Generationals Energize SOhO Scene

Summer may be months away, but the crowd at SOhO was transported Saturday night into the carefree ebullience of warm nights and sunny days with the shimmering indie pop of New Orleans–based band Generationals. The talented team of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer alternated on vocals, played guitar, and kept the synths pulsing with the magnetic confidence of old pros with an undeniably youthful energy.

Playing hits spanning their four records as well as three new singles, the charismatic duo complemented one another’s voices with the effortless synchronicity of musicians who have been friends since high school and have been playing in their current band since 2008. Backed by a solid bassist and drummer, the groove throughout the evening never strayed.

Openers Raindeer, hailing from Baltimore, provided the perfect appetizer for a night of seamless indie pop with their mix of catchy yet eclectic tunes perking up ears and limbering up the limbs of eager dancers.

As the main course, Generationals didn’t waste any time getting into their fresh material, opening the show with their instantly likeable new single “Turning the Screw.” A shower of tasteful multicolored lights beamed down on the crowd, illuminating the joyful fans and creating a close and communal feel. At one point, Joyner even jumped into the audience for an impromptu dance party, further immersing concertgoers into a joint experience.

It seemed as if every song was a crowd-pleaser with favorites such as “Put a Light On” and “Yours Forever” transfixing listeners as they morphed into a hypnotic sea of bopping and swaying.

In the second half of the set, the band kept crowds engaged with the hand-clapping retro hit “When They Fight, They Fight.” Bouncy and bright single “Black Lemon” seemed tailor-made for Santa Barbara, transporting the crowd to a warm day on an Isla Vista balcony as the audience basked in the song’s infectious breeze.

As the duo ushered in “Keep It Low,” with its fuzzy, enveloping beat, the energy levels in the room were anything but! If their impressive discography, performance prowess, and slew of fresh gems are any indicator, this is a band that will continue to “give us something we can sway to.”