NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2025
Just five short years ago, Hotel Fiction was just a figment of someone’s imagination. Jade Long and Jess Thompson, both coming from a family of musicians, met through friends when they were students at University of Georgia and decided to form a band. After releasing their debut album “Soft Focus” in 2021, releasing their first EP “Enjoy Your Stay”, and spending a lot of time on the road supporting other bands, the Athens, GA based indie rock band released their latest studio album “Staring at the Sun” in July and embarked on a headlining tour earlier this month. The new record is well-produced and sounds more polished than their first album, which I also loved. The musical styles on the record vary between bedroom pop and edgier rock, almost punk. When asked about whether either of the duo has a bigger lead in writing one type of sound vs the other, vocalist/keyboardist Jade Long indicated that it’s not so much about who’s writing the song as it is the mood or message they’re trying to convey. As part of the tour supporting “Staring at the Sun”, Hotel Fiction stopped at Baby G in Toronto on September 25th.
Opening the show were the Get Alongs, a local Toronto band. The four piece band’s sound was a blend of Sixties rock and roll with Nineties grunge and the band’s attire matched their sound with lead singer/guitarist Harrison Pickernell and lead guitarist Eric Wood dressed up in white shirts and ties (Wood in a bolo tie) while bassist Rory Pickernell and drummer Tristan Catenacci were much more casually clad. Harrison Pickernell’s throaty vocals remind me a bit of John Lennon’s “Twist and Shout” vocal, again lending to that Sixties feel. The Get Alongs’ music was infectious and their local fans turned out in force, making their set a fun way to start the night. The band released their debut album “Weather Permitting” in December 2023 and I picked up a cassette version at the merch table, even though cassettes weren’t the primary format in either the Sixties or the Nineties. Nevertheless, great from a nostalgia perspective.
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The stage at Baby G was probably a bit small for a five piece band like Hotel Fiction, especially with the two keyboards. They kicked off their set with “Ghost of Me” (probably my favorite track on their new record) from “Staring at the Sun”. Jade Long seemed to take lead on most of the vocals during the set but the band looked like they were having a good time on stage. Jess Thompson also provided vocals and some amazing guitar work, especially on their cover of Heart’s “Magic Man”! Guitarist/keyboardist Aaron Daugherty (whose birthday was the prior day), bassist Aidan Hill, and drummer Gideon Johnston were excellent support for a sound that filled the room easily. As you would expect, the the band played their whole new record, with just one song (“Think Twice”) from their debut LP and three songs (“Man on the Moon, “Allure”, and “Monster”) from their EP “Enjoy Your Stay”. Their tour runs through early November so check them out if they come to a city near you or listen their music on your favorite streaming service!
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