Page 103 - ION Indie Magazine November December 2019 Issue

I don’t know what I expected lead singer Brooks Nielsen to be
wearing, but he and the entire band were dressed in casual clothes
consisting of a simple T-shirt, jeans, and shoes that were slightly
road-worn. It reminded me of any given teen movie where the cast
were a bunch of high school characters that had just been let out of
school on the last day of the semester and had nothing but time on
their hands to go and conquer the world…which is also the best way
to describe The Growlers’ music. Their sound is reminiscent of a
soundtrack that would be set to a Summer-inspired movie
blockbuster heralding warm sun-soaked days ahead and laid-back
easy living.

I got the impression that The Growlers were playing their music
strictly for themselves -- without a care as to who liked it or didn’t.
However, the fans were apparently along for the ride, whether
acknowledged or not. The Growlers would occasionally pass
knowing glances at each other as if they had just shared an inside
joke and they didn’t particularly care if anyone else “got it.” It was
almost as if a hot air balloon had scooped them off a sunny beach
where they were in the middle of a spontaneous jam and dropped
them smack dab in front of a packed venue. Band and audience alike
were caught up in what seemed to be their own private world where
they shared the same space, united in sound, yet each was lost in
their own interpretation.

As the show wrapped, the haze that hovered over everyone
appeared to lift as the band thanked the crowd and the audience
responded with appreciative applause. And it was back to reality. As
the concert-goers emerged from the fog of the spell that The
Growlers’ music cast upon them, I found the answer that I was
seeking…the reason for the light attire and air of summer-vaca
jubilance. There is a freedom that is found with The Growlers -- the
type that one feels with the onset of summer. It’s invigorating and
uplifting and provides a temporary respite from the demands of
everyday life and all of its responsibilities and trappings…much like
the show that I had just witnessed. And isn’t that what good music is
meant to do?

Learn more about The Growlers and Donzii at the following links:

The Growlers:
www.thegrowlers.com
https://www.facebook.com/losGrowlers

Donzii:
https://donzii.bandcamp.com