“Show me love / Fill my cup / the world’s not empty / It’s how you want it to be.” ~ Young the Giant’s song, “Repeat.”
5 guys. 20 instruments. 4 out of 5 vocalists. And hundreds of people.
Young the Giant electrified the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Sept. 21. Pure. Raw. Talent.
Background Music
I live for live music. It fills me up with so much happiness. Music motivates me to workout. It speeds up the workday and helps me concentrate. I can break free on my commute to and from work.
I’ve practiced singing and playing guitar as a little hobby for nearly 11 years now, so music is a huge part of my life – and I love to share it with as many people as I can!
Concerts: The Way to a Musician’s Heart
Live shows are a really great experience if you go to the right concert with the right people. It’s been nearly 10 years since my first concert now that I think about it… I saw Maroon 5 with my dad on October 19, 2007 (in the Bahamas!). They had just released their second album, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, and Adam Levine was cute as can be.
Since then, I’ve gone to many alternative band concerts – Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, twenty one pilots – and some solo artists – Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Tori Kelly. This was my first band concert in two years, and I was blown away!
Hard Rock the House
Hard Rock Live was surprisingly not a full house – I could move around with plenty of elbow room, so I definitely didn’t complain! It was a Thursday night, so I’m sure people were busy with school and work. This was only my second time at Hard Rock Live. The venue itself is beautiful, and the Hard Rock Cafe next door is always immaculate.
I’ve been to three different Hard Rock Cafes – Orlando, D.C., and Nassau – and I’d like to continue exploring the different locations! This is the largest Hard Rock Cafe in the world with its colosseum architecture and massive music memorabilia.
I bought a balcony seat last time at the Tori Kelly concert, but I spent most of my time standing downstairs since I loved being up close. I only went up to the balcony when my back grew tired of standing.
This time, I stuck it out, singing, swaying, and dancing on the floor.
Opening Acts
Indie rock band Joywave opened the show. I just missed them since I drove to the concert right after work.
Next, indie rock veterans Cold War Kids lit up the stage. They delivered a great rendition of Rihanna’s “Love On The Brain,” and plenty of their hits like “Hang Me Up to Dry” and “Restless.” Cold War Kids lead singer Nathan made a guest appearance in one of Young the Giant’s performances later on that night.
The lights went low, and then…the cheering began, and the crowd moved in! By this point, everyone was trying to secure their spot on the floor for optimal viewing.
Young the Giant…ly Talented Band
These guys are AMAZING. Seriously. They meshed so well together.
Young the Giant brought tambourines, maracas, a guitar with a floating sunflower, paisley prints, beards, and best of all: SYNCHRONIZED DANCE MOVES.
These dance moves reminded me of George Harrison’s awkwardly cute dancing in A Hard Days Night.
The band opened with the track “Amerika,” the first song off their latest album, Home of the Strange. Lead singer Sameer Gadhia – who came out in a white jumpsuit and slicked back hair, resembling a handsome mechanic – could have made this a political concert, so it was a sigh of relief when they simply focused on the music.
By the third song or so, my friend and I assigned celebrity doppelgängers to each band member.
The drummer is Chris Martin. One guitarist is Dave Matthews. The other guitarist is Art Garfunkel. The bassist is George Harrison’s, circa Abbey Road. And the lead singer is a gym owner.
Believe in this
“Something to Believe In” was one of the best songs of the night. Sameer’s vocals are unmatched, and everyone in the band is so talented. Words cannot describe just how great this band is.
“Titus Was Born” – which I was not a fan of until that night – was one of the best performances. Sameer gave us his best moves as rainwater trickled down the background screen as he sang, “Rainwater / It’s falling on you.”
The backdrops were awesome. Some of the screens reflected the band’s music videos, some of them were just psychedelic flashes of lights and colors and patterns, and a few videos included the band dancing in slow-mo. It was such an artistic environment – I loved it!
Songs of the Night
They played a nostalgic favorite – “Cough Syrup.” I first heard this song on Glee, but I didn’t follow the band until recently.
“It’s About Time” off their sophomore album, Mind Over Matter, was one of the funnest tracks to dance to that night. The song was released at a poignant time – ending high school and beginning college, where things are scary and new, but also fun and exciting.
Young the Giant glided through “Apartment,” an upbeat track off their first album. The band’s vibratos and the crowd’s energy was at an all-time high at this point!
The band closed the night with the song that started it all – “My Body.” Young the Giant convinced me this was a great song as they jumped and danced and shredded the night away.
After The Concert
Check out their “In The Open” sessions, where they perform acoustic version of their songs in places they find on tour. My favorite is “Something to Believe In.”
Give Young the Giant a listen, and in the meantime, let me know about your favorite artist or concert experience!