Joywave Delivers a Night of
Permanent Pleasure at The Observatory
Joywave’s latest album, Permanent Pleasure, not only serves as the title of their tour, but perfectly describes the experience in store for fans attending Joywave’s performance tonight at The Observatory North Park.
The last time the band visited San Diego after the release of their 2022 album ‘Cleanse’- showcasing the band’s heavier experimentation with their electronic and synth elements. Permanent Pleasure revisits the band’s more raw, guitar-forward sound. Described by frontman Daniel Armbruster in a recent interview, this was a “whatever we want to do” album. Fans tonight are eager to hear this more authentic package of genuine artistic expression from Armbruster live.
The evening kicked off with Los Angeles-based Hunny, whose cool presence set the tone for the night. As the house lights dimmed, the band nonchalantly walked on stage, adorned with quirky stuffed animals that alluded to their playful personalities. Their music blasted in with an intense, heart thumping energy driven by lead singer and guitarist Jake Goldstein. Their sound filled the room with energy, melodic guitar leads, and pop-punk inspired vocals uniquely accompanied by synth elements. Fans swayed their arms in the air and sang along to old hits like “Natalie”. Transitioning to their more pop-punk inspired “Solo”, Jake delivered the lines “I don’t want to leave you,” in such a powerful way that pulled the crowd into the emotional depth of the song. Jake paused between songs to share a bottle of communal wine with his bandmates, creating a warm sense of camaraderie and friendship between the three. Their second to last song “Televised”, drenched in catchy funk synth, driving bass, and dancey beats – compelled even the tightest cross-armed audience members to move to the bass. Hunny’s last song, “Vowels (and the importance of being me)” had infectious rhythms that left pockets for soulful vocals. Hunny left the stage with an energy that left the audience craving more, but now left buzzing for Joywave.
An eclectic mix of house music filled the venue, blending Catholic choir harmonies and medieval era strings. Hazy blue lights filled the stage, with the audio sample from Permanent Pleasure’s first track “Graffiti Planet” playing as the band took their positions – a recording of Rochester New York’s Mayor Tom Ryan from the town’s 1984 sesquicentennial address, a beautiful ode to the band’s hometown. The mayor’s voice echoed as the lights exploded in a vibrant display during the song’s breakdown. The band donned matching blue jumpsuits, with Daniel exuding mystery and coolness – delivering each lyric with passion as he repeatedly held out his hand, as if grasping for something he longs for in each line.
All the while Daniel maintained deep, soul-touching eye contact with fans in the crowd. The stage beamed with purple back lights as Daniel made his rounds to each side of the stage, accompanied by a booming bass drum that swelled in fans’ hearts. The backdrop luxurious red curtain, with a neon sign that read in cursive “Permanent Pleasure” glowed golden, reminiscent of an old movie theatre. Most notable of all, an enormous white cat curled in a sleeping position rotated center stage throughout the show.
Daniel reflected on their previous tour for their album ‘Cleanse” and how each night of tour they did a live recording of the entire set. He revealed that, of all the tour stops, the band ended up picking the recording of their night in San Diego as the live recording to release. A testament to our city’s unwavering support – and perhaps an indication of their dedication to deliver an even more powerful set for their return this evening. They launched back with “He’s Back!”, a song that playfully revisits Daniel’s Christian upbringing and questioning of the morals of religion itself. Head-bobbing to the notoriously catchy chorus, “Jesus Christ is back again, two for one on fish and bread” could not be resisted. The high notes showcased Daniel’s vocal talent and range.
The band played one last song off of Permanent Pleasure – “Swimming In The Glow” a perfect way to describe the backlit stage, and evoked the feeling of a coming-of-age indie movie. Daniel gazed intently into the crowd before the stage flooded with red lights, accompanied by heavy bass drum hits, marking the peak of the evening’s energy with “Destruction”. Daniel bounded around the entire stage like the ringleader of this high-energy musical moment.
Once over, Daniel introduced us to Taylor on keys, who prepared to charm us with playing harmonica for us for their final song. The crowd went quiet, giving Taylor the much-needed opportunity to focus. The guitars crunched and bass drum boomed, starting off another play through of ‘Destruction’. The crowd erupted in laughter, and danced just as fiercely as the first time around, grateful to hear such a powerful song yet again. As the band exited the stage, the soothing sound of a solo ragtime piano played in the venue as the house lights raised, beautifully wrapping up an unforgettable night of Permanent Pleasure.
Joywave’s fifth studio album Permanent Pleasure is out and available everywhere now. You can keep up with the band via Instagram and stream them on Spotify.
Joywave continues their “Permanent Pleasure World Tour” through mid-November. Check out more dates and ticket details on their website.
Don’t forget to stream Hunny on Spotify and connect with them on Instagram.
