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Quarters of Change Is Going To Rock The Music Scene

Sam Christensen

You do not want to miss out on this one.

Reinventing the rock sound, Quarters of Change is going to absolutely take off in the coming months. Their recent album, “Into the Rift,” immediately became a no-skip album for me and soon will be yours. Songs like “Kiwi” and “Jaded” are full of immaculate guitar riffs, stellar rock vocals, and rhythmic drums.

Originally from New York, Quarters of Change is an alternative rock band consisting of four members: Ben Roter as the lead vocalist, Jasper Harris and Ben Acker on guitar, and Attila Anrather on drums. They formed their band back in 2017, which started out as a cover band until they released their self-titled LP in 2018, “Cyclone Trips.” In more recent works, they dropped their EP, “New Hour,” in 2021 and their first album, “Into The Rift,” in 2022. Additionally, they toured this past year with Bad Suns as an opener alongside Last Dinosaurs.

Stopping in San Diego on their sold-out North American headline tour, they performed at the Voodoo Room at the House of Blues. Opening for them was the band Late Night Drive Home, an indie rock band from El Paso, Texas, who, like Quarters of Change, are also helping reinvent the rock scene. Playing songs like “Star Love” and “Stress Relief,” they were the perfect compliment for the night.

Approximately around 9:15 p.m., Quarters of Change took the stage, and the crowd went absolutely wild. I was lucky enough to receive a photo pass for this show and made my way up to the barrier in front of the stage. One by one, each of the members came onto the stage, with Ben Roter being the last to appear, in true rockstar fashion.

They opened with a crowd favorite, “Jaded”.

When I tell you that the crowd went crazy, that is a bit of an understatement. The energy in the room was absolutely wild, and quite honestly it felt like a cinematic moment. From my perspective, it was surreal to have the band so close to my right side and then the view of the crowd on my left. Those at the barrier were seen having the time of their lives, being able to sing along and reach out to the stage.

The band was dressed in typical relaxed and casual rockstar attire. Ben Roter was seen in an all-black outfit with clear-framed and dark-lens 2000’s style glasses. To his left was Jasper Harris, who was seen wearing a leather zip-up utility jacket and slacks that paired well with his blue Fender Stratocaster. To the right of Roter was Ben Acker, dressed in a

cream colored linen buttoned long sleeve and colored matched pants that contrasted perfectly with his black six-string guitar. In the back was Attila on the drums, wearing a white Blondie t-shirt.

As they continued to hype up the crowd, they played all the fan favorites, including “Blue Copper,” “T Love,” and “Chloe,” to name a few. The strong chemistry amongst the band members was electrifying on stage, and there were moments seen throughout of the guitarists, Jasper and Ben, shredding back to back with Roter in the middle. An unforgettable moment in the set included an incredibly effortless guitar solo from Jasper for the song “Kiwi” that left me with chills and elicited loud cheers from the crowd.

Roter himself showcased his vocal capabilities and animated stage presence throughout the entire set and truly proved what it means to be a rock star. Additionally, the emotion displayed by Roter was impressive to watch and demonstrated his love for what he does.

Bringing attention to the crowd and closing out the show with a bang, Roter directed the crowd to get down low as the tempo of the song started to build, and when the moment hit, those in the crowd sprung up and gave it their all. Fans were also spotted crowd surfing as well as headbanging during the final song on the setlist, Rift.

Closing out the show, Roter yelled out to the fans, “We love you, San Diego!” before running off stage.

I would consider myself to be a regular concertgoer, and when I tell you that this is one of the most exciting and energy-packed shows I have been to, believe it. Everything about their performance was captivating

Quarters of Change is surely going to be the next big thing in music, and I am eager to see where it takes them.

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.