A Collection of Us

Photographs By Sophie Jones

San Diego band Sunshower opens up about the nostalgia of West Coast summers, the San Diego music scene, and their new EP, “Basecoat”.

San Diego, USA

What is the Sunshower origin story ?

Sunshower originally started in Brandon’s (lead singer) garage, after attending multiple North County San Diego backyard shows, he began to fall in love with not only music, but the local indie community. Through Brandon Chun and their guitarist Luke McLaughlin, The group began to truly cement themselves in the scene.

How has the band evolved since then?

The band went through many changes since their origin, from members leaving, joining, and leaving again. They were left with a unique blend of sound. It wasn’t until the current drummer and bassist Luke Whitehead and David Devuroh joined that Sunshower began to find their sound.

How would you describe your sound ?

We would describe it as a unique take on surf alt/indie sounds, we try to bring a wild and ecstatic energy to the stage!

What makes you stand out from other bands?

I would say our distinct sound. specifically our guitarists unique fingerpicking and chord progressions, coupled with an emphasis on extremely present drums and vocal sound.

What also makes them stand out is their explosive live performance, especially seen through their frontman.

What is the music scene in San Diego like? What do you love about it? Which venues and bands should we check out?

The music scene in San Diego is amazing, with the constant flow of talent going from indie to mainstream, there's a consistent sense of hope, a "we can make it" attitude that is riddled throughout the scene. I would confidently say the quality of the San Diego music scene is what sets it apart! Due to the free spirited nature of the Californian, and the fact that the scenery and culture of San Diego never ceases to amaze us. Getting people to show up for your show is all the more difficult, but satisfying nonetheless. This competition drives quality and passion, which can be showcased through the local college scene or to the next level of live venues such as Soma or Music Box, both of which pride themselves in giving rising talents a shot to success.

You are sharing your latest EP, "Basecoat". What is it about?

“Basecoat” is a collection of songs inspired by the golden nostalgia of West Coast summers, blending dreamy melodies with laid-back grooves. They’re filled with fictitious stories about love and vacations far away wrapped in a subtle humorous twist.

What were some highs and lows while making the EP?

A lot of the songs were old. We had written a collection of 10 songs very shortly after forming. With members coming and going, finishing new songs became difficult. So after almost 2 years, we were desperate for the songs to come out. Through relations with Frontseat Media and the friendship formed with Danny Cozmos, we sat down to not only record a record, but to revive it. We wanted to put out the best record possible, to do that we wanted the songs to feel new to us, and in turn make them better. We not only were able to finally put out a legit record, but one we all loved and were proud of. I think the sound reflects that.

How is "Basecoat" different from your previous releases? How does it show your growth as a band?

Basecoat is Sunshower. It’s a collection of all of us. It differs from the previous releases because it feels current. With the addition of Luke and David the songs we had before them took on new light, "Out of the Way" was completely revitalized through them. Basecoat is also our first studio record. The heavier surf alt sound can be seen peeking through the record. I expect we’ll lean more into that as we continue to grow.

What's next for Basecoat?

We want to keep playing shows for the scene and learning from other artists that inspire us. We have more music in the works and plan on growing in every aspect possible!

What’s next for sunshower?

We’re going to be playing a couple really cool shows, a charity event with phi delta at our hometown college sdsu march 20th! As well as debuting at house of blues San Diego opening for Abby Kenna April 18th.