No Vacation delivers beachy bedroom punk perfection
by Emmy Hensley
cover photo by Ally Iseminger
The night began with a retelling of TSA horror stories and ended with crowd surfing. This alone is certainly enough to live rent-free in the head of anyone who joined No Vacation as they kicked off their US and Canadian tour. But the extraordinary show at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall on February 2 was thrilling in every moment that passed.
The evening began with an opening set from Bay Area-based French Cassettes. Similar to No Vacation, this band also has a sound with frequent nods to early 2000s-era music. In fear of describing them in an overtly oxymoronic way, they can be best characterized as soothing punk. The group played many songs from their latest album, Rolodex, with highlights including “City Kitty,” “Unfermented,” and “Santa Cruz Tomorrow.” Band members Scott Huerta (lead vocals/guitar), Mackenzie Bunch (lead guitar), Rob Mills (drums), and Thomas Huerta (bass) played in echoey, sunshiny harmony, charming the audience with their humor and euphonious tunes.
Following French Cassettes, the crew switched out gear and instruments at record speed while excitement continued to build in the audience. The lights dimmed for No Vacation and the crowd cheered as the band members stepped onto the stage. “Sad Valentine” began with a catchy keyboard line and upbeat chords teetering between major and minor and was soon thereafter joined by lead singer and guitarist Sabrina Mai with soft, dovelike vocals.
The band played the full range of their discography, going as far back as some of their first songs, “Lovefool,” “Beach Bummer,” and “August.” Over the course of the show, it was apparent how versatile the group was, taking their momentum up a notch during “Changes” and “Out of Place” – then mellowing out with “Estrangers,” “Reaper,” “Mind Fields,” and “You’re Not With Me.” Regardless of the vibe exuded through each song, the connection between the band and the audience was powerful, proving the devotion of No Vacation’s fans despite 6 years since their previous Chicago show.
The players also performed their own takes on The Cranberries’ “Waltzing Back,” “How,” and “Linger,” while still maintaining the integrity of the original tunes–and yet the skillfulness of the group didn’t end there. Throughout their set, the musicians frequently switched to other instruments–most spectacularly, keys player Alex Togashii and bassist Nat Lee swapping instruments, or moving to cello and violin. Each song highlighted impeccable virtuosity from lead guitarist Harrison Spencer, who seamlessly blended current bedroom pop styles with equally adored punk sounds of previous decades. After finishing “Days,” Spencer joked with the crowd, “This is fun, isn’t it?”
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the encore. The band rejoined the stage to the delighted frenzy of the audience and began “Yam Yam.” The calming energy of this song was perfectly matched with spot-on mixing levels from the sound booth. At the end of the tune, it’s worth noting the drastic lighting change, filling the hall with rainbow hues and illuminating the room’s disco ball. Drummer James Shi started up “Dræm Girl,” and the electricity running through the audience was palpable–brought to its peak with moshing from the pit and crowd surfing from Lee and the band’s videographer.
It was difficult to imagine the show would end, with unforgettable memories of the set lasting far beyond the time spent together in that room. For an incredible night of your own, click here for tickets to No Vacation’s remaining shows.
