California rockers to perform at the Double Door this Friday
Their latest release may be called “Disappear Here,” but Bad Suns definitely needs to be on your radar.
The band is rolling into Chicago this Friday to play some songs off of their latest release. Having toured previously as support for the Neighbourhood and the 1975, Bad Suns is embarking on a headlining tour of their own this time around.
The previous tours served as a great platform for the California band to connect with new listeners as well as learn some tricks of the trade for future tours. Frontman Christo Bowman says those touring experiences were really educational for the band.
“It’s cool to see the way other bands and their crews operate on the road. We’re always aiming to be as efficient as possible, and it definitely helps to have spent some time around these well-oiled machines,” Bowman said.
The experience paid off and Bad Suns is returning to Chicago for a sold out show at one of the city’s best venues. Although the future location of the Double Door hangs in the balance at present, the band is ready to make their mark on the venue with solid new material and a promise that ‘no song is off the table’ when it comes to set list potential. There is one song in particular though that Bowman can’t wait to perform on Friday.
“‘Outskirts of Paradise’ has been really fun lately. That song feels particularly great to play live, it surprised me at first,” he said.
“Outskirts” is one of the stronger tracks from the new album, which Bowman says was inspired by alternative goldmines like Smashing Pumpkins’ “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” and the Cure’s “Kiss me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.” The influence is there, but on “Disappear” Bad Suns finds a way to channel that inspiration into something truly unique. That creation process, Bowman compares to a juggling act of sorts.
“When we’re on the road, we’re all writing on our own. Melodies, rhythms, progressions. I’ll put together demos on my laptop, or pull my phone out and start recording anytime something fresh starts coming together at soundcheck or anywhere else. Then we’ll all get together and spend a few months in a rehearsal room and throw all of those ideas around and begin constructing the songs from the ground up,” he said.
Making it this far is a testament of the strength and dedication of this band. You always hear that if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere, but I think the same definitely goes for California. In a state where the majority of people are trying to be a star, Bad Suns has had to put in the legwork to get noticed.
“It tests your endurance, and I think that’s really healthy. It all started coming together for us once we had worked up to a certain level of ability and sense of direction, which we hadn’t quite been able to access in the past,” Bowman said.
While Bowman is excited about the band’s return to Chicago and the possibility of pizza from Lou Malnati’s, he has big dreams about what the future holds for Bad Suns.
“I’ve always wanted to play Red Rocks in Colorado. Such a beautiful, historic venue,” he said.
Check out Bad Sun’s latest “Disappear Here” on Spotify and Apple Music and follow the band on twitter @badsuns for news and updates.
