Bon Iver Homestand (Eau Claire, Wi. Dec 13, 2011)

The scene: A small university gymnasium, in a small American university town that is bubbling over with excitement. So much so that the three-thousand strong huddled on wooden bleachers, or if they were lucky, seated upon plastic chairs, leave their seats for a standing ovation. Not even for the main event, but for the mediocre lone-female opening act, Lianne la Havas, who talks more about "this next song" and takes photos than sings (albeit nicely) to her sparse electric guitar. Suffice it to say the atmosphere when the hometown hero finally takes to the stage is more like a Final-Four basketball game than a concert.


Hailing from Eau Claire Bon Iver's trots out for the first show in his native city since the year following the release of his acclaimed debut album, which came out in '07. Following him are eight men who will prove to be supremely gifted musicians in their own right. Without much ado off the top they launch into music that ranges from sparse, with touches of improvisation and jazz, to crescendoing noise that is equally powerful and plain awesome. Besides Justin Vernon's signature voice and impressive guitar chops, the sound includes two guitarists, one of whom picks up an acoustic at times throughout the night, and both of whom rock violins at other points. There's even a violin solo. Speaking of doubles, there are two drummers with full kits doing oh-so-much more than keeping time. Another musician has a cymbal, but also plays the chimes, a set of hanging triangles and trombone. Beside him also occasionally on brass is the keyboardist. Had enough horns and trombones? Absolutely not! The bass player picks up a clarinet and trumpet from time to time, while the most welcome addition comes in the form of the outrageously talented Colin Stetson on saxophone. And sister, this isn't your high-school band sax, this is a beast that would be the giant squid of the orchestra - the biggest sax I've ever seen. More on Colin later.


The band runs through a myriad of songs - seeming to focus more on the newer, self-titled album. This is understandable considering the previous was a more subdued, acoustic affair - absolutely lovely - but with a super group assembled like this you want to take full advantage with the fleshed out, fuller sounds of Bon Iver. That being said old faves such as Creature Fear fully impressed too in the flashing red lights and surprisingly crisp sound of this gymnasium, considering the sonic levels they could take it up to as a whole. (If I had to liken it to anyone, I could say I heard elements of TV on the Radio at times, coincidentally a band Colin also works with.) 


Quieter moments were also achieved, such as when Justin took a mid-set opportunity to play us a solo acoustic song, Re: Stacks, which he dedicated to a local university adviser. Bringing it right back around following this was a full-band rendition of a Bjork song that was equally as impressive as their originals and featured the trombone player beatboxing under Vernon's singing. Rad! However perhaps the most breathtaking part of the night, both literally and figuratively, was Stetson's saxophone solo. It sounded completely unique (and diverse considering it was just one sax), and it lasted for nearly five straight minutes! As in constant, non-stop, soloing (presumably with a circular breathing technique) that carried directly into a full-out, loud, band breakdown through which he could still be heard jamming away. Words cannot do it justice.


To cap what was already a night to remember was the album, and set, closer: Beth/Rest. This song has an uplifting feeling that is not often felt in his music and it was another showstopper - literally - as they broke before the encore. We knew it was coming not only from the absolutely thunderous applause and stomping, but because they placed a stool on Justin's rug and brought out an additional two mics. The stool allowed him to play acoustically while his band backed him for the most reserved full band song of the night. Following this was a gem I'd personally been waiting for all night - and judging by the reaction of the other people standing and showing their appreciation, I was not the only one. Skinny Love wowed with the drummers staying put while the other six gathered around two mics to sing the back ups, and clap/stomp along. Whew! How do you top that? How do you close a night as incredible as this? Have the audience sing along, at the top of their lungs, to The Wolves while the music escalates to heavenly heights. Exceptionally high hometown expectations exceeded!

The Kooks, The Postelles (Sound Academy, Nov 23, 2011)

The Kooks

Leading Luke was a ball of energy; engimatic and all over the stage he drew the crowd's attention off the top and held it throughout the night. Technically The Kooks were a five piece this eve (counting the maraca-shaker half-hidden behind the tower of synths) but even the bass, guitar and drummer took a backseat to their singer. His barely interpretable mumbles (English to English) between songs were met with cheers and a silly amount of Blackberry flashes. Thankfully he wasn't there to talk and he knew it - singing through a wide variety of Kooks tunes from all three full lengths. New music like Rosie, Runaway and Eskimo Kiss filled out the solid seventy minute main set, whereas How'd You Like That? and encore-inclusion Junk of the Heart earned a more permanent place on future set lists. She Moves in Her Own Way was quite welcome - proving the strength of their debut - and how many disappointed people would there be if they didn't include Seaside? This was a Luke-solo-acoustic number as 'the boys grab a beer' and he stood raised-up at the stage-edge for the singalong. He remained there as the band returned for an all-acoustic number (how does an acoustic bass work?) that had the drummer just banging one single drum center-stage. It worked as an enjoyable intermission to break up the set. In fact, the back and forth from electrified to acoustic was also appreciated as it kept things fresh. Act II standouts included Ooh La and closer Do You Wanna? Following a fairly lengthy absence Luke returned and sat his shaggy head of curls at the piano for a lesser-known (cover?) number before the aforementioned Junk of the Heart. For the night's final song he was back to his old self, prancing across the stage and crooning out Naive. Altogether it was a fun, and full set from the English boys. They've definitely matured since that infectious first album and as with anything it's better to grow than stagnate - as long as they keep appeasing the Seaside lovers.

The Postelles

The Postelles must have been hand-picked as a crowd-pleasing opening choice for this tour as they are essentially The Kooks Junior, USA. The four pals from NYC play upbeat, jaunty pop in the same vein and seem to have some fun doing it. The all-ages, nearly all-female crowd ate out of their hands, except when they asked whether we wanted a Ramones or Elvis song. ('Who?' or 'Okay, I guess') Hound Dog followed. Not sure based on this performance that they've got what it takes to be top tier but that White Night tune could definitely earn some air play.

Greg MacPherson, Tom Keenan (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22, 2011)

Greg MacPherson played an impassioned solo electric guitar set, shimmying and pacing all over the stage. His confidence was high and vocals and guitar rang clear, especially on opener First Class. The one man routine did grow tiresome after a while and wasn't fully saved by the addition of a drummer part way through. Nor the different drummer who joined him after that. Not that it was bad, just that it was much of the same.

With his acoustic, Tom Keenan sang mostly personal tales of failure, as he put it. Additionally he rocked a harmonica too. Nearing the end he implored us to singalong, to some degree of success. It was a decent set for another solo acoustic guitar but nothing to write home about.

Les Jupes (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22)

Les Jupes have got a look. (It was hard to choose best hair in the band - eventual winner, bass player for his tussled yet all-up do). This was no fashion contest though - this was a show and they gave us one. Following an opening new number they did my introduction to them, Myth #3, as well as Someone Lit a Fire Under Kruschev. On the latter they were giving it their all considering it was song three, as the drummer was leaving his seat to pound it out and guitar was cranking up the pedals for a searing sound. Outside of this the bass/synth player was confidently holding it down and the female keyboardist also provided xylophone on the slower, steadier, mid-set One Solemn Oath. Later, on another new track, she was great in her echoing backing vocals. In what turned out to be another all-too-short set they played a hard hitting version of Myth #7 (Honour) before closing out with the slow burn into crescendo of A Caveman Returns Home to Find the Fire Has Gone Out. I've been wanting to see this band for some time now and even with the wait and the anticipation I was not disappointed. Now I just want to see them again (and have them play Awake, My Ghost!).

The Details (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22, 2011)

Whoever decided to put The Details, arguably the best-known band, first up on the Manitoba Music night  did me a disservice. However the tail end of the set that I did catch was impressive enough. Familiar primarily with The Original Mark it was the first song I heard in full and it was flippin' good. The five-piece from Winnipeg have got it down - couple guys on guitars including a rather capable frontman, a female violinist and a girl wielding a massive bass, all in front of their drummer. The intro to the next song medleyed "Live like a refugee" into "Moves like Mick Jagger" before launching into a fantastic original that exhibited their musicianship, including some violin showcasing. It was fantastic. Their final song was a short ditty and before I knew it they were done. But like the Jets, they will return amidst eager anticipation.

