Hearing the phrase “Austin Psych Fest” might generate images in your mind of tie-dye wearing or hula-hoop dancing folks longing for the age of Woodstock. While a few attendees could be pigeon-holed as such, the festival draw was much more defined by its members’ affected stillness. Heels tapped and people swayed, but jumping and dancing was surprisingly limited for a festival whose name might make the more conservative folks in your life a bit uneasy. It was going to take a little push to make the crowd physically move and on the final night, that push came from The Growlers (but, of course, it wasn’t an aggressive push as to not counteract all the good vibes).
The Growlers played the Levitation Stage on Sunday at 10:30 p.m., just before the headlining Moving Sidewalks took over the night. If the set time didn’t clue you in to the band’s obvious popularity, the receptiveness and intrinsic movement they inspired in everyone present confirmed their star status.
The band coined the amusing, if a bit self-fulfilling, term “Beach Goth” to describe its music and seeing them play live, you finally get what it truly means. In true psychedelic fashion, the stage was dressed up with a decorative wood-panel set and a pastel-infused light display. As singer Brooks Nielson wooed us all with his sultry hip swings and shoulder twists, it was a perfectly engineered experience. As would only fit the character of the band, the amalgamation of styles from dark and bopping tunes to seductive chants befit the scene flawlessly. It was, in fact, “Beach Goth” and if only for a moment, we got to experience the darkly romantic world of The Growlers; as the temporary visitors that we were, we can only hope that someday they’ll invite us back in.
As the band continues to garner popularity, I can only imagine we’ll plenty more opportunities for more. This group of four merry California lads has only been playing as The Growlers since 2007, but six years and three full length albums later they’ve certainly made a name for themselves in this niche. The line best fit between comparable bands is usually not too hard to find (particularly at a festival as self-selecting as this one), but where the Growlers came from is an utter, and wonderful, mystery. They released their most recent album, Hung at Heart, this year on Fat Cat Records and with it has certainly reached the point of no return. The Growlers are in it for the long haul and we’ll be there right alongside them.
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