Givers

A new band has made its way into the Valcour mix. They aren’t Cajun, they aren’t zydeco, they aren’t old time. GIVERS are are pure fun. At times poppy, at times psychadelic, their music incites and demands roars of applause from the packed bars and nightclubs they play around Louisiana.

GIVERS consists of several musicians from various improvisational groups all centered in southwestern Louisiana who have combined to form one cohesive music making body, creating what they refer to as afro-beat, dancy pants, indie pop love music.

GIVERS specialize in sounds that gather together melodically and electronically bent forms of african, folk, and pop music, but send them underwater, where they are refracted with light and space, changing the overall shape and texture into something refreshingly new, yet at the same time, familiar. All natives of southern Louisiana, the members were brought up in a music scene steeped rich in culture, whether it be the Cajun or zydeco roots of their hometown, Lafayette, or the funky, dance inducing second line from neighboring New Orleans. Despite the abundance of traditional music surrounding the band, GIVERS have managed to harness a sound of their own, breaking free of tradition, all the while maintaining an honesty in their music which keeps listeners on edge.

At a GIVERS show, one can expect to experience a barrage of colors, both within the music as well as within the visual aesthetic. The chemistry between band members alongside their vibrant light show creates a lucid dream-like atmosphere anywhere GIVERS play, leaving the crowd with no choice but to become a part of what is happening. To be in this experience is to, for a moment, accept the feeling of ascendance, not submergence–to give in to one’s vulnerability as set by the music making examples on stage–to let go and truly release.

Despite being a very young band, GIVERS have established themselves in their regional scene by filling venues and reaching multiple maximum capacity limits within their first few shows. They have supported such acts as Dirty Projectors, Casper & the Cookies, Everthus the Deadbeats and MyNameIsJohnMichael.

- Via Valcour Records