Ohana Miura sings to the crowd. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

The new year called openers to the front of the stage.

Astrakinetic opened for Solace at Kappa Sigma on Jan. 7, launching into the winter quarter with a high-energy set that drew early crowd engagement and helped define the tone for the night.

The band has brought a funk-meets-psychedelic influence to Santa Clara University on more than one occasion. Establishing themselves as a groovy, jazz-inflected group while continuing to make the leap into original work, Astrakinetic performed with a consistency that integrates both sound and style.

Vocalist Ohana Miura stood out in particular, taking the stage solo rather than paired with her sister, Harumy Miura ’26, as usual and engaging the crowd through active participation. This presence carried through original songs such as “Be a Legend,” which rely on groove and performance to draw in listeners.

Luke Carlson flipping off the crowd during Astrakinetic’s rendition of CeeLo Green’s “F**k You.” **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

Guitarist Grant Swanson ’26 returned with the talk box—first introduced at their Bandcamp performance—for a rendition of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic.” Joined by Miura, dressed in black and gold, the pair mirrored the song’s theatrics, lifting their “pinky fingers to the moon” as the lyrics called for.

Grant Swanson sings with the talk box. (Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)

The set complemented the party atmosphere and intimacy of the small yard, translating effectively to a mixed-gender crowd.

Astrakinetic also brought back familiar crowd-engagers such as CeeLo Green’s “F**k You” and Maroon 5’s “This Love,” leaning on bassist Luke Carlson ’27 for much of the set’s momentum. Known for his slap-and-groove style, Carlson also contributed to the energy through constant movement across the stage, running and jumping throughout the performance.

The climax of the evening came with Astrakinetic’s addition of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” to their set. Anchored by drummer Hayes Averill ’27 and keyboardist Orion Rosedale ’27, the performance blended disco and funk, leaving a lasting impression on the crowd.

Solace took the stage shortly after, continuing the night with familiar selections such as Inhaler’s “My Honest Face” and Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” both of which have become recurring elements of their set.

Nate Kwak shreds his guitar during Solace’s set. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

The crowd “frat flicks” towards saxophonist Aidan O’Hare. **(Nina Glick/The Santa Clara)**

In this performance, the band chose to highlight older material rather than several newer pieces introduced in the prior quarter, resulting in a set that felt more retrospective in focus.

High schooler Elena Hsu delivered strong vocals and performed without usual vocalist Fran Pezza ’26; with support from guitarist Nate Kwak, the group’s dynamic shifted subtly. Guitarist Chris Soh and drummer Adi Ranganthan ’26 contributed prominently throughout the evening, with instrumental moments that stood out within the set.

Following winter break, the performance offered a sense of the band’s transition back to live performance.

The Logistics

Astrakinetic featured Swanson on guitar, Carlson on bass, Miura on vocals, Rosedale on keyboard, and Averill on drums.

Solace performed with Ranganathan on drums; Aidan O’Hare ’24 on saxophone; Hsu, a high schooler, on vocals; Nate Kwak and Soh on guitar—with Kwak also contributing vocals—and returning Carlson on bass.