Song Spotlight: Sunder's I Guess I'll See You in the Movies (a night at Midnight Hour Records)

I was recently invited to cover Dum Dum Records's four year anniversary party at Midnight Hour Records. You can read my article here on US Rocker Music. I was familiar with two of the three bands on the bill. The headliner was Taleen Kali. In 2023, I covered the band's Flower of Life release party for Buzzbands (read that article here) and the inaugural Dum Dum Fest for US Rocker Music (read that article here). Gottlieb was the other band I knew about and they made my 2024 list of favorite new bands (you can read that list here). What about that third band that was unknown to me? The name of that band was Sunder. 

Sunder at Midnight Hour Records

I was smitten from the first few musical notes of the lead song "The Day I Died." Then lead singer Steven Esquibel's stepped to the microphone and the blending of vocals and instrumentals stunned. I honestly don't think there was a song in their 7 song setlist that I would say was subpar. Often times, even when seeing bands that I simply adore, I'll listen to a song and think that it really shouldn't be included in their setlist.   

You could tell how emotionally vested Esquibel was in his music by the fact that when his guitar was off to the side, he would place his right hand across his heart. I mentioned in US Rocker Music that I see a thread of Depeche Mode influence in their music. "A Taste for Love" would fit perfectly in a Depeche Mode set. 

Sunder at Midnight Hour Records

Their Spotify bio has the following: . . . Sunder made their debut in 2024. This cutting-edge alt-pop quartet seamlessly weaves together the nostalgia of 80s post-punk and goth-rock with the contemporary, robust rhythms reminiscent of today’s shoegaze and post-hardcore scene.

(Honest truth: I sensed that Depeche Mode 80s link before reading that Spotify bio.) 

The song spotlight goes to "I Guess I'll See You in the Movies," which also happens to be their most played song on Spotify. The song opens with a wonderful ambient guitar opening that then has the drums coming in to provide a softened beat that helps emphasize the lyrics, "The warmth of your cold eyes." An immediate introduction to a relationship that is a one way road of adoration. One does have to wonder if the subject of adoration was someone who eventually did make it onto the big screen.

Sunder at Midnight Hour Records

I want you to notice
I'll do it all for you
No matter what you do
I'll be here through it all

My totally self-peculiar observation: during one sonic start of a song, Esquibel turned towards the drummer and decided to move his guitar stand out of the way. Maybe a little OCD thing there, I thought. Than as the song was gaining momentum, he turned towards the microphone and took a power swing on his guitar. That motion caused him to lose his balance and he nearly fell right into the drum set. Just a ten second moment of time in the set.

Setlist: The Day I Died, I Guess I'll See You in the Movies, Lillian, A Taste for Love, Follow, Lullaby, Wallflower.