GUNSHINE In Houston, TX With Photos!

Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 11:46 AM

By Larry Petro @petrofyed

Band Finishes Up A 7-Week Run With An Appearance At Warehouse Live Midtown On July 16th

All Live Photos By Larry Petro/Petrofyed Photography

Formed during the Covid pandemic of 2020 by former NEW YEARS DAY guitarist Austin Ingerman, Florida rockers GUNSHINE have largely flown under the radar during their first few years but that's all about to change with the release of their new full-length album, 'Grand Rising'. With physical media out now and digital formats coming out on Friday, July 24th, the band has set their sights higher. This group should definitely be on everyone's 'Bands To Watch' list. As part of their support for the new record GUNSHINE set out on a 7-week tour across the States, winding things up in Texas with a show at Warehouse Live Midtown, one of Houston's premiere music venues.

Support for the show came in the form of openers HOLY HELL, a self-described 'country punk' band. Now if there's one particular music genre I can't stand, it's Country, but I have to say that when you combine that with elements of Punk Rock it kinda works in its own weird way. With country punk covers of "Margaritaville", "Friends In Low Places" and "Act Naturally" the band got things warmed up nicely, with even the drummer seen wearing a Rancid t-shirt while performing.

Next up was another local act, this one a little more well-known around the circuit in the form of HINDSIGHT. They've played around the area for some time but this was my first opportunity to catch them in a live setting and I was definitely impressed. With a more modern rock sound and mix of original and cover material, the band further amped the crowd, preparing them for what was to come.

GUNSHINE had played in Houston previously at least once and I heard from more than one person that this was a band I needed to see. Then came the press releases that up until this time I had not been getting as the Managing Editor for KNAC.COM, so they've obviously taken that step forward to get the word out and that gave me the opportunity to check them out. But seeing them live is a whole other story. For those that are fans of NEWS YEARS DAY, GUNSHINE is quite a different animal as it offers a more straight ahead solid rock approach with a swagger akin to that of GUNS N' ROSES. Of course the band's pedigree isn't solely with Ingerman as vocalist Jordan Benson has a claim to being a distant relative of the 'King of Rock 'N' Roll' himself, Elvis Presley (Elvis' grandmother was Benson's great-great-aunt), so you could say that rock is in his blood, literally. Throw in bassist Jake Tripp and drummer Tommy Salzburg to carry the low end and you have a formidable lineup to be reckoned with.

From the moment they took the stage with the title track to the new album, "Grand Rising", they grabbed the crowd by the throat and did not let go for the duration of the set. If you were to put together a playlist of the band's videos you would probably have the setlist for the group's performance. Tracks like "Goth Girl", "Wall Said To Call" and "Swing Away" graced the list early before the band performed "Shark Lounge", a tune with just a tad of STEEL PANTHER cheekiness built into it, so it should come as a surprise to no one that the song and animated video features PANTHER vocalist Michael Starr.

Another highlight came when the band brought out a stage prop portrait of Miley Cyrus as a way of introducing their song "My Oh Myley", which included crowd participation. Things slowed down a bit for "Valentine" before cranking back up to the finish line with "Daylight" and "Table Dancing". The group had to shorten their set just a bit due to the venue's 'curfew' but they definitely left a lasting impression on those who witnessed their performance.

These guys are road warriors and tour dates keep getting added each day so if they haven't been near you yet, just wait, they're coming!

Upcoming Dates:

Aug 15, 2026: Capitol Music Club — Saskatoon, SK
Aug 16, 2026: The Arrowhead — Calgary, AB
Aug 20, 2026: Dr. Pepper Park — Roanoke, VA
Aug 21, 2026: American Legion — Dundalk, MD
Aug 22, 2026: Racehorse Tavern — Thomasville, PA
Aug 23, 2026: Rock The Mountains — Cumberland, MD
Sep 11, 2026: The Vinyl Lounge — Nashville, TN
Sep 16, 2026: SHENANIGANS — West Plains, MO
Sep 17, 2026: RockHouse Live Memphis — Memphis, TN
Sep 22, 2026: Pyramid Cabaret — Winnipeg, MB
Oct 22, 2026: The Machine Shop Concert Lounge — Flint, MI
Nov 15, 2026: RockHouse Live IRB Largo — Largo, FL