We last saw Lafayette, Louisiana's Givers back in 2011 during MFNW (RIP) at a great show at the Doug Fir that also featured Pickwick (the best band you never heard of) and Ages and Ages, as well as Portland's Lost Lander. Damien Jurado was in the audience for Pickwick (he's a fan) and the whole night was overall as much fun at a live show as you can reasonably expect to have.
And then we heard nothing from Givers for three years. Nothing. Nada. Zip. But they've apparently hit the road again and last night they played Atlanta's Vinyl Lounge in the Center Stage complex. Could they possibly be as fun as they were that magical night three years ago? Do they still have that special something they displayed that night?
The short answer is an emphatic "yes," but first another Lafayette band, Kind Cousin, opened.
Kind Cousin is the band of singer Allison Bohl DeHart, whose raspy vocals and eerie harmonies with her backup singer make the band interesting. It was a good set by a band I hadn't heard before, but one I'd certainly like to hear more from.
DeHart's raspy vocals are a good match for Givers' Tiffany Lamson, who joined them on stage for one song.
After that, Givers took the stage. They were still selling their fine 2011 album In Light at the merch table, and didn't have anything new for sale (I still bought a vinyl copy of In Light last night anyway). Fortunately, during their terrific set last night, they announced that they would be playing a bunch of new songs, "songs even our friends back in Lafayette haven't head yet," and that they would be working on a new album soon. So there's that.
The audience clearly knew the band and their music, and also clearly adored the band, and there was a great give and take of energy all night between the band and the audience. There's something about Givers that causes listeners, at least this listener and apparently several others at Vinyl last night as well, to form some sort of deep emotional bond with the band, and the affection and the mutual admiration were apparent. Singer Taylor Guarisco mentioned it several times, but everyone in the audience felt it whether he mentioned it or not.
The set ended with an encore performance of Up Up Up, after the regular set ended with In My Eyes.
Givers are a great band and put on fun shows. It would be a shame if I have to wait three years to hear them again.
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