Being a seven-piece indie-rock band gives Fierce Creatures the maneuverability to play exactly the kind of music they imagine. It also gives them plenty of room to layer in as many sounds and harmonies as they need to create the big orchestra of gorgeous, dynamic-enriched arrangements that they are known for.
There is a reason they are so popular in their hometown of Fresno. They combine guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion and even some less standard instruments like an occasional mandolin, harmonica and some bells—a tactic that creates a wall of sound larger than any one instrument. They work together to create new soundscapes, intense moods and crescendos, rather than focusing on any one member and showing off their chops.
Like their arrangements, Fierce Creatures tinker with musical styles indiscriminately. They tactfully hodgepodge a bit of pop, folk, soul, classic rock and experimental sounds into their songs to create something that is all their own. Where they draw true inspiration—and what connects their diverging musical tastes—is the sheer joy of music. They dig for the most basic thread of childlike musical expression and re-interpret the standard rock and roll conventions to give new life to pleasantly familiar simple songs.

Playing at the Pagoda (Fairmont Hotel) | 10:30pm