Young the Giant took the stage at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on Thursday and Friday last week, and the show wasn’t one to miss. The American alternative/indie rock band is on the West Coast leg of a touring circuit in support of their third album Home of the Strange, which debuted this past August.
The band performed two concerts at the Commodore Ballroom and the choice of venue was a wise one. The Commodore was the right size for the concert and gave the perfect atmosphere for the band. Due to the many upbeat songs that the band had performed, the Commodore’s large dance floor allowed the audience enough space to dance to the the music. In comparison to venues like the Vogue and the Imperial, the Commodore was larger but also had a more organized layout. With the stage situated in the middle, bars on both sides of the room, and tables at the side, the venue proved to be a great place to host concerts.
American indie rock band Ra Ra Riot is the opening act for the tour and the band’s performance was energetic and generated excitement from the audience. Many people cheered loudly for Ra Ra Riot and recognized many of their songs. The band had a great stage presence and interacted well with the crowd, and their style of music sounded similar to some of Young the Giant’s songs, making them a great addition to the tour as they generated excitement for Young the Giant’s arrival.
Young the Giant began their set with “Jungle Youth,” one of the songs from Home of the Strange. The band’s entrance was nothing short of exciting, with their music blasting through the venue and a large array of stage lights. The band’s energy was visible throughout the whole concert, adding more enthusiasm to each song they sang.
The use of stage effects complimented each song well; upbeat songs had a large assortment of colours and lights, and softer songs, such as “Firelight,” had simpler effects. When the band sang “Firelight,” the stage had soft lights, a dark background, and effects making it look like a night sky filled with stars.
Young the Giant never fell short of creating a great atmosphere of music for their fans. Their older songs generated more cheers from the audience. Most notably, songs such as “Cough Syrup,” “Apartment,” and “Mind Over Matter” had caused the most excitement. However, the band’s entire set had the whole audience dancing and jumping in the air and when the band had left the stage, the audience continued to cheer for an encore. The band returned to perform three more songs: “Amerika,” Silvertongue,” and “My Body.” These last three songs got the most enthusiasm from the crowd and were definitely one of the best parts of the night.
Young the Giant gave an impressive performance and never once lacked energy throughout the night. The band never missed a beat with their instruments and vocals and sounded just as well as they did on their albums. With the band’s energy, the colourful stage effects, and the atmosphere of the Commodore Ballroom, Young the Giant’s concert left the audience cheering for more.
