization that the service was abhorred so there was
nothing else to do but simply wait and hope 9:00 drew near.

My personal experience listening and being a fan of the band is fairly new, becoming an avid
listener last summer. I found out about them through their record label, feeltrip records. Artists I
listen to such as Paul Cherry, Jerry Paper, and Mild High Club fall under a circle of people
where they and the Oysters come to know each other and so on. I was instantly hooked on the
clear inspiration from 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s music as well as the creative effects and vocals
highlighted in their tracks. I was quite interested in how they’d translate it onto stage.

Lead singer Juliette Pearl Davis draws the crowd in with her vocals. (Corinne Davidson)

As the hour finally came, so did the band and Pearl & the Oysters, the band was welcomed by
applause and cheers from the crowd. They started off with a bang playing a fan favorite,
“Vitamin D”. With head bops and woos galore, they got the crowd going with their signature
vocals and style. The sudden atmosphere of the stage and crowd changed and suddenly you
saw fans of all ages go up front and dig the sound of the dream sound band. I looked to my right
and was taken back by the fact there was a man who looked to be either in his 40’s or 50’s
enjoying the music as much as I was. Pearl & the Oysters is truly a universal band.

Juliette Pearl Davis performs with emotion and grace. (Corinne Davidson)

Continuing on the set, they played several of the singles off their upcoming album including:
“Pariso” and “Pacific Ave”. With “Paiso” it sounded like the studio release, with a calm tone and
sound thank made you feel as though you were in paradise. They also played an unreleased
song from their upcoming album, that caught my ears, and will be one I’ll be looking forward to.
As the set went on, they featured a song where the pair shared vocals. That song is “Soft
Science” another favorite of mine that is reminiscent of an early 1960’s love song like “Hey
Paula.”

Juliette Pearl Davis performs a flute solo. (Corinne Davidson)

Lead singer Davis, would lead into their song “Treasure Island” saying as we have beaches
here in San Diego,” this one is about a favorite beach of theirs in Florida.” The song takes us
there as their signature effects, and lyrics of a special glow of the ocean and water, it’s like i’m
there right now. The band’s variety of featuring flute solos or sounds that seem like they’re from
an Atari video game, make you feel in another world and you don’t wanna leave.

As for me, I didn’t leave for some time after the show had ended, and after buying two vinyl
copies of their albums, I was fortunate enough to ask a few questions to the duo afterwards.

What were some of the influences into your new album Coast 2 Coast?

Pearl & the Oysters: 70’s Soft rock, Japanese City pop, Yacht rock. Then like Brazilian records
from maybe a little earlier like the mid 70’s.

What was the inspiration behind the group name?

Pearl & the Oysters: Well my middle name is Pearl, and it was the name of my Great
Grandmother and my mom is a random band name generator, just ask her and she’ll find cool
names and way before we had the band, she told me ‘oh if you had like a band one day you
should like call it Pearl & the Oysters and so the band name came before the band.

How long have you been a band?

Pearl & the Oysters: 2017, that was the first show that we did. It’s started like over five years
now, five, six years.

What’s it like being able to have your first headline tour?

Pearl & the Oysters: It’s been amazing. We’ve been touring America for a long time. This is
definitely a big change for us. We started from nothing in Florida a few years ago and when we
moved to L.A there was the pandemic and it just feels like it’s growing organically very slowly
but we wouldn’t change anything. Slow and steady.

I had a wonderful time being able to both see Tunewave and Pearl & the Oysters. Not only
being able to see Pearl & the Oysters live, but to take a picture with them and be able to spare a
few mins to let a freshman college student ask a few questions before they pack up meant a lot,
and I’m excited for their new album soon, and what’s in store for the soft psychedelic band in
the near future.

SOS for SZA

Cooper Overton

On March 13th, SZA was the talk of the town. From houses hanging signs in their windows welcoming her, to the bright Viejas Arena sign, you could tell San Diego was excited to welcome her for the night. Lines that started from the entrance made their way all the way to the nearby streets.

