There is nothing more that I like better than experimental music. The genre offers listeners more than the typical 4/4 time signature and your average power chords from the guitar. It gives your ears something a little more intricate to listen to, taking your mind to another musical realm that you probably never thought you could be taken.
On a warm Tuesday night, my friend Corinne Stevie and I went to go see a band called Growing perform at The Earl in East Atlanta Village in Atlanta. They are on tour in support of their album Pumps which is available now from Vice Records. We walked into the bar and saw people scattered around the stage as there was already a guy onstage, whose act went by the name of Brainworlds, performing his music, which was him manipulating sounds, giving off a ethereal vibe. After he was done with his set, we walked over to where the musician’s products were being sold.
We gazed at the colorful shirts that were hung up behind this guy and looked at the tapes and albums from the bands, where one album was from the group Growing. I started telling Corinne about the band and then asked the girl standing next to me if she had heard the band’s music. Little did I know that it was actually Sadie Laska from the band that I was talking to as she calmly said “I’m in the band.” I started laughing as I recognized her and also recognized that the guy sitting in front of the table was Kevin Doria who is the bass player in the band.
After we became formally introduced, we started discussing how tapes and vinyl were coming back and I also got a chance to learn a bit more about the band from their own mouths. Soon, Joe Denardo, the guitar player from the band showed up and we continued to talk about them as musicians and music in general. It was a really good discussion which really gave me more insight on the life of a musician which will come in handy later for me.
After this really experimental band named Lyonnais performed, it was time for Growing to take the stage. Their performance was a lot more than I expected as they used a beat machine and dozens of samplers to produce their quality sound. Their music was a bit more dance like than the other bands and I could see a couple of people finding their groove to the music. It was cool to watch them perform as each member tended to their own devices with Sadie manipulating her voice, Joe playing his guitar, and Kevin playing bass and functioning the beat machine.
Together, they created a sound that I’ve never heard before and no matter how complex the music sounded, it all fit together so perfectly. I could tell they had some kind of unspoken chemistry onstage as they would periodically look at each other to see what the other was doing, or maybe to signal a change in the music. Either way, as the band played, I was becoming more of a fan. By the end of the show, I was completely enamored and asked Kevin multiple questions about their equipment and sound production. It was truly inspiring to see them perform and to also obtain some musical data. It gave me more insight as a musician myself on how I want my music to sound.
Growing is still on tour and hopefully will be coming to a city near you. I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on the same inspiring experience that I had, and plus they are cool people so I would like everyone to at least shake their hands and have a similar, interesting conversation like I did. Their album Pumps is online for sale and you can even buy the vinyl if desired. Make sure you check out this band…
Later Days…
