Sometimes a song just stops you in your tracks- literally. Last week as I was walking out of class at CSUF, I heard some noise coming from across campus. It was my favorite type of noise: rock ‘n roll. Drums beating, guitars blaring, song lyrics being shouted into a mic, I had to figure out who was making this rad sound. I found myself face to face with local Orange County band Gearheart, and their newest single, “Be Here Tonight”.
“Be Here Tonight” has a charming bass intro by Pedro Galvez that leads into a song with the spitfire spirit of early 2000s punk rock. Drummer Kevin Tran then steers the song into it’s selling point, because when the drums and guitar hit, I was transported to the days when Yellowcard and Green Day topped the charts. Guitarist/lead vocalist Joey Chavez Ferguson delivers Gearheart’s lyrics with an adrenalized drawl perfectly suited to the song’s themes of rock induced fatigue and loneliness. This track feels like it could be the background to the teen movie climax we constantly daydreamed about years ago, but never lived out. It’s perfectly pop punk; tired and lively at once, a testament to youth with lyrics like “See the brightness in your eyes/We won't leave each other's sight/Guess I'll just have to survive/Wish you could be here tonight”.
Gearheart’s “Be Here Tonight” is extremely refreshing to hear in 2018. A new scene dipped in nostalgia, this track is a nice reminder that the old sound you first fell in love with is still alive and well, and there’s a whole new lineup of punk rockers to push it forward.
Gearheart is currently playing gigs all around SoCal, and have earned the coveted opening slot of CSUF’s Spring Concert. Tickets and further updates can be found on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.