Savannah’s typically hot and humid summer is about to get a little hazier. Orlando, Florida reggae rock band Kash'd Out are bringing good vibes, catchy sunshine grooves, and singalong stoner jams to District Live at Plant Riverside on Saturday, June 29.
Kash’d Out was formed when guitarist Jackson Hauserman and singer Greg Shields met in a studio session. Shields heard some of Hauserman’s tasteful reggae licks and saw an opportunity for a new band venture. They soon recruited bassist Joey Brohawn, drummer Marshall Hearne, and (later) keyboardist Nick Gudzan and got straight to work touring and recording.
“This was our first foray into this whole world,” Hauserman said over the phone about forming a reggae rock group and drawing inspiration from beloved bands like Sublime. “We’ve been fans of the genre growing up. The bass player and I have been in bands since middle school, and we played adjacent 311 kinds of things. This is our first serious stab at it.”
It helps that Kash’d Out are steeped in a vibrant reggae scene in Orlando and the rest of Florida. Something about the Sunshine State is perfect for producing the positive vibes that fuel most reggae rock.
“Florida has a lot of beaches and a couple of us really love to surf, so I think that all kind of plays into the surf/reggae world,” said Hauserman. “There’s definitely a big reggae rock scene in Florida.”
'I think we do a pretty good job staying positive'
Kash’d Out quickly caught the attention of Hawaiian band Pepper and were signed to their LAW Records label. Kash’d Out supported Pepper and Less Than Jake on a national tour, which helped their debut album, 2017’sThe Hookup, reach No. 2 on Billboard and iTunes reggae charts.
“We love LAW and Pepper,” said Hauserman. “They took us on and rolled the dice on us before anyone else did. They really gave us a launchpad to get started. They’ve always been behind any vision we have for the band. They’re attitude has always been, ‘How can we help?’”
Kash’d Out have since toured with acts such as Collie Buddz, The Expendables, Iration, and headlined many of their own tours. Their hard work has also earned Kash’d Out spots on big festival line-ups like Reggae Rise Up Florida/Utah/Maryland, California Roots, Dry Digging, and One Love.
It can sometimes be difficult to keep up the sunny vibes, but Kash’d Out’s music often helps their listeners (and the band itself) maintain a positive outlook on life.
“I think we do a pretty good job staying positive,” said Hauserman. “We’re still human beings. I saw another artist in our genre say that the message from the songs, although it is a practice, it is an ideal. I’ve had times where I’m having a tough day on the road and when we play some of the songs, they’re a reminder to myself, too.”
Kash’d Out’s most recent album, 2023’sButter, is their best release yet with buttery smooth, golden-hued production from Shields and Josh Saldate, and a collection if infectious, cleverly written songs.
“It certainly the album we’re most proud of,” said Hauserman. “It was COVID and we had a lot of time to write songs. Our idea was to write twenty songs and pick half that we thought were the best. To me it feels like a natural extension of our first album,The Hookup. We all felt good about it and didn’t have to balance it in the middle of a tour. We had a blast making it, and I’d like to think that comes through.”
One of the most popular songs fromButteris “Way Too High for This,” an anthem about imbibing too much weed, and it has become a fan favorite singalong at Kash’d Out shows.
“It’s one of our favorites to do live, too,” Hauserman said with a laugh.
The popularity of the song begs the question—Has anyone in Kash’d Out ever been “way too high for this?”
“Greg had a bad one,” recalled Hauserman. “For the Way Too High for This Tour, I think he took it too literally. We were partnered with this company called Dad’s Elixir, which makes these tinctures that you drink. He drank one and the whole next day he recounted to us a pretty dark tale. It says on the back of the package that if you drink too much of it you enter the ‘Shadow Realm,’ and he is well acquainted now with wherever the Shadow Realm is. Thankfully, there are no stories to report on my end.”
Kash’d Out have a new single out on Ineffable Records, and are expecting to release another song, “Push My Luck,” this summer. After that, it’s back to the studio to work on more music.
“We’re basically going from Savannah straight into the studio to write,” said Hauserman.
Savannah is fortunate to be the last stop on Kash’d Out’s long tour, so audiences can expect an extra celebratory show from the band.
“We’re excited to cap off our six-month long tour in Savannah,” said Hauserman. “We’re gonna go all out.”
If You Go >>
What: Kash’d Out
When: 8 p.m., June 29
Where: District Live, 400 W. River St.
Cost: $20-23
Info:plantriverside.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Kash'd Out closes out tour at Savannah's District Live
