The Underwater Sounds Farewell Show @ Underground Arts.

Text by Jennifer Granato. Image by Jessica Flynn.

The Underwater Sounds performed their final show on Friday after six years of playing together around the Philadelphia area. They went out on a high note, playing a lengthy set of tunes, all featuring their reggae sound and laid back vibes, before an eager and excited crowd that packed Underground Arts.

The band is made up of five musicians – Sonni Shine on vocals and rhythm guitar, Billy Campion on lead guitar, Dan Townsend on keyboards, Ken Shumski on the Bass and Sean Youngsman on drums.

Shine’s vocals are really what makes The Underwater Sounds stand out against other bands. Her voice is warm and the control she has over it allows over her to sing a variety of styles. At one point in the night, she even put down her guitar to venture into a few rap verses on stage.

Everyone who attended the show received a download card for their latest album, Visions of Love and Light Part 2, which the band played through almost in its entirety during the show. Along with the new tracks, they played older crowd favorites including ‘Airplane’ and ‘Become Mighty.’

The crowd was obviously feeling the band’s love for performing that night, so much so that a man proposed to his girlfriend on stage in the middle of the set (she said yes, if you were wondering).

The sound of the group overall, combining obvious reggae influences with jazz, funk, and psychedelic jam sessions, is really wonderful to listen to and even more exciting to see live. It goes without saying that they will be missed in the Philadelphia music scene.

The Snails and The Rosemary Fiki Band opened for The Underwater Sounds, hyping up the crowd with a mixture of soul, reggae and rock tracks.