Elliott Brood, $100 (Phoenix, Nov 18)

Elliott Brood


Elliott Brood, the solo-named three-piece, were ecstatic to be home playing for an adoring hometown crowd. The Phoenix seemed a large venue when I first heard of the show but who knew all the misfits that their 'death country' could draw. The place was full and people were audibly excited. It was unfortunate that the beginning of the set after the initial excitement of their appearance was hampered slightly by less familiar new material and more so by technical difficulties. The latter visibly frustrated the seated (in a wonderfully EB branded wooden chair) guitarist who spent nearly an entire song sang by his partner and drummer swapping cables, guitars, pedals and amps before plugging in and ripping an electric guitar solo straight off to close out the tune. Nothing like making up for lost time!

It seemed that as the set passed the midway point of a damn good chunk of their catalogue, primarily Days Into Years new, but also touches of old, that the energy and intensity grew. Don't get me wrong - If I Get Old, Hold You and Northern Air are strong additions to their repertoire and nice to hear live, but what takes off with a crowd more than a round about their country's provinces? (Oh, Alberta) Follow that up with the double ukuleles of The Valley Town and you've got the crowd playing into your hands. By the end people were jumping up and down and hollering out the lyrics and it was as an Elliott Brood show we've come to know. Perhaps it was the larger space or the newer songs but given enough time they brought it around. Their final song, Chuckwagon, had them playing two acoustic guitars and drums so intently that is was awesome to watch. Even though it had been a plentiful set they crescendoed at the right time and had us begging for more.

First encore song must have been a cover that brought things back into this realm only to ratchet it right back up there for Miss You Now! How could I have forgotten about that classic? And it was phenomenal to see people handing the love over to their hometown heroes (sorry Windsor, they live here now). Elliott Brood were bringing it home for the hometown crowd. Nothing beats ending on a high note.

$100

There are a small handful of bands that win adoration from critics and adoring fans that I just can't seem to crack into. One Hundred Dollars would fall into this category. Due to love from fellow artists that I enjoy I have seen them a few times but the female-vocal, peppy (for country) country just can't worm its way into my heart. Simone's delivery is unique but seemingly without much effort. She performed one song with a simple drum pulse which was interesting. The electric guitar lead is pretty impressive on songs, and the drumming from the fill-in female on somewhat repetitive Waiting on Another was great too. Fifty minutes of this was too much for me and I was fine to see them go after Ties that Bind.

Bruce Peninsula with Bruce Peninsula (Dakota Tavern, Nov 16)

The Dakota Tavern is a wonderfully intimate place, and the Bruce Peninsula band is full of wonder that best rubs off in an intimate setting. Having played a slew of shows in Toronto since reviving the revue not even half a year ago, this one was not to be missed not only because the new album has now had time to resonate but it would be in this small space. As an additional bonus they displayed some of their sometimes overlook wonders by opening for themselves. Yes, a novel idea where they allowed their members to showcase some of their solo or side material, or just to have a different tank on BP mainstays.

Starting off this quirky set was a solo acoustic guitar under the the Choir of the Bruce Peninsula. Following we heard from the Tamara-led, also acoustic, Weather Station, and one from Andrew who traded his bass for guitar and vocals. The band reconvened for the new Or So I Dreamed before a personal highlight in Eons that included Matt's vocals alongside the four females and lap steel. Micha set the entire band rolling with their a capella parts and then sang over it to great results. Ensemble they slowed down Shutters before the drummer stepped forward. First he gave a history of popular drummer-cum-frontmen before singing a song that was quite enjoyable, pausing in the middle for a seemingly incongruous ramble about a classic Christmas film, before he finally brought it back around tying it in to vocal rhythms. And then split the crowd and asked us to provide the vocal rhythm to complete the song - it was quirky, funny and fun. Neil Haverty, 'lead singer', brought it down a little with a slower number on electric guitar before Micha led us in a Sesame Street singalong 'bout jelly. Don't ask - it fit somehow. In first set finale it was a live favourite in their take on Loudon Wainwright III's Swimming Song  that was as strong as ever.

The "ten minute break" before the main set stretched much further but it wasn't as if anyone was going anywhere. Bruce Peninsula were about to play their new material plus a smattering of old favourites. In fact Neil had the idea of opening with Satisfied to get things rolling off the top. Good call! Following that was a joyous set of new Open Flames, As Long As I Live, Pull Me Under and single, Your Light amongst them. This was done with a full contingent of nine members squashed on the tiny stage, as their tour manager joined them to add double percussion throughout (yay!). Playing a bass and lap steel on the same track is impressive and was often accomplished. Another highlight was the new Say Yeah which started slower but built up so, so well. Adrenaline further proved how versatile and great the new material is with it's unique percussion. Micha led what I believe was a cover about a lying salesman before they hit us with Inside/Outside into Steamroller. Honestly, I swear it never gets old.

No chance were they getting off that easy - despite playing practically their entire repertoire. They did a number by a preacher with a gusty call-and-response chorus and then surged the night to climax with a rousing Crabapples in closing. Tastes just fine to me!

Amy Millan, Patrick Watson (Koerner Hall, Nov 10)

Amy Millan began the evening, admitting that these were songs she hadn't dusted off in the nearly two years since her last solo album, Masters of the Burial. If there was rust there it did not show from the leading lady, nor her upstanding accompaniment. The selection of gems from both of her solo albums was beautifully brought to life with the aid of Ben Whitely on standup bass, Dan Whitely playing acoustic and electric guitar or alternatively an electric ukulele that had a uniquely great sound. However it was the multi instrumentalist Christine Bougie who opened on steel guitar but also played drums and whatever else was required, that really completed the sound. Ooo that lap steel with those acoustics. Magic! Speaking of magic it was simply great to hear Amy's smooth vocals at the forefront of the set. It was fantastic to just allow the music to overtake you from all angles and be immersed in the sound as she incorporated tributes, including a Sarah Harmer number and her beautiful Death Cab version (I Will Follow You Into the Dark). She also chose to play Stars' Ageless Beauty for its reference to melting, on this the debut evening of Cape Farewell North America, a foundation to raise public voice regarding climate change. Amy's self-proclaimed 'baby daddy', Evan Cranley played trombone on a couple songs but did not wish for any limelight, having just traveled home from possibly the final BSS show the previous night. The wonderful room was filled with Amy's sweet music, as well as her good humour in light-hearted banter, to really set the right mood to begin the evening.

Patrick Watson and co. were charged with the task of picking up from here following the intermission. They made an impression off the top by entering in sheer darkness, guided only by flashlight rings on their fingers. Taking their positions you could only reason that it was Patrick singing from the piano but in reality it was far too dark to tell. The song, about shining a little light, was being quite literally interpreted. In fact, the lighting was stunning all night long as strings of bulbs stretched from ceiling to stage that lit in pattern, and were coupled with backlighting through a smoky haze. It was a beautiful visual complement to the already wonderfully dense aural experience. A prime example was a classic that followed the few brand new tracks from the forthcoming album that they had wrapped in studio just a day earlier. This strong classic was Beijing and it was stunningly performed. As the song swept back and forth from piano through the achingly awesome strings over to the drums (and pots and pans?) and back again, the backlit reds flashed in time to make it an all-encompassing glorious song. I beamed the entire time and sat nearly stunned in its conclusion - most probably the best single piece of music I've witnessed this year.

Although this breakthrough moment happened early in the night it did not mean the rest of the set was a throwaway - far from it. To take advantage of the hall a few members stepped away for a two-person, one-mic campfire song front and center, before everyone was invited back for another one-mic effort to Big Bird in a Small Cage. The third and final song with this set-up saw Patrick in his unique, quirky way introduce Amy Millan who leant backing female vocals on a song that transitioned smoothly back into a full-stage, all-hands-on-deck show.

There were some lighter moments too, for example when the violin/drum battle was neatly ended by a slide whistle solo from Patrick (before he casually tossed it away once its use was no longer required). For the remainder of the set they returned to strong-sounding, fully fleshed out songs using everything but the megaphone. None quite hit the high of Beijing but it was still excellent and akin to that feeling.

A standing ovation from the audience had them return for Luscious Life much to my pleasure. Now following this they were taking their bows and Patrick apologized that they were limited to only one song for the encore. Despite the disheartening news we continued to applaud and as the band was headed backstage their fearless leader bee-lined for the piano. "I'm going to get in trouble for this" he told us as he launched into a solo rendition of The Great Escape. He flubbed a part and admonishing himself for it he returned to replay it again. Then leaving the piano to come center stage in the dimly lit room he ensured that we were singing along loudly (we were!) before reseating himself to close off the song and the concert. Watson is a musical genius whose live show really showcases this and deserves recognition. The venue, the Amy accompaniment, the reemergence with new material and the obvious enjoyment both on-stage and off, all summed up to make this a truly special musical evening.

