Most bands don’t like playing outside. They say it doesn’t sound as good. It probably doesn’t, but then I never claimed to be an audiophile. To me, music never sounded better than when it was coming out of the blown speakers of my first car. I guess that makes everything I’ve ever written on this site pretty suspect, eh? Anyway, I like outside shows. I especially like outside shows at Velo Garage. And I love it when the weather cooperates.

The sun had set but the sky was holding on to its glow when Eggs on Mars began to play. I was excited. I generally see local bands a lot more than I listen to them at home, but Eggs on Mars is the opposite. I play its last album, Warm Breakfast, all the time. The act is led by Brad Smith who sings and provides lead guitar. I suspect they’re his songs too. Joel Stratton splits his time between electric piano and guitar, Doug Bybee plays bass, and Mason Potter plays drums. The foursome plays bright indie pop. Maybe even a little twee. They claim to be surfy, but I don’t hear it. I do hear some jangle from the clean breezy guitars, and a bit of twinkle from the piano. In several songs, the piano picks up the melody, which my ear imagines as trumpet parts. So, watch for that if I’m ever invited to produce the quartet. Bybee and Potter keep it simple, though a sunny little shuffle surfaces every now and again. The act played a twelve-song set that touched on a few favorites ("Fingers & Lips" was an incredible bop!), but mostly showcased new songs slated for an upcoming album. They were good songs: short, with firm hooks, and guitar solos that bubbled up naturally. There's no chaff. I can’t wait to listen to this batch on repeat. I also hope it's not another nine years before I see the group because Smith was a delightful frontman, introducing songs and joking that the band is part of the "bike shop circuit" since one of its early gigs was at a bike shop/coffee bar. "We've not progressed at all – just straight linear," he quipped. Why mess with a good thing?

The similarly sunny indie pop of Sioux Falls' The Squirez had been scheduled to close out the night, but that act's cancellation opened a headlining slot for Kansas City's Tidal.wav. The project was founded by multi-instrumentalist Alex Smith and has since grown to include Alex Lewis (lead guitar), Jhozua Gomez (bass) and Aj Ruizdechavez (drums). Smith is a sincere singer, providing deep, warm, and confident vocals. Occasionally they don't land but that doesn't seem to matter much. His guitar style is jazzy. Like Eggs on Mars, the band claims a dubious connection to surf. It's cheery and buoyant, I'll give it that. When he's not singing, he steps back from the microphone, both metaphorically and literally making room for the leads of Lewis. Sometimes, they manifest as winding and melodic; other times, as effects pedal-aided abstract colors painted on top of the composition. The bass of Gomez is funky. It struts and Gomez plays it with a cool and knowing smile. Ruizdechavez (or "Rue" to his friends) focuses on his snare and hi hat – often playing cross stick – keeping it tight and laying a foundation for the others to shine. During this set he only took the spotlight once, shouting, "Can I get a 'Hell yeah?'" The seated audience returned that volley with enthusiasm. That came as no surprise, as the crowd was held by the band's hep vibe for the entirety of its 35-minute set.

After the show, most of the audience coalesced into conversation pods. A few crossed the gravel patio with drinks in hand to congratulate the performers. There was no need for anyone to rush home. It was still before 10pm, the weather was perfect, and the fairy lights strung across the courtyard made everything cozy. So I sat for a while and enjoyed the night. With all due respect to the sound engineers and audiophiles, I disagree – being outside makes everything better.