The Growlers, based out of California, have long been celebrated for their eclectic “Beach Goth” style, which successfully combines a multitude of genres: Country, Funk, Psychedelic and Surf Rock. Their fifth studio album, “City Club,” is no exception to this rule. The album, released on September 30th, takes their music to a new level. Introducing infectious bass-lines and synthesizers to give a new depth to their one-of-a-kind sound.

The album, “City Club,” stands out from their previous endeavors. It was produced by the Strokes' frontman, Julian Casablancas, who also manages the record label, Cult Records. This collaboration was especially prevalent in the album's title track, “City Club.” The song begins with an intrinsic guitar riff, followed by their Psychedelic-Surf-Funk style that the Growlers are known for. The “City Club” tour kicked off in Las Vegas, and so far has brought the group to 20 different cities since the beginning of the tour in mid-September.

Among these shows was the Growlers' first ever performance at the Music Farm in Charleston, South Carolina. On October 4th, less than 24 hours before Hurricane Matthew would cause a mass evacuation of the area, the Growlers played to a packed venue filled with devoted fans that were not phased by the impending storm. A choir of “F*** the Hurricane!” was heard through the entire venue, dying down and picking up with increasing vigor as the night progressed. The Growlers played through most of their new album, as well as some of their classics. Their high energy and electric stage presence made the audience come alive.

The venues' low set platform and small capacity made this a truly intimate setting. After the set, The Growlers exited the stage as quickly as they entered it, however the audience was not quite ready for the night to be over. After a 10 minute interlude with unrelenting chants of “One more song!” from the rowdy crowd, The Growlers came back out (jumpsuits and all) to perform not one, but three more songs.

Photography and Artist Feature by Jenny Watts

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