Justin Nuoffer 
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS
Dayglow w/ Sun Room
10/22/24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI
©Justin Nuoffer/Nuoffermedia.com
The capital city of Madison, WI was bustling with activity. A beautiful night was just part of another typical fall day for the Dairy State. As the colorful leaves blew down the street, the growing line in front of The Sylvee took it all in. Fans were dressed up festively and couldn’t wait to get inside. The Sylvee’s glass facade glistened with rays of light off of it. Mother Nature must’ve known this evening’s show was going to be fun and bright. After all, Dayglow was in the building.
As the line moved through the glass doors and the security checks, the room opened up. In a nook off to the right, the merchandise stand was full of various shirts and items. The stairs leading to the main floor were straight ahead. The general admission floor was vast and the stage ran the same length. On the main level, the floor wraps around the GA floor and has an ADA area and the bar for beverages is on the back wall. Above the main level are two additional seating areas. The second level consists of a standing room and two rows of seats that wrap around. The third deck is made up of six suites. Every aspect of the venue is to maximize the sight lines.
As the lone opener, Sun Room was given a thirty-five-minute set. The stage was bathed in dark red. The difficulty of seeing the band was made up for by the artistry of the music being played. It almost felt intentional. If it was, it was fairly brilliant. The material was the focus. The San Diego, California four-piece are exactly what you would think they are, surf rock influenced. The vibes were high as they sang through tracks such as “Get Me Out of New York City”, “Just Yesterday”, and “Sunset Garage”.
Their sound was reminiscent of those seventies beach rock bands with a flair of pop punk mixed in. The band’s harmonies floated over the general admission floor. Truly music to one’s ears. It’s safe to say this relatively young group of artists will have bigger stages to hit in the near future. The fan’s reactions to every song were loud and boisterous. Sun Room was a perfect warm-up to Dayglow.
The Dayglow fans were screaming and ready for the band to come out on stage well before the set time was to start. The buzz was real and you could easily feel how much this performance was wanted. Dayglow is the brainchild of Sloan Struble. The self-taught musician found his groove and learned to produce the music he wanted to hear at a young age. His youthful energy and clean songwriting are a breath of fresh air in the crowded alternative scene. The work stands alone in its own right. The material also translates incredibly well live too.
Nearly the entire new album, Dayglow, which was released back in September was performed in full. Notably to two singles, “Cocoon” and “Every Little Thing I Say I Do,” were performed early on and the obvious growth from their previous albums was noticeable. The guitar layers were still catchy, but more intricate. Their uncontrollable energy exudes from the stage. The mixture of songs was fun. The soft and airy “Medicine” was an ethereal feeling jam with notes of classic 70’s elements to it and then they performed tracks such as “Like She Does” which gives new-wave a modern twist. Dayglow pulls elements from all genres across decades. It was obvious the goal was to connect and provide the most uplifting and confident environment possible.
At this point, it was time for the platinum single ” Can I Call You Tonight?”. The smash ditty is beloved. Its sunny and positive disposition mixed with that bubble-pop zeal makes it hard not to dance and bounce around. The crowd’s voices floated through the room and reverberated off of the walls and concrete. Then, as the moment faded, the band walked off the stage leading to a very short interlude.
Again, Struble repeatedly spoke about his love for Madison and how beautiful the city is. His charm was captivating. With twenty-three songs planned for the evening, the final three of the last four were featured from their very first record, Fuzzybrain. As if there were doubts, the crowd knew every word and managed to dance away the rest of the night. On the balcony, folks stood in their seats, and arms flailed around. The infectious sounds of “False Direction”, “Listerine”, and “Run The World!!!” left you wanting more. After all of those songs, it was hard to imagine the performance being over. You wanted more, but with the last notes ringing out, Struble and company laid their instruments down on the stage next to the mic stands, waved around the room, and then posed for a group photo.
As the crowd started to file out of the general admission floor and head to the exits, the room was still festive with laughter and joy. It was a fantastic sign that Dayglow did everything right. Is there anything more reassuring than a fan’s happiness? Without a doubt the absolute fun had will be a lasting memory. Dayglow is on the rise and should be filling larger venues in no time. With the smell of fall in the air, Dayglow was a perfect closing to such a great evening. Hard to beat that considering their music is so strong and pleasant.
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