Synopsis

Datarock's "California" presents a playful, knowingly exaggerated version of the band's imagined origin story. Four friends escape small-town routine by forming a group and setting off toward California, chasing fame, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. The video blends staged musical storytelling with energetic performance footage, turning the band's journey into a colorful pop fantasy rather than a literal account of their lives. Its deliberately artificial tone matches the song's cheeky, larger-than-life ambition.

Factoids & Trivia

• "California" was released in 2011 as the title track of Datarock's five-song California EP.

• The video was conceived as a teaser for the planned "Datarock - the musical," which expanded the band's fictionalized backstory into a larger stage concept.

• The official video description emphasizes that the story has "no resemblance to actual events." The premise is therefore best understood as a piece of Datarock mythology rather than an autobiographical account.

• Actor Sebastian Marlow appears alongside Datarock in the clip.

• The video was premiered through CMJ in 2011 and later received Magna Cum Laude rotation on mtvU.

• The song also became part of a Virgin Mobile campaign in North America, giving the track exposure beyond the band's usual alternative and dance-rock audience.