Imaginary Cities, The Coppertone (Horseshoe, Nov 8)

Led by their large-voiced, axe-wielding front woman The Coppertone rocked (and rolled) with capital Rs.  Her guitar playing was loud and clear and struck in the way this type of music should. Coupled with her bassist and drummer (one of which was apparently new, but you wouldn't know it) they produced big, brash, and a bit bluesy rock. Recorded it hadn't left much of an impression but it resonated with the volume cranked in the Horseshoe.

Another happy set from Imaginary Cities, from the real city of Winnipeg. Their fearless leader charmed with her enthusiasm and lead vocals, assisted by the also-grinning, tattooed guitarist, backing-vocals bass and drummer. The set was a Temporary Resident breaded sandwich filled with tasty new tidbits in the middle. Say You and Temporary Resident started things off and throughout the night they filled out the sound with additional tambo, clap-alongs, and keys (that were either looped or prerecorded deeper into certain songs like the new Water Under the Bridge, I didn't pay close enough attention to tell which). Marry the Sea was swell too. New Bells of Cologne was alright but their recorded stuff is what got us out to begin with, so it was welcomed when Bookie asked them for one more to follow the original closer, Hummingbird ("when will you respond?"), and they responded with That's Where It's At, Sam - even playing an extended outro. Altogether enjoyable set.

The Crackling, Daredevil Christopher Wright warm Dan up (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Oct 28, 2011)

The Crackling have grown in confidence and stage presence led by Kenton. It was another fine performance from the three- cum five- piece, now rounded out with trumpet and violin as well. Once again the standout was the Dan-drummed, "I Hear What You Say" refrained, Keep Me Drunk. Closer Bull in a China Shop was a little down tempoed to follow this but exhibited some of the Crackling's other strengths sans percussion The Daredevil Christopher Wright are a trifecta out of Wisconsin. A cappella opener featured their chorus of voices as a beautiful introduction before the drummer settled in, first on the xylophone and then behind his kit. This was easily the most intriguing aspect of their interesting set as he didn't just keep time but added flair every step of the way. Four-four was not even on the table, as beats were changed, tapped on drum edge, played on cymbal or with a metal brush, sometimes dropped altogether. On top of this backdrop they harmonized with unique voices to make a distinct sound all their own. It was quite interesting and well done.

Graham Wright and the Good Times Band (Horseshoe Oct 28, 2011)

Graham Wright along with the backing three Good Times Band were in good spirits on this, their final night of a tour with the Library Voices. Thanking us for hating baseball (game 7 World Series), Chad Van Gaalen, Sheezer, Halloween and Death From Above 1979 they played fairly rocking renditions of the Tokyo Police Club's keyboardist's solo work, as he ran guitar and sang lead. The new album is much more band-oriented, as opposed to singer-songwriter of the first, and that was reflected live with rock songs. Soviet Race was the most familiar and it was given a stylized live sound that came across well. It wasn't earth shattering but a welcome warm up to the Library Voices.

Death From Above anticipation ends (Sound Academy, Oct 27, 2011)

Following that five-night stand at the Horseshoe that I completely missed sometime back around '05 the regret mounted and since the band's demise it has weighed heavily on me. The reunion was unexpectedly announced earlier this year and the anticipation of finally seeing Death From Above 1979 has grown steadily. It seemed that it took ages to even announce a Toronto date and then the calendar crawled until finally the beloved hardcore duo were set to play. I do not say beloved lightly either - as evidenced by the sell out of the massive Sound Academy cavern on two consecutive nights. I just couldn't wait and went to the first one show, along with people of every description - from rockers to punks to hipsters, young and old. Every last one of them was in for a treat.

Considering the limited gear required the sound check seemed awfully thorough while crammed in elbow to rib waiting for Jesse and Sebastien to join us, and take us on a trip. Jesse arrived with a joint and puffed it before picking up his weapon - the bass that in some unknown fashion he uses to produce that distinctive DFA noise. Sebastien however was the more engaging of the performers with his mismatched mustache and hair colour, and growling vocals from behind his sideways drum set, moved up to stage edge. From the get-go things were raucous and all those preshow elbows were forgotten as the pit erupted. Five years is a damn long time!

It's a big, huge sound they work out of those instruments of theirs and this loud show did it justice. Despite only the one full length they were not grasping for material as they pounded out track after track, often bridging with feedback and reverb. A full-on sound assault the crowd just ate it up, screaming along to songs we never thought we'd get to hear live ever again. It's difficult to pick out highlights from an hour of power but Pull Out has always been a strong live two minutes, as was a personal favourite in Blood On Our Hands. Black History Month was the only song that plodded along at a more standard pace (opting for a more classic version than moving toward any of the multiple remixes), but frankly it was a welcome breather. The crowd reacted strongly to Romantic Rights and the band played it up while Jesse left his perch to stalk the stage and repeat the refrain. Hard to explain just how or why it was so great, but it was.

Banter was kept to a minimal - attempts at connecting with the hometown crowd by talking about the shitty location of the Docks, and how they had Conan introduce them as from East York (as opposed to Toronto, or Mississauga). There was a point of levity after a particularly incendiary track at the hands of Sebastien where a group started chanting "Bass solo" to which he responded good-naturedly, "Is this a set-up? I've been waiting ten years for this! Every song is a bass solo, what am I competing with?!" Later in the night he screamed lyrics into his bass with great effect.

After some time in the dark shouting our appreciation the duo returned for a three-song encore. It was a stellar show that was a long time in the making and I can only hope that I'll have a chance to see them do it again. Is new material too much to hope for? For the love of anything dear, please. Please.


*
Rather unremarkable openers Dopes were bordering on awful, despite one of their recorded songs being listenable. Bishop Morocco were decidedly better, except maybe when they let that one guy sing, but still not much worth noting.

Library Voices raised (Horseshoe Oct 28, 2011)

It is with such great energy that the Library Voices put on a show. It is infectious. The good humour and fun that they are having while playing such darn catchy music quickly spreads to the audience and before you know it - dancing, singing, sweating along. Last night at the Horseshoe was another perfect example of this (and definitely worth sprinting over to following Dan Mangan).

The Summer of Lust is the album I had been waiting for after the immense promise of Hunting Ghosts. I hear Denim on Denim as a worthwhile stumbling block toward this pop masterpiece and so I was especially stoked to finally sing along to these tracks live. Didn't take long as opening track/opening number Raymond Carver got things going. From here it was just song after song of amazing, covering the whole range of Kundera on the Dance Floor, through Drinking Games, Haunt this House and 2012 back around to a most wonderful Step Off the Map and Float. As mentioned it was the newly minted songs such as Que Sera Sarah, Traveller's Digest, Reluctant Readers and especially Generation Handclap (where everyone came to the stage front to yell the Ohhhhh), that were real treats. All the while the band is smiling, laughing and playing their hearts out. The four legs of the synth stand didn't touch the floor simultaneously all night.

There was an interlude to bring a Nick on stage and present him with a mustache cake to thank him for shaving his beard off in preparation for Movember. Further fun came from a cover (about a letter, I can't place now) and the encore-closing Oh Yoko (Lennon, who else?) that turned into a love-in and had the band all down in the midst of the crowd just belting it out through wide grins. Such fun!

Dan Mangan, the magical (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Oct 28, 2011)

In the dark of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre an assembled group of musicians struck up. The noise at first seemed ominous and disjointed but in time grew in structure and strength before swelling into the opening number from Oh Fortune. As finally the vocals kicked in, the lights flashed on to reveal the man of the hour, Mr. Dan Mangan, in all of his bearded glory. For the next nearly two hours his magnetism would work in unison with his talented band for a night of musical magic.

Being the Oh Fortune tour, an album that moved from singer-songwriter into a much fuller, more orchestral sound, it made sense that the show would take on that feel as well. This was accomplished through a keyboard player, violinist, and a very welcome addition of a horn, which on top of the regular three-piece backing (The Crackling) flushed the sound out quite nicely. It made already amazingly loud live numbers such as Post-War Blues (a song that needs to be heard live) that much better. In fact, as they played the majority of (if not all of) the new album things sounding so great in this nice, seated, sold-out theatre. Even the slower Daffodil was carried by Dan, and Leaves, Trees, Forest benefited from an introduction that was slightly more rare than usual on this night as Dan explained they were attempting to fit as much music in before curfew as possible. Naturally the stand-out single Rows of Houses hit its mark and resonated with the crowd, and we were quite excited to hear Dan slowly start into Jeopardy, another especially strong new song. It Starts With Them, but the latter half definitely Ends With Us as the musicians (the horns!) totally brought down the house in what I thought could have been a closing number.

