Question
What are the kind they sell everywhere in bunches growing in just water and
pebbles?  Will they grow in soil?  Do they need anything other than water?

Answer
That plant isn't a real bamboo, but a species of Dracaena, a genus that contains a number of popular houseplants, such as the so-called corn plant and Janet Craig.

The plant actually prefers to grow in soil, though transitioning from water to soil may shock the plant.

Other than water, the plant needs the right amount of light (bright, filtered), and nutrients in the form of an organic or chemical fertilizer, although, having been heavily fertilized by the grower, the plant may survive for years without additional nutrients.