Before SZA took the stage, Omar Apollo opened for her. At 8:00 sharp, not a minute late, the lights in the arena went dark, while thousands of fans screamed. Orange bright lights slowly lit the stage as Apollo started the concert with his song “Useless.” Each song that Omar Apollo performed had its own color to light the stage, for example, his song “Invincible” stayed to a neutral black and white, while “Want U around,” kept to its melancholic, ethereal vibes with bright blue lighting. In every song that he performed, he gave San Diego his all, dancing in between instrumental breaks, showing off his incredible range, and thanking fans who sang every lyric with him. When he announced that he only had time for two more songs, sadness quickly changed to excitement when the crowd favorite: “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)”

 began to play. The beginning of the song was overswept by the cheers of the crowd, and of course, the stage was overswept with bright green lighting. He finished his set with “Go Away,” smacking the drum symbols with his hands as the song ended, and thanked San Diego as the lights went dark.

The fans could barely contain their excitement in between the sets, dancing to songs such as “WAP” by Cardi B, and “Best Friend” by Saweetie and Doja Cat. The closer it came, the more evident it was that this was a sold-out show as every seat in the stadium was getting taken. Finally, the lights went dark. For a full minute, the stage seemed to be empty and all that could be heard were screams and chants. Suddenly, stunning visuals of dark clouds and waves appeared, and screens rose to the intro of “PSA,” revealing SZA to be sitting on the diving board that is seen on the cover of her newest album. 

Transitions between every song were executed perfectly, the screens showed movie-like visuals that made this concert feel more like a story than a performance.

From a diving board to a boat dock, the sets were able to change smoothly without taking you out of the emersion of the concert, performing popular songs such as “Seek & Destroy” and “Love Galore.” Every song was well-choreographed as SZA had a team of dancers, hyping her up as well as she sang or giving the impression in some songs that she controlled them. As the set changed from a dock to what seemed to be an underground lair, she performed a cover of Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady,” with visuals of red flashing S.O.S. lights, staying true to the theme of her most recent album. 

As every song passed, SZA continued to leap beyond expectations. From turning the entire set into a large boat, to then sailing over the crowd in a liferaft, you never knew what was gonna happen next. A crowd favorite was her performance of “Kill Bill,” where she appeared on the stage with a mace. Stunning background visuals of the dancers getting defeated as the crowd screamed and sang every word. She ended her concert, returning to the diving board, with a heartstopping performance of “Good Days,” as the screens around her projected space and sparkling stars. The words The End were written in the stars as the lights faded into darkness.

–

Photos by Jennifer Perez.

JAWNY Made San Diego “fall in love”

Sam Christensen

On March 3rd, indie pop artist JAWNY kicked off his 2023 North America Headline Tour
in San Diego, with his debut album It’s Never Fair, Always True dropping the same
day. It made for an exciting night, as we were the first to hear the songs played live.

Performing at the Quartyard in downtown, the innovatively designed outdoor venue
provided the perfect scene to “fall in love” with JAWNY’s sound. The site
complemented JAWNY’s vibe with the unique and fun artwork found throughout,
including local artist work, colorful lighting, and repurposed shipping containers that had
string lights connecting to the stage.

JAWNEY by Samantha Christensen

JAWNY received support from indie pop artist Wallice, who is well known for her songs
“23” and “Punching Bag”. Her shoegaze-style sound captivated fans in the crowd and
left them in awe, waiting for JAWNY to take the stage.
Approaching the time of his set, JAWNY, still behind the stage, turned on his mic to
address the crowd by asking, “Are you guys ready?” A roar erupted from fans, and the
song “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers began to play through the speakers.

Name a better way to hype up a crowd than that.
I even caught myself getting excited and jumping around to the familiar lyrics, “Coming
out of my cage, and I’ve been doing just fine.” At this point, the anticipation and energy
were high.

JAWNY by Shaeley Hicks

Taking the stage, JAWNY comes out to his newly released song “intro”. The catchy
drum tempo was a perfect segway into his performance, and like the album, the 40-
second upbeat song seamlessly transitioned into a crowd favorite, “strawberry
chainsaw”.
The fun rockstar he is was dressed in a vibrant button-up shirt with a heat map print
design, accompanied by black Dickies slacks and a printed logo “Panther” trucker hat.
With him was a neon green electric guitar with a matching guitar strap to complete the
outfit.

JAWNY by Shaeley Hicks

Playing an impressive 20-song setlist, JAWNY kept the energy high throughout. Even
included a cover of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me” which he deemed to be San

Diego’s anthem. The crowd went crazy with this one and serenaded the city with
JAWNY as he geared up for the second half of his performance.
Including a mix of songs from the new album and his past projects, “For Abby” and “The
Story Of Hugo”, JAWNY kept the crowd on their toes with what to expect next. There is
something special to be said about an artist whose songs are rooted in a sad boy
narrative, yet fans are seen jumping and dancing around to the catchy choruses of
newly released songs like “adios” and “lalala”. Moments like that speak true to the
creative storytelling of JAWNY and his unique style of music.

