California-based indie-pop band almost monday is making waves in the music scene with their infectious energy and sun-soaked sound. Comprised of vocalist Dawson Daugherty, guitarist Cole Clisby, and bassist Luke Fabry, the trio has built a dedicated following with hits like “sunburn” and “parking lot view.” Their upbeat tunes, infused with surf rock vibes and feel-good melodies, perfectly capture the carefree spirit of Southern California.
Joining brother-trio AJR on “The Maybe Man Tour” almost monday has been delivering high-energy performances to packed audiences across the country. This tour marks another milestone for the band as they continue to make their mark in the indie-pop scene. Before hitting the road with AJR, the trio has been touring globally and is set to join Ross and Rocky Lynch on the European leg of The Driver Era tour this month.
Almost monday’s origins trace back to a surf shop in their hometown in California, where the band was first formed. They began playing impromptu shows at the surf shop, transforming it into a vibrant venue for their early performances. These DIY gigs, often organized on a whim, were crucial in shaping their sound and building their local following. With no formal setup or professional equipment, they relied on raw talent and enthusiasm, turning their garage jams into a launching pad for their future success.
From crafting fresh sounds to touring across the country, almost monday has been hard at work gearing up for the release of their debut album, DIVE. The trio sat down with Front of House Boston to talk about how their music has evolved, the friendships they’ve formed along the way, and the unique surfer-pop vibe that has become their signature sound.
You’ve been on tour this summer with AJR. How has that experience been?
LF: It’s pretty crazy. It’s very theatrical like they have a lot of production, and everything’s very calculated. It’s pretty awesome to experience it. You can see some bands that are just full-on rock shows, unplanned, just kind of go out there and play the show. And then you see this thing that’s very strategic and calculated. So that’s a cool different perspective. Fans have been great, really receptive. But yeah, it’s just such a blessing to play in rooms like Madison Square Garden and TD Garden. And we played The Forum, which was insane. A lot of just bucket list type of things.
How has living in California shaped the music you create today?
LF: So one of those things that you’re so close to, you don’t even realize it until you get away. And being able to be around music for longer, you kind of look back and see that it did influence us. California is generally pretty happy and sunny, and I think you know we have songs even about the sun which is just kind of almost ironic. I don’t think we would have done those if we grew up in Seattle, you know? And so it just kind of makes its way into the music without, I guess, even us consciously like, oh, it’s like we’re from San Diego; therefore, we should write this kind of thing. I think we just grew up surfing, and that’s how I met Dawson and Cole through surfing.
How did your DIY gigs and garage jams shape your music and the dynamic within the band?
LF: We started playing back in the surf shop in our hometown in high school and just would throw in shows. We didn’t have any music out. We just kind of threw some songs together so we could play live. And I think the main difference is that nowadays, almost people have music and put it out through TikTok or whatever, and then it’s like, oh shoot, like I should probably go play shows, or I should tour, or whatnot. We just started from a live background. That’s what fueled us being in a band and wanting to write more music, which was to play and tour it.
Your music takes people places both sonically and visually. What is the concept of almost Monday, and how does that influence the visuals that you create?
CC: We’ve taken a lot of detail and put a lot of work into making our visuals a good elevation for the song. So I think, like, during the pandemic, we started working a lot with 16-millimeter film making our videos that way. I think through that experience, it kind of just unlocked something of like a vision of us that pairs well with our music and kind of helps, you know, I think if you’re listening to the song just without the visual, you can kind of get the full picture by watching the video or something like that. I think it helps kind of fill the world that we’re trying to make.
What do you think are the main differences between using a backing track and playing live for you as a band?
LF: I mean super different. I’d say, in terms of, like in the studio, you can do as many takes as you want and live; it’s just one take for the whole show. I don’t know if there’s something special about just having one take, though, but a lot of times in the studio, sometimes, the first take of something is the best. So even if you try to redo it a bunch of times, it almost sounds worse if it’s more. You’re either more on the pitch or more on time. Sometimes, the out-of-time moments are what makes the record good.
You’ve played at Lollapalooza and BottleRock, two significant festivals. How have those experiences influenced your live shows?
LF: One of the best things about festivals is the ability to play the set but then just run around after. Even if sometimes you play festivals early, it’s fine because you just run around and get pit and watch people. I think that’s probably the most inspiring thing, being able to be sidestage and watching people perform. We’ve seen Tame Impala a few times, and that’s always such a crazy show and experience. So it’s just kind of cool. You get to go around and just observe how other artists do it. You kind of get in your world, and you are so focused on it that you just see someone else doing the same thing but in a slightly different way. It’s kind of an eye-opening experience to take from different people and be inspired.
What can fans expect from your upcoming debut album DIVE?
LF: Similar stuff from the same vibes. I don’t want to give away too much. But, you know, I think the album has sounds from the current music we’ve been putting out, some stuff from what people know us from, and maybe stuff that is more feature-facing than we haven’t put out yet. So, kind of a mixture of all of that.
CC: This is kind of the longest we’ve been touring this year. We did a United States tour a couple of months ago. That was three weeks, and we’re on this for six weeks. Then, we’re going to have a month at home, so we’ll be doing a lot of recording then. Be in the studio for a bit, kind of working on the music post-album, and then we’ll be putting out the album, going to Europe in the fall, and then be on tour for a while. There are plans for more touring.
As they continue to evolve, almost monday reflects on their journey from intimate gigs to major tours while staying true to the sun-soaked, carefree vibe their fans adore. With their debut album, DIVE, set to release on September 25, the band is poised to elevate their music and visuals to new heights. The album promises a fresh blend of their signature sound and new influences, capturing the essence of their unique journey.
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