Just how good is Givers? Maybe the question is this: how great is Givers?
I first heard of Givers just a few weeks ago when the Savannah Stopover announced they had been booked for a concert after TEDxCreativeCoast at the Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center here in Savannah. You can read more about that event here. 
So I was slow to hear the buzz about the band, but how much buzz does such a young band — one that hasn’t even put out an LP yet — deserve?
I didn’t hear Givers in the best of venues. As gorgeous as the Eckburg Atrium at the Jepson is, it’s a tough place for sound. Still, Givers rose above that problem with their high energy rock, which melds plenty of drums and a variety of world music styles. They saved their signature song “Up Up Up” for last — and it had all the warmth and giddy rhythms as in the studio version.
Even having seen a couple of live videos of the band, I was not prepared for the unabashed emotional embrace of the music — and of performing. Somewhere along the line, a switch was flipped and the smily, mild-mannered young people turned into crazed artists exuding utter confidence and barely controlled glee as they ripped through their own originals and a couple of stunning Talking Heads covers.
Ceiling Of Plankton by GIVERS
The band’s rich visuals are largely thanks to lead singers and founders Taylor Guarisco and Tiffany Lamson. Lamson’s hair-swinging beauty as she attacks her mishmash of instruments is more than matched by Guarisco’s eye-rolling and tongue-lolling. It’s manic, crazy, fun. And really, really good.
I can’t wait to get my hands on their first album, “In Light”, set for release by Glassnote on June 7th. It has already gotten strong reviews at The Audio Perv and Filter Magazine.
I can’t think of many bands — The B-52s? — who have had long careers with such relentlessly upbeat music, so maybe Givers will need to dial it down to, say, 10, at some point.
And lots of press outlets have already dithered about capitalizing the entire name, which is officially GIVERS.
But there’s no need for caps lock when you can play like that.
Here’s hoping Givers gets back to Savannah before they’re too big for any of our venues.
Click here for all posts about the Savannah Stopover.
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