The Denver, Co-based trio SunSquabi brought a high-energy set of jamtronica originals to Brooklyn Made in Brooklyn, NY last Friday, January 19, 2024. This intimate venue in the bustling Bushwick neighborhood was packed despite multiple inches of snow that fell across the region earlier in the day. Producer and instrumentalist Parkbreezy provided support.
Parkbreezy, aka Parker Williams, kicked off the music with an hour-long set of electronic dance music, which included house and hip-hop. Also based in Denver, Co, he mixed in songs like "A Horse With No Name" by America. He was joined by rapper Alex Unger for a tune.
After a quick break and gear changeover, Sunsquabi emerged for an epic throwdown. Their current lineup included Kevin Donohue (guitar/keys), Josh Fairman (bass/synth), and drummer Scotty Zwang. The music kicked off with the dubstep-inspired "Panther," which had synth cleverly layered with the guitar and bass. "Just a Little" shifted gears slightly into funk, with plenty of interplay between light and dark, as the dance party heated up. Newer tune "Grind" followed.
The feel-good tune "Cinnamon" was up next, where Fairman had no shortage of tasty bass lines. "Pangolin" experimented with a high concentration of synth and keys, and the outcome was plenty of dance moves by the fans. "Sticky" began with a more mellow intro, though this quickly heated up into a funk-fueled exercise amongst the trio. Zwang showed his versatility in this tune.
The band was in lockstep for "Deluxe," a stellar, high-energy jamtronica original that launched many folks to the moon. Donohue's tension and release on the guitar were on point as this song came to a close. "Tequilla" brought a darker funk feel, which carried over into "SteamCat," from their 2022 release, Arise. A euphonious "Hard Pass" proceeded, which began with a slower tempo, providing a much-needed chill moment.
Another Arise tune, "Scorpion," emerged as the penultimate tune for the set. The synth and bass married perfectly with the drums, as fans cheered during the song valleys. "Hornet" completed the Arise trifecta, and ended the show on a high note. The band left the stage, and returned for a final face-melting tune, "Hustlin'."
Sunsquabi is back in action on January 26th in Madison, WI at the Majestic Theater. Tickets are available at this link. They are just getting ramped up on their winter tour. Hop on over to their tour page for more dates.
Setlist: Panther, Just a Little, Grind1, Cinnamon, Pangolin, Sticky, Deluxe, Tequilla, SteamCat, Hard Pass1, Scorpion, Hornet
Encore: Hustlin'
Notes: 1 - new song
