The Summer Set, a pop rock band from Arizona, was on the brink of breaking up before releasing their latest album Stories for Monday (2016) in April of this year. They have stated that this is their most personal album yet, primarily produced by the band guitarists/brothers Stephen and John Gomez.
To the dismay of many Bay Area fans (and to the band themselves, vocalist Brian Dales admitted), their closest show last tour was in Orangevale, CA. In August, after coming off of their own tour and the Vans Warped Tour, the band announced the Made for You Tour in which fans got to vote for the cities and the set list. Luckily, San Francisco made the cut.
The show took place at a small venue called Bottom of the Hill, making it an intimate show for old and new fans alike. Taylor Grey kicked off the show with a few covers, including a unique rendition of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”, as well as a few original songs. Hudson Thames, along with his keys, brought some bluesy organ riffs and some killer high notes. He was accompanied by Connor Montgomery, Joshua Montgomery’s (bassist for The Summer Set) brother. As Hudson put it, they like to “keep it in the family.” The last opener was William Beckett, previously in The Academy Is…, whose intro was a funny version of “The Real Slim Shady” edited to include his name.
Finally, The Summer Set hit the stage with their song “Missin’ You.”As Brian said when prefacing “The Boys You Do (Get Back at You),” the band could not get away from playing some of their older material considering fans got to craft the set list. The entire set had fans jumping up and down, Snapchatting their nostalgic favorites, and screaming their lungs out. The band may be a bit too pop for the punk kids and a bit too punk for the pop kids, but The Summer Set were perfect for this Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Taylor Grey
Hudson Thames
William Beckett
The Summer Set
Written by Desiree Diaz
Photos by Desiree Diaz