The wait is finally over, and once again I was blown away after seeing Dayglow at the Rialto Theatre. It has only been a little over a year since Sloan Struble (Dayglow) changed my life in Seattle, and the effect he had on me has not changed one bit. The colorful visuals, upbeat crowd, and synth-pop beats mixed with powerful vocals made this concert the talk of the night for everyone who attended. Only three days after the release of his album People in Motion, Sloan was able to craft a show that evenly blended new songs with ones of the past to ensure that the crowd was involved all throughout. To say the least, everyone I heard while leaving the venue is now hooked on Dayglow, and mutually agreed that they need to fully appreciate every song he has made.
Most indie-pop listeners recognize Dayglow from his song “Can I Call You Tonight?” on his debut album Fuzzybrain thanks to Tik Tok trends, and being known as a “staple” in the genre. Even if you aren’t an active indie listener, it’s not important to know everything about Dayglow or the words to every song before his concert. However, I will assure you that after seeing him, you will end up binging his discography and adapting his positivity in your life. I must admit, though, I am a huge fan of Dayglow and even named my car after Sloan, so I’m very biased. That being said, I’ve witnessed my dad and several of my friends reaching the exact revelation I described, and it went along the lines of: “That was the best concert I’ve been to yet, and I can’t wait to go home and listen to him for a week straight. Also, HE IS NOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE EVER” (a tad exaggerated on that last line). In conclusion, Sloan Struble gives golden retriever energy thanks to his kindness and humble talents, so what’s not to love?
The experience itself began with the opener Ritt Momney, another indie-pop artist recognized from Tik Tok for his cover “Put Your Records On”. Let me just say that my reaction was positively unexpected. Normally when I go to a concert and don’t know much about the opener besides a couple songs, I enjoy it and move on with my life. This was not the case with Ritt Momney. The second I heard him warming up while waiting in line to get inside, I could not believe what I heard. He sounded exactly like his studio recordings, and every line that escaped his mouth was heavenly. When it came time to see him perform, I was beautifully surprised by his chill vibes and comfort he found on stage. The song that especially made my jaw drop was “Something, In General”, and ever since the concert I have been listening to it nonstop. His presence was very welcoming, and he created the perfect atmosphere to get the crowd ready for Dayglow.
When it was time for Dayglow to enter the stage, everyone went wild (I mean, as they should). There was instant high energy as the newly released song “Radio” blared from the speakers, and the set behind him lit up with color. The band was dressed to impress, matching the emotions of the album People in Motion and 70s synth-pop that Dayglow draws inspiration from. Even though no one seemed to know the new songs word-for-word, there was never a moment of disappointment: people let the music guide them to their own “happy place”. This was especially apparent when “Then It All Goes Away” played because people were able to pick up the lyrics during the chorus. After all, Dayglow and his crew have a very powerful stage presence and make sure that there is a lot of crowd involvement throughout each show. Sloan’s little dance moves and thoughts he spills in between songs ensures that everyone is paying attention, stays supportive, and is enjoying their time as they “jam to some tunes together”.
Even though I could go on and on about my thoughts on every song, I'll just focus on two main ones for the time being: “Run the World!!!” and “Medicine”. The studio recording of “Run the World!!!” is upbeat to say the least, but hearing it live is a whole different experience. Dayglow adapts more rock conventions in the song, and he highlights specific parts of it that initially aren’t accentuated to make sure everyone is jumping around. To me, this was really when the crowd was united and got seriously involved. This energy even carried over whenever a different rock/pop song came on, too. The song “Medicine”, however, had an unexpected twist. Now when I saw Dayglow last year, he blended the song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” into “Run the World!!!” as an encore. Since that song already played, that would clearly not be the case for this tour. Instead, the recognizable tune of “Funky Town” tickled everyone’s brains as they asked the question: “Why this song?”. Well, in the middle of this cover, there was an ever so slight switch to the beat of “Medicine” to catch everyone off guard and trigger a rush of energy. As the realization hit everyone like a wave, the venue began to rumble with jumping and dancing bodies full of excitement. It was definitely a surreal moment to be a part of, but I like how Dayglow continues to create these song mashups to make the live experience really special.
Although I can continue to ramble about one of my favorite human beings in the world, I can’t end this without mentioning how humble Sloan Struble is. He claimed he wrote Fuzzybrain in his room about six years ago, and never thought he would see himself on stage with a sold-out show. Sloan constantly thanked the crowd for their support and presence in the venue that night, and everyone could tell just how grateful he was. At one point the crowd just screamed and cheered at him for several minutes, and Sloan could not believe his eyes. It’s truly amazing to witness someone you love just appreciate everyone who cares about them, and that’s the part that made me the most fulfilled. All of my worries and struggles left my body, and instead I threw all my love I had to give towards that stage. I definitely lost my voice by the end and made my ear drums ring, but I wouldn’t take it back for the world. Any chance I get I will continue to see Dayglow in concert, and I suggest that whoever is reading this considers to do the same…and if you do please tell me everything. It will definitely be yet another night to remember, but I hope to have many more of these in the future, as well.
Written By: Elizabeth McCluskey
Published: 10/17/22