Damian Esquibel

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The Beatles.  Boston.  Styx.  Kansas.  These were all bands that had guitar parts that spoke to Damian early in his life.  So much so, he began asking for a guitar from his parents.  That wish was finally granted when he was 15.  Knowing only three chords, he joined the choir at church just to have the chance to play some guitar.  He learned a lot from the choir director who turned out to be a good friend.  He soon found out that one guitar just isn't enough so he lied to McDonalds just to get a job to support what would become a very expensive habit of buying, selling and trading guitars.  When they found out he wasn't 16, they had to let him go but it didn't matter.  He had enough for his first electric guitar and nothing would ever be the same.  The next step was playing in a band.  Influences at that time were bands like Ratt, Dokken, Cinderella and Tesla.  Back when musicians were stewards of their trade and cared how they sounded.  Damian played in some metal cover bands most notably Revelation and Lip Service.  A few years later he joined variety bands like One Heart and the Samuel D Band where he was asked to step out of his comfort zone and play many other genres of music.  All of these experiences provided the foundation for the style of playing that Damian calls his own.

In his mid to late 20's came marriage and children, so Damian decided to step away from bands and focus on family life.  Fast forward many years later and the idea of playing again started rearing its head.  We all know how big of an endeavor it is to start a band from scratch.  That is why the phone call from Keith of Night Moves in 2017 meant so much to Damian.  Keith asked Damian if he was still playing guitar and the rest is history as they say.  Damian, Keith and Tony worked together on a brand new song list and arrangements for months before expanding the group to include a bass player.  Damian laughs when asked about the process Night Moves goes through to add a song to the playlist.  "It's exhaustive really.  I think the average person would be entertained to see how many group texts we go through when discussing a song or an artist.  We rival teenage girls at that point.  The reason for this process is because our song list is an extension of who we are as individuals and as a band and we now understand that song choice matters.  In the early days after joining Night Moves, we were playing a few songs I had never heard of before.  We experimented with incorporating songs that people know with a few they might not.  It has been an interesting evolution as our song choices have grown organically based on how people respond and what they want to hear.  We never wanted to be a band that plays the same old songs that every other band plays.  That's just not us and I believe that people who hear us respond to our song choices because we take our time to choose songs that really enhance the Night Moves experience."  

The fast metal riffs and over-processed guitar effects have been replaced with a playing style and diverse tone that supports the diversity of song choice and the direction of the band.  Damian would much rather hear the comment "you guys are a really good band" than "hey man you are a really good guitar player".  Come out and experience it for yourselves!