As my roommate and I drove through Highway 17, knots of excitement and adrenaline started to arise. It was February 19th, Sunday night and no matter what we had the next day nothing would stand in our way of seeing No Vacation at the Catalyst.
As we entered to the right, it was a smaller, intimate room where we got a close view of the stage. Wabie opened the show and played an upbeat rendition of the original song “Hey Lover.” I haven’t heard Wabie’s music before and am happy to have been exposed to his artistry live. He also played music from his most recent album Double Superfine (2022), which has a dream-pop sound I enjoyed.
As the lights shifted to fluorescent blue, anticipation rose within me as No Vacation came onto stage and started to play “Estranger,” with a soft melody and nostalgic message. One of the things that I love about music is when I can’t express my thoughts, I can rely on music to do just that. No Vacation has a timeless discography that discusses love, the past, and changing as we get older, which are all topics I can relate to and songs I consistently keep in my music rotation.
I got the chance to meet the members of No Vacation after the concert and it felt like we were friends as we talked about the show, how I won tickets from the SJSU radio station KSJS, and about living in the Bay Area. When speaking with Harrison Spencer, he said he enjoys playing music with his band and encouraged my roommate and I to learn how to play bass. I have always wanted to venture into music but never made the time, so hearing support from a musician I listen to was motivation for me to pursue my interest this summer.
Overall, I had a great night listening to a band I admire and nothing compares to hearing my favorite song “I Will Always” live. Furthermore, I appreciate how No Vacation builds a community through their love for music and genuinely connects with their listeners. As a fan, it’s nice that I can support local artists, like No Vacation who started in SF, and see them reach audiences beyond where we live. To other fans of No Vacation, I recommend waiting after the show for an opportunity to meet them and joining their discord to be a part of their online community!
Written by Elisa Ramos