By Alex Gryciuk
On Feb. 16, Ashes to Amber, composed of lead singer Kane Acosta and accompanying artists, performed with heartfelt lyrics and guitar expertise at Aviator Nation Dreamland.
With the intention of complementing the venue’s eclectic ambiance, Ashes to Amber’s performance in Malibu brought many fan favorites like “Iris,” “Outskirts of Infinity” and “Sun Punks” to life with unique, psychedelic interpretations.
“If you look into a kaleidoscope, that would be the vibe for tonight,” Acosta said.
Ashes to Amber, Kane Acosta and supporting artists, performed popular songs such as “Iris”and “Such Punks” along with various other “deep-cuts.” Photo credit: Alex Gryciuk
The “go with the flow” attitude about music and performing has always been a part of Acosta’s musical career and persona.
“I’ll be playing something weird, and then, I’ll just catch a chord progression. Inherently, it’s not supposed to help me write songs, but it does,” Acosta said.
Inspired by famous rock guitarists Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King and Eric Johnson, Acosta creates music with the intent to artistically express emotions and craft interesting melodies without any restrictions.
“It’s contemporarily relic, indie, psychedelic music,” Acosta said when asked to describe what genre of music he makes.
Kane Acosta, lead singer and main artist, passionately performs songs with meaningful lyrics and interesting guitar riffs inspired by psychedelic rock. Photo credit: Alex Gryciuk
Refusing to be confined by one specific genre, Ashes to Amber’s music leaves much to be interpreted by its audience and leaves room for a more interactive concert experience that appeals to many concert goers.
“Energy was high, people were lit, the band was lit,” concert music mixer Max Silver said. “[The band was] super original too.”
Max Silver poses for a post-concert picture after mixing for the performers. Photo credit: Alex Gryciuk
Concert attendees Brendan Fong and Dash Brown added that their love of discovering underground indie and alternative music paired with their exploration of unique songs led them to their concert experience.
“It was phenomenal…worth the money any time of the day,” Brown said.
Brendan Fong (left) and Dash Brown (right) attended the concert on Feb 16. after both found a love of indie rock music through Spotify. Photo credit: Alex Gryciuk
It was not always an easy process to make music for the artist. Acosta, a music industry and marketing USC graduate, first started making EDM mashups on iMovie and uploading to SoundCloud under the name Steedy Royce.
“Even ‘Iris’ that sounds great, I cut the final version in iMovie,” Acosta added, “It’s an MP4 file.”
After meeting producers like TJ Wee in college, his dream of making music came to life.
“I had songs written since high school, I just didn’t know how to use production software, like getting from place A to place B,” Acosta said.
Now, with more experience and expertise, Ashes to Amber has begun paving the way for his musical career as he continues to make rich, deep songs and perform thrilling shows for audiences.
Ashes to Amber regularly streams music on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Youtube.
To stay informed on music releases, merchandise announcements and concert dates, follow @ashestoamber on Instagram.
The Aviator Nation Dreamland in Malibu hosts many shows, provides drinks and decorates rooms with many colors. The venue has a lively night life. Photo credit: Alex Gryciuk
