The four-piece band Dayseeker, hailing from California, has made noise in the metalcore scene over the past few years with 2022’s Dark Sun, and following a headlining set at Daytona’s Welcome to Rockville this past weekend, they proved that they’re only rising up from here.
Dayseeker performed on Saturday night ahead of the post-hardcore emo icons of Pierce The Veil and the reunited nu-metal legends of Linkin Park. They took the stage just after the sun set — cooling-down the hot, humid air that plagued the Daytona Speedway — and took fans back to 2019 with Sleeptalk‘s title track and “Burial Plot.”
The crowd sang out to Dark Sun‘s “Dreamstate” and “Neon Grave,” which Rodriguez dedicated to his late father.
“Just a few short years ago, we were traveling the country, playing smaller venues, and we didn’t think we’d be doing this that much longer,” Rodriguez told the crowd, adding that “headlining this festival means so much.”
Ahead of their set, we caught up with the band. Rodriguez noted that they dropped their new single, “Pale Moonight,” in April, and already, it hit over 3 million streams on Spotify. “Pale Moonlight” offers a look into the new record, which Rodriguez describes as “darker, eerier, spookier, and heavier,” as well as “sexy, at times.” He added that this record feels “less sad,” filled with more energy and an overall different vibe.
That darker mindset was pulled from watching a lot of horror movies, Rodriguez said, noting that halfway through writing the album, they realized there was a really cohesive vibe, and even pulled a song that sounded too much like their older music.
Dayseeker happened to perform the same night as Linkin Park; Rodriguez said that growing up, he remembers feeling “bummed in my room” listening to the group, so being able to headline a festival the same day as them really proved to be a “full-circle moment.”
| READ: REVIEW: Linkin Park Brings Nostalgic, Career-Spanning Set to Welcome to Rockville |
Just like the “Numb” stars, Rodriguez hopes their music offers some solace to fans struggling, describing music as “an escape and something you can relate to.”
“That’s something we’ve prided ourselves in since we’ve been a band,” Rodriguez said, noting that he hopes their records are “a safe space for a lot of people.” “I hope they can find relatability and feel close to the music.”
From here, Dayseeker is slated to head overseas for a round of festivals, including Rock For The People in Czechia, England’s Download Festival, Southside Festival in Germany, and Ontario’s Rock The Park Music Festival. They’ll also play a brief round of shows with support from Colorblind and Ekoh in July, followed by shows supporting Ice Nine Kills later this year.
Dayseeker is also set to appear at Danny Wimmer Presents’ other festivals: Louisville’s Louder Than Life, Aftershock in Sacramento, and Inkcarceration in Mansfield. Find a full list of upcoming tour dates here.
