VUNDABAR
BOSTON, MA 11.29.25
Vundabar’s sophomore album Gawk turned 10 this year, and the band marked the milestone with a series of sold-out anniversary shows in Los Angeles and Cambridge. They closed out the run with a packed show at The Sinclair on Saturday, November 29th, following a more intimate performance the night before at the Lilypad.
The band eased into the set with some tracks from their newest album Surgery and Pleasure; “I Got Cracked”, “Beta Fish,” and “Spades.” They also played the Smell Smoke classic “Acetone” before they started the main event. Gawk is one of their grittier, more grunge-leaning releases, and songs “Bust” and “Worn / Wander” brought out exactly the kind of movement you’d expect; pits opened up fast. The album also has some great singalong moments, particularly in their songs “Oulala,” “Darla,” and “Alien Blues.”
Brandon Hagen stayed true to form as a frontman: not a big talker, but when he does speak it’s typically a little bit silly. His guitar work is layered and controlled enough that it carries the weight of two players, making the trio sound larger than it is. Drummer Drew McDonald is just as much fun to watch as he is to listen to; he’s expressive behind the kit, throwing in sharp flourishes and animated faces that give the set an extra spark without ever losing precision. Bassist Zack Abramo plays the counterbalance in the group. He is steady, locked-in, and unbothered, anchoring the bassline and carrying most of the backing vocals with a calm consistency that rounds out the band’s sound.
Toward the end of the night, the band also brought out Alex Garcia-Rivera (from Mystic Valley Studios in Medford, where Gawk was recorded) to add some fun percussion to the final songs. Alex remarked at how professional the young band was back in 2015 when the album was recorded.
With a decade of Gawk behind them, Vundabar still sounds tight, a little weird, and unmistakably themselves.Here’s to ten more years!
K E E P U P W I T H
