The rapid evolution of Sol Arc: From jam sessions to Shabang
After only three months as a band, Sol Arc has landed a spot at Shabang Music Festival — a milestone many local college bands spend years chasing.
When vocalist Jake Lugenbuehl asked a Shabang affiliate if the festival would be hosting its usual “Battle of the Bands” competition, where one winner earns a slot in the lineup, his question led to something unexpected.
A few weeks later, he got the call.
“They were like, ‘we’d love you guys to play,’” Lugenbuehl said. He didn’t hesitate to accept the opportunity. “It’s been a dream since freshman year.”
Sol Arc is a Cal Poly-born band that formed in January of 2026, bringing together computer science senior Lugenbuehl, freshman guitarist Charlie Macbeth, freshman drummer Samson Hinds, sophomore saxophonist Kyle Vo and sophomore guitarist Kieran Ota.
What started as loose jam sessions among these Delta Chi fraternity members quickly became more intentional.
“When I started jamming with these guys, I could tell their level of commitment was way more involved than my last band,” Lugenbuehl said. “The talent was there and we’re all friends, so it was just easy.”
Like many college bands, their early sessions were chaotic, with powerful musical influence and a lack of direction. But once their band solidified, things began to click.
“We’ve all kind of played similar stuff,” MacBeth said. “Samson’s got a background in faster drumming, Jake and Kieran have been in punk bands… we had that prior experience. But we’re still figuring out our sound, it’s always changing.”
That evolving sound pulls from punk, reggae and alternative influences — a blend that sets them apart in a crowded local scene.
“My whole thing coming to college was like, I don’t want to just be another indie band that disappears into the scene,” MacBeth said. “We actually have the opportunity to do exactly what everyone wants to do most.”
Despite their short time together, Sol Arc has already built momentum through live performances at house shows, Libertine Brewing Company and Central Coast Brewery.
Their first show in January set the tone: a packed house filled with college students drawn by both the music and a half pipe set up in the backyard.
“People were coming up to me saying ‘that was the most fun college thing I’ve ever been to,’” Lugenbuehl said. He described his previous experiences in Greek life and house shows as separate realities. “It’s really cool, kind of changing the culture a little bit.”
The turnout reflected the band’s wide-reaching network from fraternity connections to a strong presence from the surf community, with Lugenbuehl and Ota being members of the surf team at Cal Poly.
On stage, that energy translates into a fluid, improvisational style.
“We kind of jam out, especially if it’s live, and throw a couple solos in there,” Lugenbuehl said. “It’s so fun.”
Their dynamic relies heavily on unspoken communication.
“I have a language with Samson,” Macbeth said, describing how small gestures and eye contact signal tempo changes and transitions mid-song. “You kind of just know how to talk with your eyes.”
While they incorporate crowd-pleasing covers from artists like Tom Petty and The Beatles, Sol Arc is also actively developing original music.
“Either Charlie or I will write the progression, I’ll write lyrics and then flesh it out and work through it in our practices and see what sounds good,” Lugenbuehl said.
With Shabang on the horizon, the band’s rapid rise shows no signs of slowing down. For Lugenbuehl, that momentum has already shifted his plans. He now intends to stay in San Luis Obispo longer to continue building the band while finishing up his college career.
In a scene often saturated with similar sounds and short-lived projects, Sol Arc is carving out something distinct: a blend of punk-reggae supported by a unique community forming around it.
“We are the crowds…without them we’re pretty much nothing,” Macbeth said. “That first show really proved that.”
