Live Review: Apollo Sunshine

Although technically based in Leverett, we here at Bostonist do not discriminate on account of geography and thus fully embrace indie darlings Apollo Sunshine as hometown favorites. Attending their set this past weekend at the Bank of America Pavilion felt very much like stumbling upon a drum circle in the field of a music festival. As the bongos were beat and the guitars were singing we couldn't help but imagining frisbees flying, hippies dancing, and fragrant smoke riding the warm breeze. Ok, maybe we're getting a bit effusive, but listen up, these guys can jam. Even their set-up on stage was intimate, with the two percussionists forgoing the risers and instead sitting directly behind the guitars.

The boys, who all met while students at Berklee College of Music, produce a very unique and varied sound. At times they sound right out of the 60s, other times right out of the 70s, and even others they sound they could be from the future with their electro-soul tinged beats. One of the first singles off their upcoming album Shall Noise Upon, out September 2nd, is "666: The Coming of the New World Government" which is very representative of their sound as a whole. The song blends psychedelic waves of sound layered with The Who-esque vocals, all set to a driving drum beat. Apollo Sunshine's hour-or-so long set was filled with many fun and bouncy jams that strayed enough to showcase the band's talent and creativity without losing the attention of the audience. At one point weaving Beethoven into an extended breakdown, AS had fun pushing the limits of their sound, while staying true to their message and vision. Like the previously mentioned single "666..." which has an obvious political message, the band blends
their space-age meets retro sound with lyrics that question the current state of our world and where we should take it.

Apollo Sunshine is a wholly satisfying band; their sound is amorphous, energetic, and like nothing else out there right now. Boston is proud to call them her own.

Missed the show? The band plays this weekend, Aug 8 & 9 at the Beachcomber in Wellfleet. 10 PM $12. Image of the band from their MySpace