Hailing from sunny San Diego, the indie pop trio almost monday is nearing the end of a cross-country run as openers for The Band Camino’s “Never Always” tour. On November 20, their set brought a piece of the Golden State to one of Chicago’s most beloved music venues.
In the moments before the band took the stage, there wasn’t an elaborate backdrop or heavy stage production that set the tone, but my attention was caught by the custom bass drum decal that displayed a groovy, multicolor spiral.
It turns out that this psychedelic pinwheel, the band’s current logo, is the perfect visual match for their sound: a vibrant blend of genres, where funk-leaning grooves, electropop shimmer, and flashes of R&B twist together to create playful melodies.
A packed 15-song setlist covered a mix of the band’s five-year discography, though their clear objective was to showcase their 2024 debut studio album DIVE. To that end, they cleverly adopted the title track—a brief, atmospheric intro featuring distorted vocals and a lullaby-like melody reminiscent of 1940s crooner songs—as “walk-on” music.
Mirroring the album’s transition, the band slid seamlessly into “is it too late?”—a catchy, upbeat tune about longing for a lost love. By the time we reached the mid-set offering of “enjoy the ride,” the entire room seemed to sway to its warm, hooky bass line. The next track, “sunburn,” first released in 2022 as a single and later included on DIVE, is the kind of track that, while still sitting comfortably in the indie realm, could easily be part of the score for the next California-set teen drama. Perhaps it would be playing in the background as the camera pans across ocean-view houses under picture-perfect weather.
almost monday seemed to seamlessly manage what some opening acts can struggle with: turning a short time slot and pared-back production into a performance that still felt sharp, energetic, and engaging. Much of that came from Daugherty’s effortless charisma and high energy, something that I was playfully warned about before I stepped into the photo pit. “I hope your camera has good motion settings because he moves around a lot,” I was told by friends who had already seen the set before.
Indeed, Daugherty is well known for the infectious energy of his stage persona and rarely stood still for more than a few seconds. But despite his restless nature, free-spirited dance moves, and an impressive commitment to keep his oval sunglasses on through the entire set, Daugherty made a point of connecting with the audience. “Chicago, can I take your photo tonight?” he asked, pointing a vintage Polaroid to the crowd and snapping a picture which was later uploaded to the band’s Instagram story. This was the kind of moment that made the performance feel more intimate even amongst 3,000 people in a sold-out room.
By the time they closed with “life goes by,” the crowd was sold on their golden-hued Californian sound, raising their arms and clapping on command. While 2025 seemed to mark a year of major milestones for the band, including festival appearances across the globe, more than 695 million streams, and a late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, almost monday might be poised for an even bigger year ahead. For now, 2026 is set to start with the final shows of the DIVE era as they support The Band Camino across five Australia and New Zealand dates, and yet their next Chicago show doesn’t feel like a question of if, but when.
