Griz ensures funk is alive & well at the Commodore (Vancouver event review)

By Ryan Hayes

Lovingly curated and nurtured by Grant Kwiecinski's renewed creative vision, the Ride Waves tour is a celebration of the core tenants embedded at the heart of dance music. Although the Commodore was unable to accommodate GRiZ' mind bending Imaginarium setup—he did manage to squeeze 24 sets of lasers on stage—the essence of the tour remained intact.

Bolstered by GRiZ' unfettered artistic scope, the entire show is constructed to transport the audience and put a smile on their face. 2019 has been an incredible production streak for Grant who released a full LP & three Bangers EPs—twenty three official GRiZ releases in just nine months. Ride Waves is his most actualized album to date, and his Bangers offshoot his brought new sounds to the stagnant landscape of bass music. Griztronics is this year's unofficial dub anthem.

As the night progressed GRiZ transitioned through a wide spectrum of musical genres. From a headbangers paradise, to saxophone infused elctro-funk, through to a house leaning section...and back around again...regardless of what GRiZ played, everyone was along for the ride.

The Ride Waves tour seems to have fostered the continual growth of a welcoming fan base; the core of which is strengthened by the genuine connection Grant facilitates with his community. It's what the catch all umbrella label of EDM needs. Artistry. Vision. Personality. A deviation from the standard commercialized path currently bleeding festivals dry of any recognizable character.

With the aid of his live band Grant brought Ride Waves alive for attendees. PROBCAUSE rapped alongside Grant throughout the show and carried songs including 'My Friends & I Pt. 2' and a stellar rendition of the impactful 'It Gets Better' which is usually helmed by DRAM. Chrishira Perrier's soulful vocals always ushered a torrent of energy from the crowd; highlights included 'I'm Good' & 'I Like That.' Stepping out from behind his guitar we were treated to Muzzy Bear's vocals on Ride Waves' 'Caught Up.'

The entire show represented the physical embodiment of Grant's desire to step out of his creative comfort zone and take his GRiZ persona to new heights. Grant played more saxophone, led sections on guitar, and—even lent his vocals to live renditions of tracks from both Ride Waves & his Bangers EPs.

Perhaps not the fever pitch for energy, but certainly a peak for pure vibes; Cruise Control sat squarely in the middle of his show. After ramping up the audience with a string of heavy wubs he expertly brought us back to a beautiful middle ground with chilled funk vibes. We were all in it together, and that was the point.

Like Bassnectar before him, and more recently Excision, Grant is in the midst of creating something both intimately important to a growing section of super fans, and commercially viable on a large scale. Ride Waves may have been his sixth album but it is just the beginning of a much larger act two for Grant Kwiecinski.