The Growlers

The Growlers are an American band formed in 2006 in Dana Point, California, later based in Costa Mesa. Fronted by vocalist Brooks Nielsen alongside guitarists Matt Taylor and Kyle Straka, the band built a prolific catalog blending surf rock, garage, psychedelia and pop into a sound they themselves dubbed «Beach Goth» — warped, reverb-drenched and tinged with melancholy despite its sun-bleached, surf-adjacent roots.

Since their early demos, the band has released a steady stream of albums, developing a devoted following through relentless touring and a DIY, outsider aesthetic. That identity eventually grew into the Beach Goth festival, a showcase the band organized that reflected their eclectic taste and community around Orange County's alternative music scene.

Nielsen's laconic, drawling vocal delivery and the band's warped guitar tones have remained constant through lineup changes over the years, giving The Growlers a recognizable sound even as they moved between different producers and stylistic shades of psych and surf-tinged rock. Their live shows and prolific output have made them a mainstay of the American underground rock circuit.