Dr. Dog and The Growlers performed with both bark and bite to an almost sold-out State Theatre last night.
The Growlers, a psychedelic rock and pop band from Costa Mesa, Southern California, took the stage first.
“There are six of us, we’re all brothers, met by fate, near the beach. We came out here through destiny, came across Dr. Dog through friends, and we’re delighted to be here and especially to play this show with such a wonderful band,” said The Growlers lead vocalist Brooks Nielsen.
Nielsen first captured the audience’s attention with his outlandish appearance, but he maintained it through his talent. Sporting a vibrant blue and red polka dotted dress, a long crimson red pea coat, a blonde wig, and feeling the Valentine’s Day spirit, a pair of heart shaped sunglasses, Nielsen was the center of attention.
Nielsen’s raspy voice and ghostly vocals could send shivers down spines. His raspy voice paired with his creativity seemed strikingly similar to the late Jim Morrison. And The Growlers performance, charismatic yet unpredictable, was extremely comparable to The Doors.
“Stand up!” Nielsen shouted at the start of The Growlers set. The audience obeyed, and continued standing for the remainder of the set. Though many audience members were unfamiliar with The Growlers, this did not stop them from swaying and grooving to the unique dance beats.
Mike Negra, executive director for The State Theatre said, “I have never remembered a crowd standing up for the opening act… ever. In three years.”
The Growlers perform with heart. Each song is a culmination of melodic yet eerie sounds. Genres range from surf rock, psychedelic, indie and even hip hop.
Upon the conclusion of The Growlers performance, a hippie feel lingered in The State Theatre for the start of the main act, Dr. Dog.
“Dr. Dog is a five piece from Philadelphia. Their musical genre is kind of influence but also an expansion of classic rock from the last 30, 40, 50 years or so. They’re five guys, all from Philly, wonderful people, great musicians and good buddies,” said Forrest Reda, merchandise salesman, who travels with Dr. Dog on all of their tours.
Dr. Dog kicked off their performance with “Worst Trip,” a song from their 2007 album, “We All Belong.” Often compared to The Beatles and The Beach Boys, “Worst Trip” exhibits both rock and indie- pop aspects, with a repetitive piano portion followed by stax- style horn.
This psychedelic band held its audience captivated, while keeping them involved. Despite The State Theatre’s assigned seating and limited dancing space, audience members lined the aisles clapping, dancing, and singing to their favorite songs.
Near the end of their set, Zach Miller, keyboard for Dr. Dog stroked a few familiar keys and the audience went wild. It was the beginning of crowd favorite, “Hang On.”
‘Hang on, Hang on. Yes it’s the little things. Yes it’s the little things that do us harm,” sang lead guitarist Scott McMicken, who seemed drowned out by the State Theatre audience, also belting out the lyrics.
Dr. Dog concluded with “The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer,” a song from their latest album, “Fate.” In just three minutes, the listener felt as though he/ or she had heard three different songs entangled into one.
“The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer is my favorite song. There are different sections to it. The last section is so joyous, you just can’t stop yourself from moving,” said Reda.
State Theatre was the last show of Dr. Dog and The Growlers three-week tour.
