REVIEW: Young the Giant’s Victory Garden Tour
WRITTEN BY ADDIE WILLIAMS
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Photo by Guadalupe Bustos
The sun was shining on Lake Erie as I took a pre-concert walk around Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. I had only been to the Terminal B music venue once before; nonetheless, the venue was unforgettable and I was eager to explore before the show began at 6:30. On my stroll by the water, I passed bikers, hammocks, fishers and some adorable dogs, but looking at the time on my phone, I knew I had to start heading over to the venue. After making it through security and traversing a windy path, I reached the top of the hill overlooking the stage and the water behind it. A friend and I placed our picnic blanket on the grass about mid-way to the stage and laid out sunbathing until the first act. The moment was perfect. As we discussed the various shapes we saw in the clouds, the pre-show playlist played chill indie and folk songs, including several Fleet Foxes hits. People around us were dressed in various outfits from jeans and a t-shirt to long, flowy skirts and sweaters, all with a hippie, bohemian style to them. As the music died down, I stood up in anticipation for almost monday to walk out.
San Diego’s indie rock band almost monday walked out in sunglasses and casual clothing, lead singer Dawson Daugherty wearing a blue t-shirt and baseball cap to match his blue electric guitar. Almost monday’s laid-back vibe is present in their clothing and their music, but certainly not in their stage presence. Starting out with one of their recent releases, “no more regrets,” Daugherty moves around the stage with energy and swagger. Playing hits like “cough drops” and “can’t slow down,” fans dance to the beat, swaying their heads in the pit and spinning each other around on the lawn. Before performing their final song of the night, “life goes by,” Daugherty shared exciting news with us that their sophomore album will be coming soon. As the first set of the night ended, the energy in the crowd was high from almost monday’s surf rock meets indie pop sound.
Alternative rock band Cold War Kids took the stage promptly at 7:30, and their performance is truly unique from anything else around. Frontman Nathan Willett’s voice has endless emotion, drawing the audience in to listen to their witty, honest lyricism. Between songs, Willett discussed how Cold War Kids toured with Young the Giant nine years ago and that they were thrilled to be back on the road together again. Willett adds, “Buffalo, we have been here a lot of times in these past twenty-plus years and you have always been great to us.” The California native band played fan favorites like “First” and “Hang Me Up To Dry” as well as tracks like “There Goes The Night,” whose rerecording came out this past month (originally released in 2023) For me, the most memorable performance was of “We Used to Vacation" where Willett began alone on stage with just his voice and a piano, his bandmates joining him halfway through to jam out onstage. The song highlights Willett’s impressive vocals as well as the creativity of Cold War Kids’ songwriting, experimenting with mixing genres and writing raw lyrics that echoed all the way through Outer Harbor. Cold War Kids’ laudable talent was displayed in their set through the changes in dynamics and use of unique percussion. The overall disposition of the band onstage draws audiences in, presenting themselves as both confident and emotional, allowing listeners into the minds of Cold War Kids.
Last to take the stage was Young the Giant, walking out to synth sounds with voice recordings playing over them and purple lights flashing. Light-up flowers flashing in various colors decorated the stage as they played Young the Giant classics such as “Cough Syrup” and “Mind Over Matter.” Originally formed in Irvine, California, Young the Giant released their debut album at only 19 years old and have been together for close to 20 years. Recognizing that there has been plenty of personal growth and change within each band member over this period of time, their new album Victory Garden is meant to be a reminder to them and listeners to hold onto the feelings of joy and lightheartedness they had when the band originated. Discussing their lead single “Different Kind of Love,” lead singer Sameer Gadhia speaks on behalf of the band, “We are constantly humbled in this industry and we are just so grateful that we still have the ability to do something like this and continue to reach milestones in our careers.” Gadhia continues, “‘This song is our first ever No.1 alternative radio song [Billboard Alternative Airplay], which is insane to think about six albums in. It comes from a place of joy and wanting to experience one another, but not the stuff that they talk about in movies, where it’s just falling in love and happily ever after. Love is work. Love is difficult. You yell, you fight, you see the darkness and deepest parts of that person. But you still choose to stick around and I think that's what we all need.” With this tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their third album, Home of the Strange, the alternative rock band surprised Buffalo by bringing out Rochester legend Daniel Armbruster of Joywave to play Joywave’s hit song “Dangerous.” Everyone chanted, “Let’s go, Buffalo,” proud to have this incredible musician in Western New York. Young the Giant also covered a snippet of “Blackbird” by The Beatles, with everyone singing along to the classic hit. My personal favorite of the night has to have been “Superstition.” The song has been on my playlists since the fifth grade, so hearing the opening riff live with thousands of other fans immediately brought chills down my spine. “My Body” was surprisingly another favorite of the night; I have heard the song a couple of times, but hearing it live was a whole other experience. As the first line, “stop, the train is riding, down to the station” is played, the crowd goes dead silent. With a quick dynamic change, everyone is jumping around to the chorus, belting the lyrics out with so much passion. By the time the bridge rolls around, fans are out of breath but persevere, shouting out the lyrics and hanging onto their friends, swaying to the music. Young the Giant’s set is full of emotions, surprises, and - most importantly - fun. The Victory Garden Tour is one you will not want to miss.