With all of the new material to be heard it was almost unnecessary to dip into the back catalogue, but that of course would be a disservice to its strength. Besides, this may have been the best rendition of Baskets I have ever seen. Perhaps it was the violin that stuck around (as well as the upright bass) to back up one of the most beautiful songs going - whatever it was it was special. Sold was another more-than-welcome addition that the band has down pat, along with Road Regrets. However it is the raucous Some People that they have only improved over the years that just crashes through in the most powerful way. Yes Nice, Nice, Very Nice most definitely still has a welcome place in the show - don't ever take these gems away.

From the standing ovation that followed it was apparent that this had been a transcendental night that broke through to the audience. As Dan was mostly unaccompanied, we helped him out singing Veda Hille's role in Indie Queens. He also treated us to his beloved cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's In an Aeroplane Over the Sea before returning to the song that all of this wonderful glory seems to have built itself upon. It was a stand-up singalong for Robots and that was more than alright - people showing their sexual confidence, eh Dan? As this came to a close I hoped beyond hope that there'd be time to slip it in and could see Dan inquiring before finally making the decision that, yes, they would do So Much for Everyone. The entire band assembled front and center, and following a warm-up teaching of Oh-ooooo, Dan began into the sparse and emotional introduction to this track. In moments the band kicked in with their clap-stomp and elation swelled, as did our voices, into the pure bliss of this final shared song of a glorious night.

Royal Wood (Rivoli Oct 20th)

Stepping behind his piano Royal took his natural place with scant a word. The seated, sold out Rivoli crowd hushed immediately and was henceforth entranced by this marvelous performer. Royal Wood was born to sing - I cannot picture him doing anything else when he croons so smoothly and effortlessly that it is like honey to your ears. A consummate performer as well, he introduced songs such as his moving rendition of Pumped Up Kicks, and even restarted On Top of Your Love due to a sound issue, with charm. Being the Sneak Peek tour he did preview a few new songs, employing a recorded drum beat on one to flush out his one accompanying musician on guitar and bass. But for the most part eyes were on Royal as his fingers danced along the keys or strummed his acoustic guitar. Birds on Sunday was another main-set standout and a part of the reason for the enthusiastic ovation that brought on a two song encore, opened with Juliet. His only fully solo performance could not have been more fitting as Royal brought the night to a close with his most lovely acoustic Lady in White - inviting us to join in for the closing refrain. It is no wonder he added a third (sold out) show to this Rivoli residency - this man is in the upper echelon of the talented realms of Canadian singers.

Kidstreet is Born Gold (Drake Underground, Oct 1/11)

Kidstreet began Nuit Blanche with such a bang that they temporarily knocked themselves offline. Opener X saw the small but passionate Drake Underground crowd (surrounded by passerbyers looking for the Nuit Blanche Funhouse) get into things off the top, blowing their light-up whistles alongside the energetic fronting brother. I mean that literally as a few were invited on stage and that was where the trouble began by cutting power to the sampler at the end of the tune. Following a minor delay things were back on track and one of the guys right in front of the stage actually removed his shirt and tossed it at the band. Hilarious. The band seem to be gaining even more confidence, and rightfully so with the release of their first official album, Fuh Yeah, this week (unofficial, unadvertised Toronto release party they joked.) Leading lady sang her heart out and wowed again with the ending to Penny Candy. One brand new track wad added to the set list and most of Fuh Yeah, including the title track, was played. Spin Twirl, the one old fave from the unofficial release that wasn't brought along to the new disc, was displayed too - much to my delight. Fun times and the perfect opener to Born Gold.

Without much introduction Born Gold launched into their first song - an upbeat number, as they all are no doubt, but a relatively subdued performance piece for this band. However once this was completed they got up to their old antics again. One dude waltzed into the crowd on stilts, a little less frightening when it is expected. Shovel percussion, slinking crowd tambo, blow up ghosts and leaf blowers all remained integral parts of the spectacle that the name change (from Gobble Gobble) has not removed. Personally I was stoked to rock/dance out to Boring Horror though overall nobody was too picky and people got into most everything they delivered. If you haven't seen a Born Gold set please do as there's no chance that you have any clue what goes on from what you've read here. Just keep your head down, while continuing dance, to avoid getting whipped by a sheet or smashed by a shovel which might spoil the party.

Pat Lepoidevin does Tranzac again (Oct 23, 2011)

Twas a small but captive audience at the Tranzac Friday to take in the Pat Lepodevin set. He opened with Fire, and a few other slightly louder songs from Highway Houses in an attempt to compete with the sound bleed from the rock show in the next room. As endearingly modest as ever he bantered about things including his mother's pastimes (she did the album art for the latest LP), a fan story about mixing up Ringo the Rat for Moonwolf Departure at a wedding (then playing both) and repeatedly apologized for forgetting his capo. It was barely noticeable and not necessarily detrimental. 97 was great again, although the standout was You Know Your War. Possibly the most exciting thing about this show is the promise of what is to come. From a forthcoming project, where Pat writes songs inspired by a friend's stories, was a densely layered and really enjoyable new song. It seems that this change of approach is really going to benefit all of us. Highway Houses wasn't played like last time, but instead one of his personal favourites, Last Winter, closed the second and final set. Great to see him again before the moonwolf departs for Korea for a year - all the while the anticipation for that new project will build.

Paper Lions reside in the Supermarket (Sept 14/11)

My third run-in with the pack of Paper Lions this summer and a few notes on how this encounter differed from the others. For starters the first couple occurred outdoors whereas this was confined to a Supermarket in Kensington. This setting allowed them to show how well they hunt as a pack - their harmonies really standing out. Furthermore they are not scaredy-cats when surrounded, as evidenced by their fully acoustic song when they took one guitar and their vocal cords to the centre of the audience mid set to delight (once they got the sound guy to kill the house music he'd flipped on). They aren't one-trick kitties either, as they left their Peter Gabriel cover out in favour of a Fine Young Cannibals jam (in honour of the Dwayne Gretzky cover band they were sharing the stage with). Possibly the most exciting factor was the new material they debuted here. The tried and true keys of Trouble still sounded sweet but the new Sandcastles and especially new closer, Parent's Talk, were fine additions.

Said the Whale, Sarah Lowe (Mod Club, Sept 8 '11)

Said the Whale had a darn near full house for their Mod Club gig and looked pretty happy about it. The dual lead male vocals are a huge advantage for the 5 piece, and their female keyboardist rounds them out nicely. Hopefully not a smug reflection on Toronto from this Vancouver band, they opened with This City's a Mess before a non-album cut in Love is Art. Actually there would prove to be a great deal of unfamiliar songs played as they debuted a large number of new songs from an as-yet unreleased album. (From my perspective, having never seen them before, I would argue a few too many bumping my favourite Out on the Shield.) The new stuff sounded decent, with some clap-alongs and sing-alongs (if only for repetition). However there was a standout from the bearded and chapeau-ed singer, whom I prefer, in the very uniquely paced Hurricane Aida. Otherwise it was great to hear Camillo, and dance to The Light is You. They also did the quieter Holly, Ontario, Black Day in December, Emerald Lake, AB, and False Creek Change amongst others. In finale was the appropriate Goodnight Moon that starts slow and sweet but saw the backing crew from Hollerado crash the stage for the closing clashes.

For their encore they asked to play two new songs and who were we to say no? Following these we were asked to stay real quiet for a somewhat uncommon live version of Curse of the Currents. It is quite the song and even though the rumble from the downstairs club was impossible to fully ignore it still carried great weight and was a stirring ending to a complete show.

Rah Rah did a helluva job opening too.

Sarah Lowe opened with just herself and a piano (okay, keyboard tuned to piano). You have to cut her slack for not hauling a piano from Manchester, and the Toronto crowd, as we're apt to do, did do just that and welcomed her warmly. The show was somewhat lackluster as the majority of solo performances are, and it didn't help that she kept telling us to imagine the six musicians that normally fill it out. Despite this her voice is rather lovely and the songs nice enough.

