When I stepped into The End on Monday night, there was palpable energy of excitement among the crowd gathered inside. Sun Room, a pop-surf band from Southern California with a self-proclaimed “60s garage rock sound,” was performing. Despite the show being announced only two days prior, their Nashville fans showed up and filled the venue.
The show began at 8 p.m. CDT with opener Budge, a grunge band hailing from right here in Nashville. Jessie Hopson, the main vocalist and rhythm guitarist, began by thanking Sun Room for the opportunity to perform and jumped straight into their first song, “Breathe.” Their retro sound was very reminiscent of the 90s, which the band clearly leaned into by announcing that they were selling copies of their songs on cassette tapes.
“I don’t know if any of y’all use cassette tapes anymore, but you should buy ‘em!” guitarist Jackson Berra said.
The band’s spirit only increased as the crowd’s energy amped up, and they ended their five-song set with two songs from their new EP, “hrtstrngs,” to roaring applause.
Thirty minutes after Budge finished their set, Sun Room took the stage and immediately began playing their first two songs, “Rumble” and “Just Yesterday.” The band was clearly excited to see the intimate venue sing along to every word as they looked out, singing and smiling with the crowd. The heavy bass, gritty vocals and intense guitar riffs incited an infectious energy in the venue, which resulted in a full-blown moshpit by the song “Don’t Start a Riot,” a title fitting for the spirit of the crowd at that point in the set.
By the time my personal favorite song, “Sunset Garage,” played, I was wholly impressed by the range in both performance and musical discography Sun Room covered. There was truly a song for everyone, and their lyrics covered everything from heartbreak and first love to enjoying life one day at a time. It was no wonder to me why they have opened for different artists like Louis Tomlinson and Dayglow, as their music, while very rock-stylized, is incredibly versatile.
The set ended with “Cadillac,” and the band rallied the venue to jump around to the final chorus. This was my first concert at The End, and coming off of a Sun Room show, I am sure it will not be my last. The intimate setting coupled with a high energy crowd and immensely talented band that is clearly passionate about connecting with their audience made it a night to remember.
