Lunar Vacation brought their dreamy indie pop-rock sound to The Warfield in San Francisco on November 11th, 2024, opening for Thrice and Manchester Orchestra. While the headliners drew an older crowd, Lunar Vacation had fans at the barricade singing along to nearly every word—pulling everyone else in with their groovy stage presence.
Touring in support of their new album, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire, the Atlanta-based quintet delivered irresistible momentum that had me jamming with every drumbeat. They opened with “Set the Stage,” a shoegaze-inspired track that perfectly set the serene mood, followed by “You Shouldn’t Be,” a song whose lyrics directly reference the album’s title. Its extended, repetitive outro invited the entire room to sway along with the band.
Lead singer Grace Repasky had soft and wistful vocals reminiscent of Faye Webster, while the band’s alternative sound brought icons like Alvvays and Indigo De Souza to mind. While much of the set focused on their latest release, they also performed tracks from their 2021 album Inside Every Fig is a Dead Wasp. The songs “Peddler,” “CuttingCorners,” and “Gears” brought an indie pop and psychedelic energy, while the lighting helped emphasize the raw emotion and meaning behind the songs. For example, during “Gears,” the stage transitioned from the warm sunset hues of “Cutting Corners” to vibrant shades of purple and green, complementing the track’s ambient, synth-heavy sound.
One of the show’s highlights for me was the performance of “Unlucky,” which featured beautiful harmonies from Repasky and keyboardist Matteo De Lurgio on the repeated lyrics, “You’re in love, and I’m unlucky.”
Lunar Vacation ended their set with “Fantasy,” which began with an eerie, echoing intro that gradually built into a powerful, full-band climax. The tambourine shakes from De Lurgio, and the thumping bass that reverberated through my body during the final chorus had the crowd cheering. The lyrics “Hold on to it” echoed as the song built to a longing finish.
Before leaving the stage, the band reintroduced themselves and mentioned they’d be at the merch booth. As they walked off, I looked around and saw nothing but smiling faces. Lunar Vacation truly exceeded their role in warming up the crowd for Thrice and Manchester Orchestra.
Review and photography by Izzy Hory
