I had seen and heard enough of GRiZ to know that when we walked into Buffalo Riverworks a few weeks ago, we weren’t just going to see a guy standing in front of a few turntables and microphone turning a bunch of knobs.
As expected, we were treated to a 65+minute wave crashing ride through his latest album, RIDE WAVES, complete with a killer light show, awesome visuals and backed some of the tightest musicians we’ve seen on any stage around Western New York in 2019.
Grant Kwiecinski, also known as GRiZ, is a 28-year-old from north Detroit. His newest album ‘Ride Waves’ features collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, Wiz Khalifa, Bootsy Collins, and others.
If you’re somehow unfamiliar with GRiZ, here’s a great interview by WBFO’s Nick Lippa who spoke with GriZ about his sound, influences, and what exactly “future funk” is.
Unlike the EDM you might be used too, GRiZ is on a totally different level. As with most of GRiZ’s music, RIDING WAVES bends genres in ways few have been able to accomplish.
The current LP that made up most of the setlist of the Riverworks show was recorded in New Orleans and you can definitely hear the influences not just throughout the album itself, but the entire live performance. Funk, R&B, EDM and Rock come crashing together in one catchy song after another.
The album literally comes alive on stage, with GRiZ backed by an amazing lineup of live musicians. If anyone could somehow take the spotlight off of GRiZ himself, it was Chrishira Perrier on vocals.
A few highlights were definitely Chrishira’s vocals on “The Prayer”
GRiZ with some electric guitar on “I Feel Alive”
And “Can’t Get Enough” is just fun and funky:
Rapper Colin Grimm (AKA – ProbCause) brought songs like “My Friends And I Part 2” alive, adding fuel to an already high octane show. Jeremy Phipps on trombone and Jesse Blum on trumpet were just as impressive filling out the horn section featuring GRiZ himself on saxophone.
If you get a chance to catch GRiZ live this Summer we suggest you take full advantage of it.