Social Cinema

Social Cinema is a new band with over a decade of history. More accurately, Social Cinema is the latest chapter in a decade-plus friendship and artistic journey evolving alongside the people behind the music.

When three Wichita friends, Austin Engler and brothers Griffin and Logan Bush formed Kill Vargas in 2013 as young teenagers, they couldn’t have guessed that they’d all be still performing together a decade later. Along the way, the trio would cross paths with Nebraskan band, Death Cow, featuring Mari Crisler and Reed Tiwald. Between sharing bills and sleeping on each other’s couches after shows while on the Midwest DIY scene grind, the three and two would become inseparably close, and eventually join forces as five in 2021, under the new name Social Cinema.

Whether it’s due to their years as touring musicians, gradually honed songwriting and stylistic ambitions from scrappy, garage-y roots, or some combination of all of the above, Social Cinema makes an immediate impression with seasoned beyond their years songwriting chops and a road-hardened work ethic and resolve to match. Since adopting the Social Cinema banner in 2021, the alternative/indie rock quintet has issued three EPs — 2022’s Causing Scenes and Repeat and Get Along in 2023 — and a number of singles highlighting the outfit’s multifaceted songcraft prowess, and has shared bills with the likes of Metric, Saint Motel, Bad Bad Hats, and more.

After releasing Get Along in Spring 2023, Social Cinema is gearing up to share its next EP and second to debut in 2023. Titled Stay Numb, the three-track release continues Social Cinema’s adoption of professional studio polish, this time bringing that refinement to the direct, galvanizing punch of the band’s garage rock roots. Spanning territories that range from anthemic power-pop on the opener and title track, “Stay Numb,” to the heavy, feedback-laden riffs and grooves of “On Time,” this latest chapter in Social Cinema’s journey is a celebration of the sounds and scenes that got each of its five members to where they are today. Whereas Get Along showcased the quintet’s ambitions to bring its sound to new, more stylistically dynamic, and fresh territories, Stay Numb is a loud and proud assertion of the band’s DIY ethos and the wallop of its no-frills rock roots not only intact, but stronger than ever.