Meet Tonight’s Sunshine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tonight’s Sunshine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tonight’s, why did you pursue a creative career?
Anastasia (Vocals/Ukulele): I don’t think I really had a choice in the matter. Growing up, being a musician was always my dream, the way being an astronaut or firefighter was for other kids. But while most other people’s life goals change as they grow up, mine always stayed the same. I have never been able to see myself doing anything else. In fact, I feel more myself performing on stage than I do in other areas of my life. Music, especially writing or performing it, makes me feel alive in a way that nothing else does. I also know that it does the same for others when I share it with them.

Cougar (Drummer): I was raised by two parents who loved music and dance, so naturally I grew up in an environment of music and self expression. I remember always dancing to Michael Jackson or whatever random edm cd’s my parents had. I got my first drum set when I was 9 and since then I think I just transferred the self expression from dancing into playing the drums. This further on bled into other instruments and now it’s just something that’s embedded in my life. It is very satisfying building music and I think it’s something that will always be close to my soul.

Logan (Bass): I have always had a passion for music, it started off with rap and then slowly I started to fall in love with the beauty of instruments and so I started playing them. Turned out it all just made sense to me. Growing up I had a father that would always try to push music on me but me being the ignorant kid I was I pushed it away. Look at me now! This whole thing has been a wild ride and I love it all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Anastasia: Having an electric ukulele is a pretty big stand out feature of ours considering we play alternative rock. It’s common for people to ask if it’s a mini-guitar or a mandolin, surprised that it works so well for the band’s sound. And while we umbrella-term our sound as alt-rock, in reality our genre is pretty hard to pinpoint. From metal, to latin, pop, ska, and even country, you’ll find our band can fit into almost any lineup. I think the biggest thing we want to share about our brand is that we’re not here to just chase fame and be sell-outs. The perfect algorithm for a hit song definitely exists, but we want our music to be creative and authentic. If it doesn’t make the listener feel something, then we didn’t do it right.

Even though we had a lot of support from Kairand, it definitely wasn’t always easy. We had to work hard to convince people to book us for gigs because they were skeptical about our lack of genre, not knowing if we were going to be marketable or if people would enjoy our sound. They wanted something clear-cut, and we didn’t know how to describe ourselves- we only knew that if they’d give us a listen, they would love us. Even in the DIY punk scene, we assumed we’d be welcomed with our differences and allowed to be creatives in our own way, but we quickly found out that gatekeeping there was also alive and well. We were told we couldn’t be punk with an ukulele, they just couldn’t see that happening on a lineup.

Even though we weren’t playing shows with the high-school and college kids our age, we were doing a lot of non-profit events, using our music as a platform to help causes in our community. We forged our own path and made different connections that way. Eventually, we were given a residency at the former Thunder Canyon Brewery, now known as Brickbox, to curate our own headlining show every first Friday. We didn’t want newer bands to go through the difficulties we had, so every month we invited 4 bands to play, regardless of their genre, age, and even experience. We even had 5 visual artists set up booths to sell their art during the show, really creating a sense of community.

It was a place to gather, a place to be oneself and celebrate each other. We made a lot of friends that way, and pretty soon, it was other bands asking us to play on THEIR bill instead of the other way around. It’s all about being the change you want to see in people and taking chances.

Cougar: I think what sets us apart is the uke and Anastasia, but also the diversity in our music. Many of our songs sound very different from each other and I feel like we execute that variation well. We got to where we are today just by becoming friends with the people we work with. This is also what I would want to share, is that we love people and embody that in our journey as a band.

I got to where I am today through practice and curiosity. It was not easy, but it has been fun! I think one thing that helped a lot is to have goals to work towards. I always practice better if there is an upcoming show or opportunity where I need to be at my best performance. Having lots of these opportunities has really helped me grow.

Logan: I have learned so much about everything involving music. When I started I was really unknowledgeable about everything that had to do with it. I was just a somewhat clueless guy who wasn’t great with instruments but I had a really good ear for it. I also learned a lot from the band. I’d say they’re like my musical senseis and I’m their humble pupil. All jokes aside, it’s been a great learning experience seeing the behind-the-scenes and growing as a person with my friends.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
(Anastasia) Monday- I’d start them off with a Tucson gem; Mondo-Mondays at The Loft Theatre. They play a terrible B-horror movie, usually from the 80s, and people in the audience are free to yell at the movie screen. There’s popcorn, beer, and tons of fun. Afterward, we’d go to the only coffee shop in town that’s open until midnight; Black Crown. They’ve got great drinks with even better names like Dark Matter or Breast Milk. Goths and university kids alike can commingle here.

