The Growl @ The Bakery, Perth(08/04/11)

Mon 11th Apr, 2011 in Gig Reviews

“Sorry about the noise” singer Cameron Avery apologised insincerely as local band The Growl performed their unforgiving heavy blues-rock at the Bakery for the launch of their debut EP, Cleaver Lever.

The support acts fell in line to strut their stuff.The Gulls were first up and delivered a solid set, the limited audience gave their support and the band radiated the energy back to them. Bermuda played to again a rather small crowd, but their easy-listening surf-punk granted them the audience’s approval. When Felicity Groom took to the stage, she and her band were cheered by a league of local fans. The variety of instruments on show added the spice of variety, and her fierce Florence Welch-meets-Allison Mosshart vocals reached soaring heights and commanded attention. There was a lot of variety on show, but judging from the shifting levels of people on the sticky floors by the stage, everyone was just waiting for the Growl to be unleashed.

The band opened to the restless crowd with a solid heavy blues number, reminiscent of Jack White’s wailing guitar in the early 2000s. Hendrix-esque guitar joined frenzied bass lines and manic percussion. One of the most eye-catching points of the set was the presence of not one, but two drummers. The duo worked in perfect synchronisation with a very peculiar drum set-up. The monstrosity contained all sorts of unorthodox percussion including a garbage can (with an appropriate ‘Oscar the grouch’ sticker on it), what looked like a keg and dented cymbals.

The band then launched into a new tune with a beat that sounded like jungle drums, and wailing vocals crying out with with the strain of keeping up with the pounding rhythm. When the band kicked into the lead single, Smoke it Down, the crowd lapped it up like hungry kittens. The band was in their element and this was the peak of the set. Hipsters swayed to the heavy blues riff which worked well with a funky bass line and cacophonic drums. The distinct change in tempo of the song had a bit of an awkward transition in a live setting, but it did nothing but add to the ferocity of the performance. This was assisted by wailing feedback as the microphone stand was constantly thrown to the floor (although sometimes it looked unintentional.)

The few softer acoustic numbers fell on deaf ears, and during these times the audience seemed restless; they were hungry for the heavy stuff. The slow songs had an oceanic feel, with trilling guitar and shimmering drums, but would perhaps have been better suited to a different venue and vibe.

Songs like 3,6,9 got the crowd going again and possessed that surf-rock feel but with a heavy edge. A clapping interlude commanded participation and showed that the band has a good relationship both with the audience, and with one another.
The introduction of a female pianist was a nice touch, but again the audience was unreceptive. As Avery wailed “more than she could take”, the audience seemed to have had more than they could take.

When the band played the title track, Cleaver Leaver the original enthusiasm of the audience returned with the dirty guitar tone and the sly shifting rhythm. Clearly, the band’s true soul is in the heavier tunes. From then on, the set took a definite and prolonged bluesy turn, finishing with a couple of unknown covers, which held the audience’s attention. The Growl ended their show in a very Rage Against the Machine fashion, throwing their microphones and instruments on the floor as they walked off stage to a new cacophony of the crowd that had received what they wanted from the band, and were still wanting more.