Photos By: Morgan Klein
By: Corey McComb
It’s 10pm on a Tuesday and the twin brothers that make up half of Cayucas are moseying around the Casbah patio. They’re greeting fans with fist bumps and blending in with blond hair and boat shoes. Mixing soft tones with indie-surf rock since 2012, the so-cal brethren are setting off on an 8 week US/European tour and have chosen San Diego as their embarcadero.
Only one month removed from the release of their sophomore record, Dancing at the Blue Lagoon, Cayucas climb on stage where their new album artwork drapes light blues and greens across a traditionally dark Casbah wall. The first chord of “Moony Eyed Walrus” rings out and an ocean breeze rolls through the club. Hips begin to sway and a tropical tone is set.
Tribal reverb and lo-fi percussion keep the weeknight crowd engaged while the relaxed rockers groove through the best of 2012’s Bigfoot and new songs alike. But while the quartet continue to pump out tunes faster than you can shake a grass-skirt, their stage presence leaves something to be desired. Frontman Zach Yudin’s low energy limbos between mellow and disinterested, and there are moments where I’m not sure if I’m at an exotic luau or a Santa Monica pool party that just ran out of Mai Tai mix.
Despite lackadaisical pacing about on stage; bouncing bass lines keep Tuesday toes tapping. The audience recites lyrics and sends island gazes towards the band as fan favorites “High School Lover” and “Swimsuit” are played. No one notices it’s getting late, and when the appropriate time for an encore comes, the gathering insists.
With two albums to pull from, Cayucas catalogs a balanced set list that keeps musical tides from falling flat. If you’re looking for a fitting soundtrack to a warm summer night, take a trip through the blue lagoon; you’ll leave feeling, like “cheyeah brah”.