Audience members sing along with Dunk’s lead vocalist Maliah McKenna. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Dunk made their debut on Friday, Dec. 5, with an electrifying set that began defining their sound as a newly formed band, leaving the audience wanting more as Santa Clara University looks toward the new year.

Featured in Dunk are Colin Friedel ’26 on vocals and guitar, alongside Eph Esson ’26 on guitar, Orion Cook ’26 on violin and Brix Brewster ’27 on drums—four members who previously performed in One Million Beers—alongside new additions Maliah McKenna ’29 as the lead vocalist and Ewan Bailey ’29 as the bassist.

Brewster, in his conversation with The Santa Clara on Tuesday, had teased a Christmas vibe—and Dunk wasted no time delivering.

Ewan Bailey joined former members of One Millions Beers to create the new band Dunk. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Opening with a rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” McKenna’s stellar vocals sent the crowd into a frenzy, igniting the famous holiday sing-along. In a bold display of their stylistic range, Dunk transitioned the latter half of the song into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird,” allowing Esson to take the reins with masterful guitar work.

Dunk’s sound blends folk-country and blues influences while also embracing call-and-response songs, like OutKast’s “Hey Ya!,” that draws the audience into a more personal connection with the performers on stage.

“Sing along, dance, we’re all happier here for it,” said Friedel, encouraging the crowd to participate.

Orion Cook watches his fellow band members perform while playing the violin. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Eph Esson (left) and Colin Friedel (right) with their band Dunk, performing for the first time, at Basecamp on Dec. 5, 2025. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Songs like “Callin’ Baton Rouge” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” grounded the evening in a bluegrass–honky-tonk crossover, showcasing not only the vocalists’ talents but also the versatility of each performer—particularly in “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” where violinist Cook shifted from conventional violin technique to an energetic fiddle style.

Fleetwood Mac’s “Silver Springs” brought the evening to a halt, immersing the audience in a slower, heartfelt ballad—while Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” sent the crowd back to their feet, with bassist Bailey matching the song’s relentless drive alongside the drum line, echoing Duff McKagan’s iconic rhythm.

Eph Esson ensured that his skillful guitar work did not go unnoticed, launching into a solo segment entirely composed of Van Halen’s “Eruption,” which added a fiery complement to the band’s overall sound.

Dunk then embodied another call-and-response moment with New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give,” followed by a blend of “Dixieland Delight” and “Sweet Home Alabama” that grounded the evening in a country, backyard-style sing-along, pulling people off their phones and into the crowd as stomping, clapping and dancing took center stage.

Attendees climb onto each other’s shoulders to sing along with Dunk. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Brix Brewster erupts in a solo during Dunk’s set. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Dunk’s set concluded with Zach Bryan’s “Revival,” during which vocalist McKenna paused at intervals to introduce her band members individually, giving each the spotlight for a solo. Friedel and Brewster, in particular, despite already delivering standout performances throughout the evening, elevated their presence during these moments, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

The set was fresh, rhythmic and all-around fun, leaving audiences eager for more come winter quarter.

Fran Pezza smiles at her co-vocalist, Elena Hsu, singing. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

However, before the main event, Solace warmed up the crowd with a set composed of early-2000s pop hits, including “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton and “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson.

Primarily a headlining act this quarter, Solace had a slow start as openers, thanks to the brisk 40-degree weather and the late arrival of most concertgoers. Still, they pressed on, debuting their new set despite freezing fingers and a smaller crowd energy to feed off.

Guest guitarist Chris Soh was a notable addition to Solace’s lineup, blowing on his fingers between songs to rip groovy solos and strong chords whenever possible.

Drummer Adi Ranganthan ’26 and vocalist Fran Pezza ’26 built momentum with a rhythmic duet of Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body,” later calling on Rihanna hits like “Love On The Brain” and “We Found Love” to deliver nostalgia-fueled sing-along moments. Another standout duet featured guest vocalist Elena Hsu and Pezza on Michael Jackson’s “PYT,” bringing back some of the groove from earlier performances this year.

Adi Ranganthan gets the crowd involved. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Nate Kwak reacts to Chris Soh’s guitar. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

They closed the set with a performance of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” showcasing the skills of guest keyboardist Pablo Jonsson ’28 from Hammered.

A start—albeit a slow one—to Solace’s all-new set begs the question of where this fresh lineup will be with more time and practice.

The Logistics

Here’s the lineup:

Again, featured in Dunk are Friedel and Esson on guitar, Cook on violin and Brewster on drums. New additions include McKenna as lead vocalist and Bailey as bassist.

Solace—featuring an ever-changing roster—performed with Ranganathan on drums and vocals, Pezza as a vocalist, high schooler Hsu as a guest vocalist, Nate Kwak and Soh on guitar, with the former also contributing vocals, Luke Carlson ’27 on bass and Jonsson on keyboard.