Beachy vibes are the last thing you’d expect to find in a landlocked state in the winter, but such is the power of almost monday, who brought a slice of Southern California to Phoenix on their Dive Tour this week.
Support for this run comes from Adrian Lyles — yes, Jet from High School Music: The Musical: The Series. This is his first tour, and he’s leaving it all on stage every night. His infectious energy thoroughly charmed the crowd, and his gratitude was palpable. After playing for “three people at a time,” seeing sold-out rooms is “crazy,” he says.
There’s no question that the pairing of Lyles and almost monday is perfect: the onstage dancing, the band interaction, the laid back music with the right touch of cool.
Right on time, almost monday launched into their headlining set, a display of their solid catalog that evokes sunny days and salty air. If you’ve been anywhere near an indie, alt rock, or alt pop playlist in the last few years, you’ve heard most of these songs: “can’t slow down,” “only wanna dance,” “broken people,” and plenty more from the trio. The front row was starstruck, the crowd was having the time of their lives, and the venue was going up on a Tuesday.
