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The Living Suns baffle the shit out of me. The Fullerton/Placentia group is one of those bands you see live and they blow your mind completely with songs that hark to the best days of rock -- music that acknowledges legendary influences without plagearizing the inspirations. They are a rare talent. And yet, fuck-all people seem to get how awesome they are.

I'm not related to the band. I don't know them personally or even know anybody who knows them. I've seen them play twice and I now have two Living Suns t-shirts and a CD that doesn't sound out of place sitting between the Smiths and Joy Division.

The band's lead singer, Bryan King, has a stage presence that is somewhere between Shane McGowan and Thom Yorke which is one hell of a mix and should have a venue much larger than Costa Mesa's Detroit Bar wedged and sweaty. Aaron Glines, Matt Mason, and
Mike Meza split guitar duties -- given size of stage, there's barely enough room for 3 guitarists let alone for 3 guitarists trying to establish any stage presence. but they still consistently deliver. Sean Yakubovsky is one of OC's tightest rock drummers and Lucas Drake, although cornered in left stage in a tiny space, brings the music a lot more harmony (and complexity at times) with his keyboard work.

An audience of that grows from 5 to 15 or so takes in a massive performance of 6 or 7 majestic rock songs. And I go home wondering whether these guys will be huge... hoping they will and yearning for more... but stil wondering where else people are spending their saturday that they can miss bands like this give intimate (but rocking) shows like Living Suns do.