If reggae fans fortunate enough to see Santa Barbara-based band Iration and its support act Pepper on August 25 at the Santa Barbara Bowl haven’t had enough jams by the end of the show, another dose of reggae-rock will be available at the concert afterparty. The post-show celebration will be held at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club and feature a performance by Cydeways, who like headliners Iration, are also based in Santa Barbara.
Originally formed in Boston, MA, the band moved to Santa Barbara about four years ago. According to lead singer and guitarist Dustin Parks, the move west was inspired by reggae bands that performed throughout California, which included Iration and Pepper. In fact, Iration helped Mr. Parks’ band get signed to Pepper’s record label LAW Records in the fall of 2018. Through LAW, Cydeways released its first single “Shadows” shortly after signing and most recently released the single “What You Know” on July 19.
Prior to taking the stage at SOhO, Mr. Parks and his bandmates will spend some time hanging out backstage at the Santa Barbara Bowl, catching up with the bands that have helped Cydeways get its start as a recording band. Because of his goup’s connection to Iration and Pepper, Mr. Parks told the News-Press that there’s a great deal of crossover between their fans and Cydeways fans.
He and his bandmates always enjoy performing at SOhO and are particularly looking forward to playing for a crowd of fans that will still be buzzing with energy, fresh from seeing Iration and Pepper.
“This is the first afterparty we’ve done for a bowl show. It should have pretty good energy, especially considering the bands that will be playing there,” he said.
Currently, the band is finishing up the remaining tracks of a seven-song EP, scheduled for release in the fall of this year. Mr. Parks is pleased with how the band’s new material sounds when performed live, which isn’t all that surprising considering the band’s method of creating music.
“All the songs are written and created in both a live and studio setting, so they adapt to the stage pretty well. We’re excited for everybody to finally hear them,” he said.
Cydeways has more Santa Barbara performances in the works as part of a tour across California following the release of its EP. The tour will be organized by their record label and the bill will include fellow LAW Records band Through The Roots.
Tickets for the Iration & Pepper afterparty will be available at SOhO’s doors and cost $5, according to the venue’s website. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and Cydeways’ performance will begin at 9:30 p.m. The event is for those 21 years and older.
