Catching Up with Lunar Vacation
Lunar Vacation opening for The Beths at the Boston leg of their tour
All photos taken and edited by Miranda Nicusanti (@mirandanicusanti). Check out the rest of her photo gallery here!
Back when we talked to Lunar Vacation in July, they had just released the lead single, “Shrug,” off of their then-nameless debut album. They had also just announced that they were going to perform at the Shaky Knees Festival in their hometown of Atlanta. Currently on tour, the band is having a blast performing a selection of songs from their debut album Inside Every Fig is a Dead Wasp as an opener for The Beths. The band recently performed in Boston for the first time, having a lot to say about the snow and blue salt.
Lunar Vacation released their fascinating debut album in October. There is a noticeable maturity in the sound and lyrics throughout the tracklist, specifically in comparison to their EP, Artificial Flavors. In June, the band mentioned experiencing growth as a group throughout the process of creating the album, which is a present theme in the project. There’s also a change in content when it comes to lyrics, seeming more open and personal than past releases. They move on from the teenage party scene that is described in “The Basement,” and move on to more serious scenarios that occur in early adult life. Vocalist Grace Repasky mentions experiencing this shift in their writing process, saying “lyrically, for sure, I think I just tried to trust myself more and be more honest and write things that I felt good about, and not what I thought would impress people.” They felt as though there was a pressure in writing that came with making Artificial Flavors, so they enjoyed being able to write exactly what they felt without the pressure of needing to make it sound poetic. The project also includes a plethora of intriguing instrumental instances that are meant to be performed to a live audience.
In a triumphant return to live performances, the group has been opening for New Zealand natives The Beths in cities all over the U.S. During the shows that they have performed so far, they have found people in the audience singing lyrics from their album, and love how special those moments feel. They also feel that this tour has been a great way to gain exposure for their music. The group has been able to get a full understanding of how people receive their music, as all they had to go off of after releasing their album was reactions on the internet. Now the band gets to witness people fall in love with selected tracks from their album in a visually rewarding manner. Unfortunately, the band has been unable to communicate with their new fans after shows because of the COVID-19 “bubble” they are required to remain in.
Since The Beths are from New Zealand, both bands have to take extreme precautions in their touring process in order to get The Beths band members home safely. These restrictions are creating a tour experience that Lunar Vacation has never experienced before and what guitarist Maggie Geeslin describes as “one foot in COVID world, and one foot in freedom, touring world.” Although they haven’t been able to explore each city much, they have partaken in outdoor sightseeing at most of their stops thus far. They are also sharing a tour bus with The Beth’s, so they can check living on a tour bus off of their bucket list. Although their touring has been confined, the group have found the confinement to emphasize the fact that not only are they compatible as a band, but as friends as well.
The band has seen an increased connection within the last two years between making the album and working on how to successfully perform it live. As of now, the band has hit a peak in their connectivity, as Repasky says, “None of us have ever felt as comfortable playing with each other too and like, performing and being on stage together.” Repasky also explains that this is a time where there are only external issues impacting the band and no internal problems that need to be worked through. Their connection can be heard on the album, but hearing and seeing it live is a whole new experience.
Their Boston performance started out with the first track on the album, “Purple Dreams No. 4;” a tranquil instrumental escape that sounds dazzling when played live. As they rocked through the setlist, audience members sang the lyrics back to the band stronger than one may expect for an opener. The leisurely fade-outs that hovered at the end of almost every song proved to be great transitions for their set. Between Geeslin and Repasky’s smiles towards each other when harmonizing or the perfected entrances and exits on each song, the band’s chemistry was incredibly obvious.
Although Geeslin mentions that it’s the hardest to play, the album's leading single, “Shrug” stood out in its live form. Keyboardist Matteo DeLurgio contributed some intricate tambourine to emphasize the metallic percussion in the verses. He also stepped up to Geeslin’s guitar pedals and adjusted them to recreate the distortion moment on the record. Repasky’s vocals were very strong, hitting every note and providing so much power for the lively song. “Peddler,” which is one of their favorites to perform, also stood out as Repasky and Geeslin shared beautiful harmonies during the entirety of each chorus. They also formed their connection to the crowd during this song, as they did a lot of interacting with the audience during this song through waving and smiling back at the audience.
Throughout the night both drummer Connor Dowd and bassist Ben Wulkan had moments to stand out and showcase their skill. “Cutting Corners” was a high point for both of them, as their contributions are vital to the song. DeLurgio was constantly busy, multitasking between a drum pad and two synths for the entirety of the set. Geeslin’s guitar skills shined prominently, even when she wasn’t soloing. Repasky’s vocals were astonishing for every song, as they didn't miss a single note and sang with perfect volume in every moment.
The group ended with “Monterey,” a great choice due to the exciting ending that the song possesses. Their gratitude to fans was very noticeable both during and after the performance, as they were clearly dying to speak with fans and break free from their bubble. Between Repasky’s awesome jokes and their astonishing talent, they definitely gathered some new fans. Repasky did mention that they hope to be back for the summer, so we can only hope that’s true…