The Rocket Summer
w/ 888
August 24, 2017
Slims
San Francisco, CA

After seeing him perform several times, I can say that Bryce Avary is a once-in-a-lifetime performer. By this, I mean that there are only so many artists like him that can come along and truly captivate an audience, while managing to record every instrument on their albums, penning all of their own words, and managing to go out on stage every single night with a bright smile. Avary radiates happiness and authenticity, and it makes his musical project, The Rocket Summer, one of a kind.

The above sentiments ring true for any of his previous studio albums, as much as it does for Do You Feel, Avary's third overall studio album, and the record that helped rise him to prominence in the music scene. The Rocket Summer returned to San Francisco, this time taking up shop at Slims in San Francisco, to host a date of the ten-year anniversary tour for Do You Feel. Hearing the album live is almost as impactful as the first time I pushed play on a CD player and heard it years ago (yes, kids, CD players used to exist).

Kicking off with "Break It Out", the upbeat, pop-rock inflicted track that opens Do You Feel, there is no shortage of voices in the audience that scream the words back at Avary with total and utter excitement. Armed with an Epiphone guitar and a piano, he powers through the entire album, while still managing to stop and take time to connect with the audience in between tracks. There isn't a bad track throughout the entirety of Avary's show, whether he's performing the entirety of Do You Feel, or a number of any other tracks that have come from five previous studio albums he's been releasing since 2003.

This was my third time getting to witness a Rocket Summer show live, and I can guarantee you that it won't be my last. I recall getting on my phone and texting as many people as I could about the show, making sure that we made plans to come out to a venue in the Bay Area and see him perform again. It's imperative that you see this legend perform in person, at least once in your life.