Bands break up, dissolve, or otherwise drift apart all the time, for all sorts of reasons. No matter what the impetus for the split, though, fans will naturally conjure images of scorched-earth implosions like Fleetwood Mac or Oasis—and optimists will note that even those two bands eventually reunited.
In the case of Stereo Embers, their 2022 breakup wasn’t the result of an earth-shattering dust-up, but a natural feeling that perhaps the band had run its course. Truthfully, the band members remained so tightly in one another’s orbits that their upcoming, one-night reunion feels less like reconciliation and more like a victory lap.
Stereo Embers got their start in 2014, when Robb Benson and Tim DiJulio, two deeply embedded Seattle musicians, formed an impromptu duo for a West Coast tour and were so energized by it that they filled out the rest of the band when they got back to Washington.
Stereo Embers members, from left: Tim DiJulio, Robb Benson, Casady Laton, and Gwon Chang.
Courtesy of Stereo Embers
Far from being flashy or chasing fads, Stereo Embers established themselves as a rock-solid quartet, purveyors of the kind of tuneful alt-rock that has long been associated with the Pacific Northwest. Dipping into light psychedelia, scrappy garage rock, and arena-ready melodies, Stereo Embers landed on a sound that quickly drew attention.
“One of our first shows was accidentally opening for the Presidents of the United States of America,” says Benson. “There were a bunch of bands on the bill, we went up and played, and then [the Presidents] were like, ‘Oh, now it’s our turn.’ We were like, ‘Oh, hey! Crazy!’”
“The program director of KEXP was there, and he was blown away,” adds DiJulio. “So, those first couple of demos, those EPs we put out that were super low budget, we got kinda lucky and KEXP played them.”
Benson and DiJulio leaned into the best of their abilities, and found a great deal of chemistry in the combination. The songwriting duties were largely handled by Benson, as well as the lead vocals, while DiJulio’s expressive lead guitar brought everything together. To hear the two talk, there’s a heartening degree of mutual admiration that has carried on from that initial tour to now.
“Robb is like Neil Young, just this great songwriter, and so I wanted Stereo Embers to be like his Crazy Horse,” says DiJulio. “That was my intention, was just to make this great rock band for Robb’s material, because I was such a big fan. Anyway, that was my take on it, and it turned into this really cool project that we did for eight years. … Robb writes these soulful pop songs, and I gave them some 1971 Bowie guitar, and it just worked out.”
But, in a story that will be familiar to all of us, COVID came along and put a halt to Stereo Embers—one that they found it hard to recover from. The band had been releasing EPs at a fairly steady clip, but when its members stepped back into the studio, they found themselves struggling to recapture the excitement they had felt for the eight years prior. The decision was made to call it a day for Stereo Embers, ending the project before they had the opportunity to develop resentments.
Benson went on to form Planets in the Ocean (along with former Stereo Embers members Casady Laton and Gwon Chang), while DiJulio has spent the past few years working with Seattle rock legends Duff McKagan and Mike McCready. At a recent Planets in the Ocean show, DiJulio was called up to play a couple of songs, and the vibes were good enough that a seed was planted for the eventual reunion show.
On Saturday, September 12, that reunion is happening. While it’s being advertised as a one-time-only event, Stereo Embers’ lack of a Beatlesesque disbanding means that further reunions are never out of the question. As for all of those songs they were recording in the lead-up to the split, Benson and DiJulio seem confident they will eventually see the light of day.
True to their name, Stereo Embers still have a glow that has yet to be extinguished.
Stereo Embers plays at the Sunset Tavern on Saturday, September 12. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Find tickets here.
