Ahead of last night’s show at the Athletic Club of Bend, I went to Spotify to listen to The Shins’ opener, Day Wave. I was immediately stoked on the indie dream pop band, the brainchild of Jackson Phillips, who studied at the Berklee School of Music. On his debut album, “The Days We Had,” Phillips played all of the instruments and wrote all of the music and lyrics. Day Wave has a romantic indie rock charm reminiscent of their tour mates, The Shins.
As my best friend and I walked into the venue, Day Wave started their set with the track “Something Here,” which appeals on a universal, emotional level with the lyrics, “There’s something here, oh / And my head feels heavy” Phillips was joined on stage by a full band of musicians, which brought his ethereal yet catchy pop jams to life.
Unlike most opening bands, Day Wave’s performance included a full light show, which added to their appeal, professionalism and stage presence. I love The Shins, and they put on a phenomenal performance last night, but Day Wave held their own and definitely won over new fans with their musicianship, song
The band has great charisma and really seemed to be having fun together on stage. Each member seemed fully engaged. Phillips’ vocals sounded on point and the sound quality was incredible, especially for an outdoor music venue. As the last concert in the Clear Summer Nights music series, we couldn’t have asked for a better, clear fall evening with two amazing indie rock bands.
I don’t know about you, but Day Wave may be my new favorite dream pop band. I’ll always love The Shins and last night they put on a stellar performance. You could really tell that James Mercer and the rest of the band were having a great time, which always makes a big difference at a show. And the same could be said of Day Wave. If you haven’t already added them into your rotation, do it! “The Days We Had” album sparkles and lands the band comparisons to The Shins, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and a little less electronic-y Passion Pit.
