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Congratulations to our First Admit to the Class of 2022, Lauren Rowe! 

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By Claire Epting

Summer Salt fans all seem to know each other. Large groups formed in the pit long before the show started, fizzing with end-of-summer vitality. Waiting for my own people to arrive during the opening set, New Orleans-based indie rock outfit Motel Radio encouraged the crowd to “spread the love” for their popular song “Midnight”. A teenage girl approached me and asked if she could give me a hug. This was the general mood for the entire evening-- everyone was happy to be collected under one roof for a night of resplendent tunes.

In support of their new EP HONEYWEED, the sonic equivalent to a summery romp through a wildflower-clad field, Austin-based coral reef rock band Summer Salt played to a sold-out house at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood, CA on August 15th, 2019. The show was part of the last stretch of their West Coast tour, with support from Motel Radio and Dante Elephante. 

Colorful paper fish and streamers adorned the stage, as if for one night the Fonda was turned into Under The Sea Prom. It actually seemed fitting, since a majority of the audience appeared to be approximately prom-age. In fact, a girl close by fretted that she had to be home by 11pm to make her curfew. The demographic wasn’t strictly limited to minors-- quite a few adults hung toward the back, simply appreciating the music. All three bands infuse elements from previous decades: Motel Radio with their Neil Young-esque folk influence, Dante Elephante’s Hall & Oates-tinged soul, and Summer Salt with their Beach Boys-adjacent harmonies and surf rock riffs. There’s really something for everyone. 

Compared to acts who have been on the touring circuit for nearly a decade, Summer Salt is still fairly new to the game. And yet, they’ve managed to solidify themselves as a unique voice in the indie rock scene while gaining a set of devotees who never miss a beat. With a collection of EPs and a full length to boot, they had more than enough material to fill a short-but-sweet set, met with voices from an audience who repeated every word. A girl perched on her boyfriend’s soldiers cheered at the top of her lungs, her hands shaped into a heart. The level of enthusiasm was not unlike something you’d see at a One Direction concert. But Summer Salt is a different breed of “boy band”-- one that evokes the retro-romanticism of cherry-lime snowcones, slow dances, and day trips to the beach. 

New songs “Honeyweed” and “Little Chimmy” fit right into place amongst established favorites like “Revvin’ my CJ-7” and “Candy Wrappers”. The encore began with a stripped down version of “So Polite” by frontman Matthew Terry. For the last song of their encore, the opening bands and their friends came out on stage to join in. Members took turns playing solos and crowd surfing, filling the room with a spontaneous, joyous energy. It lingered in the air as the crowd filtered into the warm summer night. 

Stay updated on future Summer Salt tours here and catch them next time they come to SoCal.

If you are a newly admitted student you can now sign up for Panther for a Day! Attend a class, take a tour and eat in the cafeteria with other admitted students and Chapman students.