On Friday, January 31st, the Sungazer lads hit the stage at the Motorco in Durham, North Carolina. Sharing the stage was Salami Rose Joe Louis. Both phenomenal acts settled in for an intimate and captivating night with the crowd.
Salami Rose Joe Louis is the creation of Lindsay Olsen, from the Bay area in California. Joining Salami Rose Joe Louis on stage was Philadelphia guitarist, Flanafi. The two put out a collaborative genre bending album back in April of 2024 titled, Sarah. I had not heard of these musicians prior to this show, as I wanted to surprise myself with what was in store, and surprise it was! It was a very interesting set. The combination of synths, keys, soft vocals, and striking string performance really spoke for itself. The music itself reminded me somewhat of a more electronic/synth-based jazzy version of Joanna Newsom. The whole set was performed sitting down, letting the music really shine and locking in with the chill vibe of the music. The performance did not need any flashy banter or lively movements from the two to keep the crowd locked in the entire set. It was very clear that the two performers had a wonderful chemistry and felt very comfortable playing together, as they were incredibly locked into the music. At moments, the music felt as though it was putting me into a trance-like state. The set included the most recent release from Salami Rose Joe Louis titled, “Arm Fell Asleep” and ended with “We’re Dumb.” It seemed like that may have been the duo’s favorite song, as they were exchanging smiles to each other throughout the whole song. I was pleasantly surprised with this treat of a set and hope to see Salami Rose Joe Louis again in the future! I highly encourage anyone else to go out and see her play as well.
Sungazer took the stage next, kicking off their jazz fusion set with “Against the Fall of Night”, afterall, it is the second leg of the Against the Fall of Night tour! Afterward they immediately started in with their typical counting antics and had the crowd help teach drummer Shawn Crowder how to count to five, as he clearly only knew how to count to four previously. One thing you always can count on (no pun intended) to happen at a Sungazer show is group counting and clapping to some fun time signatures. And if you think that six comes after five, then you should probably not be at a Sungazer show (joking!). The entire set was incredibly captivating and entertaining between the fascinating sounds of the music being played and the detailed explanations of the songs by bassist, Adam Neely. Joining Sungazer on stage was saxophonist, Jared Yee, and guitarist, Joshua De La Victoria. The set was carefully crafted to allow each musician to showcase their talents with a solo, something I have not really seen other groups take time to do so seamlessly. It is very clear that everyone involved has a deep love and appreciation for the music being performed, and I absolutely adore that! This did not feel like a performance, it felt like something very natural and deeply cared for by each musician, almost like if they weren’t on a stage at that moment, they would have been doing exactly the same thing anywhere else that they could have been that night. The group finished off their set with “I Walk Alone.” And yet, they still came back on stage for an encore to perform a cover of “Vital Transformation” by Mahavishnu Orchestra. They even challenged themselves to play the fast and eclectic song without a click-track and they absolutely killed it! I am truly astounded that the entire set (including the encore) was as long as it was, because it did not feel like I was standing there watching them play for nearly two hours! I was actually very sad that it ended at all and I wish I could go back and relive this performance again. I genuinely believe this show was easily one of the top 10 shows I have ever been to!
Unfortunately, tonight is the last night of Sungazer's tour, but I know these guys will be hitting the road again sometime soon! Please support them by checking out their recent album, Against the Fall of Night below!
