Words and Photos by Marco Denzer
Givers, the upbeat rockers from Lafayette, Louisiana, took the Mercury Lounge stage at approximately 8:30 PM and immediately kicked things into high gear without hesitation. There’s little that could have prepared the audience for the wave of energy and straight up fun that Tiffany Lamson (percussion, vocals, and ukulele), Taylor Guarisco (vocals and guitar), Josh LeBlanc (bass and guitar), Jesse Zenon (keyboards), and Joe Lyle (percussion) were about to lay on them.
Evidently many in the crowd that filled the Lower East Side venue were from Louisiana – they knew the band and were very happy to be there – but there were many others that clearly became followers on the spot, because the raw soul-stirring doses of musical ecstasy that Givers serves up in a live show setting are undeniable.
Comparisons about the band’s musical style and sound are abound – their guitar chord progressions, ukulele punctuations, and bass lines have tinges of Afro-pop or music from the Caribbean, there’s no doubt about that, the rapid chorus-doused arpeggios played in repetitive patters over intricate bass and jerky percussion rhythm arrangements evoke those sounds. All of that is true. However, the one fact that is extremely indisputable about the Givers music and performance is their deeply grounded Louisiana roots.
Their recorded music is fun and romantic, it makes you want to dance, it’s easy to sing along with it and it’s lively, but their live show is on a completely different level. On stage Givers easily taps into generations of musical influence from Soul and Zydeco to Jazz and Jumping Jive, and many other cultural nuances from their part of the country. They are pure fun and their energy is extremely contagious. They have Mojo… and it’ll definitely work on you.
Givers will continue to tour through the end of October. Visit Giversband.com for more details.
TheWaster.com | New York City
9.25.18
