On Friday, October 28, I was blown away by the Jungle Giants’ stage presence and energy. The show exceeded my expectations in every way.
The Jungle Giants performed with opener Tim Atlas at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco. Unsure of what to expect, the venue was beautiful, with both seated tables in the back and plenty of standing room in front of the stage. While the show was completely sold out (even reseller tickets were no longer available the day of the show), the venue still had comfortable breathing room and did not feel overcrowded.
Tim Atlas opened for the Jungle Giants, beginning his set with upbeat covers and ending it with his own music, such as “Unwind” and “Courtside.” He kept the crowd engaged even during his mellower songs with his expressiveness and his remarkable voice. Atlas sang and played the keyboard throughout his set. My friend and I discussed how his bass player, Alexina Rie Boudreaux, was the definition of a “cool girl.” With cool style and a nonchalant attitude, her presence stood out on the stage alongside Atlas.
When the Jungle Giants came on stage, the soft and colorful lighting and unique styles of each member of the band immediately caught my eye. And, the moment they started playing, the whole crowd began to dance. The set list was an ideal mixbetween calm and energetic songs, creating a great atmosphere in the crowd.
The bass player, Andrew Dooris, had contagious energy on stage. I don’t think he ever stood still; he danced and jumped around the stage throughout the entire show.
Guitarist Cesira Aitken was similarly energetic on stage. She spent the show flipping her long hair from side to side and jumping up and down throughout the chorus of each and every song.
The lead singer, Sam Hales, engaged with the audience throughout the entire show. He tried on a front-row fan’s alien ears she wore for halloween and gifted an Australian fan the set list. Hales even jumped off of the stage and walked through the crowd to give a hug to the attendee in the best halloween costume of the night–a shockingly accurate shrek costume (the man had painted his entire body green). At the end of the show, the Jungle Giants and Tim Atlas stood at the merchandise table to meet and greet every fan at the show–it was remarkable how appreciative both groups seemed of their fans.
I left Bimbo’s 365 Club a much bigger fan of both the Jungle Giants and Tim Atlas. My friend and I both agreed that the band’s performance was one of the best live shows that we had seen. Both groups blew us away with t
heir stage presence, energy, and authenticity. The members of the Jungle Giants truly are performers at heart.
Article and photos by Eliza Scheer