On a makeshift platform stage, San Diego rock band Silver Bullet stands poised before a packed crowd of 400 in a steamy backyard. Eager whispers ripple through the air—someone mentions that the leather-vested guitarist broke the stage at the band’s last show. Suddenly, a roar of instruments cuts through the chatter, instantly commanding the crowd’s full attention. In a split second, the yard erupts into wild energy.
Any wandering eyes hypnotized by the dominant guitar and raw drums draw back to the center of the stage when the band’s dynamic heartbeat steps out in a black leather number accessorized with a studded ’70s chain belt and a shaggy white coat. Frontwoman Hannah Geller lets out a harmonic scream. This is what the San Diego music scene has been waiting for, I think.
“I can just hold the microphone and run around the stage and jump off of things,” Geller says. “I love that element of being in Silver Bullet—to just release all of my energy I get from performing. I don’t hold back.”
Geller had already established her voice as a psychedelic and progressive musician before joining Silver Bullet. With over 200,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, a few viral YouTube covers, and a discography of self-produced singles under her belt, Geller was looking to expand her scope. Working on her solo career and doing marketing at The Music Company in Pacific Beach left her craving what brought all of the members of Silver Bullet together in the first place: an outlet.
John Kelly (guitar) and Ryan Simmons (drums) first started jamming together last year while studying at San Diego State University. Both grew up with blues and heavy metal in their repertoire, which brought cohesion and a solid musicality to their songwriting. But even after adding bassist Jake Quintanar, they were still not yet a band—just a few marketing, accounting, and graphic design majors looking to riff together. It was their lead singer who pulled the trigger on a greater sound.
At her audition in November of 2023, Geller knew she needed to go big. When she let out a lurching, captivating belt that drowned out the instruments, Silver Bullet was born.
“I think, out of anyone, Hannah might bring the most diverse influence to the band with her style of singing,” Kelly says.
“Something that makes us unique is our heavier rock sound mixed with my softer, breathy voice,” Geller adds. “Something you don’t get from male singers a lot are those real high ranges and the ability to belt crazy riffs. The female voice is so equipped for rock music.”
On the heels of their debut EP The Evil Cowboy, released September 2024, the band has evolved from jamming at college house shows and opening for local favorites (including 2024 San Diego Music Award–winner Matthew Phillips) to performing at venues like Music Box and SOMA. And they’re not only playing for undergrads.
“The older crowd definitely appreciates our music more than people our age,” Geller says. “It’s what they grew up on, and they’re discovering this new, younger band that’s playing music from their era.”
The four-song The Evil Cowboy EP bridges the gap between Gen X’s beloved classic rock music, millennials’ pull toward grunge, and the resurrection of psychedelic rock that’s following Gen Z’s affection for alternative and indie songs. Silver Bullet slips in metal and blues melodies, too.
“The Evil Cowboy is very Black Sabbath—inspired [by] Bill Ward—for me, at least,” Simmons says of his drum instrumentals for the EP. “‘Joyride’ or ‘Wild Card’ might be more like Tommy Lee in Mötley Crüe.”
The results are both accessible and energizing, a shot of glittering espresso in a town dominated by sleepier reggae and surf rock. And audiences are responding—not just in San Diego, but online, too. Silver Bullet has amassed several viral videos on Instagram with over 20 million views combined, appeasing the algorithm by tying in trending memes, singing covers by rock legends, and creating videos that showcase their genre-blending and-bending singles.
But there’s something about the band’s music that begs to be experienced live, in the company of others. Whether the audience consists of 10 people or 1,000, Silver Bullet shows are kinetic and loud.
“I love performing more than anything,” Geller says. “This genre could not be more fun for me.”
“You can have good music, but putting on a performance is a huge aspect of the show,” Kelly adds. “You’ve got to have both good music and stage presence. In my opinion, that’s what makes a good band great.”
