Not too long ago, three small-town boys from Wisconsin packed their bags, guitars, and lots of Midwest charm into an old Astro van and headed West with the dream of making it big. Mixing elements of folk and surf-pop, while always paying homage to their greatest influence, The Beach Boys, AB & The Sea have created a sound that is breezy and uplifting, and at the same time intricately heartwarming - California style. AB & the Sea will take you back to basics, capturing the warm summer sun passing through bright blue skies, and waking slumbering memories of days at the beach with their 3-minute melodies. With a passion for life and an enthusiasm for their music that is rarely found among young bands these days, AB & The Sea performed at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, proving that they are here to stay. We had a chance to chat and share a laugh with Koley, Zac, and Joe before the show.



Official Bio:

Conceived in the heart of cold Midwestern November in 2007, a project ripe with integrity bloomed from two sets of hands and two young minds. Koley O'Brien and Joe Spargur met in a small college town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin and shortly after agreed on forming a musical collaboration aptly named A B & the Sea. Bursting with inspiration from the unforgiving winter, their first EP was written, recorded and back in the hands of its creators by the first dawn of 2008, marking the start of an epic year. Fighting through the restraint of work and school, both members committed to escaping the drone of everyday life by skipping town every weekend to play shows in every venue, coffee shop, campus, and house kind enough to open its doors from green bay, WI to Des Moines, IA. After a well received few months of weekend tours, fate skipped a stone two thousand miles from the peaceful waters of Lake Winnebago to the shores of the San Francisco bay. Zachary pingel, a former member of a previous band O'Brien was also in (Silent Point of Radtone records Japan-notably playing with acts such as The Rocket Summer, The Spill Canvas, This Day and Age, and The Umbrellas) returned and decided to round out the musical collection on bass. Although not always able to be complimented with a full time drummer, the band gained full band status and immediately began headlining campuses all over Wisconsin. Extending their reach as far as their pockets would allow, they followed their vision into the well celebrated venues including Schuba's Chicago IL and the Orpheum Theatre, Madison WI only to name a few, and played multiple acoustic in-stores shows at Starship Clothing and the Exclusive Company. With this vision, they bring a bright spectrum of influences from the brilliance of the Beatles and Beach Boys to the warm sincerity of Iron and Wine to the innovation and catch of the Shins and the Morning Benders. Just recently, their song "Johnny With The Sun in His Hand" was chosen by Puma to be featured in a promotion for their new Puma Fragrances campaign in 15 European countries. On the verge of two more EP releases and a well-placed more to the Golden State, even just the name "A B and the Sea" boasts more potential than your annoying neighbor's bumper. by Jon Powell