Surf Rock band celebrates their ten-year anniversary of their first EP, Driving to Hawaii.
Beach balls fly across the venue as a vignette frames the warm orange glow of the stage. Walking out from the shadowed frame comes four members smiling and waving as they see familiar faces and a large crowd welcoming them back home. Celebrating their ten-year anniversary of their first EP, Driving To Hawaii, surf rock band, Summer Salt, honors their roots by coming back to their hometown, Dallas, Texas. Lead vocals and guitarist Matthew Terry and Drummer Eugene Chung created Summer Salt in their senior year of high school and started by playing at small venues in Dallas and Deep Ellum. As the years go by every time they play in their hometown, the venues get bigger and the crowd gets more full.
The first song of the night, “Going Native” hasn’t been on the setlist for a few years. Its beachy guitar and catchy drums gets the crowd moving, taking them on a little vacation. Being local to their childhood homes, plenty of loved ones showed up to support them. Parents, grandparents, friends from high school and even Terry’s son all showed up wearing Summer Salt shirts and being some of the loudest people in the room singing along. Seeing the glow on their loved ones’ faces feels so personal, it makes you feel just as proud knowing ten years ago they were playing smaller crowds and bars down the road doing what they love.
They like to call themselves coral reef rock which depicts their style perfectly, some people in the crowd described them as wholesome with their heartfelt songs. Their music makes you want to quite literally drive to Hawaii with their soft melodies and their coastal rhythms. Summer Salts shows are more swaying than jumping or screaming. Songs such as “Speaking Sonar,” “One Last Time” and “Heart and My Car” are some fan favorites with their lovey lyrics and calm nature. Of course “Candy Wrappers” got the crowd more energetic than just slow swaying. The band’s love for what they do is evident by the way they look at their fans singing. The jump from small local venues to the Studio at The Factory is huge. Even the difference from last year’s show at The Echo Lounge, the crowd engagement and attendance grew significantly and will only continue to grow.
I am a Dallas-based photographer. I am social media manager and photographer for indie-rock band Laredo Two as well as writer and photographer for Prosper's online newspaper, Eagle Nation Online. I have always had a passion for anything music from playing shows myself (I play bass and guitar) to music photography. When I am not taking pictures or at a concert, I run a small jewelry business and work at a local guitar shop!
