It takes a lot to put yourself out there as a band with new music. It takes even more to do so after a long-lasting hiatus.
Will the same fans come back? Have they aged out of your demographic? Will you find a new group of people who want to hear your music?
These are most likely all questions that neon pop punkers The Summer Set asked themselves when writing and releasing their new album, Meet Me at the Record Store. After witnessing the Chicago date of the Meet Me at the Record Store Tour, it is insanely apparent that they’ve found their answers – in a crowd full of fans, both old and new, of all ages, singing their hearts out to every single song.
Kicking off the night early was the duet Good Boy Daisy, made up of twin sisters Hallie and Dylinn Mayes. These two have an unforgettable dynamic that speaks for itself with their stage presence – even as folks were walking in the door, it was apparent on their faces that the music playing was stopping them in their tracks and piquing their curiosities instantly.
Following up after Good Boy Daisy was a group that knew how to hang – People R Ugly. These alt rockers brought it right back to the early 2000s with their banter and dance moves that had the whole room feeling like a house party. Someone get Sum 41 on the phone, because these guys might be giving them a run for their money!
And the last of the night’s openers is one that will without a doubt be the next big thing in pop punk – Senses. Vocalist Madison Taylor keeps full control of the crowd, and drummer Nick Sampson keeps the set in line – the synergy between these two is incredible to witness. Taylor is a vocal powerhouse, with the tonal range and clarity of Jenna McDougall and the charisma of Avril Lavigne in her early days. She is running the show, and the whole crowd knows it – they follow her every move as she thrashes her blond hair and dances across the stage in her platform combat boots. She is practically magnetic, and the audience cannot take their eyes off of her. All the while, the band’s touring guitarist is shredding and rocking across the stage, and Sampson is pumping up the whole room with his drums. Their set is all energy from start to end, and the perfect way to get the crowd hyped up for The Summer Set.
By 8:45, the audience is just itching for the band that runs the show, and the band is ready for them, too, from what it seems. As the room goes black, two neon signs on either side cast a red-orange glow: “meet me at the record store”. As the intro music starts, a row of stage lights gleam in yellow, casting a golden shine on the wooden floor and rugs, the drum kit, the mic-stands and amps and pedals. And then, they’re there.
Watching this band walk onstage feels like being transported back to the 2010 Warped Tour – but older, wiser, more polished. Brian Logan Dales, owner of a voice like no other, comes out in a suit jacket and nice pants – polished and cool (as he always has been), while brothers John and Stephen Gomez, instruments in hand, are a slight bit more casual in attire, and just as playful as always – and the woman who is in the background, but stands out above all of it, Jess Bowen? Looks exactly like she did a decade and a half ago in cutoff tee and wavy hair and enough energy to shoot lightning through the room with her drumsticks. And in that moment, this concert feels like more than a concert: it feels like home.
The band immediately kicks into high gear, playing a mix of old favorites and new hits. It only makes sense that they’d kick off the night with “For the First Time” and “I Don’t Wanna Party”, both off of Meet Me at the Record Store, both insanely well-received. Opening with two new ones before diving into their full catalog is a great way to test the waters on how many fans are there for the new tunes, not just the nostalgia kicks – and it turns out the whole audience is there for every era of The Summer Set, not just the old school ones. The amount of movement in the room – clapping, shouting, singing at the top of their lungs – from the entire crowd is breathtaking to witness. And it turns out they’re planning to keep up the energy all night long, and so is the band.
The Summer Set is happy to it way back, which has the effect everyone would expect – tracks like “The Boys You Do (Get Back at You)”, “Boomerang”, and “Girls Freak Me Out”, have the whole room on fire. But it is so clear from the jump and all the way through the night that there is no mutual exclusivity of love between their older music and the newer tracks, either. The reception to tracks like “ADIDAS” is huge – and at the same time – older favorites like “Chelsea” are so full of life – especially with Dales pulling up a real Chelsea from the audience to sing along.
But the one thing that shines above all the rest? The way the band themselves take in every moment. John holds down one side of the crowd while Stephen takes the other, and both of them love to lean out over the crowd, getting them riled up the second they hoist themselves up onto the risers at the edge of the stage. They both exude a certain level of excitement and adrenaline that is so strong it could be plucked right out of the air. And while they’re doing that, it’s worth noting that Jess Bowen is nothing but smiles, mouth wide open grinning from ear to ear every time she takes in the crowd’s energy and that of the guys performing alongside her. She is exactly where she’s meant to be, and even if she’s at the back of the stage, she is far from being in the shadows. She is electricity. And no one could forget the bantering, wise-cracking, frontman who is not afraid to let loose. Brian Logan Dales has known how to catch a crowd’s interest since the olden days of yore – the 2010s and earlier – and has not forgotten for a second. He is gracious and kind, thanking fans for allowing the band such a magnificent comeback post-hiatus. While playing “Legendary,” he mentions that he wrote the song’s lyrics about feeling lonely, but he doesn’t feel so lonely anymore – a sentiment that was met with plenty of cheers, claps, and smiles across the room.
The Summer Set continues to champion the genre with beautiful music and a room full of fun – and Chicago’s performance on Saturday was a phenomenal tribute to that.