JAWNY by Shaeley Hicks

After getting to be a part of a press release with JAWNY earlier in February, I was eager
to get to hear him play live for the first time. I have been a fan of his since his earlier
works, including “Honeypie” and “Trigger Of Love” which I remember listening to for
hours on end during the pandemic. In the press release, I recall JAWNY opening up
about how much this album means to him and how proud he is to share it with the
world. I would agree that the crowd definitely showed him the recognition he deserves
for such a creative work of art, and the opening night of his North American tour felt like
a movie.
JAWNY stayed “true” to his intentions of creating an album that included something for
everyone and showcased it perfectly by having San Diego “fall in love” with him and
his energy on stage.

“We’re at the Top of the World”: A Night with Saint Luna

Vanessa Chan

On March 11, alternative, indie, psychedelic rock SDSU-based band, Saint Luna, rocked
their hearts out at their sold-out show at the SOMA Sidestage. I had the fantastic opportunity to
film content on stage during the show and go backstage as well! Gaining traction in the Southern
California music scene through social media platforms, Saint Luna was able to open alongside
The Happy Return for well-known indie-surf rock band, Sun Room, at their North Park
Observatory show in June. What I find so surreal about all of this is that I discovered Saint Luna
at a bonfire I attended two years ago, so this whole experience was a very full-circle moment.

The night kicked off with DSCO and Honeyboys, but I, unfortunately, missed their sets.
However, I was able to catch Blue Hour’s set just in time. Blue Hour, an indie-pop SDSU-based
band, kicked off their set by playing their first single “July”, which was just released in
December. They engaged with the crowd by providing beach balls for them to throw around
during their set, and encouraged everyone to dance and sing along with them! They played
various covers, with an obvious fan favorite being ‘Can I Call You Tonight’ by Dayglow. They
even covered ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ by Artic Monkeys, which the crowd
thoroughly enjoyed dancing around to. Before Saint Luna came onto the stage, Blue Hour ended
their set by covering ‘Doses and Mimosas’ by Cherub. As they said their goodbyes, they
mentioned how they would be by their merch stand if anyone wanted to stop by to say hello.
These boys definitely left a lasting impression on the crowd, for chants of “one more song” arose
when their set came to a close.

Screams and claps of joyous fans filled the room as soon as Saint Luna ran out on stage.
Full of eagerness and excitement, the crowd was already jumping around and moshing within
the first song. While jamming out, it became clear how passionate Saint Luna was about playing
music. Not only did their chemistry show while performing, but they were constantly jumping
around having fun, supporting one another during solos, and checking in on one another. This
stood out to me, because seeing them interact with one another with such caring and positive
attitudes was very genuine. Lead singer and guitarist, Bradyn Jace, excited the crowd when he
mentioned he “expected” them to form moshpits throughout the show, and reminded them to
also be safe if taking part. From crowd surfing to backflips in the center of moshpits, the crowd
was full of energy. As contagious smiles never left the crowd and the stage, the band kept the
original songs coming playing ‘Voodoo Doll’, ‘Katz’s Garage’, ‘I Feel It’, ‘wyd 2 me’, ‘Roses’ and
‘Goldfish’. Guitarist, Wick Hauser, took over the mic as he sang ‘Conceited’, and drummer
Paarsa Heidari switched spots with Jace to sing ‘My Friend’, a song dedicated to his father’s
passing. The crowd was left in awe during these songs and some fans proceeded to light the
place up with their phone flashlights. Saint Luna didn’t stop there. The band joked about
covering songs by “underground artists”, then proceeded to play ‘Come Together’ by the Beatles and ‘Time’ by Pink Floyd. The band finally said their goodbyes and thanked everyone for coming
to support them, then disappeared backstage.

“Encore! Encore! Encore!” was repeated shortly after the boys left the stage. As I was
briefly backstage with them, they mentioned how they didn’t anticipate having an encore. As
they came to a consensus, they re-entered the stage and fans were quick to run back in from
previously exiting. They finished off the night by covering ‘Sex on Fire’ by Kings of Leon and ‘As
It Was’ by the one and only, Harry Styles. The crowd screamed the lyrics, in unison and
satisfaction, one last time before heading their separate ways.