Rah Rah smash The Mod Club (Sept. 8 '11)

Rah Rah have been a delight every time I've seen them so I was excited to discover they were warming up the Said the Whale crowd. Off the top the sextet got The Betrayal Pt. 1 out of the way with the most fun a betrayal ever has. The arrangement saw women on drums, keys and accordion/violin, while the guys were more traditionally posted on a couple electric guitars and a bass. This wasn't to last much beyond Henry and Tentacles though. Following the drumming-on-the-speaker slow-down of Beaches the rotation began; bass to drums to keys to bass. The drummer-turned-keyboardist with the large quaff of hair also picked up vocal duties on the tired/sleep lyrics of Salty Cities that approached proggy territory on the outro. Another song with a strong ending came next in Duet for Emmylou before the keyboardist returned to her original post and added vocals to My Guarantee, while the multi-talented drummer now slipped a bass over her shoulder. It didn't end there either, for those of you keeping score at home the female violin player then took the keys and lead vocals for What About Love while the the key lady grabbed keys of a different sort - synths. Next was a slightly odd interlude where the dude on drums led a call and response about all the bands playing that night (I say - you say) followed by Ghosts. More swapping saw the lineup close to the same as off the top but with the lead male vocalist doing a turn on bass. It worked for Arrows, which prominently featured the violin in a great way. All of this to say the band is dynamic.
To add to this they tossed massive R A H balloons into the crowd to be batted around under a blast of confetti (something to do with Hollerado in the crowd?). There was a joyful feeling as they carried on with an instrumental intro to Breaking Hearts then stormed through Cuba/Peru in finale. It was a smash just like the pinata they destroyed during it. The band is so upbeat, so multi-talented and so much fun! Every time I see them is a joyful experience.

Bruce Peninsula, Jennifer Castle - Lower Ossington Theatre - Summerworks (Aug 11, 2011)

Whereas the last show was a reemergence for Bruce Peninsula, this was a refresh, since for the majority of the show the band played new music from their forthcoming October release. Only bookending the set with classic BP standards. Amongst the couple off the top was Steamroller before the nine piece got into new material that they likened to baking all night (put the ingredients together and hope something tasty comes out). Well the ingredients remain the same, four guys on guitar/slide guitar, bass, drums plus a choir of ladies creating glorious harmonies and occasionally contributing shakers, tambo and even banjo. In Your Light was upbeat in Bruce's typical fashion. As Long As I Live was drum heavy and it worked. Pull Me Under has been showcased live before (likely at The Rivoli), as had the shouting chorus to Say Yeah. A change of pace was provided by Or So I Dreamed (not Unforgiven for Metallica reasons as they explained) that opened with slide guitar and had only female vocals. Open Flames was different too as it was a slightly quieter 'power ballad'. The final new track featured a fantastic five piece female vocal harmony but I missed the title (S something). To polish up the set the old reliable Crabapples rocked the somewhat reserved L.O.T crowd, and the lead singer tried to change that up by rocking right into the crowd. Even the encore mixed in the recently released Salesman before the solid one-two punch of Second-Fourth World War into Satisfied. Leaning heavily on new material, and being in a less-than-party space the crowd energy was slightly lacking for the show but the band was into it and the preview of the album creates even more anticipation.

Jennifer Castle sat in her shiny shirt and quietly picked her electric guitar for a captive audience. Her dynamic voice has that country tinge, akin to $100 vocals, and they really were the saving grace to a somewhat monotonous set. They were ever-so-prominently featured when she did an entire song a cappella in the otherwise silent space - confidence! She did pick up the pace slightly to strum Powers too. She definitely has the voice to pull it off.

Common Grackle - Hillside Sunday 2011

Gregory Pepper seems to be a hugely creative man and Common Grackle is his latest output source. Joined by fellow Guelph musicians all decked out in white (tops and bottoms) they put on a very enjoyable set for a small but warmly welcoming Sunday night Lake stage tent. Mike Brooks played guitar and slide guitar while also providing some seriously solid backing vocals. With only the one album (I know of) of released material they obviously covered a lot of Great Depression territory including All the Pawns, Down with the Ship and At the Grindcore Show. A really fast rendition was a playful way to perform Safe Word Play. Gregory and co. are deserving of Much greater notoriety than they have and I truly hope that their work pays off so we can all continue to enjoy the fruits of their imaginations for years to come.

Shad - Hillside Sunday 2011

Another Shad review? This guy must follow him around or something. Yes, and for good reason. From now classic, Compromise, through to The Old Prince Still Lives At Home, Shad had the Sunday afternoon crowd in his pocket (if his pocket were a tent with picnic benches suitable for cheering on). Fleshed out band obviously still had DJ TLo and Adam on bass but also expanded with a drummer and guitarist (in addition to when Shad grabbed his). Once again Lisa Lobsinger accompanied on Rose Garden which is always a delight, and I'm still not sick of Rock to It or Good Name. Glad to see the banger Me, Myself and I is now a part of the live show too cuz it brings the energy. Far as I'm concerned Shad can play every Hillside (but keep him on the Island stage where he acknowledged he belongs.)

Fred Penner + Dan Mangan - Hillside Sunday 2011

Word was spreading across the festival - Dan Mangan was tuning up a guitar at Fred Penner's stage. With the RAA's final note still hanging in the air I snaked my way out of that crowd and straight to see this for myself. Sure enough upon arrival Dan was already on stage with the man that sang my generation many a tune while growing up. I'm not sure that he entered through a log or if there was a visit from Word Bird but otherwise this was Fred. He knew how to play to our hearts, realizing that he was a distant but vivid memory of childhood for us in the crowd. When they busted out Sandwiches, the song - not the foodstuff, I was euphoric. As Gord of The Crackling joined Fred on guitar someone on stage made reference to Shred Penner! Fred was pretty hip still too, smoothly tossing a cat-in-the-bucket K-Os lyric into The Cat Came Back/Hit the Road Cat!
Nobody gets a midday encore at Hillside, but that Lake stage was adamant, so not only did he play This Little Light but he even came back again for You Are My Sunshine. Amazing what happens when your boyhood and manhood idols come together! Brilliant!

Rural Alberta Advantage - Hillside Sunday

It was a live Rural Alberta Advantage Hillside show that first made me really love them. Back then, oh two years ago, the trio played their hearts out on the Lake Stage and simply drew everyone in. With a second album out and a much larger following they were now upgraded to the mainstage. Upgraded may be the wrong word though, as the intimacy is somewhat lost even from the front row. Amy was still lovely whether doing keys, bass pedals with her feet or bashing a drum and of course her backing vocals to offset those of Nils. Honestly there wasn't much to set this set apart however, perhaps as I'd seen them play a full headlining show recently. Paul still plays the drums with enthusiasm, and his mother was also front row with us this time to see his work. At the RAA workshop only Nils had been there but he had done a cool solo acoustic version of In The Summertime but this set list was pretty standard mix of Hometowns and Departing - Muscle Relaxant, Haunt this Place, Under the Knife, Tornado '87, and Two Lovers included. In closing was the first and rather successful single, Stamp. Good but not all that special.

Kevin Drew + The Beauties - Hillside Festival Sunday 2011

Kevin Drew and The Beauties hadn't done a helluva lot of prep for the gig after agreeing to let Kev play with them. Actually the first song was reversed as Kevin started on the drums before moving to lead vocals for Tommy Lee.  The consummate musicians sounded just great backing as Drew sang and were apparently the inspiration to pull off TBTF as a countrified version. The whole crew together had even written a special song that a few fellow female musicians had dubbed 'one for the boys.' Eventually my attention was drawn toward the swimming hole but it wasn't due to getting annoyed with Drew's lead man antics as has been known to happen for BSS. Drew backed by the Beauties was a successful meld.

Grimes - Hillside Sunday 2011 Pop Montreal

Grimes is a solo project consisting of a young female singing over some cool prerecorded tracks. Not to say that she only sang, as the entire time she was playing keys and twisting knobs. The music is actually quite good and I was pleasantly surprised and the crowd was obviously appreciative as well. Interestingly the slight lisp-like quality to her speaking voice was mostly but not completely lost in song, although that may in part be contributed to the double-wired reverb mic that she sang into. It was a relatively upbeat set - moreso than Pat Jordache before but less than Gobble Gobble after - and even included a touch of Depeche Mode's Tainted Love. True promise from this up and comer.

