SUNDAY (1994) INVITE FANS TO AN EXCLUSIVE PRE-TOUR SHOW
CLUB LOUIE’S — WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA
Before kicking off THE PRAIRIE TOUR in Nashville this week, British-American indie-pop band Sunday (1994) hosted a free show at Louie’s in Westlake Village just outside of Los Angeles. Originally planned as a final dress rehearsal with family and friends, the band opened it up to a limited number of fans—many from the area, which also happens to be where frontwoman Paige Turner grew up—turning it into the ultimate hometown show and an exclusive pre-tour matinee.
The midday performance served as a lovely send-off for the band as they embarked on their September tour, highlighting the whirlwind year they’ve had. Since the release of their 2024 self-titled debut EP Sunday (1994), the band has been on a rapid incline, touring as support for indie-pop icon Girl in Red and alternative duo Phantogram as well as selling out headline shows—including at the legendary Troubadour here in Los Angeles, where the band is now based.
Despite their quick-found success, the band’s conception was years in the making, and their debut took roughly a decade. Turner and co-founder Lee Newell first crossed paths in 2014, but it took a global pandemic for the two to finally make good on promises to collaborate. Today, the project is a powerhouse of talent, rounded out by drummer Puma—whose resume includes playing for KennyHoopla and Kenzie—and bassist Lola Bates, a captivating solo artist who has toured with Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell.
At Louie’s, Sunday (1994) gave us a sneak peek at what fans can expect on this tour, and they most definitely didn’t let the unofficial status of the show deter them from giving their all. As soon as the monochromatically styled band hit the stage, they delivered a fulfilling 16-track, fine-tuned set with energy, personality, and whimsy, with a twist of something gloomy. Pulling tracks from their debut EP, the deluxe tracks from Sunday (1994) [Deluxe], as well as their most recent and sophomore EP Devotion, which was released this spring, the band came armed with every fan’s dream setlist.
Sunday (1994) reinforced their self-proclaimed identity of being “for the newly weds and nearly deads” (per their Spotify bio) as they opened with “Our Troubles”, one of the band’s heavier tracks with lyrics that transport you to an angsty dive bar frequented by broken hearts and down-on-their-luck day drinkers, and “Softly”, a twirly, lovesick ode to yearning and the ache of being apart. Other highlights included “Blonde” and “Rain”, two fan favorites, as well as the title track “Devotion”, which has been one of my favorite releases this year.
Towards the end of the show, Turner amusingly informed the audience that they would be leaving the stage briefly for the obligatory encore fake-out, but that we should all play along. When they returned a few moments later, the band joked about their “lengthy” departure, earning a laugh from family, friends, and fans alike. Back in their places, the band began to close things out with a performance of “Blossom”, during which Turner held up a black picket sign with bold white letters spelling out the lyrics “YOU GOT IT BABY!”; something she’s done at past shows with different songs. In a bittersweet moment, the show had reached its inevitable end—this time for real—as the band finished off with none other than “Tired Boy”, their first ever release and the lead single of their debut EP, making it a beautifully full-circle choice.
While making her rounds, I was able to briefly speak with Turner, who shared that these intimate local shows are something she’d like to do more of in the future, hopefully giving fans something else to look forward to. Sunday (1994) is on the road through the end of this month on THE PRAIRIE TOUR, and these are not shows you want to miss. Their newest EP, Devotion, is out now on streaming.
