Review: Marlon Funaki Sells Out San Diego
☆ BY Shellsea Lomeli ☆
SOLD OUT SHOWS ARE SPECIAL ONES — this was clear last Saturday night on the street of El Cajon as dozens of people eagerly piled into a local dive bar to see California’s very own Marlon Funaki take the stage.
The 22 year old solo artist has gained traction over the past few years with his unique, alternative rock sound. His guitar-fronted tracks mix jazz and psychedelic styles to create a type of compelling energy with a cloud 9 effect that multiplies with live performance. Racking up over 300K monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Marlon Funaki is on track for the kind of modern day rise we’ve seen from artists like The Backseat Lovers and Briston Maroney.
Longstanding San Diego gem Soda Bar is the type of spot that you might want earplugs for — and if you forgot them, they’re sold at the bar alongside an IPA for a dollar. The venue’s intimate size gave concert-goers the opportunity to truly take in the vibrations from every instrument on stage as well as the crowd around them. This type of physical closeness mixed with leadership of Marlon Funaki’s calming yet elated stage presence brought the communal feeling of the live experience to another level throughout the evening.
While it was evident that a majority of the audience had made it out to see Marlon Funaki, the preceding band, Israel’s Arcade, showcased a striking type of energy and talent, reminding you of how special taking in sets from unfamiliar artists can be. It’s that feeling of hearing a great song for the first time, multiplied by a hundred because it’s live. The instruments are right in front of you, the room vibrates, you can see the sweat and strain it takes to create sound that captivates. There are few things like it.
Queen’s iconic hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” soundtracked Marlon’s walk on with his signature cowboy hat and matching white guitar. With the support from a perfectly curated band, the artist exceeded crowd expectations as he brought popular tracks like “when sunday comes around” and “Murphy’s Law” to life. Somehow the calming yet vibrant songs sounded even better through live performance than on record — a rare and impressive thing to accomplish.
There are a lot of contributing factors to the lasting memorability of Marlon Funaki’s night in San Diego — from the tranquility of the cinema-worth instrumentation to the yearning honesty of his lyrics. But perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the performance was Marlon’s contagiously warm aura and smile. He was ecstatic to be performing to a crowd made up of friends and fans. That was clear.
People want artists with heart and talent like Marlon Funaki to turn their dreams into a reality. It’s a sight to witness — simultaneously grateful to be experiencing the show on a small stage while also hoping to see him on a much larger one in the years to come.
