Concert Review: Groves Brought Beach Rock To Coney Island’s Boardwalk

First, let me say that Coney Island Amphitheater was a perfect home to house this literally beachy band. Hailing from Groves, Texas this Americana- infused rockers blended their sounds beautifully with the ocean breeze. Their electric guitars, synthetic keys, and heavy drums wandered through the crisp air to provide a “feel-good” ambiance. Their music gave an overarching feeling of sit and absorb this good vibration. As I looked around Culture Club fans, they looked amused and impressed with this band that was smooth enough to make them sit and listen, when we all know they came to stand and dance. It was that kind of subtle charisma that allowed lead singer Stephen Salisbury, bassist Reid Guidry, and drummer Will Smith to conquer the sonic-based hearts of these dance-minded fans.

Personally, I never understood why fan bases are typecast or pitted against each other. You always hear of one fan-base combatting the fans of another artist as if when you love Britney Spears then you cannot love Led Zeppelin. The truth is music is vast, and your taste for it can be an expanding palette. Groves performance proved that. They are drastically different music then Culture Club’s electro-pop, funkadelic soul rhythms. They are pure, Americana rockers that make you dream of driving through the desert or walking through the sand of a California beach. Either way, they drum up different, mental pictures through their music that feel more based in nature compared to Culture Club’s club, nightlife imagery. Yet, the coolness of their grounded energy is that it allowed people to enter into their current space, and feel prepped to move around. Thus, Groves may not be the band that makes you shake, but they still entertain you through their more tranquil style. Lead Singer Stephen Salisbury has a voice that can activate your inner rocker with its rasp or summon your inner indie persona with thoughtful undertones, which is perfect for a band that is captivating in their overall brightness.

The Groves showed me the reason that I love new artists and feature them the most on this site. New artists have a hunger and an open heart that shows in every move that they do during a performance. They want you to love their music as much as they do. They want you to see their light and all they have to offer as they place it before you eyes and ears. That kind of vulnerability and dreaming is what dripped off the stage of Coney Island Amphitheater as Groves appeared like a fountain of musical youth. For more information on Groves and to but tickets for their tour with Culture Club Click Here.