In a time where rock music has taken a back seat to catchy radio pop, auto-tuned rap, and plug and play EDM music, there is still some generational talent the world might be missing out on. Letting curiosity get the best of me, I headed out to Cadence Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park this past weekend to see the growing sound of Young The Giant, with Fitz and the Tantrums and newcomers COIN in-tow.
It was a typical Atlanta summer night with the humidity on full blast, but that didn’t stop the crowd from showing up. With half the amphitheater full and the rest still piling in, indie-pop band COIN took to the stage. It’s worth noting, while most were there to see the headliners, the Nashville trio definitely had their fair share of die-hard fans specifically there to see them, and they made their presence known. Leaving a mark with their poppy tones, COIN kicked off the night the right way, as people danced into and out of their seats. Running through eight songs in total, they closed out their portion of the show with their singles “Talk Too Much” and “Fingers Crossed”. This really put a cap on a great set that will have me and others alike checking for them in the future when they come back to town.
Next up was pre-headliner Fitz and the Tantrums. The sun slowly worked it’s way into the night while people slipped their drink of choice in one hand with water in the other, just to keep the heat at bay. Michael Fitzpatrick and crew made sure the party kept going and by the looks of it, had a lot of fun doing so. You can tell that this is more than just a job for these guys by simply watching them move around their given space, encouraging the now packed venue to sing along to their slew of popular hits. With a setlist of almost 20 songs, including “Out of My League” and “HandClap”, the Neo-Soul, Los Angeles based group closed the show out with arguably their most popular track, “The Walker”, which really set the stage for the main event.
Darkness had fallen and it was time for the stars to rise. With some relief in the air, the slight temperature change brought everyone back to life after giving it all they had through the first two acts. The lights went up and it was immediately evident why Young The Giant was headlining this show. Lead singer Sameer Gadhia is a born showman, point-blank. Not only did he have the fans eating out of his hands, but I don’t think there was a single soul who wasn’t belting his lyrics out along with him. What’s more impressive is the band sounds almost identical to their records, which is never an easy feat during a live show. Backed by an impressive light show catered to each song, YTG owned the night, blessing us with their best work, including a four-set encore that ended with their anthem-like single “My Body”.
It’s important to say that I had no expectations going into this concert. I was familiar with most of the bands’ works, but I left more than satisfied with what I had seen. COIN is a group on the rise that will continue to build off of an already impressive cult following. Fitz, who already boasts an awesome catalog, are destined to be a staple in the industry for a while as they leave their mark with hit after hit. Then there is Young The Giant, who by all accounts if they keep moving at the pace they are, will be selling out stadiums somewhere down the road. Their sound is crisp, their presence is larger than life, and they just seem to understand what it takes to be the latter part of their name; GIANT! I think I speak for everyone in attendance when I raise my sweat-beaded water bottle and say, “great time had by all!”
-YoAngie