Maybe it’s an Australian thing, or maybe it was just the mood of the stage for the show that night. Perhaps it’s a sign that as far as music trends go, all things that once were, will one day be again. Whatever we are to believe, the fact is that last Wednesday night, retro-style guitar rock fearlessly attacked the 9:30 Club and everyone who bravely attended the Tame Impala show with their opening act, fellow Australians The Growl.
Tame Impala graced a sold-out 9:30 Club with the second night of their tour, in support of last year’s release via Modular, Lonerism. Everyone’s favorite psych band played a set heavy on tracks from Lonerism, including “Apocalypse Dreams, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards,” and “Elephant.” 2010’s Innerspeaker was also represented with “It Is Not Meant to Be,” “Alter Ego,” and “Solitude is Bliss.” In the psych world, one expects to be immersed in almost painfully loud, fuzzed-out guitar. However, the sound from Tame Impala was remarkably clean and accessible. It is also worthy to note that lead singer Kevin Parker performed barefoot during the show, as did one of the members of The Growl. Perhaps that is also an Australian thing.
The guitar, though heavily fuzzed and thick sounding, was not the most hypnotic thing on stage for the opening set. The fact is that it was the dueling, ultra-tight drumming that took the lead role of The Growl’s set that night. The Growl, a gritty blues-based band, got the evening started as the crowd anxiously awaited Tame Impala’s set. Although The Growl’s singer did have a fair amount of soul and growl to his voice, the most impressive thing about the night’s opening act was the percussion. The Growl featured not one but two drummers who, needless to say, were perfectly matched, who know how to stay in the pocket and stay out of each other’s way.
It is pretty nice to see a band embrace the tone, feel and style of some of rock and roll’s past, with a retro sound relying on true tone more than effects and modern sound processors. Don’t get me wrong, this band certainly delivers a modern take on its blues roots. The Growl certainly seemed to gain more then a few fans from the night’s performance as they were very well-received. Between such a surprisingly good opener and the impeccable headliner Tame Impala, it was a great night for retro rock in the nation’s capital.
The Growl
