Photo by Ryan Davey
“I want people to feel things and I want my music to hit people in the chest. I love the emotive crescendo that goes into punchy chorus lines that then become anthems for people,” reflected Steve Rondo when thinking about how he wants people to respond to his music at his upcoming headline show at Brighton Music Hall on Jan 20th.
An alt-indie-rock-with-a-bit-of-folk artist from Nahant MA, Steve has played around the Boston (and then some) area recently, including Levitate, Bowery Electric in NYC, Riverfest, and even made a tv appearance on The HUB Today. Some of Steve’s biggest musical influences include Gang of Youths, Ben Howard, and Sam Fender — all artists whose music hits the hardest when you’re driving alone at night. Steve loves how their verses and lyrics start out with an air of uncertainty and, by the time the chorus comes around, you feel their moment of realization.
Steve has also incorporated that trajectory of songwriting in his own music. In his first EP, Fate Loves the Fearless, his song “Afternoon Rebellion” highlights the monotony and pent-up frustrations he felt before his birthday and his reflections and gratitude about things he could control (while drinking a beer). It’s one of my favorite songs personally, because I’ve had the chance to see Steve play it both in a stripped-down setup, where his unique guitar-tapping technique shines through, as well as with a full band — both versions are magic! Some of Steve’s favorite lines from the song are “Tiptoeing the line along the break wall, separating the lost from all the racers.”
Speaking of his band, Steve will be playing with his full band at Brighton Music Hall — he and his band members have been friends for years, which shows in their chemistry on stage. The band members include Keelan who plays keys and is the chief songwriter, Richie on guitar who can rip, Trevor who is a very passionate bass player, and Eric who has a blast while playing the drums.
In addition to playing some of his songs that are out on Spotify, Steve and his band will be playing some new music (!) which the band is going to be recording very, very soon. In this project, Steve is going to be very intentional about the sonic landscape — production that is dynamic-heavy while being more mature and minimalistic. I asked Steve what his new music was about and he succinctly responded with “My 20s” — so for anyone who is in their 20s or who wants to reflect on theirs, his new music is for you. I got the inside scoop on one of the new songs he’s going to record, titled “Flowers of La Jolla,” which has a strong sense of imagery and pinpoints giving yourself grace while growing older. “This is my proudest lyrical song I’ve written, especially with the word play.” Just look at these lyrics: “Refraction of my memory, is this all what was meant to be? After all, nothing’s ever as it seems. Well, it’s all for the better; at least that’s how I will remember we found the white birch tree that fell in our mourning.”
Steve Rondo has amazing opening acts for Brighton Music Hall, including Samanatha McKaige and Sneaky Miles. He saw Sneaky Miles play in Portsmouth, NH last year and loved their upbeat alt-y sound. Both Samantha McKaige and Sneaky Miles match Steve’s energy in their own genres. Steve has a special bond with one of Samantha’s band members — Max Morton. Max and Steve have shared a bill twice, and both times one of their guitar strings has broken and they’ve had to borrow the other’s guitar. Hoping that doesn’t happen this time tbh (I did get to witness both string-breaking incidents..hm maybe it’s me). Steve describes Max as ”someone who writes intimate, somber songs, but is an outgoing, Miller-Lite type of guy.” Some local artists Steve would love to collab with include Annie Cheevers because he loves her voice and songwriting, and Coral Moons because of their energy and sound.
If you can’t come to Brighton Music Hall, Steve has a couple shows with Aldous Collins in Portsmouth, NH and Cohasset, MA next week. But, assuming you can make it out to Allston and Brighton Music Hall on Saturday, here’s the ticket link to the BMH show on January 20th that will guarantee a fun, energetic vibe!