The decade-long evolution of local band Brass Mash
On the first Friday of February in San Luis Obispo, college students, families and community members gathered at SLO Brew Rock to hear brass-powered mashups of iconic hits spanning across decades and genres. A frenzy of sound produced by the nine-piece ensemble – composed of brass, woodwind and percussion instruments – urged the audience to contribute vocally in the art of blending songs. The band that filled the venue with familiar faces and jumping bodies was no other than local sensation Brass Mash.
Since founding in 2015, Brass Mash has held the San Luis Obispo music scene in a chokehold. The band is frequently recognized for their monthly shows on the first Friday of each month.
The band performed their founding first Friday of the month show on March 6, 2020 at Liquid Gravity – an independent, family owned brewery in San Luis Obispo. 13 days later, COVID-19 sparked a statewide quarantine in California, a swift pause for the band.
After a year of waiting apprehensively, Brass Mash was one of the first bands in San Luis Obispo to reemerge from the pandemic once restrictions began to lift in March of 2021. Founder and bandleader Collin Dean recalls wondering, “Are we supposed to be doing this?”
The band was in luck, as Liquid Gravity’s open-air patio allowed for social distancing and a space for the community to gather and reconnect after months of isolation. While the band had to weigh in many factors before returning to the stage, they ultimately decided to resume first Fridays, leading the path for other local bands to resurface.
“We kinda just made the jump and tried it out,” Dean said.
Now, over four years later, the band faces changes to their residency. Dean assures Brass Mash groupies that first Fridays will continue, despite temporary relocation from their home base at Liquid Gravity. The recurring monthly event will continue to invite audiences of all ages and provide a place for the whole community to convene.
Looking back at the band’s history, Dean recalls some of the best shows happening at Liquid Gravity and speaks warmly of returning in the future. In the meantime, fans can expect to find the brass band rotating among other local venues including Libertine Brewing Company and SLO Brew Rock. Locations will be routinely posted on the band’s social media and website.
Alongside their notorious first Friday shows, the band plays local public and private events. Brass Mash recently participated in San Luis Obispo’s “Concerts in the Plaza” series in September 2025, serenading summer listeners with free live music in Mission Plaza.
Currently, the band is preparing for their biggest show of the year. On March 6, Brass Mash will perform at Fremont Theater, a huge venture for local bands. Dean expressed that Brass Mash will be the only local band to play this venue this year, making community support all the more impactful. Performing at the Fremont Theater “opens up a little bit of daylight for other local acts,” Dean said.
“This is not just for us… It’s very difficult being a musician here on the Central Coast, and we need to show downtown that good shows can be happening here in San Luis Obispo,” Dean said to the crowd at SLO Brew Rock.
After discussing the band’s trajectory, he expressed how local engagement has led the band to where they are today. From reserving tickets and tables ahead of time to waiting through long chilly lines to feel the band’s intoxicating energy, fans have consistently surpassed Dean’s expectations.
With a chuckle, Dean confessed, “This is bananas. It’s a total blessing to have people show up every month.”
Drummer Sean Sullivan, a member of the core band since day one, shared how audience demand combined with capacity limits has resulted in many fans waiting, unable to watch the band perform.
“Last March, we had 200 people that stood in line for our entire show, and they couldn’t even get in because of capacity,” Sullivan said. “For a little small town band like Brass Mash… we are just completely flabbergasted that you guys all want to come and watch us play.”
The opportunity to jam at the Fremont Theater will allow the band to accommodate around 900 guests.
“They’re taking a risk on us,” Dean said. “I need my community with me for this one because we got to fill up the Fremont.”
The band preparing for the Fremont stage consists of nine core members with additional support from roughly 3o substitutes. Some rotating players reach out to Dean when they are in town, while others assist the group during emergencies. The stage is always set with two trombone players, two trumpeters, three saxophonists, a bassist and percussionist. Everyone in the band is either classically or jazz trained, making rehearsals and transitions seamless.
Brass Mash attracts members from vastly different age brackets and calls of life. The band’s newest member is Cal Poly third-year Anna Wilson, a baritone saxophone player.
While obtaining local fame, the band began to recruit itself. However, in its early days, the band’s description was unfamiliar to most. The notion of an instrumental cover band was novel to San Luis Obispo and was subject to speculation at first glance.
“I kinda sounded like a raving lunatic,” Dean said.
Now, the band is a household name for San Luis Obispo county locals and students. Brass Mash has been voted “Best Band in San Luis Obispo County” by the New Times Annual Readers Poll for the past two years in a row (2024-2025).
“This is beyond my wildest dreams,” Dean said.
When asked if the college town atmosphere of San Luis Obispo influences the setlist, Dean confirmed the band panders to its audience and the persistent Cal Poly student body presence.
Audience members can expect to hear tunes ranging from throwbacks to songs Dean imagines people play in the car. The band leans towards tracks that have deep emotional resonance to a diverse audience. Their set list often includes artists ranging from Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga to Ozzy Osbourne and The Cure.
“Everybody loves The Cure,” Dean said.
An upcoming mash up for the band features a Sabrina Carpenter song, reflecting how Brass Mash caters to their audience and anticipates new tracks that fans will resonate with. By creating their mash ups with the audience in mind, the band prompts listeners to contribute vocally to the band’s sound.
Saxophone players Anthony Yi (left) and Sam Franklin (right) dance to the beat of the band / Ella Giuliani
Mashups are arranged by both the band’s leader and members respectively. Dean explained that typically a band member will take the lead on a song by brainstorming concepts and writing the parts for all instruments before it reaches the stage. A good chart– similar to sheet music but with less details for improvisation– means not many adjustments are necessary, while some songs take years to write.
Dean remembers the first time the band played at SLO Brew Rock, when they were located where The Carrissa currently occupies on Higuera Street. The band was playing a cover of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi until suddenly transitioning to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga at the chorus– utterly faking out the audience. Dean remembers the crowd kept on singing the lyrics to “Livin’ on a Prayer” and were shocked after finally noticing the song change.
It took him a couple days of contemplation to come to the realization, “Ohh the audience is doing the mash-up,” Dean exclaimed.
Instead of treating the band and listeners as separate entities, Brass Mash blurs the barrier between stage and audience, performer and consumer.
As Brass Mash continues to develop and evolve, committed fans continue to attend shows every month. Dean hinted at a huge new development in the works for the band that will be released later in the year.
“I think it’s gonna blow people’s minds,” he enthusiastically shared.
