the daylights

"Rihanna, rocking out in the front row at Katy Perry's Los Angeles concert at the Wiltern. Nearby, Josh Groban scoped things out – and the two seemed especially into the opening act, The Daylights." - People.com

The Daylights is an Alt-Rock band straight out of Los Angeles. On tour with One Republic and Josh Kelley, this group is refreshing and easy to fall in love with.

It is ironic how one can drive to a concert, stand in line for 45 minutes, pay $25 for a ticket, and end up liking the opening band more than the band one actually went to see. Early this year, there is a distinct possibility that this phenomenon has happened to hundreds in large music venues across the country. Touring with One Republic and Josh Kelley is a little number called The Daylights, a fresh, optimistic trio hailing from the great L.A.. Albeit a little rough around the edges, this group has such a well put-together sound that listeners might mistake them for a headlining act.

The Band

The group consists of brothers Ran and Ricky Jackson, from Los Angeles, and Svend Lerche, a native of Denmark. Originally there was Adam Farley on drums, who was later replaced by Lerche. Formed in 2004, the 3 released their first EP independently the same year, entitled Shift and Blur. Before they could release another independent recording, they were picked up by Epic Records, via Daylight Records. Currently, they are touring with One Republic and Josh Kelley, and are working on their first major debut, which is scheduled to be released sometime between this spring and summer.

What Makes Them Special

For a band consisting of only 2 brothers and a drummer, the sound level and quality of this band is mind-blowing. All instruments are manned by the 3 --- no outside help needed. With Ran Jackson on guitar and piano, Ricky Jackson on bass and guitars, and Svend Lerche on drums, the group produces a well-blended composition much like Radiohead, but with the smoothness of Elliot Smith and the progressive persistent rhythms of the Killers. Tie that in with some Peter Gabriel-esque exotic beats and the realistic harmonies of The Fray, and listeners have a unique yet endearing sound that will leave them wanting more.

The Jacksons tag-team vocals; each has a voice that is strong and soulful, and their vocals mesh superbly to create a well-balanced and sweet harmony which blends so well it can get a bit eerie. While Lerche sings without a microphone, he does well to pound out prominent but not overbearing rhythms, utilizing the bass drum well for dramatic effect. Also, one of the signatures of the band is that they lack that brassy hardness which tends to afflict many rock groups. Instead, Ran and Ricky offer guitar solos that are particularly lush and defined, switching back and forth from acoustic guitars to electric, and a solid bass that is meaty but not brash.

Noteworthy Tunes

Currently they have 2 EPs that are up for grabs. The original Shift and Blur, which is up on iTunes, and also, a newer, self-titled limited-edition release that they are peddling at the concerts. The newer release includes stellar tracks such as “Terra Firma”, a tribute to small town life. “Terra Firma” is very reminiscent of Peter Gabriel, but it will be one of those tracks that will be stuck on “Repeat” in listeners' MP3 players. With mournful harmonies and the organ-like solos, this track is sure to be a chart topper.



- alternativemusic suite101

Ballad music always pleases a portion of the listening audience. Musical groups add a few more fans with a bit of banjo and some of that country-rock feel, such as The Band and others made a part of rock-and-roll history.
Now, The Daylights, aren’t The Band and their song “I Guess I Missed You” (2007 Epic) doesn’t pretend to be The Marshall Tucker Band or The Allman Brothers of old. No, this California group is its own commercial effort, far from knowingly imitating any one artist or band. In addition, this group is not a power band such as those legends of decades ago.
If there is any doubt, the first-time listener only needs to hear “Terra Firma (Bedroom Demos 2007). The interesting and eerily accurate sound makes it hard to ignore. Ran Jackson (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Ricky Jackson (vocals, bass, guitars) and Svend Lerche (drums, noise, vocals) have found a way to sing about lost innocent and simpler times while evoking a bit of The Moody Blues feels. “Walking Into A Storm” (Jim Abbiss Session Sony/Epic) will draw a percentage of fans with its great production and use of background sounds.
The quality of music from this trio is not surprising considering the members cite influences ranging from U2 to Chopin, from Brian Wilson to Radiohead. Throw in Sigur Ros and The Smiths and the influences are as solid as any band can lean on. - indieupdate

"The Los Angeles-based trio known as the Daylights didn't have any such an experience on Saturday night when it opened Katy Perry's sold-out gig at the Wiltern. For one thing, they were fully clothed. Nonetheless, we were kind of stunned by the warm reaction the band received from the crowd there to see pop music's It Girl. As is often the case with opening acts, we nearly missed their set after a long wait for a table at a nearby Mexican joint, but we did make it in time to see a few songs and the crowd's enthusiastic response" - yahoo

"Thus far, Katy Perry's a one-and-a-half-hit wonder who got her start singing gospel songs but got famous singing the line "I kissed a girl...and I liked it." Where California's most precocious preener goes from here is anyone's guess. Could Perry, with her wacky outfits and rabid tween fan base, cement herself as Madonna's heir-apparent to the pop-tart-chameleon throne? Or will little Katy find that as easily as one can play the fame game, one can get equally played? Time will tell, but for now it's all cherry ChapStick, crazy clothes, palatable pseudo-rockers and a revival meeting-like live show starring Perry and her pop parishioners. We think we like it. With The Daylights." - new york metromix

Review by Andres Lopez
Photos by Christine Porco
As the dawn drew morning birds to signal the beginning of a new day on Wednesday, April 29, many in sunny South Florida woke up with grand expectations for later that day—to see none other than Katy Perry and her opening band The Daylights.

The crowd began forming the massive line that reached all the way to the parking lot hours before the event was to start at Revolution Live. The line seemed an almost parade of characters, as some concert goers wore all kinds of outfits that ranged from the traditional T-shirt and jeans; to having just stepped out of ballet class and even emulating Perry’s wardrobe.

The Daylights drummer Svend Lerche
Fans became restless when the doors did not open on schedule, but they found a way to pass the time, giving their vocal chords a practice run by singing many Katy Perry favorites.

While the sun began to slowly fade away into the horizon it was then that the magical words could be heard like a flock of birds flying in unison: "We can now go in!"

All of a sudden, it was obvious that the concert was about to start. California band The Daylights, composed of brothers Randy and Ricky Jackson and their Danish drummer Svend Lurche, took the stage before an impatient crowd.

The Daylights made it through their set, playing songs which included "Little White Lies" and "Probably." As their songs came to an end, the fans clearly showed that they had reserved a lot of their energy for Katy Perry. - Outloud Newsgazine