They just sold out the legendary Red Rocks and now their summer tour is looking to be one of the hottest of 2023. Fortunately, Orange County’s own Young the Giant is going to make their way back to us after conquering North America.
The guys from Irvine will be revisiting their old stomping grounds at FivePoint Amphitheatre on August 19th, and then Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater in San Diego.
Launched in 2004 as The Jakes – while two of the members were still in high school! – the band experienced lineup changes and a little radio airplay. In 2010, they became known as Young the Giant and subsequently released their eponymous debut album. In this fairy tale story, they blew up immediately.
Once “My Body” hit the radio waves, it jumped to number five on the Billboard Alternative Song chart, with help from KROQ and 91X, the song made the band a household name in what seemed like overnight.
Their other song “Cough Syrup” hit the mark with heartfelt lyrics tugged on hearts and strings as it was blowing up at the time we lost Whitney Houston. The opening line said it all, “Life’s too short to even care at all.” The lyrics and the great music endeared the band to so many from all parts of the planet.
That album propelled the band to heights that at first seemed untouchable, until it wasn’t. They found themselves at Lollapalooza, MTV Video Music Awards, Austin City Limits, and MTV Unplugged.
Since then, front-man Sameer Gadhia, guitarists Eric Cannata and Jacob Tilley, drummer Francois Comtois, and bassist Payam Doostzadeh have continued to release incredible albums: “Mind Over Matter” in 2014; “Home of the Strange” in 2016; “Mirror Master” in 2018; and 2022’s “American Bollywood.”
The radio hits also kept coming: “It’s About Time,” “Crystallized,” “Something to Believe In,” “Titus Was Born,” “Simplify,” “Superposition,” “Heat of the Summer,” “Call Me Back,” and “Wake Up” continue to touch the hearts and souls of their fans.
With their latest album, “American Bollywood,” they did things a bit different and delivered a bit at a time. In June of 2022, the band started to release EPs as sections called “Acts” – “Act I: Origins,” “Act II: Exile,” “Act III: Battle,” and “Act IV: Denouement.” Four “Acts” featuring four songs each totaling 16 songs became the new album.
As for the album’s inspiration, Gadhia said, “It’s about mythology; the power of a story; about brotherhood; redemption. It’s about the good and evil in all of us. About the country and world, we saw in the mirror of our deep isolation, and our fight to reclaim who we are; who we deserve to be.”
Now, if charts, airplay, and sold out shows do not convince you, how about praise from one of the more, ummmm, persnickety musical legends? Mr. Morrissey himself has given praise to Young the Giant: “… just … just … magnificent. Catch them if you can. Sameer has is the best singer in the world today. And yesterday. And tomorrow.” Seriously, Morrissey!
Young the Giant is bringing the German indie-rock duo, Milky Chance, on tour with them, plus some dates will also include TALK and Rosa Linn. Don’t miss your chance to see the guys from Irvine at FivePoint, If you can’t catch them here, they will also be in San Diego0. Seriously though, try to check out the OC show, because hometown shows are always the best!
