This February, Brooks Nielsen, lead singer of surf-psych icons The Growlers, revisits the band’s classic album, Chinese Fountain, to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Nielsen will perform the album from start to finish (and then some) at a handful of very special California shows; Los Angeles (2/14), San Luis Obispo (2/15), San Diego (2/13 + 2/16) and San Francisco (2/17).
Chinese Fountain is The Growlers’ fourth studio album and sees the band evolve from a psych-circus, while remaining true to the band's “beach goth” essence. It is blessedly direct, with razor sharp songwriting and engaging melodies at the center of every song; "Big Toe," "Going Gets Tough," "Love Test,” “Rare Hearts” and or course, the disco-punk and synth-splashed title track. It was that track that signaled the band’s move from the dive bar to the dance floor--a precursor of sorts to the band’s follow-up, the Julian Casablancas-produced City Club.
Uncompromising, enigmatic, and wildly ambitious, Nielsen isn’t tiptoeing into his solo career. The energetic singer has had a busy couple of years, embarking on headline tours where he regularly performs more than two hours each night, sometimes stretching his show past the three-hour mark.
In addition to songs from his 20-track solo debut One Match Left and subsequent The Circle and Psycho EPs, Nielsen’s dynamic set lists have been loaded with Growlers’ classics, deep cuts, choice covers, and stripped-down, unplugged mini-sets.
Aided by a live band that includes Growlers drummer Richard Gowen, bassist Brogan Dutcher, keyboardist Cole Riddle, and guitarists J.D. Carrera and Elyadeen Anbar, Nielsen melds the live spontaneity of the improv-driven rock scene with the energy of his punk peers.
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