changing music one bleep at a time: Young The Giant

Well-written, catchy and danceable indie rock tunes should be an easy sell to an LA audience, right? Let's throw in some gold microphones, skinny jeans and loafers and we're set for a night in indie rock heaven. Somehow, the Sunday night crowd at The Troubador was slow to get their feet tapping. In spite of the lack of energy from the house, Sameer Gadhia and Company of Young the Giant played their set with a cool confidence. They conveyed a reticence to bare all coupled with the promise that once they did, we wouldn't be disappointed. With a voice and demeanor like Brandon Flower without the Mormon underpinnings, and a stage presence that is reminiscent of Julian Casablancas, this appealing yet somewhat formulaic indie rock band definitely knows it's audience on a large scale. Sameer has a voice with substance, charisma, and passion that, when coupled with the harmonies of Eric Cannata (guitar/vocals) and Francois Comtois (drums/vocals) creates a solid wall of vocal sound. The ironic part is that when the music stopped, the banter wasn't hitting the same mark. His encouragement to "get closer, hold hands and dance" after their first song felt a little contrived. Young the Giant played a great set and by the end of it, Sameer's comment "come stop by and see us after the show, we want to hear what's going on with you" felt genuine and honest.

This was the first night of their month long residency at The Troubadour in West Hollywood (now postponed as they're going on tour with Marina and the Diamonds). There is something to be said for their committment to each and every song, each lyric, each guitar lick, every kick drum. The passion for their music is all over their faces and the songs have a great balance of substance and sugar.
What was most impressive was the constant non-verbal communication between the Bass player (Payam Doostzadeh) and the Drummer (Francois Comtois). It's a testament to their capacity as musicians and proves that when your rhythm section communicates, timing is impeccable. All-in-all I'd recommend checking them out while they're still at The Troubadour. It's a great venue to see a band like this play.

Young the Giant is:

Sameer Gadhia - vocals
Jacob Tilley - guitar
Eric Cannata - guitar/vocals
Payam Doostzadeh - bassFrancois Comtois - drums/vocals

Check out their myspace page for info on tour dates and their most recent music video. www.myspace.com/youngthegiant

Remaining dates in the August California residencies:
8/11 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA

8/16 The Casbah San Diego, CA
8/18 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA

8/23 The Casbah San Diego, CA

Tour Dates with Marina and The Diamonds:
9/1                        The Paradise                     Boston, MA
9/2                        Webster Hall                     New York, NY
9/3                        World Café Live                 Philadelphia, PA
9/5                        The Wonder Bar                Asbury Park, NJ
9/6                        9:30 Club                            Washington, DC
9/8                        The Opera House              Toronto, CA
9/9                        Lincoln Hall                        Chicago, IL
9/10                      Triple Rock                         Minneapolis, MN
9/13                      The Crocodile                   Seattle, WA
9/14                      Doug Fir Lounge              Portland, OR
9/15                      The Independent             San Francisco, CA
9/17                      El Rey Theatre                  Los Angeles, CA

PHOTOS: MATTHEW SCHAEFER
STORY: MATTHEW SCHAEFER