Originally comprised of frontman Sean Caskey, his lead guitar playing brother Lachlan Caskey, and drummer Dan Koyoma, all of Last Dinosaur’s members were of Japanese descent prior to the arrival of bassist Sam Gethin-Jones. In 2007, during high school, Sean Caskey and Dan Koyama began playing music together, later inviting the younger Caskey and Gethin-Jones to complete the lineup. Following a few years of honing their skills, the group issued their debut EP in 2010 entitled “Back From The Dead”. Last Dinosaurs immediately found success after sending the demo to the radio broadcaster Triple J, who regularly played their hit “Honolulu”, raising the band’s profile considerably.
Last Dinosaurs subsequently played a host of the year’s music festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, and Southbound, as well as embarking on a “Back From the Dead” tour. To raise anticipation for the group’s debut, the band started an online blog documenting the recording process, before ultimately releasing “In a Million Years” in March 2012. Peaking at No. 8 on the Australian Albums chart, the record earned critical acclaim for its mature indie-pop aesthetic, led by the singles “Honolulu” and “Time & Place”. Following a successful headlining tour of Australia, the UK, and Europe, the group released the single “Evie” in 2015, taken from their sophomore album “Wellness”.
Bad Suns formed in 2012, featuring the members Christo Bowman (vocals), Miles Morris (drums/percussion), Gavin Bennett (bassist) and Ray Libby (guitar). The bad quickly honed their craft, writing songs that were rather accomplished considering the short space of time in which the band had been together, as well as the young age of the musicians.
Having signed to the Vagrant label, Bad Suns released their debut EP, "Transpose" in early 2014. The release captured a youthful angst, through their grinding riffs, with sensitive yet strong vocals reminiscent of Robert Smith. They also harnessed the energy of The Clash and other early punk bands into their music.
"Transpose" was followed by their debut full-length album, "Language & Perspective," later that year, an eleven track album that is full of memorable hooks and stadium-sized anthems. The album was produced by Eric Palmquist, who has worked previously on records for artists including The Mars Volta, Wavves and Trash Talk.
The band's first single, "Cardiac Arrest" made significant waves on the American music scene, receiving significant radio airplay. The band also performed the song on the Conan show, as well as becoming a popular track on Alt Radio. This airplay and television performance helped raise the profile of the band and find new audiences across the country. They also secured a high profile support slot with The 1975 on their nationwide tour of the US.
I was lucky enough to catch Last Dinosaurs, an Indie Rock band from down under, when they played in Washington D.C. at DC LIVE. The venue was intimate and perfect for this mellow group of rockers.
They were playing songs from their new album In a Million Years, and my favorite was the catchy Time & Place. It was the type of show you could even bring your family to, nothing offensive whatsoever; just good, clean, fun music.
Despite their youth, Last Dinosaurs really knew how to rock out and get the crowd into it. The show was an emotional rollercoaster and I’d recommend that everyone see them in person if they get the chance. It’s the type of show that’s got something for everyone, as this group draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources and does justice to all of them.
Every single song they played in their set was amazingly catchy and well-produced, and it’s no wonder that they’re such a big hit both in their native Australia and internationally. The only downside is how long you’ll have all of their songs stuck in their head. Seriously, everyone absolutely must see this band if they get the chance.
I saw Bad Suns on July 25th @ the Fox in Oakland. They, along with the White Arrows opened up for The Neighbourhood. Up until that night, I was only familiar with their song "Cardiac Arrest." However, while I was at the concert I immediately fell in love with them! So much, in fact, that I purchased their debut album, 'Language & Perspective,' the second I got home. Their sound is so unique compared to what's playing on the radio right now. Not to mention, the lead singer, Christo's, voice vaguely reminds me of the voice of Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of The Killers (which I also happen to LOVE). They have a great energy about them that when they're onstage, the aura in the room is electric. Everyone in the audience in the concert thought they were amazing as well. They showed different sides of their music in their setlist, which I thought was really cool. My new favorite song from their album is "We Move Like the Ocean". I would DEFINITELY go see them again. I can honestly say their performance left a remarkable impression on me and now I'm scouring the internet trying to find more music. Their album leaves so much more to be desired, but in a good way. Can't wait for them to release new music and to hopefully see them in concert again!