KZSM.org, along with the City of San Marcos Downtown Association and Apogee Presents, offers the third concert in our Kissing Alley Summer Series, Thursday, September 16, 7-10 p.m., featuring Summer Rental and Window Shop. With roots in 50s and 60s rock and their own imagination, Summer Rental will create the perfect ambiance for an end-of-summer twilight in an intimate, magical space.
Summer Rental came together at Texas State, when two San Marcos natives teamed up with two other students to form the group. According to their website, “Summer Rental is an independent pop rock quartet telling stories of the human experience.” Summer Rental features Garrett Douglas, guitar and vocals; Sean Ryan, keyboards, guitar, vocals, synthesizer; Ben Steen, bass, vocals; and Sean McDermott, drums, percussion, vocals, and keyboards.
Summer Rental’s music incorporates the carefree vibe of 50s and 60s rock, especially the Beach Boys. Lead singer Douglass describes their sound as “the perfect soundtrack for a day at the river.” For them, “surf rock” has been re-imagined as “river rock.”
At the beginning of their four years together, their musical roots also influenced their lyrics; they favored romantic love songs, enhanced with harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys. As they developed as a band, they sang about more “stories of the human experience,” reflecting on growing older and on “times when thing don’t go so well.” Through their music, they shape their own experience to connect with their audience.
Summer Rental have singles and two CDs available from Bandcamp. They are currently recording a new 4-song EP that will be out by the end of this year.
Thursday’s Kissing Alley Summer Concert will also feature Window Shop. The band includes Texas State music students Armando Tomlinson, Stephen Douglas, Dallas Anderson, Aiden Potter, and Kevin Schultz. They describe themselves as “a forward-thinking rock band with eclectic influences.” With deep roots in all traditions of American music, this group of longtime friends have carefully curated an extremely dynamic live set, opting to use every asset in their sonic toolkit.
Both bands are making their Kissing Alley debut Thursday. With their deep connections to the city, they are “ecstatic” to share their music from the very heart of San Marcos. Come out and join them to celebrate the abundant creativity and unique vibe of our community with us Thursday 7-10 p.m. Masks and social distancing are recommended.
