Esso

Esso is the alt-rock project of Phoenix musician Jared Mancuso — built on cinematic storytelling, explosive guitars, and the kind of emotionally charged hooks that stick with you long after the song ends. On record, Esso is Mancuso’s vision realized entirely on his own terms: every song written, performed, and recorded by hand. But on stage, the project transforms into something louder and more alive — a full band powered by Sycamore Pierce on guitar, Justin Knight on bass, and Fynix on drums. Each of them brings their own energy and personality to the music, elevating the songs into something that couldn’t exist on record alone. Together they create a raw, kinetic force that feels ripped straight from the era of packed clubs and bands that actually made you feel something — think late-90s alt-rock at its most visceral and unguarded. Esso’s debut, Everything You Ever Wanted, laid the foundation. The follow-up, Just Like In The Movies, pushed further — a love letter to the feeling of cinema itself. Each track captures a different piece of that magic: “Enough” unfolds like a short film, “Kiss of Death” channels the smoky mystique of a classic Bond femme fatale, and “I’m Your Density” mirrors George McFly’s arc in Back to the Future. Live, Esso doesn’t just perform these songs — they ignite them. Loud, tight, and unapologetically alive, the band carries the spirit of an era when alt-rock felt like it could shake the walls. That feeling is back. Esso is bringing it.