Pat Jordache - Hillside Sunday 2011 Pop Montreal

Pat Jordache had two drummers and two guitarists alongside his own bass playing. The music was decent but nothing too standout; unique in that he has a slightly odd singing voice that he doesn't seem to stray from. Considering there's only one song I know from him and he didn't even play it there was little for me to pick out of the opening Pop Montreal showcase set.

Braids - Hillside Sunday 2011

The Braids set this year was much like that of last year except much higher expectations. Native Speaker is one of my favourite albums of the year but the way they take the sounds and warp them into songs seems like it should be interesting but isn't. Mind you this was a workshop with Lost in the Trees, obvious professionals who were able to play along as if they wrote the music, but really didn't add anything to the set besides a fuller sound with their tuba, cello, violin and xylophone. Even the double drumset which is one of my fave live elements didn't really accentuate much for this type of music. Especially on the ethereal-even-for-Braids title track Native Speaker. With such love for the album it's hard for the live experience to live up, and despite a second chance it seems Braids don't really come close so I'll keep my headphones in.

Dan Mangan - Hillside Saturday 2011

Having just seen Dan Mangan's intimate secret show in Toronto nights earlier, and the workshop earlier in the day, seeing his mainstage set may not have been completely new but he's such a performer it was STILL something to look forward to (from the third row). Things of note were just how epicly long the yell following the interlude on Road Regrets was. Additionally without Veda Hille's accompaniment the backing band stepped in to sing the female parts of Indie Queens (as they did last year in Trinity St. Paul church). On new bombshell Post War Blues there was a sweet acoustic slow down before Gord Geordini stepped up to absolutely rock out on guitar. A treat was the specially requested Baskets done acoustically by Dan with only the double bass backing him. Due to another broken string there was an brief interlude before one more strong live showing of Some People. Also new was a song about Castle Rock, Oregon before closing with the staple (that isn't always played) in Robots. Dan even clamoured down into the crowd where I was fortunate enough to sing the lyrics along into the mic with him and a handful of others. Whew! Third helping, still worth it.

Sloan - Hillside Sunday 2011

Sloan have been kicking it for twenty years and are still pumping out music, not to mention live shows. They've certainly got a handful of really great tunes but at the end of a long, exhausting, yet amazing, Hillside festival I just didn't have it in me to stick around for the whole set to see which of these they would play. Instead I caught Coax Me, Everything You've Done Wrong and Who Taught You to Live Like That? from the back before bowing out. As I was so far back it was difficult to see exactly what was going on for any detailed review but the sound was still there, that's for sure.

The Sheepdogs (@Beerfest, Exhibition Bandshell, Aug 7)

The Sheepdogs quite successfully transformed Beerfest into Beardfest with a healthy dose of '70s rock and roll. Guitar solos ruled the afternoon as the most recent (and only independent) Rolling Stone cover band rocked the beer swillers much to our delight. That riff on Southern Dreaming brought us through the light rain off the top, and Right On did the same as it picked up. Somehow we were able to get by the biggest downpour with I Don't Get By. Tossing in back-pressed-to-back double guitars and the sweet midsong breakdown of Learn and Burn the crowd couldn't be bothered by the weather (besides there's always more beer). It was all worth it to shout along to I Don't Know as the sun burst through to create a sun shower. From the music to the weather, we had just about all the elements of a blissful Woodstock set.

The Trew (@Beerfest, Exhibition Bandshell, Aug 7)

The Trews were already in the swing of things before expected as I sauntered up, beer in hand naturally. The energy was high as they ran around the stage throwing down hits and rockin it out. It was pretty in your face as the sun was now shining and the guitars soaring. The keyboards were an especially nice touch at the ending of Paranoid Freak after the song's interlude. I hadn't realized just how many Trews tunes I knew - after Not Ready to Go (2003!) I thought they'd be out but this wasn't near true as they hit us with Tired of Waiting, So She's Leaving and even a singalong to Hope and Ruin. With tongue planted in cheek, they told us how they were once on the cover of The Pulse magazine in the Niagara region,referencing The Sheepdogs who'd warmed the stage for them. Good humour, sun, and most of all music, this was a perfect accompaniment to a festival celebrating the goodness of beer.

Owen Pallett and Beirut (Phoenix, Aug 4, 2011)

Owen Pallett is worth the price of admission alone. And alone is how he began the show - recreating a song he wrote alongside Beirut with just his vocals, violin and looping machine. The highlight of my entire night followed as still solo he did an impeccable version of Scandal at the Parkade that had my hair raised, along with the corners of my lips in a broad unceasing grin. I could have gone home happy.

Naturally this was nowhere near the end and Owen invited the recently somewhat-reunited Les Mouches to join him on drums and shaker for Midnight Directive. I was apprehensive about any accompaniment, as part of the magic is realizing that every sound heard has been produced by this one genius of a man, however the additional instrumentation really just filled out the sound (especially for the orchestral Heartland songs) without being overbearing. Even when shakers were swapped for guitar on subsequent A Man With No Ankles and the wonderful Lewis Takes Action I began to more fully accept them.


Having joked earlier about a night of dry banter and plenty of music, Owen gave us the story of how Tryst with Mephistopheles was the abridged version of a ninety minute opus (Dammit?) that really favored G-major. With the joyous trumpet provided mid song by the Beirut trumpeter subsiding into the ominous key ending, this live rendition definitely benefited from the fleshed out band. The new song that followed was actually very much drum driven, and impressive as such, with Owen touching only the keys and not his violin.

Once again Owen found himself alone on stage to perform the cover of Caribou's Odessa to the crowd's adoration. Sadly upon the band's return there was a looping machine malfunction meaning we got a tease of This is a Dream (or was it Many Lives?). Either way we didn't get to hear it and instead of fix the computer the band was again dismissed in favour of a loop-free rendition of He Poos Clouds. The crowd showed massive appreciation for Owen's first hometown show in some time, and despite the bittersweetness of the missed song, there was more than enough included to be happy about.


Beirut
Beirut, like Owen, craft pop music out of unconventionally pop instruments. The most notable here is the 120 button accordion and the mixture of brass from half of the six members. No guitars in sight, unless you count the bass, which was at times swapped for the stand up variety anyway. Admittedly I'm not overly familiar with their catalogue despite a bit of cramming in preparation but the music was obviously well done. And obviously appreciated by the crowd as well - I was surprised at just how enthusiastic they were. This may have been part of the reason their encore consisted of a full four songs, and understandably included Owen on violin (and one of three backing vocals) for the final two. Even if I came primarily for the Pallett spectacle this was a sweet bonus to go along with it!

Hooded Fang (Lower Ossington Theatre, Aug 5, 2011)

Arriving late, Hooded Fang were already lined up seven strong across the shallow Lower Ossington Theatre stage. The lead was donning his pink hat as they played a healthy dose of fresh Tosta Mista songs - Vacationation, Brahma among them. The backing female vocals were lovely, as per usual, and she held it down on xylophone too. On ESP they successfully recreated the fade out, though that is sort of weird to hear live. There was the odd older tune too, including Green River, Highway Steam and Love Song. They even played a brand new song (as in newer than last week's album) for approximately the fifth time ever according to the bass player, who really abuses any chance she gets to banter. A highlight of the night was the throwback sounding Den of Love, chock full of ooos and woahs. It was a fun little evening topped off with a short encore.

The Sheepdogs X2 - Hillside Saturday 2011

The Sheepdogs were in the midst of three fests in as many days, but weren't too busy to rock Hillside twice. First the four pups gathered on stools with a pair of acoustic and an electric guitar, plus some shaker percussion. Their throwback songs actually came across really well in this format, and it is important to note that Neil Young's Down By the River didn't feel out of place in the least. As I watched from amid the large, seated sun stage crowd I couldn't help but think 'I could be looking at the cover of the Rolling Stone.'
However it is their full-on rockin' sound, as showcased a few hours later in the Island Tent, that has gotten them to where they are. Unabashed '70s rock and roll delivered with confidence and every hint of sincerity. This resulted in a capacity crowd and once finally inside the place was wild with people grooving up and down the picnic benches. The incendiary solos only spurred them on, especially on Learn and Burn. Impressive and worthy of the cover story accolades.

