The Growlers in New Orleans

About The Growlers

The Growlers are an Orange County indie rock band that emerged in the late 2000s with a sound that blends surf rock languor with garage rock grit. Built around Brooks Nielsen's deadpan vocals, they've developed a reputation for moody, hypnotic tracks that feel both detached and deeply felt. Their earlier work carried a stoned, coastal vibe—think lazy afternoons that suddenly snap into focus. Songs like 'City Club' showcased their ability to construct simple melodies that burrow into your head, while tracks like 'Artificial Light' demonstrated darker, more introspective leanings. The band has evolved beyond their initial Beach Goth aesthetic while maintaining the core appeal: songs that sound effortless but aren't, lyrics that reveal themselves slowly, and a general refusal to seem like they're trying too hard.

Their shows move at their own pace—no false energy, just a steady, almost hypnotic pull. Crowds tend to sway rather than thrash. Nielsen's delivery stays cool and measured even in intimate venues, which somehow makes songs hit harder. They're the band you watch rather than the band that demands your participation.

Known for City Club, Sunshine, Artificial Light, Floating, The One That Got Away

The Growlers + New Orleans

The Growlers have always had a knack for turning up in unexpected places. Their last New Orleans appearance came on Halloween 2015 at City Park, where they dug into the weirder corners of their catalog. They opened with "Big Toe" and wound through deeper cuts like "The Moaning Man From Shanty Town" and "Empty Bones"—the kind of stuff that rewards actual listeners. "Black Memories" closed things out, a fitting finale for a band that trades in surf-influenced melancholy and moody introspection. The set felt less like a greatest hits run and more like hanging out with people who actually care about the songs they're playing.

The Growlers in New Orleans News

• The Growlers Vocalist Brooks Nielsen Rolls Through Asbury Lanes [Photos] Live For Live Music · Sep 24, 2022
• The Growlers Tickets, Concerts & 2026 Tour Dates Event Tickets Center · Jun 26, 2018
• The Growlers Announce Their Beach Goth Fall Tour Paste Magazine · Jun 19, 2018
• The Growlers put goth in "beach goth" at Joy Theater The Tulane Hullabaloo · Oct 20, 2017
• The Growlers share new song "Late Bloomers" Northern Transmissions · Jun 1, 2017

Live Music in New Orleans

New Orleans doesn't really do the indie-psych-surf thing. The city's live music landscape runs deep on brass, blues, funk, and hip-hop—sounds built for sweat and close quarters, not dreamy melodics. That contrast could work in The Growlers's favor. They'd be a cool outlier in a town that doesn't need to be told how to make music weird.

New Orleans road trip to see The Growlers?

Stay in the Marigny neighborhood—closer to the actual music scene than the French Quarter, with better restaurants and genuine character. Dinner at Bacchanal Butcher on Dauphine Street for their house-made charcuterie and wine list. Spend an afternoon at the Preservation Hall Foundation or catch live jazz on Frenchmen Street, which will give you the musical context for understanding why New Orleans crowds demand what they do. Walk through the Backstreet Cultural Museum to see the real history of the city's brass bands and Mardi Gras culture.