By Parker Parent

Hockey Dad is an Australian surf rock duo consisting of Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming, who are, in fact, very Australian. The duo formed after the two childhood best friends found themselves without waves to surf and time to spare; so, they turned to surfrock and quickly began to write their own songs. While the group originally formed in 2013, they’ve kept up releasing music including their new single, “Base Camp” released this year. Hockey Dad is currently on tour traveling from here in San Antonio all the way back to Australia to close out the tour. Their tour hit San Antonio on February 23rd 2024, at the Paper Tiger, with the band, Mind’s Eye, opening up the night.

Mind’s Eye are a five piece progressive rock band consisting of Vince Lopez, Kelli Kumiko, Andrew Scott, Jack Duda and Jacob Cambra. This group brought a lot of energy right away as lead singer, Vince Lopez, egged on the crowd to form a mosh pit, unfortunately to only partial success. Still, according to Lopez it was much better than the El Paso show, where they didn’t even open up a pit. Throughout their performance the group continued to include the audience, from moshing with them to calling out fans directly. One of the most memorable moments was when Lopez questioned a front row fan's use of Snapchat during the show, ultimately culminating in a message from Lopez to this fan’s boyfriend critiquing his absence. This band not only rocked the house through fan interaction but also put on a show with their rhythmic style and high energy. This group will be following Hockey Dad during the North America leg of their tour, so if you want to get groovy and see fans get called out, I recommend checking them out.

As for the headliner, Hockey Dad brought a chill vibe to the stage from the beginning, arriving shortly after the Mind’s Eye closed, which I always appreciate. I studied abroad in Australia last summer and hearing drummer, Billy Fleming, open with “are yous ready to have a good time?” brought me right back. Contrary to their openers rowdy crowd work, this duo emphasized a relaxation and appreciation of the music. A suggestion that the crowd embraced as they stood intently listening and bobbing their heads. One thing that stood out to me from this band were the vocals, lead guitarist and singer, Zack Stephenson, led the charge, but the backup vocals were also on point. Subpar vocals can easily bring down a band, but this band’s vocals elevated their performance to another level. The group played some unreleased songs coming out later this year and will continue their tour throughout 2024. if you’re looking for a chill Aussie vibe, check these guys out.

CONCERT REVIEW: HOCKEY DAD @ PAPER TIGER