Mother Mother - Hillside Saturday 2011

Few people at Hillside hadn't mentioned that they were going to see Mother Mother. This band has come a long way from playing the Island Tent a few summers ago and continue to use the harmonic pop around which they became known to wow audiences. So for this massive sea of main stage fans they put on a show (redeeming themselves in my eyes after a couple less than exceptional Olympic performances last year). The Stand is a standout from this year's Eureka and is indicative of the slight move toward galvanizing Ryan as the lead. It went over well, especially when Jasmin shouted through a megaphone for effect at the end. Speaking of Jasmin, she has settled in quite nicely and appears strong and confident on stage, showcased during their early tune Dirty Town which is super quick and features fantastic harmonies. Molly, sporting green tights, eye shadow and feather earrings, had a little something to do with this too. Body of Years morphed into The Pixies Gouge Away and back. Wrecking Ball was alright too and the sax was appreciated. Overall it was a fun return to form capped by O My Heart. Most fans have already been won over by the recordings and I can only see people more turned on by this performance.

Handsome Furs, Parlovr (@Horseshoe, August 2, 2011)

Handsome Furs have been making high energy synth and drum machine electro pop albums for some time and the live show buzz finally got me out to check it. Apparently it worked on a few others too as this second of back-to-back nights at the Horseshoe felt like another capacity crowd. Alexei, Dan's partner both on stage and in life, did not appear nervous despite speaking of her nerves as she held down the keys and drum machine, all the while shaking it in her sparkling dress (or sticking a leg high up in the air to perch on the other). Dan meanwhile belted out When I Get Back, Cheap Music and Legal Tender off the top - sometimes axing a mean guitar at the same time. The energy in the room was palpable and I was even stood directly beneath the air con. The two on stage were genuinely gracious to the crowd that was cheering incessantly after tunes and even swaying a bit during (saying something for a Toronto audience). On Repatriated Dan's guitar absolutely soared, while for Serve the People they swapped positions and instruments (though Alexei didn't pick up the guitar).
After a mighty roar they returned to encore All We Want, Baby, Is Everything and the final track of the night (that wasn't I'm Confused but woulda been nice) on which Dan worked the guitar strings with the mic. Fantastic. Something about the way these two work off each other, swapping meaningful looks, dancing, whatever it may be, gives them the energy to pour back into the crowd. Reputation deserved!


Parlovr
A double shot of Montreal on this evening at the 'Shoe as Parlovr took the stage to start things off. Before even
playing a note they had us build from a whisper to a scream semi-successfully. From the top they had a high energy level as their vocals came through literally loud and clear over a grumbling guitar, synths and a solid drum beat. As the set carried on some of the guitar growl was dumbed down but the energy carried through as the two long haired members up front swapped lead vocals between nearly every song. Behind their dismantled traffic lights they absolutely rocked out the latter half of a tune about a 'general high', with back and forth yelling, much to our delight. Saving minor hit Pen to the Paper for last, they had an enjoyable set capped with a highlight.

The Burning Hell, Tony Dekker, The Pining (Tranzac, July 29, 2011)

The Burning Hell
Mathias Kom was back with a decent sized Burning Hell composed of Toronto and St. John's (his new home) musicians, including three women holding down violin, sax and clarinet. All told the sound was rather full as they opened with the straightforward My Name is Mathias and kept it going with a number of new Flux Capacitor songs. During a song about pirates (Pirates) band introductions were made, giving ample opportunity to showcase each instrument with a solo.


A slightly sad, slower song about pets still showcased the quirky but amusing wit of Mathias' lyrics. Our moods rebounded with some more familiar songs such as the trumpeting Everybody Needs A Body and a faux-jazzy intro to Last Will and Testament.

Working toward climax they launched into The Things That People Make 1 and 2, with a hilarious In the Air Tonight intro. For the Dance, Dance, Dance finale they upped audience participation with an on-stage then in-crowd limbo contest below the bass neck.

We roared for more and they gave it to us in the form of a medley of sorts. Okay it was more like the first half of absolute fave It Happens in Florida with a drawn out singalong to the word Loooove each time it came around, meshed clumsily into Bretton Woods. What a celebration it seems to be whenever Mathias and friends play a show - now that he's moved base from Peterborough to St. John's the shows become more and more special.


Tony Dekker
Tony Dekker took to the stage without the Great Lake Swimmers. Instead he simply had his guitar in hand as he opened by plucking through a rendition of Moving Pictures, Silent Films. However being a large Tranzac room on a Friday night the place was a little chatty for the core of the set with either less recognizable or new GLS/T. Dekker tunes. He did play the wonderfully worded Your Rocky Spine and closed with an earlier Swimmers fave in Imaginary Bars.



The Pining
The Pining were a group of women playing country music. The vocals were sometimes unexpected but sounded solid even if I wasn't a huge fan of the genre. A small number of tracks were recognizable from Radio3 listening and the familiarity improved enjoyment.

Hollerado - Hillside Saturday 2011

Unlike the massively awkward 'we don't do acoustic' sun stage set earlier where they told jokes and played one song  (hilarious for me, a fan, but probably terrible for most everyone else who'd been watching $100) Hollerado were in their element as the closing Island stage band of Hillside Saturday night. This slot is now notorious for bringing the party year after year and there's nothing Hollerado like more than partying.

It began with fifty glowing beach balls hopping all around the already riled up tent from The Sheepdogs previous. As people danced all over those picnic benches they threw down all they had, getting a great reception especially on Juliette. A go-to in their bag of tricks is Petty's Rockin' in the Free World which they pulled out midset, inviting Harlan Pepper to join them for it. Who wasn't invited but felt inclined to go join, and was certainly welcomed, was Dan Mangan. In fact I had to prop him up in his hurry to the stage (Hillside moment!) to help out on vocals.

The band claimed that this was perhaps their favourite show ever and I believe it as it seemed right up their alley with confetti exploding throughout. The only odd moment was a perhaps misguided tribute to Amy Winehouse who had passed that day which came in the form of a call and response with the crowd of the chorus to Rehab. It didn't ruin the mood though. We poured it on in encouragement of an encore which was a silly choice but by this point nobody really cared and rocked along to The Bird is the Word. Hollerado may not be great at serious but they know how to create an incredible time.

Memphis - Hillside Saturday 2011

Torq the beloved frontman of Stars, Dead Child Stars and, as on this day, Memphis alongside Chris Dumont. In fact there was a full band contingent of six including them on hand for this show. Among them was a sax that played a prominent role in the set. On I Am The Photographer they were joined by a seventh in Gentleman Reg, similarly to the Hooded Fang/Memphis workshop of a couple hours previous. Before they even got into Memphis' undoubtably most upbeat song, Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey, Torq already had a mighty fine sweat worked up. As the song came to a close, in dramatic Torq fashion, he played an incredibly drunk person quite accurately in fact, even dropping the mic at the conclusion and walking of stage. Always a performer!

One Hundred Dollars - Hillside Saturday 2011

I try to keep an open mind when it comes to country. Folk is fine. I've even warmed up to Corb Lund. However I just can't break down the barrier between myself and One Hundred Dollars. Even during their acoustic sun stage set that simply had them on guitar (first three then two then only the lead female) it just didn't do anything for me. Based on her banter it seems that the songwriting is probably part of it but from the back I couldn't make anything of it and so despite another chance I am not yet won over.

Gobble Gobble eat up the Island Tent - Hillside Sunday 2011

With all the hype (ok I'd been adding to it too) I was super excited to finally see what exactly it is that Gobble Gobble do to make their set so indescribably crazy. I'll do my best to perform the impossible and describe it. Spoiler alert!

With primarily electronic music it can be difficult to put on a show seeing, as the instrumentation is mostly button pushing. This Edmonton three piece (as part of Pop Montreal) must actively work to keep you entertained. Off the top the two wandering members were inexplicably towering over people in the crowd, and moving through the sea of folks. It was actually terrifying for some reason to have these two giants moving toward you, even after the realization of the souped-up stilts on their feet.

Next track they were back in the crowd - at regular height now but both wielding shovels. Why you ask? Combined they were producing percussion, of course. This was scary for a different reason as they literally smashed the backs of their spades together above my head as they passed over me. I could have used a helmet!

Funnily enough the next tune the two were both donning helmets - a street hockey goalie mask and a bike bucket - and then, taking a page out of the Arcade Fire's book, they proceeded to alternately bash each other over the head with drum sticks.

Additional antics included blowing up a massive ghost-like figure with a leaf blower, carrying around an oversized drum for us to bash, performing synchronized tambourine, and dishing out all sorts of high fives to the beat.

