The Elovaters Bring Reggae To Spokane

Being in this profession means that I get to experience all types of music. I can discover new bands and new sounds that I’d never really listened to before, and that’s the fun part. I love expanding my circle when it comes to music. I’ve always been the type to like all kinds of genres and all kinds of artists. This show was no exception. In fact, I have to say that it was probably one of my favorite shows I’ve been to in quite some time.

The crowd was chill and mellow with the right amount of excitement. Everyone was friendly and was willing to fill me in on the type of music that I was in for. I met some of the nicest people while waiting for the show to start. One couple actually had just gotten married and that show was part of their honeymoon.

When the lights dimmed and the music started, I was genuinely ( and pleasantly ) surprised by the sound of Veni Sun. Their whole vibe was laid back and easy going, and it made me miss the good parts of living in southern California. The crowd was hyped and I could see the smiles beaming across the faces of those at the barricade.

Veni Sun is a passion project of singer Jared Henry. His love for music and the experience of the outdoors has contributed to their airy and laid back sound. Fairly new to the scene, he released his first EP in 2020 and at that time had no plans to tour or make a career out of it. He creates music simply for the love of creating music. His song Redwoods has even reached the ears of the Spotify editorial team and has been added to many of their playlists.

Keep Up With Veni Sun on Instagram

Next up was Surfer Girl. Making it big on the festival circuit, Surfer Girl debuted their freshman ep Sunrise in September of 2022. Fronted by Carter Reeves, who gives a laid back vibe to their sound. Their third album Sunset is due out April 18th.

What made their set even more special is that it was bassist Sam Callahan’s birthday! Hearing everyone sing her happy birthday before their set brought her to tears in the best way possible. The interaction they had with the crowd was so nice to see and much like with Veni Sun, Surfer Girl knows their audience and knows exactly how to bring the house down.

Keep Up WIth Surfer Girl on Instagram

The Elovaters came on next and brought an almost deafening roar from the crowd before the first note was even played. They made their debut in 2018 and have stormed the Billboard Reggae charts with their album Defy Gravity. They will definitely catch the ear of anyone who enjoys Sublime, Jack Johnson, or Stick Figure. They have that edgy sound that makes you just want to close your eyes and move along with the music.

Jackson Wetherbee’s voice is smooth and he has such a presence on the stage that is hard to duplicate. Engaging with the crowd and even I was drawn in by it. Being able to be out amongst the people swaying to the music in the pit was something that I’ve never experienced before. Everyone was so chill and the vibe was very contagious, I even had a very nice lady take me by the hand and spin me around before putting her glasses on my face. Even security was getting in on the chill vibes.

Honestly, I’ve never been a part of such a relaxed and laid back crowd and the environment was just so welcoming that I truly think that it was one of the best nights that I’ve had in some time, and what made it even better was seeing members of both opening acts in the crowd enjoying the vibe and just interacting with everyone around. I’ve been to tons of rock and metal shows, but this crowd has to be one of my favorites.