Local Band Feature: Young the Giant

Published: August 23, 2010

Courtesy of Young the Giant

Cheers erupt amongst a swarming crowd inside a dimly-lit bar as five young men take the stage. The lead singer runs his hand through his dark hair and looks at the audience before breaking into a huge smile, pulling his bandmates into a huddle. They put their heads together while looking at their feet for a moment before separating, now ready to share their newest songs with their Orange County fans at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa.

Walking to opposite sides of the stage, Jake Tilley and Eric Cannata of Young the Giant pick up their guitars while Francois Comtois sits behind his drum set. Placing the strap of his bass around his neck, Payam Doostzadeh stands by Sameer Gadhia, the face of the band, who picks up his tambourine from beside his tan loafers and wraps his hand around the microphone in front of him.

“It’s good to be home,” said Gadhia over the applause.

Young the Giant’s name is as unique as its sound, which has been described as a mix between Kings of Leon and Interpol. The Irvine natives have been together for three years, writing music described by Last.fm as “an assembly of international names and assorted backgrounds that combine to produce a refreshing brand of sun soaked Indie rock … it is a sound all their own.”

You may have seen Young the Giant on their recent national tour with Minus the Bear or opening for The Whigs, Ghostland Observatory, Steel Train and Kings of Leon. The band has also shared the stage with LMFAO and Shiny Toy Guns.

You may have even heard one of their singles, “Cough Syrup” on KROQ’s local favorites. Their song “Texas Tea,” a song about oil burning in the 1930’s, was on MTV’s “The Real World: Brooklyn.” “Paid the Piper,” a song about corruption within institutionalized religion, was played during A&E’s “The Beast.”
With their infectious energy and original melodies, it’s no surprise this band comprised of stylish men in their early 20’s showcased at South by Southwest and headlined a packed House of Blues in Anaheim.
Posters of the band cover the walls of Detroit Bar, where the bar’s trendy, laid-back atmosphere is complemented by Young the Giant’s music. Their natural charisma mesmerizes the audience who seems to sing along to every word.

As they began playing “Shake My Hand,” their old friend, Hannah Lee, 21, of Irvine, raised her arms in the air.

“This is my favorite song. It’s really inspiring that people my own age can write lyrics that are so deep. This is my favorite verse!” Lee said of the lyrics,“being alone really ‘aint that bad. I make the best of the hurt.”

Inspired by The Strokes, Coldplay and Radiohead, the band is described by fans in the audience as “fun,” “talented” and “hot.” The guys are just as fun-loving on stage as off . Their humble, carefree attitudes draw people to them.

Music comes naturally to the five friends, who each contribute to the writing process.

“A lot of it is based on improvisation,” said Comtois of their song writing. “We’re probably the only band I know who will write a song at 4 o’clock and play it at a show at eight.”

After graduating from high schools in Irvine and attending four-year universities all over California, including Stanford and UC Irvine, early last year they decided to take a leave of absence from school to focus on their band. Because they value their education, choosing to pursue their music careers was a difficult decision, but hard work is paying off for the young men who just a year ago, snagged a record deal with Roadrunner Records.

The band just finished recording their first full length album to be released later this year with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Shins, My Morning Jacket). Their newest single, “My Body” can be downloaded for free at YoungTheGiant.com. This month, they have residency to perform at The Troubadour in Los Angeles on Sundays and at The Casbah in San Diego on Mondays.

As their show nears its end, Gadhia sings passionately, closing his eyes and hitting the tambourine against his hips to the beat. Dancing with each other while laughing and smiling, one would think they feed off the audience’s energy, but the band’s chemistry is so overwhelming, the audience feeds off theirs.
As their last song ends and they leave the stage, the audience begins to chant.

“One more song! One more song!”

Without hesitation, the band picks up their instruments and begins their encore.

“For those of you who don’t know us,” Gadhia said with a grin, “We’re Young the Giant.”