As far as I'm concerned Rah Rah stole the show, as they have been known to do. Their energy and stage presence serves them well as they swap vocals, places and instruments throughout the set with mostly seamless transitions. Erin Passmore was slightly under the weather and it showed but only slightly as the other female, Kristina Hedlund, pointed out how great she could sound even while sick. Kristina's own song with leading vocals on the other hand sounded amiss, without explanation. Duet for Emmylou ramped up the fairly full Lee's Palace crowd early and they stuck with them through 20's and onto First Kiss, the closer that came complete with Rah Rah balloons.
Two Hours Traffic
Perhaps it is Two Hours Traffic fatigue, or the fact that they didn't include a whole lot of new material, but it seemed like a run of the mill set from the band. Mind you that still means catchy hooks and sweet guitar melodies, there just wasn't much to push their 35 minute showcase over the edge. The fact that it was a CMW showcase probably explains the leaning on go-to's like Stuck for the Summer and closer Heroes of the Sidewalk but for longtime fans it left just a little to be desired. We wanted to hear more of Foolish Blood but would have to be content with the four, including Audrey, Magic and top track Amour than Amis.
July Talk
Four relatively non-descript guys assembled on stage to close out the night. (Okay they're describable - the drummer looked like the not-homeless movie star from Arrested Development and the lead singer had the bad boy look down, or maybe that was based on his behaviour.) The singer started up with his gravelly, punk voice (think Tom Waits) and the musicians backed him and then strutted in the lady of the hour. What a presence she had as she came in, an enchanting visage. Then she sang and I realized that under that brown, fur jacket, jean shorts, fishnets, and white shades was a voice to offset that growl nicely. As hinted, the lead singer was quite mischievous, pushing his guitarist around, kissing band members on the cheek, and playfully tugging at the lady's eclectic apparel. At one point the two with the mics knelt down to worship at the feet of their guitarist who laid down an excellent solo. It wasn't the set I was expecting having listened to a couple songs in preparation but it was highly entertaining. Another hometown band to cheer on.
The Balconies
You could hear her from the short line on Bloor as The Balconies Leading Lady started up in full rock star mode. She sure can command a crowd with her dancing thighs, wild eyes and whipped black hair; her antics really proved how she could soak up the limelight. The 4 piece band weren't too shabby either as they rocked hard in a grungy, 80's-rock way, laying on thick bass lines. In their denim vests and jackets they performed a show that was full-on and won over many in the surprisingly packed Lee's Palace.
Perhaps it is Two Hours Traffic fatigue, or the fact that they didn't include a whole lot of new material, but it seemed like a run of the mill set from the band. Mind you that still means catchy hooks and sweet guitar melodies, there just wasn't much to push their 35 minute showcase over the edge. The fact that it was a CMW showcase probably explains the leaning on go-to's like Stuck for the Summer and closer Heroes of the Sidewalk but for longtime fans it left just a little to be desired. We wanted to hear more of Foolish Blood but would have to be content with the four, including Audrey, Magic and top track Amour than Amis.
July Talk
Four relatively non-descript guys assembled on stage to close out the night. (Okay they're describable - the drummer looked like the not-homeless movie star from Arrested Development and the lead singer had the bad boy look down, or maybe that was based on his behaviour.) The singer started up with his gravelly, punk voice (think Tom Waits) and the musicians backed him and then strutted in the lady of the hour. What a presence she had as she came in, an enchanting visage. Then she sang and I realized that under that brown, fur jacket, jean shorts, fishnets, and white shades was a voice to offset that growl nicely. As hinted, the lead singer was quite mischievous, pushing his guitarist around, kissing band members on the cheek, and playfully tugging at the lady's eclectic apparel. At one point the two with the mics knelt down to worship at the feet of their guitarist who laid down an excellent solo. It wasn't the set I was expecting having listened to a couple songs in preparation but it was highly entertaining. Another hometown band to cheer on.
The Balconies
You could hear her from the short line on Bloor as The Balconies Leading Lady started up in full rock star mode. She sure can command a crowd with her dancing thighs, wild eyes and whipped black hair; her antics really proved how she could soak up the limelight. The 4 piece band weren't too shabby either as they rocked hard in a grungy, 80's-rock way, laying on thick bass lines. In their denim vests and jackets they performed a show that was full-on and won over many in the surprisingly packed Lee's Palace.
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