Desert surf rats cruising through the coast for a funky reggae surf rock show all the way from Tucson Arizona!

The Hawthorne Experience, a band comprised of University of Arizona students and brothers Will and Kenny Belcher and Jonah Walsh-Hallman, got its start playing house parties and keggers for fun.

During their shows, the band plays a combination of their own original songs as well as covers by well known bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala and Sublime.

According to Will and Kenny Belcher, The Hawthorne Experience, named after the street where the brothers live in Tucson, fits into a genre of ‘psychedelic indie rock,’ but bassist Walsh-Hallman disagrees. He prefers to call the band ‘indie rock.”

Will Belcher said that one of their biggest inspirations as a band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but if he had to describe his music, “it would really be a mix of everything.” He said that the goal of the band is to combine all of their favorite styles of music into one sound.

“Their natural musicianship and love for their art is so apparent,” said Jacob Amey, a senior in the UA School of Dance who is a fan. “It adds so much throughout their performance, which engages the audience to another level and makes us want to dance all night long.”

The band has gotten traction through the support of their friends in the UA community. Since 2021, The Hawthorne Experience has thrown house parties at their friends’ houses and even their own home on (East) Hawthorne Street.

“Their name lives up to the hype, it truly is an experience,” said Pouria Mostafizi, a UA senior who hosted the band at a house party in mid-November. “I have never been around a band that is so connected with the crowd.”