Weekend Review: up and comer

The Matt Coughlin and the Growlers shows this weekend at Beyond the Bridge Café prove that Tacoma’s music and art scene is alive and well. The place was packed and the vibe was strong.

Coughlin is a rising star in the South Sound music scene that should be seen now for the “I remember when” stories later if for nothing else. But there are plenty of immediate reasons to see the band now as well. It is really good… really, really good.

The high-energy folk-rock fusion songs and infectious lyrics piping from the mics force heads to bounce and feet to tap. Coughlin and the Growlers has talent up and down the set. That was proven when Coughlin snapped a guitar string mid set. Instead of slowing the show, bandmates held a three-way duel jam that jumped from bass to violin to drums for a solid 10 minutes while Coughlin restrung his six string. Each impromptu round built on the energy that played before until the crowd came to a roar.

Complementing the show was Matthew Scott painting stage side and an old-school burlesque show that was high on dance and strategically low on skin.
Tacoma’s own Vicci Martinez sat in on a set with her own vibe of heart-felt jams.

Pics of the gig can be found on Facebook.