Photos by Hana Tobias
Last Friday night, I arrived at SOMA San Diego to cover Dayglow. The line wound around the building as fans waited eagerly to enter the hall. Inside, you could feel anticipation in the air as we awaited the start of the fourth show on Dayglow’s People In Motion tour.
Jack Rutter, better known by his stage name Ritt Momney, opened the show; the 23-year-old from Utah played a set ranging from upbeat bops like a cover of “Put Your Records On” to melancholy ballads like “Not Around,” which Rutter co-wrote with Sloan Struble of Dayglow. His indie pop tunes served as an excellent introduction before Struble took the stage.
Dayglow is the solo project of Texas-born 23-year-old Struble. As was immediately clear last Friday, his talent as a musician is undeniable; the complexities of his indie pop hits translated excellently to live performance as he jumped around the stage jamming on his guitar. His voice has a beautiful clear tone, and he hit every note with an impressive accuracy.
Dayglow’s set consisted mainly of songs from his recently released album People In Motion, with some fan favorite songs from his other projects. “Then It All Goes Away,” one of the first songs he played, was an immediate standout. The simple, catchy lyrics (“I know the things that you’ve been talking about, and sometimes I can’t ever believe what you say”) set to a bouncy melody exploded into a euphoric burst of energy. Another highlight of the night was “Like She Does,” a love song that Dayglow delivered with intense emotion. The set ultimately summed up to an upbeat celebration of life and love. It’s inaccurate to say that Dayglow only writes happy songs, but it’s clear that he relishes creating music that spreads joy.
Multiple times in the show, Dayglow reflected on his journey to notoriety. Before performing an updated version of the fan-favorite “Junior Varsity,” Dayglow discussed how the tour and this past year has changed his life. He’s released music, gained popularity, and he’s embarking on a two-month-long tour. “Junior Varsity” reflects on growing into adulthood, so it was an apt comparison for someone who is entering a new era in his artistry. Later, he explained that his first album, Fuzzybrain, launched him into a “crazy reality.”
The love his fans have for him was evident from the moment the show started. Discussing with a fellow photographer, we came to the conclusion that since San Diego is often passed over in favor of LA venues, we’re always hungry for more. Dayglow seemed to agree, chuckling happily and bowing down to the crowd after they finished screaming along to “Can I Call You Tonight.” As he finished his performance, he smiled at the crowd and exclaimed that he “cannot wait to be back.” Basking in the vibrant sounds of Dayglow’s buoyant indie pop, we all felt the same.
See the full photo gallery here.
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