On Friday July 26, we had the pleasure of seeing one of Australia’s favourite Freo bands, San Cisco, where they played at the UC Refectory as part of their regional tour. It’s always a treat to have a band stop by to say hello in Canberra: especially when it’s to do with a new studio album release.
Under The Light, San Cisco’s fifth studio album, was released earlier this year on the first of March, and what a delight! Featuring 11 delicious indie pop songs, Under The Light explores the depths, discoveries and uncertainties we experience in life, grief, and relationships. The album is smooth and dreamy, maintaining harmony through light pop and synth, and of course, fantastic disco beats.
Upbeat, sweet and harmonic, it’s a collaborative album, bringing in producer James Ireland (Pond, Cuco), as well as inviting contributions from Jay Watson (Gum, Pond, Tame Impala), Neal H. Pogue (Steve Lacy, Tyler The Creator, Outkast) and Anthony Dolhai (Mø, Carly Rae Jepsen, Kesha) were involved in bringing the new textures and sounds together.
In the UC Refectory, the crowd was excited: everyone was keen to see how they would bring their illustrious new album to life on stage. The Ref was packed with people of all ages.
They started off strong with “Lost Without You”: upbeat, lyrically gifted and easy for the crowd to engage with – and the crowd certainly engaged, passionately singing along. It’s a good sign when the crowd knows the lyrics to a new album and are keen to hear it. We especially appreciated the light show: San Cisco knows how to time good lighting to their beats. We also appreciated San Cisco’s engagement with the crowd. Throughout the show, they talked with the crowd, encouraged dancing and singing along. Shout out to Jordi Davieson’s dance moves: that man knows how to dance!
The set list was well-planned, with a good mix of new and old music. Other fan-loved songs included:
“Awkward”: what a throwback! Released in 2011, the band’s first charting single, and a definite hit at the gig. It won an ARIA Platinum, and for good reason, it’s fun, flirty and has a great little twist. So many of us grew up listening to that song, and hearing it live was a treat: the crowd happily sang along.
“Family Trust”: One of my favourite songs from their new album, and very well performed. The catchy chorus, softer instrumentals and vocals, and fun storytelling, worked great on the Ref stage.
“One Percent”: An absolute feel-good hit, capturing the vulnerability of modern dating and the early stages of a relationship. The crowd loved the shift from electric guitar to acoustics.
“Under The Light”: The crowd adored the album’s namesake. Soft, dreamy, with expert guitar work, it’s the kind of song that you’ll find stuck in your head all day. The crowd loved hearing Scarlett Stevens sing: it would be great to hear more of her vocals and get her up on stage more often alongside Davieson.
“Fred Astaire”: Another delicious throwback! Buoyant and indie, it was a great choice to throw in amongst their newer songs. It really got the crowd dancing!
“Too Much Time Together”: A perfect way to round out the night: upbeat, dance-pop with plenty of beats! We could never spend too much time together with San Cisco.
Throughout their acclaimed ten-year career, they’ve become one of Australia’s favourite bands, topping ARIA charts, and garnering millions of streams. They’ve been busy touring the world and gracing us at festivals such as Groovin’ The Moo, Laneway Festival, and of course, Splendour In The Grass. It was a real joy to see them play: they were magnetic, energetic and actively engaged with the crowd. The venue was a great choice: easy to get to, with great acoustics. It was entertaining to see the band interact with each other as well: they’ve got a positive dynamic happening. Overall, a fun way to end a Friday night!
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
San Cisco were the first band I ever saw live, and it’s been amazing seeing them develop and grow into the artists they are now. They’ve just announced another national tour, with special guests Touch Sensitive and Haiku Hands. They’ll be touring through Adelaide, Melbourne, Busselton, Fremantle, Brisbane and Sydney, from Friday 25 October to Saturday 16 November. If you missed out on seeing them tour regionally, get ready to bathe under their light in their national tour! For more info, check out their website.
