The Growlers’ 2019 tour brought them to Chicago’s Metro for two nights, and this double-date duty brewing early hype for the band’s latest visit. By the end of the night, it was clear why fans needed Brooks Nielsen and team to make two appearances.

The setlist delivered on all fronts, pulling all the fan favorites from their catalog to play a massive 24-song set. It was entertaining to see what got the biggest reaction out of fans, and the band got to enjoy some of that energy their songs generated as well. One of my favorite moments came after “Dope on a Rope,” with the crowd roaring so wildly that Brooks took a step back to let the moment soak in… and then taking control back by kicking into the awesome “One Million Lovers.”

While their discography is more than enough to gain a fanbase and keep people hooked, but on this, my third time seeing them play in concert, I’m convinced that it’s their live shows that are responsible for their cult following. While there’s your standard hooting and hollering, there’s also an indescribable energy that gets emitted that’s particularly enhanced to the tune of “Rare Hearts,” “Someday,” “City Club,” and “Chinese Fountain.” The concert hall turns into a dance floor where strangers come together to enjoy the California band’s signature Beach Goth vibes, and it really feels like a communal experience. Like we’re all in on this secret, so we celebrate whenever it’s time again to have another live experience.

When the band came back for an encore, I was stunned by how ecstatic people got and how quickly this turned into a Disco affair thanks to “I’ll Be Around.” We all danced like fools and loved every second of it. Closing number “Going Gets Tuff” has always stood out for its powerfully optimistic and hopeful nature, but nothing compares to being in a room with hundreds of other fans that are also harnessing the personal feelings this song brings to mind, and using those to scream-sing with everything their vocal chords can handle.

Shout out to Pinky Pinky, which were simply badass as they opened for The Growlers. They’ve got some really good tracks they played that night and will make you want to go home and binge on whatever music they’ve made available on the streaming services.

Check out our favorite pictures from that night below.

With this past weekend’s shows firmly in the rearview mirror now, it’s time for fans of The Growlers throughout the rest of the country to see them live. Get your tickets here: http://thegrowlers.com/calendar/

Photo credit: Oscar Oliva Jr / Pursuit Of Dopeness