Wavelength XIII - Evening Hymns, Do Make Say Think, Sarah Neufeld - Great Hall (Feb 16/13)

Evening Hymns

Evening Hymns are achingly gorgeous and especially so as just Jonas and Sylvie opened to 'sing these hymns' from Arrow. Soon their ranks swelled to six with Sylvie taking bass duties and Jonas on electric guitar plus a female violinist, multi-instrumentalist on keys/horn/accordion, guitarist and drummer. They brought the phenomenal Spectral Dusk back to life with Family Tree and the haunting projections of the moon in the background fittingly for Moon River. Apparently the plan was to debut 'like 9 new songs' but instead the couple have been holed up in a cabin making beer and restoring a canoe, so they played Cabin in the Burn instead. It is fulfilling to see the live show live up to the great heights of the recorded material, including an impassioned Dead Deer and the up-tempo acoustic of Broken Rifle from 2009's Spirit Guides. Not sure that there's ever enough Evening Hymns it was bittersweet as they announced their last song, the sing-it-out Mtn. Song and only then did my attention break.

Do Make Say Think

A much heralded return to the stage after a lengthy absence Do Make Say Think in their five player configuration were well received. Double drums and a couple swapping between keys and guitars plus Charles Spearin on 6 string bass made up the 2013 iteration. Opening funnily enough with the End of Music they delighted with their fully instrumental music. Obviously skilled musicians they were entertaining enough but with the hour, lack of familiarity or outgoing stage presence it only took a few songs to satiate before calling it a night.

Sarah Neufeld

There has been some significant hype surrounding Sarah Nuefeld's set and forthcoming release, and not solely based on her ties to the Arcade Fire. By the time she launched into her second song however it had become apparent that it was just instrumental violin (not Final Fantasy). Sure, it was emphatic and interesting violin but that was all it was - not exactly the groundbreaking, hype-raising new music that it had been billed as. The highlight, for both the variation and the caliber of performers, was when Colin Stetson and Geordie Gordon (The Magic) joined her on sax and keys respectively. Apparently the hype extends to fellow musicians - let's see what spending some time with the record does for her.

Doom Squad

Rushing to the venue to see what Wavelength had in store as an opener I realized I needn't have hurried. Primarily pre-recorded, the two females and barefoot male of Doom Squad essentially just danced and sang mostly non-words. It was loud and a few people shuffled along with them but it missed my mark - even the reimagining of Riders on the Storm that closed things out.