At one point they both disappeared from view and I was startled to see them slinking around my feet with their tambourines, much to everyone's surprise. They were a lot more conspicuous during the closing number when they jumped up and body surfed around.

Mind you the entire time the third member was keepin the tunes pumping (but not fave Boring Horror) and we were keeping the dance party going too. All this showmanship and sweat made for a helluva show. It's true that it's gotta be seen, no, experienced. Now I get it.


Update: Gobble Gobble became Born Gold in 2011.

Hannah Georgas makes up for it all - Hillside Saturday 2011

The elusive Hannah Georgas has evaded me for some time and when I finally did catch her the circumstances, being a brief, free, outdoor, freezing-cold show in March were far from ideal. That had left a negative impression of her live performance with me despite having really enjoyed her release on disc. Her weekend at Hillside would do away with this notion and replace it with the cheery feelings I'd hoped for. It all started with the magnificent workshop she shared with Mother Mother and Dan Mangan. But then again, being in that company is bound to make everything I see rose-coloured. Speaking of which, the red-headed songstress came out dressed in an all pink summer outfit for her sunny afternoon set. Going through a solid number of cuts from the album along with her three-piece backing band, she was much more outgoing and upbeat than the previous winter session, and come to think of it I probably was too. Bang, Bang You're Dead, Lovers Breakdown and Chit Chat were all great before a chilled out version of The Beat Stuff. In finale she demanded that we all get up and dance with her and this time we were more than happy to for Dancefloor! After this redemption I was more than pleased to find her shirking the gospel hour to participate in the other workshop and treat us to This is Good. Sorry for doubting your Hannah, it is good again!

Memphis + Hooded Fang Workshop - Hillside Saturday 2011

Torq had taken command of the stage by the time I joined him and Hooded Fang in progress. And frankly that is understandable and enjoyable considering the stage time on his resume. Besides what other workshop member hand wrote out lyrics to their songs for the other band? (As he did for the Pet Shop Boys cum Memphis Love Comes Quickly.) He was also visibly thrilled to play HF's Green River which he mentioned had been on repeat in all venues of his life for the past few months. Turned out to be a dandy too as he could obviously play along with the full Hooded Fang complement. Even the workshop go-to, the cover song, seemed preplanned. Though it wasn't planned too too well as neither band knew the words, ironically to Learning the Lines by The Hidden Cameras. Fortunately Cams member Gentleman Reg happened to be in the audience and joined them onstage to fill in the blanks. (Unfortunately he sang backup on the actual track and hence only had a somewhat better grasp on it.) Nonetheless the song was pulled off and the workshop set was deemed a veritable success.

The Stanfields - Hillside Saturday 2011

Outta the East the lads did a solid job with an Irish standard off the bat to wake up the afternoon. Their orig was decent too but my attention was diverted and I strayed before I could hear their fabulously titled The Dirtiest Drunk in the History of Liquor.

Paper Lions - Hillside Saturday 2011

This Charlottetown band, The Paper Lions, may not be breaking the mold when it comes to indie pop, but at least the do a good job of what they're doing and have some fun while they're at it. The piano is a wholly welcome addition to every song they feature it on. Plus the songwriting is interesting as featured on the tale of Trouble (which I didn't hear this time though I only caught the Stanfields workshop) as well as the survival story of their run-in (drive in?) with a moose that they did this time around.

Little Scream - Hillside Saturday 2011

Little Scream had a female violinist accompanying her durin the workshop. She played Red Hunting Jacket which sounded alright but overall there wasn't anything too interesting to draw me into her full set later in the day. Collabing with Ganga Giri, Little Scream's backing vocals and the addition of the violin complemented the dance tunes quite nicely.

Ganga Giri - Hillside Saturday 2011

Ganga Giri were not at all the ganga girl that I was anticipating. Instead it was a Australian bloke playing a didgeridoo as well as a didgeri-stick which seemed to cross the traditional instrument with a trombone. The type of music was the biggest surprise though, as alongside a clap beat he warped these instruments into verifiable dance jams. Joined by a rasta who wrapped overtop they put on a decent show. While wielding these oversized instruments he danced hilariously while also speaking words through them - primarily "Ganga Giri" and "Didgeridoo". You must enjoy a set like this - 'it is crucial'!  'YESSSS'!

Third Eye Blind bring back the 90s (Echo Beach, July 28, 2011)

Yes the 90's were back in fashion down at Echo Beach (there's sand!) for this free summertime gig. Judging by the large crowd of twenty- and thirty-somethings it was to be a warm welcome too. Off to a late start it didn't take the Third Eye Blind lead singer long to have his tech swap his guitar; electric for acoustic at approximately the eight second mark of song one. From then til song seven of the set there isn't much to say as the band didn't have ANYTHING to say. (I was amazed too.... who knew they had seven songs?!) Finally during an interlude he broke his banter silence to say hello, and in a frustratingly drawn out manner eventually tell us about his recent bike crash and broken ribs. I suppose this was his excuse for doing little rocking out - unless you count posing, crossing your arms, holding the mic to the crowd or putting your hands in your pockets.

Okay, okay, okay this is all a little harsh. Especially as there was some redemption after this point. He excused the band in the second half for a solo tune and when they returned the first legitimate hit (that I know of) in Jumper was finally broken out. Yes, the massive singalong ensued. Additionally there were a couple B songs like Losing a Whole Year, Graduate, and Crystal Baller. Even Wounded was new to me but caught my ear. In dramatic fashion for the finale the singer cracked a large bunch of glow sticks and drew it out for ages tossing them one by one into the crowd, until he finally blew his load and tossed in his (first) hat too. (Hey, if their lyrics can be as blatant as they are, I'm not gonna hold back either.)

Now none of us were fooled by the momentary pause. They'd barely hit on what made them famous, and, frankly, the only reason they are still going today. (That is unless you ask super fan in front of me who sang and danced every word along the way.) Donning an identical, new hat the band returned with the opening to encore-song-one fooling me into thinking of How's It Gonna Be. Unfortunately that would be the closest I would get to that particular song as they followed with the 100% necessary Semi-Charmed Life, but to my dismay closed with something called God of Wine.

Don't get me wrong. They sounded pretty good, especially the guitarist, and worked within the standard rock realm of showmanship. Even the singer's vocals still fit, at least when he wasn't missing/jumping his queues or simply allowing us to sing it out. But overall it was rather apparent that Third Eye Blind are still riding out the nostalgia factor - a last gasp at a dying career. I guess they don't want to actually contemplate 'how it's gonna be, when we don't know them anymore'. Thanks for the memories anyhow.

Kidstreet - Hillside Friday 2011

It was early into the Hillside weekend, hell it was still early on Friday night, but the most fun to be had in one set of music had already arrived. Even the band commented on how great it was to have everyone up and dancing in with the sun still up. Once Kidstreet got their car-selling, fully instrumental, SONG out of the way right off the bat it was perhaps 8 seconds into song two that people began jumping to their feet to get their dance on. The trio of siblings each gave quite a performance, with one brother running around the stage frantically while the other kept the beat going. Meanwhile sister Snyder was absolutely tearing up the vocals. Credit for remembering all the lyrical moves to Spin Twirl alone (I've been trying), but keeping up with Penny Candies is a true feat - especially when they "speed it up a little". Phew! The crowd, as mentioned, fully embraced their Waterloo neighbours and the dance party continued in full force throughout. So! Much! Fun!

The Midway State - Hillside Friday 2011

The Midway State have been making music for some time but finally caught my ear leading up to Hillside. They've make extra catchy pop music grounded in rock sensibility and excellent musicianship. Unfortunately during their workshop set (mostly just a back and forth, song for song) with Harlan Pepper, and even throughout their abbreviated Island stage set, this wasn't too well showcased. Yes, the boys can play their instruments, and quite earnestly at that. During one of the mostly instrumental tunes the drummer busted a stick from bashing at his set - might have even been twice that song. In fact the intensity of the drumming stood out both times but the catchiness that should have led to dancing, or at least grooving, didn't translate as at times they appeared to get so wrapped up in their playing that they forgot to give back to the audience. One exception was Bryan Adams' Run to You but having seen it in the workshop hours earlier the novelty was slightly worn by the time they bust it out to a more sizable audience. Their closing number, Never Again, finally began breaking down the barrier between band and audience but due to time constraints they were halted just there. I'd love to see them devote more to the crowd in a full length set to see where they could take it.