(Cougar) Tuesday-I would bring our friend to get some eegees to start. There is a debate about whether eegees is special or if it’s overrated, but it would be a yummy way to spark a conversation. Afterward, I would take them to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The scenery there is beautiful and I think it encompasses all of the pretty parts of the Tucson desert and wildlife.

(Cougar) Wednesday- After taking our friend to the Desert Museum, I would start Wednesday off with grabbing a Sonoran dog at a local Mexican food truck. These are one of my favorite foods in Tucson. Then, I would take them to the Tucson mall. There are some interesting local shops there like Tucson Games and Gadgets. It has a front section with a bunch of board games and fun accessories, but in the back, they have a tavern where you can buy mead and play Magic The Gathering with your buddies. After the mall I would take our friend to Gates Pass to see the sunset.

(Anastasia) Thursday- After letting our friend sit in on our regularly scheduled band practice, we’d head to 4th Avenue for gothic karaoke at The Surly Wench Pub. Wooden floors, brick walls, black booths, an Elvira pinball machine, a chandelier, and a spooky-looking stage. We’ll sing to Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy, and Depeche Mode.

Logan Friday- I’m so glad I got Friday. Being the alcoholic I am I’d show them around Downtown Tucson and take them to all the cool bars that I spent a lot of time at in my early 21 days. I am somewhat newer to the town and I didn’t grow up here like the others did but I’ve been shown some cool places around the area that I would love to show people that are visiting. However, there’s not a whole lot of fun activities to do or show other than maybe Round1 Bowling but not everyone likes to Bowl.

(Anastasia) Saturday- For Saturday, I’d take them BACK to The Loft, but this time for The Rocky Horror Picture show. The Loft hosts the nation’s longest running Rocky Horror show and the theater is always always full for it. It’s especially fun if the person you’re bringing has never been there before, so they can take part in the shenanigans of losing their Rocky Horror “virginity.” Big red V’s written on their faces with lipstick and a wheel of dares that they have to participate in like kissing a cast member or getting sensually flogged on stage. It can sound scary but it’s super fun if you’re with the right people.

Sunday From-day!!! After a long week of local adventure, we’d gather at one of our houses for weekly Sunday From-day. That’s when we get together to watch an episode of From, a series depicting a town whose inhabitants must figure out how to escape the otherworldly demons trying to kill them. It’s a cool way to end the week and spend time together that isn’t just band practice. (Logan- I love Sunday From Day)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Anastasia: This one is easy- Kairand Bellinger. He’s our drummer’s dad, and also happens to be the reason our band came to be. He saw me at an open mic and mentioned his son had a band in need of a vocalist. We met up, started practicing and never stopped. Kairand has always believed in us and has done all he can to provide us with opportunities. He’s an event producer himself; one of his more known events being the community festival at the Arizona Bowl tailgate. He has spent countless hours helping us create our own DIY events as a band, connecting us to people in the community, and supporting our growth as young adults. It’s thanks to him that Tonight’s Sunshine is an LLC, and that we took off on the right foot.

Cougar: I wholeheartedly agree with Anastasia to shout out my dad. Before I was in Tonight’s Sunshine, my dad was always pushing to make sure I had opportunities to do what I enjoyed. When I was 10, he managed to get me to play in a band of 20 year olds as an example. He carries this eagerness to this day with Tonight’s Sunshine and now his new company, HIP Productions. He has definitely provided a solid foundation for us to build on.

Logan: I’ll jump on the Kairand bandwagon, Kairand has been a great help with the band and has done so much for us over the years. I haven’t known him for as long as the others but from what I’ve seen he seems so dedicated in bringing the band up with him in all his business endeavors. I will say is a great man for sure.

Website: https://tonightssunshine.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonights.sunshine/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonight-s-sunshine-6a58b7203/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonightsunshine

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-197991707

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunshine.tonight/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA6rb0Ah-ALgdpwKjS4PkyA

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonightssunshine https://www.tumblr.com/tonights-sunshine 

Image Credits
Bethany Schuck, Juniper Studios Photography