Let’s Meet: Night Cap

The band’s self-titled debut album is out NOW!

Night Cap in Studio 1A w/ host Jody Denberg

The name fits. Creating pop anthems for the end of an epic night out, Night Cap is a five-piece composed of childhood friends and college jam buddies, Ryan King, Jake Bomgaars, Alex Alfonso, Adrian Ayala and Stijn Dobbelaere.

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Night Cap’s self titled debut album was released April 19, 2024 on Antifragile

Congratulations on your debut album! How did the record come together? Was it a long time in the making, or did it happen pretty quickly?

Many thanks, we’re excited to be sharing it with so many friends and fans that have been with us over the years, as well as everyone that has discovered our music in the last year or so. This album has been a long time coming for us, completed at a time that felt authentic to who we are, where we are, and how this music has developed so far. We wanted this album to represent some of our favorite songs over the years, and tie them into some of the more recent songs we’ve been passionate about and excited to share. We wanted this album to represent the first chapter of our story, and all the lessons we’ve collected and learned so far.

Tell us how the band came together. How did you meet?

The band came together when I (Ryan) and Alex met at the University of Texas, exchanging music and influences as some of the first songs were written and expanded upon. Adrian was brought into the fold when we began seriously considering playing some of these songs live. The three of us, along with our drummer at the time and great friend, Randon, played our first show at the Sahara Lounge. It was there that Jake had opened the show up with a solo set, and we thought it made perfect sense to join forces, so we decided then and there that he would join us and we never looked back. Our current drummer and pal Stijn joined us about a year ago after meeting while we were helping our mutual friends with some live studio recordings.

Did the pandemic affect your plans as a group? 

The pandemic was a tough time for many in different ways, but for our career, we had to really test ourselves and each other in our ability to respond to circumstances, read into how we wanted to handle that response, and move forward. For a group that had just come off of our first ACL performance and were heading to Chicago for a studio session, we were definitely shaken by the reality of potentially not playing live shows for an uncertain amount of time, but we knew that what we had done so far was worth continuing to build. So, we took steps in the direction of how we could grow and add value to ourselves as songwriters and as a band, and looked for the light in the situation. During that time, having the ability to focus and learn from peers, mentors, and friends, the songwriting and production process of some of the newer songs on this record were able to be honed in a new way.

How was the transition from bedroom jam sessions to recording in a studio? Any unexpected challenges when it came to the recording process?

The language and type of communication required in a studio setting can be different for everyone, but for us it was a big turning point in the way songs come together. The band’s history in that area has ranged from playing a nonverbal musical cacophony until something strikes a fierce enough emotion to begin those first words, to becoming literate enough to describe to each other where we’re trying to go with a sound. Both have been tons of fun. Learning more about the production process is an ongoing journey, and finding space within chaos will always be an important balance. The practice that ideas are better demonstrated has often led to some of the most fun moments of the writing process. 

Are there any collective favorites that the band looks to for inspiration? 

As far as songwriting influences go, some top favorites sonically have ranged from Kings of Leon, Local Natives, U2 and Cage the Elephant to lyricism inspired by songwriters like Gregory Alan Isakov, Leif Vollebekk, and Bob Dylan.

Austin-based band Night Cap performs at KUTX’s Studio 1A on June 20, 2024. Manoo Sirivelu/ KUTX

Who are some of your favorite Austin artists?

We have many favorites here in Austin, some including Texas String Assembly, Varju, Me Nd Adam, Arya, Angel White and Big Wy’s Brass Band to name a few. Next of Kin are writing some amazing songs that we hope to hear soon as well. 

What’s a group favorite Austin Music Experience?

Coming home to play Stubb’s Amphitheater was one of the most special nights we’ve been able to share with our family, friends and fans so far. The full-circle nature of playing our first sold out show on the indoor stage and having the opportunity to headline the outdoor stage was a dream come true. That experience will be kept close for the rest of our lives.

Night Cap has a tour coming up later this summer, anything in particular y’all are looking forward to? 

We’re really looking forward to getting out to the East Coast for the first time. We’ve heard nothing but great things about the people, venues, and cities and getting to share these songs with folks out there will be an awesome time.

What’s next for Night Cap?

We’re really excited to be sharing the music through these shows and bringing the music to new places, I think that’s a huge focus for us right now. We’ve also been working on some new music, so in between moving around we’ll be working on those recordings as well.


Set List:

“Freeway”

“Glimpse”

“Evers”

“No Questions Asked”

“Eileen”

Musicians: Ryan King – vocal, guitar; Jake Bomgaars – vocals, guitar; Alex Alfonso – bass; Adrian Ayala – keys; Stijn Dobbelaere – drums

Credits:

Producer: Deidre Gott; Production Assistant: Confucius Jones; Audio Engineer: Jake Perlman, Rene Chavez, Simón Marulanda-Mesa; Audio Mix: Jake Perlman; Cameras: Manoo Sirivelu, Patricia Lim, Isak Kotecki; Edit: Patricia Lim; Host: Jody Denberg

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