The Jungle Giants
The Jungle Giants were an immediate stand out for me when they were added to the 2020 Noise Pop Festival lineup.
Hailing from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - The band's been around since 2011, but I've only been privy to them for a couple years. They were among the first tickets I purchased for this year's festival - a proper Tuesday show at The Independent in San Francisco - with opening support from FAST TIMES and Little Image.
FAST TIMES is one of local artist Andrew St. James' many projects, a self described trifecta of Bay Area musicians featuring Duncan Nielsen on guitar, Cody Rhodes on drums, and St. James himself on bass and vocals. They were a fantastic way to start the evening - Nielsen reminded the crowd that Noise Pop started at The Independent, 28 years prior when the venue was called Kennel Club. The three piece played through a handful of tunes featuring notable vocal harmonies and St. James' shoulder shrugs. This was actually the first of two Noise Pop gigs the band had lined up, as FAST TIMES was booked at Benders' the following night for a Noise Pop Happy Hour. Little Image was up next, and despite not making a huge impact on me while perusing this year's lineup, they were surprisingly tight live.
The three piece came out wearing matching jackets - the aesthetic felt clear, but not contrived. From what I gathered, they've spent the better part of the last two years reconfiguring their sound - a shift that included the departure of a former fourth band member. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed their set, as I hadn't been compelled to catch them based off their recorded material prior to the release of their latest single: "WORTH IT". This renewed energy was palpable as the lead singer bounced around stage, throwing down on keys for a couple tracks, and singing into a vocoder. They were extremely tight overall - looking forward to seeing what the future holds for them.
The Jungle Giants ascended to the stage after a quick set change and immediately got into a groove, starting with the title track from 2017's Quiet Ferocity. That record has four absolute bangers - "Used to Be in Love", "Feel the Way I Do", "Bad Dream", and "On Your Way Down" - each of which have been stuck in my head multiple times over the years. Their set list was seemingly structured around them, as they were doled out to us like the treats that they are. Sam Hales is such a charismatic, humble front man - nailing his falsetto alongside an assortment of dance moves. Cesira Aitken joins him on guitar, with Andrew Dooris on bass/ backing vocals and Keelan Bijker on drums - I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't anyone on keys. Their latest two singles - "Heavy Hearted" and "Sending Me Ur Loving", are a bit of a departure from the rest of their material, certainly more "dancey"; it would have been great to hear those sounds brought to life.
That's not to say these songs were lacking, on the contrary; If anything, they were indicative of the direction the band is heading, and I was left hungry for more. The audience was enthralled - after jumping into the crowd and singing along with them, Hales returned to the stage remarking - "That's a Jungle Giants show - Happy, Healthy, and Safe". He then went on to thank their sound guy, Anthony: "We love you mate. A lot of people say "from the bottom of my heart", but what's wrong with the top?". The show felt like it had only started by the time it was declared that there would be no "encore" - "it's just a waste of your time!" Hales said, before the band launched into their final two songs. By the end of the night, I couldn't help but root for this band - I hope they continue to rise in popularity and return to the states soon!
