The Inland Empire-based indie pop band The Hayds performed last Thursday in the Campus Center Ballrooms before a small but enthusiastic audience of about 20 La Verne students.
The students bopped their heads to the beat of the music, from original songs to some Spanish cover songs among an array of musical genres.
The stage was crowded with guitars and equipment for their performance.
Early in their set, the band performed the upbeat song “Electric Lemonade,” which is part of their extended play released in 2022.
The Hayds first formed in September 2020 with the lead singer Joshua Muñoz and guitarist Dyllan Gonzalez. They later added bassist Isaac Navarro, drummer Bobby Munguia and guitarist Darius Rodriguez.
Their humble beginnings started with their first gig in 2021 in a Rialto back yard. Still they were excited to perform in their first show.
“It’s funny, at that time we didn’t have enough material to play a full half-hour set, so we played one of our songs twice back-to-back,” Muñoz said.
The Hayds performed a surprise cover song Thursday: “Tren Al Sur,” a Latin rock song from the 1980s by Los Prisioneros.
Some students recognized the song and appreciated the performance.
The Hayds have worked on singles, EPs and most recently a live recording that is set to be released next month.
“We have a lot of releases planned for next year, so you know (it’s) just go, go, go,” Muñoz said. “Playing at a university … encourages us to be more focused and more on our game.”
—April Cambero
April Cambero is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is the Fall 2024 editor-in-chief for the Campus Times and has also served as social media editor and staff writer.
