Growing live in Vancouver

The band Growing, currently based out of New York, describes their sound as unique, fun, or in the words of one member during an interview before their show, “funique.” Their sound is definitely just that and could certainly be described as unforgettable. Growing recently took the stage at Vancouver’s Biltmore Cabaret and two bands opened for them.

The first was a local artist called JDH and this was his debut show at the Biltmore. He drew a local crowd that supported him and those fans thinned out once his performance finished. However, more of Growing’s fans replaced the people that came only for JDH later in the night.

The second band that took the stage was a duo that introduced themselves as Jack and Nato. They used a lot of looping adding drum beats, electric guitar and vocals. Sometimes the loops seemed to overpower the guitarist resulting in an unbalanced performance.

The crowd really enjoyed their style. Most people were out on the dance floor and had a good time rocking out to the music. The crowd seemed to enjoy the transitions between the bands just as much as the bands. There were impromptu dance-offs and more dancing during the transitions than when the bands actually played.

Growing had a darker vibe than JDH or Jack and Nato. Their music was heavier and slower so most of the dancing stopped when they took the stage. Wearing casual clothes like hoodies and jeans and with no song interludes, Growing invited the audience into their world.

Growing did not address the crowd at any point in the night. They neither introduced themselves nor the songs. Instead the band played their music and flowed from one song to the next, never leaving time for a pause in the music. Although this was less interactive, Growing still gained the crowd’s attention.

It’s hard to characterize what kind of music Growing performed. It was very chaotic and sounds similar to some drone and other noise music. It was one thing for sure – loud. If there is one thing that we can recommend to future Growing audiences: prepare yourself for the loud music and the intensity. At the loudest guitar solos we feared that our eardrums would burst.

The fans appeared to enjoy the music and didn’t seem to notice the volume. Most of the crowed was staggered throughout the dance floor. Some people swayed while others just stood straight looking ahead at the band. Because of the nature of the music and the dramatic changes, you could never find much of a rhythm to move to. Although there wasn’t a large crowd, those who came seemed pleased.

Although we may not be adding Growing to our ipods, for those into noise music looking for a set of unique artists, Growing is worth checking out. For a closer look at the artists behind the band Growing, check out the interview with them.