Chicago's Beach Bunny releases the single 'Dream Boy' and hosts a Halloween Bash at Thalia Hall, marking the end of the 'Prom Queen' era

Single artwork for "Dream Boy," released Oct. 31.

Chicago's own and much-beloved Beach Bunny's first single from the new record "Honeymoon" was released Halloween day, just in time for the start of their Goodbye Summer Tour at Thalia Hall. The track is titled "Dream Boy," and, like every Beach Bunny song, it's a major bop.



The show at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport Street, began around 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 with Another Michael and Prince Daddy & the Hyena as openers. I was able to catch all of Prince Daddy's set, which came with high energy and immediately got the room moving in preparation for Beach Bunny, which we honestly love!

Like could be expected for any Beach Bunny Halloween Show, the room was packed with a solid amount of bunny ears and bunny costumes, which also led me to wonder what the night would have looked like had everyone dressed in white and pink ears. Maybe iconic. Probably strange, and certainly spooky. While that wasn't the case, the rest of the room dressed up in any mix of dark, heavy makeup for scares, as beloved characters (I personally dressed as Diane Evans, a classy icon, obviously. Though the class was short-lived once I realized I couldn't keep my wig on during the jumping and shoving and later dropped her somewhere along the road in the snow RIP) and in other exciting fits. Beach Bunny's Lili Trifilio dressed in a blood-smeared prom dress, tiara and prom queen sash per the death of the "Prom Queen" era, as Trifilio shouted confidently during the set. Love that.

The Beach Bunny set came with several new tracks, including the released "Dream Boy" and unreleased tracks "Cloud 9," "Cuffing Season" and "Rearview," and each was delivered and received with full excitement. When hits like "Prom Queen" were played, the room was met with swaying and dancing and at times more moshing than most would consider appropriate for a surf- and indie-pop show. During the last song, Trifilio directed the crowd to split in the middle and move to the sides of the room until "Jon goes ham on drums," and the room did just that. Bodies dancing and jumping together at center stage, bright pink and gold lights and several crowd surfers throughout the night proved there could be no greater start to the Goodbye Summer Tour.

As for the new track, "Dream Boy" begins with an unsettled phrase sung earnestly from Trifilio alongside a light strumming of guitar—quite fitting for its Halloween day release—"Sometimes I think I see your ghost / In passing hallways, the staircase to my apartment. I accidentally self-impose. Bashful thoughts, careless wants, emotional involvement." It's swift and smart and sung with what feels like Trifilio's more raw and true voice; she has found a comfortable and fully adequate new direction for Beach Bunny through "Dream Boy." The track falls into an excited drumming pattern and Trifilio shouts, "You're got my heart bursting at the seams. Maybe you're the boy from my dreams."
So excited finally release the first single off honeymoon! 💒💕 If you’d like to hear Dream Boy / watch the music video click the link in my bio! Our album drops everywhere this upcoming Valentine’s Day! Thank you so much to @everybodys.baby for being the loveliest people and making every video look stunning. Huge thank you to @bestsandwichever and @_sharkbuffalo_ for making the record sound so beautiful & to @momandpopmusic for adopting us 💕✨I’ve always wanted to write an album and it’s been a very magical process, thank you for making my popstar dreams come true with all your love and support. Thank you to @matthenkels @j.km.a & @pavementthebandofficial for being my family & the best bandmates a girl could ask for, really really excited for everything that’s about to come 💕✨ here’s Dream Boy
A post shared by Beach Bunny 🐰(lili trifilio) (@beachbunn.y) on

Trifilio tells me through a quick statement a few hours before the show that "Dream Boy" was inspired by summer. That alone is the formula needed to create a 10/10 Beach Bunny track, of course. She explains, "Similar to the honeymoon stage of a relationship, [early summer] is filled with hope and excitement." Trifilio says a lot of the imagery from the new track was inspired by rom coms—big gushy, love stuff there!—and that familiar concept of lovers sneaking out and meeting up in the middle of the night. "I think we all fantasize about having easy, careless love like in the movies," she says.

Compared to former EPs, such as "Prom Queen," "Pool Party" and even "Crybaby," which includes singles "February," "Boys" and "Jenny," which are more dreamy-pop and romantic, dousing slower, more timid lines and guitar riffs—that signature Beach Bunny sound Chicago has learned to love in every way—the new single digs deeper into something yet to be explored by the band through past records.

With songs like "Boys" that feel soft, intimate and inspired by beach parties and sad girls with lines like "all I do is think of you and cry," we've learned to take in the heartbreak and confusion accompanied by the same hopelessly romantic rhythms and melodies. "Dream Boy" is still inspired by those summer flings and late romantic nights, Trifilio suggests in the statement, but with the new track, Trifilio is louder—less apologetic. From the sound of the lyrics and overall delivery of the new track, it's clear she isn't going to put up with the high-school drama anymore. She knows what she wants. I'm obsessed with this new chapter the Chicago band has turned to and begun to write.

"All you gotta do is meet me, meet me after midnight," the song continues to ring. Later in the track is a line with that same energy and same passion: "Blushing eyes, she replies, 'You feel like summer.'" There's something sweet here. In the same statement from Trifilio, she describes the new track as being "definitely one of the more lighthearted and happy songs off the record all about poolside romance and summer flings." If that's the case, I'm excited to hear what else is in store for the upcoming record "Honeymoon."

2019 has definitely been good to Beach Bunny's evolvement and growth as a band and in the indie-rock and surf-pop genres and even on stage as performers. The new single even seems to draw from more indie-rock and rock bands like Bleached, Best Coast and other badass powerhouse rock groups for its solidity and strength, while still containing that signature Beach Bunny sad-girl mood Trifilio brings to every song. On stage Oct. 31, the band was beyond well-rehearsed and clearly felt good about playing the new music. It fits them well.


It's inspiring to see where this local group is headed for the upcoming Feb. 14, 2020—yes, Valentines Day!—release. With the Honeymoon tour officially announced via Beach Bunny's social media accounts, along with the single, friends and fans should catch them this upcoming February 2020 for the start of a new age. Before then, catch Beach Bunny on their Goodbye Summer Tour throughout November and early December for new tunez and wild pits. Say goodbye to summer, and bid farewell to the Prom Queen.

Get your tickets for the Honeymoon Tour here. Stream Beach Bunny's new single "Dream Boy" on Spotify or Apple Music. Also, check out the cute video accompanying the track attached above. All lovely things. Follow along with Beach Bunny's tour and keep updated here.

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