Slaughter Beach, Dog @ The Observatory North Park

The twangy indie rock band delivered a fantastic show for fans in San Diego

Slaughter Beach, Dog is one of those bands with a robust and growing fanbase that is also absolutely beloved by that fanbase. If you’re a Slaughter Beach, Dog fan, it’s likely you’re a die-hard. For several years now, the alt-rock unit from Philadelphia has galvanized the indie community with their searing lyrics and twangy folk instrumentals. Touring behind their excellent alt-country-tinged 2023 album Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, the band touched down at Observatory North Park in San Diego this past weekend and delivered a show that, unsurprisingly, left the nearly sold-out crowd mesmerized from start-to-finish.

Right off the bat, the band launched into a one-two-three punch of tracks off their latest album – “Bobcat Club,” “Strange Weather,” and “Summer Windows” – and from there they were off to the races. Throughout the set, moody lighting accompanied tracks off previous albums At The Moonbase and Birdie, immersing concertgoers with their poignant moods and dreamy visual aesthetics. The band also conjured a pair of excellent covers – “Fly Down” by Gillian Welch and “If I Needed You” by Townes van Zandt – perfect sonic fits in their setlist. Eventually, the crowd beckoned them back for an encore in which they capped off the set with fan-favorites “Your Cat” and “104 degrees” off Motorcycle.jpeg. Meanwhile, the rising Austin, TX indie pop group Sun June laid down a wondrous and imaginative opening set of the own, setting the mood for what would end up being a fantastic evening.

For anyone considering checking out Slaughter Beach, Dog at their remaining tour dates, we highly recommend pulling the trigger on getting a ticket. In the meantime, you can scroll through below for highlights from the San Diego show.

All Photos By Michael Christy