Brainstory Delivered an Unforgettable Performance at ZeyZey

Brainstory's inaugural Miami-area show at ZeyZey on April 24 was a night filled with hypnotic grooves, body-shaking instrumental solos, and the unmistakable waft of cannabis smoke.

The Inland Empire-born and -raised trio is composed of two brothers, Kevin Martin (guitar/lead vocals) and Tony Martin (bass/vocals), and their lifelong friend Eric Hagstrom (drums), who's their "third brother." Their sound weaves psychedelia, soul, jazz, and rock into something uniquely their own.

"We've been making music together for over a decade — playing, touring, and growing close along the way," Kevin Martin tells New Times. Since 2009, we've developed a kind of musical telepathy: When one of us decides to go left, we all follow, like a flock of birds."

They say years of playing together strengthened their musical bond, but so did the environment of their upbringing in the down-at-the-heels sprawl of Southern California.

"Even though the Inland Empire is seldom spoken about in a good light, we call it home," Martin says. "Growing up there helped shape our musicianship and love for our craft in a way that was unique because there weren't a lot of places to play or hear people play out there. We come from backyard parties, garages, and living-room shows."

Not having performed together since December, they were apprehensive about their performance and how the crowd would receive it. Those fears proved unfounded. Reaching back to Buck, their 2019 debut, the trio played crowd favorites like "Beautyful Beauti" and "Dead End," but most of the set comprised tracks from their most recent album, Sounds Good, released last spring.

The latter's cover art features an illustration of three dogs, each resembling one of the band members, shooting pool — a twist on the classic Dogs Playing Poker painting.

"We've been really trying to push ourselves as musicians, composers, players, studio musicians," Tony Martin tells New Times. "Over the past four years, I think we really grew into something different from what we've been doing before. All of the personal changes in our lives had a huge impact."

"Peach Optimo" and "xFaded" generated a collective groove as audience members fortified themselves with a puff or three. "NyNy" brought tears to some eyes when lead vocalist Kevin Martin dedicated it to his and Tony's grandfather, who died recently. "We like to believe that when we play this song, his spirit comes to dwell with us," he said by way of introduction.

The evening was marked by a discernible intimacy throughout the outdoor venue. Concertgoers locked eyes with band members, swayed in unison, and connected deeply with each lyric. During "Dead End," the audience spontaneously joined with background vocals, transforming spectators into participants.

The group shared that this marked their first visit to Miami, noting their newfound taste for Cuban sandwiches and catching the aura of this Magic City. The near future includes an upcoming show at the Glass House back on home turf in Pomona, recording sessions in the studio, and, they hope, collaborations with artists who share a similar vibe — they mention Baby Rose, Tyler, the Creator, Pink Siifu, and the Alchemist. But for now, Brainstory left Miami craving more of the electrifying energy that was in such plentiful supply amid the smoky haze at ZeyZey.