
Some people may have a “grass is always greener” mentality about what other cities’ music scenes are like. To be sure, there are thriving music communities in places like Austin, London and Chicago. However, if one has ever wondered how good the local music scene might be considered around the world, keep in mind the droves of artists who seem to be descending on the city for stays both short and long. Between the weather, venues and street fairs, for many, San Diego seems like the perfect spot to make music. Among recent arrivals are Great Barrington, Mass. transplants Sunday Girl, which appears at Dream Street on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The hard-rock quartet, featuring Noah Boinay (guitar), Sam Altman (drums), Sean “Boosa” Slator (guitar) and Jason Craig (bass) arrived in early 2008, settling in Ocean Beach. Craig has since departed, replaced by bassist Louisiana Bob. “We were all sitting around one day and we realized the music scene in the northeast was not really where we wanted to be,” Boinay said. “You can spin your wheels out there for years and years without any result. So we just decided on the spot to move to California, as we knew some cats there.” Rather than simply make a quick cross-country dash, the band opted to tour their way to the West Coast over the course of a month, using a converted school bus outfitted to run on vegetable oil. “We were originally going to move to Los Angeles, right into the thick of the music business,” Boinay said. However, having friends in bands like Vegitation and the Peacemakers already in Ocean Beach, the band opted to end its tour here, then hang out for a few weeks before heading north. “Once we got to San Diego, we fell in love with the place,” Boinay said. “We did go up to L.A. just to check it out, but there was no comparison. We were definitely staying in Ocean Beach. With so many friends here it was an easy transition to make.” It didn’t take long for the group to begin to make an impact locally. “When we first got here we were, of course, newcomers, so audiences didn’t know who the band was,” Boinay said. “But we hooked up with some really good local groups like Canobliss and Silence Betrayed. They sort of took us under their wings and had us open for them a bunch of times. Their fans were really receptive and it went from there.” If the band’s name actually reveals little about their sound, it’s intentional. “We wanted something that was wide open to interpretation,” Boinay said. The name came about when a band member bemoaned his lack of a girlfriend. “He joked that even if he couldn’t find a full-time girlfriend, he’d be happy with a girl on Sundays,” Boinay said. Boinay cites the likes of Pantera and the Deftones as major influences, though that’s not necessarily reflected in all their songs. “We grew up with classic rock, but even though we’re more of a melodic band, we’re really influenced by the harder-edged stuff,” he said. “We’re not hardcore by any means, just modern aggressive rock.” Though Sunday Girl has a new album recorded, rather than release it on CD right away, the band decided to enter the digital age using an old-fashioned strategy. “People download things one song at a time anyway, so we’re going back to the way things were in the 1950s and releasing singles,” Boinay said. “Rather than do a big album, we’ll release new tracks every few months. It keeps things fresh and helps keep listeners interested because new music appears with more frequency.” While the band has played many of San Diego major venues, including the Wavehouse and Cane’s, Boinay considers Dream Street to be the band’s second home. “Some of us are in there pretty much every weekend, having a beer and checking out the bands,” he said. After a year in town, Boinay reflects on the reason for the band’s move to Ocean Beach being so successful. “The people around here are great, very welcoming,” Boinay said. “It’s a plus that there are so many ways for musicians to get exposure.” Sunday Girl performs on Friday, Sept. 11 at Dream Street, 2228 Bacon St. at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/sundaygirlmusic.