Reno AF: Moonshot’s Authentic Alternative Rock
Photo by Sam Ray-Johnson.
The Biggest Little City that I’ve called home my entire life has grown from being the butt of tourists’ jokes to a metropolitan center of art and culture. It seems that everyone you meet is a creative, everywhere you look there’s something beautiful to discover. I have many acquaintances in the music industry here now, but it’s something special when your friends decide to share their art with the world. I got that privilege last weekend at West Street Market.
Moonshot, an alternative rock band lead by my friend Adam Thompson, is nothing short of untapped talent. It’s the kind of group that makes you proud to be a local – from powerful, trumpeting vocals to soaring guitar solos and fiery drumming – these guys embody the true spirit of storytelling through song. You know you’ve found a good indie band when their tracks make you feel like you’re going down a lonely road, or catch a wave of nostalgia, and Moonshot is all of that and more. Their song ‘Hit The Brake’ is one of the bands’ favorites, Thompson said.
“As soon as I heard the main guitar riff I was immediately pulled in and wanted to join the band,” he said. “I was able to write the lyrics for it within about 30 minutes. It came together very naturally.”
Thompson and I both agreed that Reno deserves more alternative rock bands and Moonshot stands out as a trendsetter in the scene. While there are music groups for every slice of life from jazz to punk to rap, this was the first alternative show I’ve attended in a long time that felt authentic to the genre. With songs immaculately crafted to weave from high energy kicks to slower, heartfelt ballads, Moonshot is an emotionally packed yet lively and entertaining glimpse into life in Nevada.
“It’s a nice blend of traditional blues, rock and something a little bit different and it’s usually never too heavy or too soft,” Thompson said. “It kind of is always right in the middle, which is the sweet spot in my opinion.”
While the quality of acoustics inside West Street Market weren’t as clear as I would have liked, Moonshot fit in cohesively with the environment, next to the local art tucked into a hole in the wall. It was the perfect Reno experience, one that reminded me of why I do what I do. Surrounded by loved ones, you didn’t have to know everyone to feel at home and Moonshot’s music speaks to that. It felt real, inviting yet wistful like the wind sweeping in from outside. You left with a sense of gratitude, knowing that what you just encountered might not ever happen again, but you look forward to the next adventure.
“We put three years of preparation into this, with the pandemic and everything, we didn’t get an opportunity until the last few months to actually show people what we’ve been working on,” Thompson said. “It’s just a matter of trying to get as many shows as we can.”
Moonshot was a poetic, straight-up fantastic show to behold. It’s an honor to be able to witness the genius of a friend, but even more to see its success on a grander scale. I am proud to call these men a member of our Reno music community – and they make me proud to be a Nevadan. I eagerly await what the future holds for Moonshot.
To follow Moonshot, like their Facebook page here.
