Memoryhouse (Great Hall, Mar. 10, CMW)

Memoryhouse are the band that somehow slipped past the campus-radio music coordinator and his sidekick (that's me) in their hometown of Guelph all the way to a raving review on The 'Fork. I've been curious about the band ever since and finally the opportunity had arisen to take them in after enjoying their EPs for the last few weeks. For this reason I'm disheartened to report that what is so lovely in my headphones did not translate to the stage sure there's a host of excuses - first time all four played together, cavernous hall on a mixed music fest bill, or simply that this tending-toward-chill wave music is difficult to present live. Regardless the heavily synthesized guitar blaring from the speakers missed the mark and the lead female vocals didn't come across lovely and hushed as I wished they would. I thought about saying that perhaps it is for the best that I never saw them live, but on second thought maybe an intimate (Memory)house show with a captive audience would be less a disservice and more suitable. The final song, slow and soft, came closer to this, at least for the first two rows.