I walked into Bottom of the Hill last Wednesday with minimal knowledge of Never Ending Fall, beyond the fact that they’ve toured with some of my favorite indie rock artists like j solomon and Quarters. I also got lucky that night because Capital Soiree, another band killing it in the alternative scene, was opening the night. If a band keeps that kind of company, they’re probably worth seeing, and turns out, they most definitely were.
I arrived just in time for Capital Soiree’s set to a venue that was already very full. I already knew a handful of their songs, which made it easy to sing along. They opened with one of my favorites, “right time,” whose smooth vocals and catchy chorus stick with you instantly. I love when a song title earns its place in the lyrics the way “right time” does. They also played “keep it in the dark” and “OXYGEN!” among others. At one point, they pointed out a fan in the crowd who had flown in from the Netherlands for her 15th Capital Soiree show. Attending fifteen shows for a band at their level says everything about what this band means to the people who discover them. If you’re into upbeat, mysterious, and catchy indie music, they’re absolutely worth listening to.
Never Ending Fall took the stage next and I would not be prepared for how long I’d be thinking about their set post show. I have never seen every member of a band sustain that level of physical and emotional commitment for an entire set. Jumping, dancing, bouncing off each other’s energy, they never let the momentum slip. Their sound sits in a pop-driven indie rock pocket that’s just so fun to be in a room with, and the crowd reflected it perfectly, moving and screaming to the music the whole night.
One song that really clicked for me live was “ACTRESS!,” off their March 2026 album MOMENTUM. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to groove around your room, stand on your bed with an air guitar, and dream about moving to New York for the summer. During another song from the same album, “POPSTAR!,” they invited a fan up on stage to deliver the intro: “Hey boys, rent’s due,” before launching straight into the song. The crowd absolutely loved it. They also got everyone singing along on “ISABEL,” with “She’ll keep running, running, running” coming naturally even to people hearing it for the first time.
The band mentioned they started playing together in fourth grade, and you can feel that history in how comfortable and joyful they are together on stage. They were very enthusiastic about the San Francisco audience. Each member took a moment to sincerely thank everyone for being so engaged and matching their energy.
At multiple points throughout the night, the guitarist or lead singer jumped into the crowd, and everyone around them stayed respectful while dancing along with them. Towards the end of the set, the lead singer performed a couple of songs solo while the drummer and guitarist hung out in the middle of the room, singing along to their own band’s music from the floor. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before, it was incredible. They ended the night with a crowd surf and I would’ve been shocked if they hadn’t.
If you’re looking for music to completely let go and bounce around to, keep Never Ending Fall on your radar. I walked in knowing too little about what to expect and walked out with some seriously high expectations for the next concert I attend.
Review and photos by Izzy Hory
