San Cisco goes Under the Light at their upcoming UC show

Fremantle indie-pop favourites San Cisco are returning to play at the UC Refectory on Friday, 26 July. This gig is part of the second leg of their regional tour celebrating the release of their fifth studio album, Under the Light.

Like San Cisco’s previous records, this one contains plenty of upbeat tunes with relatable lyrics. But the band has moved into new musical territory, exploring lush synth sounds and vulnerable songwriting.

The band consists of Jordi Davieson (lead guitar, vocals), Josh Biondillo (guitar, vocals) and Scarlett Stevens (drums, vocals). Josh told Region that their more mature sound is partly due to working for the first time with a new collaborator.

“This was our first time working with James Ireland. He’s actually Scarlett’s boyfriend … he’s a classically trained pianist, so he was taking the songs to places we usually wouldn’t take them to.

“Because he’s our friend, it meant we didn’t hold back and we could feel that vulnerability in the studio [and] we know what each other is going through. It makes for raw subject matter in the writing.”

Under The Light features standout songs like the very danceable ‘Consequences’ and synth-laden ‘Honeycomb’, which features Scarlett on lead vocals. Josh said that he’s been surprised to see fans already know the words to a lot of the new material.

“One of my personal favourites is the song ‘Family Trust’, which seems to have really connected with people. It’s got a nice sing-along-able chorus, so that’s been a real stand out on the tour so far.

“It definitely translates on stage if we’re playing songs we really like; the crowd can feel that energy.”

Josh explained that the sound of the band has changed quite a bit since their earlier releases.

“We’ve kind of just matured as players and musicians, and [our sound] been refined over the five albums we’ve put out.”

When asked about their recollections of previous gigs in Canberra, Josh’s mind was stuck on the weather.

“It’s always really cold,” he laughed. “But I don’t mind a bit of chill!

“We’ve played at the UC Refectory quite a few times now and it’s always a really fun show. The fans are always up for some fun.”

And there will be plenty of fun at their 26 July show with the fans able to look forward to some big hitters like ‘Fred Astaire’, ‘Reasons’, ‘Too Much Time Together’ and ‘Awkward’, which was voted 7th in the 2011 Triple J Hottest 100. These hits are from San Cisco’s previous four albums, dating back to their self-titled debut released in 2012.

The band is now one of Australia’s most successful independent artists. They’ve toured with The Vaccines and played at Splendour in the Grass, the Laneway Festival, Groovin’ The Moo and many more. They’ve also scored gold and platinum records, and hit the top 5 on the ARIA chart.

San Cisco will play at the UC Refectory on Friday, 26 July. Tickets from UC Live.

Follow San Cisco on Instagram. Under The Light is out now through Island City Records.