Author: Phoenix Miller

Posted: Nov 19, 2024

Sloan Struble, the indie-pop powerhouse behind Dayglow, cultivated a night of nostalgia and upbeat energy to a packed crowd at San Diego’s SOMA on Nov. 16, turning the venue into a feel-good dance party as part of his 41-date “Dayglow: The Tour.”

Upwards of 2,000 fans crowded into the venue for the show-- a mix of Gen Z, millennials, and a handful of young kids accompanied by parents. The energy in the room was palpable as fans eagerly waited for the show to begin. 

Australian indie-pop band, Teenage Dads, kicked off the night with a fast-paced and undeniably charming set. With rich guitars, eclectic synths and catchy vocals, Teenage Dads’ animated performance brought the Aussie sunshine right to San Diego. 

Dayglow arrived on stage with thunderous cheering, starting off the night with a remix of “Junior Varsity” off his debut album “Fuzzybrain.” 

“We’re here to do one thing and one thing only, and that’s rock and roll baby. Let’s party!” Struble declared before diving into a lively performance of “Hot Rod,” one of his most popular songs.

The excited energy of the crowd was reflected by Struble and his band. Throughout the entire set, the authentic lightheartedness of Dayglow was contagious. Struble and his bandmates interacted with each other and the crowd frequently, creating a feeling of connection throughout the room.

The ability to create this sense of connection in a fairly large venue like SOMA is an ode to the talent and personality of Dayglow. With an uncontainable grin that could be heard in his voice, it was obvious that Struble was having just as much fun as his fans. 

Dayglow played a mix of older fan favorites and songs off his newest self-titled album, “Dayglow,” which was released two months ago. “Dayglow” was fully written, recorded, produced, and mixed by Struble himself, and is a reflection of his growth and personal identity. 

High-energy performances of “Cocoon,” “Every Little Thing I Say I Do,” and “What People Really Do” off the “Dayglow” album, as well as “Then It All Goes Away,” “Medicine” and “Fair Game” off the “Fuzzybrain” and “Harmony House” albums, had the crowds jumping and singing along to every word. 

With a shouted “yee-haw,” Dayglow traded his red electric guitar for an acoustic, drawing from his Texas roots with twangy chord progressions in “Crying On The Dance Floor” and “Woah Man.”  

Next up was “Fuzzybrain,” which had the crowd singing and swaying with their flashlights. Before playing the song, Struble reflected on the album “Fuzzybrain,” telling the audience that he’s “eternally grateful for this album and all that it’s done for him.”

Dayglow brought the tempo back up with “Old Friend, New Face,” “This Feeling,” “Nothing Ever Does” and “Mindless Creatures” with flashing colorful lights that reignited the crowd. 

Although the crowd had great energy throughout the entire set, they went all out for Dayglow’s performance of “Can I Call You Tonight,” his most popular song that went viral on social media. Seconds after the song was finished and the band had exited the stage, the encore chants began. 

Struble and his band gave the crowd four more songs, including “Close To You,” “False Direction” and “Listerine,” before ending the night with “Run The World.”

The evening truly felt like a shared experience, and the fans’ smiles and joyous energy lingered even after the show was over. I have nothing but (day)glow-ing reviews.