Hey Ocean!, The Zolas (Great Hall, Oct 12/12)

Hey Ocean!

Both the crowd and the band brought mountains of energy to the Great Hall on Friday night. An uplifting welcoming cheer went up Hey Ocean! hit the stage and increased when frontwoman, Ashleigh Ball, emerged at last. Ever-enchanting, she endeared us all as they launch into tunes from IS, their most recent, and wonderful, pop record. Throughout the night she beamed as she sang her way into our hearts, and a few lucky front-row folks even had some intimate encounters, especially the lucky guy whose hair she caressed. My friend had the mic passed to her and we sang out some ooo's while Ashleigh let go with some on-stage dancing. Later on she encouraged us all to Make a New Dance Up and the typically movement-phobic Toronto did HeyO proud by grooving all over the floor. Following this up with the cover of Be My Baby was a stroke of genius as it kept the dance party moving.

 They mixed it up a little as well, such as when bass-Dave (Vertesi) took over the vocals for the Dolly Parton riffing Jolene, which has really grown on me. Ashleigh pulled out her flute for a tune and the whole band surrounded the drummer with sticks flying on another. Finally they closed out with a Big Blue Wave but were back for a couple older tunes including Too Soon in encore. Dave V climbed the speakers on one side before leaping off - and in an anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better rebuttal from Ash she not only climbed the speakers but right up onto the upper floor railing and tight-rope walked along the top of it in a death-defying closing stunt. (See Set Lists below)

The Zolas

Besides the excellently catchy Marlaina Kamikaze that has kicked around on my playlists for years, I haven't paid too much attention to the Zolas. Working out of Vancouver the chances to see them have been limited and so this was the first opportunity. A friend had really psyched me up for the set and with the recently released album I had high expectations. Perhaps it was in the dim lighting required for the black and white films being projected onto the band and the curtain behind, or maybe the absence of one of the two founding members, but it is hard to explain away the lack of dynamism of this show. Technically the five guys playing guitars, bass, keys and drums (including electric pad) didn't do anything wrong they just didn't really draw us in all too much. Maybe increased exposure to the new material, both from the band playing it and from the crowds hearing it, will improve the live experience. In good form and smart planning they did close with Marlaina Kamikaze and it rocked, so they've got it in 'em and they left on a good note!

Set Lists

Hey Ocean, By Divine Right (Clinton's, May 15, '12)

Sound checks always seem to take forever, especially so when you've gotta leave. This was the case but finally Hey Ocean! were ready. All eyes fall to the lead singer (and lead, well only, clarinet) but the five other band members deserve recognition for crafting the upbeat, indie pop for her to lay her impressive vocals over. This was exhibited right off the top with A Song About California and carried through the handful of tracks I was able to stick around for. I Am A Heart was one highlight of these. A revealing intro to Change set us up for the whistle/synths, claps and exquisite vocals. I didn't get a chance to Make a New Dance Up but was pleased to have caught what I did while supporting Skate4Cancer in the process.


By Divine Right is the name of the band retained by the lead singer and guitarist. After all he told a story of playing their second anniversary at Clinton's in1992, at which point his female bassist chimed in that she was 5 at the time and the equally young-looking drummer was definitely still a minor. There was a little variation, a couple acoustic guitar tracks to close and a few catchy riffs would pop up, but for the most part it was a couple chords strummed repeatedly. Sure this works in punk bands and apparently it worked for a Toronto indie band in the 90s too, but here it seemed to fall flat. The room was packed, sold out actually, with what one had to assume were eager Hey Ocean fans as the chatter raised whenever you could be heard over the sound system. I definitely know the band's name however all night I couldn't place a single song.