On a warm spring evening at Feels So Good Records in Austin, Texas, Forrest Frank, the lead singer of Surfaces, flashed a wide smile to the store’s sold-out crowd and asked a simple question: “Are we gonna catch a vibe tonight?” The response couldn’t have been clearer, as people shot their hands in the air and roared with joy. From DJ sets to artist interviews to a state-of-the-art listening lounge, the full-day experience hosted by Bose and Pitchfork Radio celebrated the intersection between music discovery and community engagement—an ebullient spirit captured perfectly by Surfaces and Dayglow, two of Texas’s most lively up-and-coming bands.
Upon entering Feels So Good Records, guests were welcomed into the Bose listening lounge, where they were invited to don a pair of QuietComfort® 45 headphones and jam out to a staff-picked record. As shoppers hung out in the listening lounge and flipped through Feels So Good’s eclectic selection of vinyl, Pitchfork Radio livestreamed a series of interviews and DJ sets. After chatting with Girl Talk, Pitchfork editor Sam Sodomsky interviewed comedian Chris Redd, songwriter Christelle Bofale, and producer Kyle Dixon, each of whom also spun a DJ set. Their sets spanned a number of genres and artists; Redd bumped tracks from Isaiah Rasahad and Mac Miller, while Bofale spun deep-cuts from Yves Tumor and Tendai. When Dixon took over the booth, he played a number of experimental Thai songs and cuts from composers such as Jean-Pierre Decerf and Magnus Uggla.
As Dayglow’s performance neared, the line outside ballooned with people. “I’m still wrapping my head around being an artist [who] people ask to be a part of something like this,” said 22-year-old Sloane Struble, who leads Dayglow, before the show. “It’s an honor that Bose asked me.” Given Bose's commitment to creating transformative experiences through sound, and Austin's strength in the music scene, it was a perfect pairing. Struble was appreciative of the opportunity to showcase the band's work in a community-oriented space. “It really means a lot. It’s sparked something that’s hard to explain.”
Forrest Frank and Colin Padalecki of Surfaces were similarly grateful for the invitation to perform. “It almost doesn’t feel real,” Frank said. “To have names like this backing us feels incredible,” Padalecki added.
The sun was starting to set when the doors to Feels So Good Records reopened for the evening performances. When Struble jogged on stage dressed in a hunter green sport coat and slacks, the audience roared in excitement. He opened with “Something,” an infectious track that immediately prompted the crowd to dance and wave their hands. Later, “False Direction” sent the room into a frenzy, and Struble smiled big as he sang the song’s wildly addictive hook.
Surfaces raised the energy even higher. Playing fan favorites like “Sheesh!” and “I Can’t Help But Feel,” the duo’s charismatic stage presence imbued the crowd with palpable exuberance. After closing with “Sunday Best,” Frank and Padalecki thanked everyone for coming out, along with Bose and Pitchfork for hosting the event. As they walked off stage, cheers for an encore gained momentum—but then the lights came on and people began filtering outside. Others stuck around, rifling through records and snapping photos of the room. “That was fun,” Frank said, upon greeting some friends backstage. Those around nodded in agreement before preparing to meet the Austin night.
