Live Blogging Olympic Music : Karkwa, Jill Barber & Hawksley Workman

At this point, Canada was 4th place in terms of medal count. 90+% of Canadians had watched at least part of an Olympic sporting event on TV. And by Wednesday, February 17, 2010, the cultural component of the Olympics brought out the big guns with one of Canadian indie's hottest exports Feist and Chilly Gonzales playing a paid show at the Orpheum, and hurtin' Albertan Corb Lund playing LiveCity Yaletown. And of course, the shows below.

It's fair to say that I had no expectations whatsoever of Karkwa when I entered the Air Canada Stage at la Place de la Francophonie at an early 6pm. I had heard raving reviews of them from good friend Kirk at 3amrevelations and decided to venture out to Granville Island, on a sort of blind musical date. It's more than fair to say that Karkwa got a second date; they were a shock and a delight. Like fellow Francophone rockers Malajube, the members of Karkwa have a knack for knitting together elaborate, dazzling rock compositions that astound you with their beauty but knock you backwards with their force. And what a force! They had both percussionist Julien Sagot and drummer Stéphane Bergeron pounding on floor toms for many of the songs. Lead guitarist and vocalist Louis-Jean Cormier complemented the complex musical backdrop not by an overpowering voice, but by using his voice as another layer.

Next up, we have the lovely Jill Barber at the Richmond O Zone. After Karkwa, my company and I rushed from Granville Island to the nearby Vancouver suburb to catch Barber as she wraps up the first song in her set. With only a keyboardist and guitarist accompanying her, Jill Barber put on a stripped down show consisting equally of songs from older albums, as well as from her jazz-infused latest Chances. Her sultry presence and set full of romantic songs about love and loves lost had couples slow dancing in the audience, and the rest of us feeling kind of nostalgic.

After Jill left the stage, the crew hands set up the stage for the last anticipated act-- Hawksley Workman. Fronted by Ryan Corrigan (aka. Hawksley Workman) and backed by his companion Todd Lumley, aka. Mr. Lonely and full backing band, Hawksley put on not only a musically entertaining show, but showed his prowess as a performer with a hilarious and banterful stage presence. Always engaging, with stories that range from sexual dreams to moving to Amsterdam for a lover and so much more, Hawksley engaged us for the full hour and a bit that he was on stage. The set was heavy on new material off his newest Meat and Milk, with only the last three songs being older favourites-- "Smoke Baby," "Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off On Me," and "The City Is A Drag."

For live tweets from more Olympic shows, check out my Twitter.

Live Blogging Olympic Music : Mother Mother, Elliott BROOD & GOLD!!!

Gold!!! Alexandre Bilodeau got the first gold medal in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in Men's moguls! 7.3 million people watched Bilodeau's winning run and approximately a third of the Canadian population watched the run at least in part. Wow. That's a good trivia fact to remember kids. February 14 --Valentine's Day -- first Canadian gold medal on Canadian soil ever.

I found out about this great piece of news through the mesh fences of LiveCity Yaletown, the venue which Vancouver's own Mother Mother was to be playing at 8:00. The lineup around the site exploded with cheering and spontaneous singing of O Canada and the excitement was contagious. A man walked through the streets with a full-sized Canadian flag perched on his back, flapping in the wind. What a sight; the uncharacteristic exuberance and patriotism I'll never forget.

 

Mother Mother was introduced to the stage by one of the Olympic emcees. Although generally cheesy, this one seemed to know and be quite enamoured by MM, declaring that the reason why the band sells out venues nationwide with lineups winding around street corners is because "they're fricking AWESOME!" It was a highlight for sure and got many yelps and cheers from the crowd.

And awesome, they were. Every time I see Mother Mother live, I'm reminded why they were the recipients of the 2009 CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for Best Live Act. The inventive, unpredictable chord progressions and harmonies explode in real life, and the confidence and style which the band execute their hits bring me back time after time. Lead guitarist and singer Ryan Guldemond stirred the crowd into an insane frenzy with wiry solos and his characteristic falsetto. Jasmin Parkin got some unintentional solos in the first part of the show due to some poor sound mixing; Molly was inaudible for a good bit and the typical three-part harmonies weren't restored until about 4-5 songs in. But there's no use dwelling on a short part of what was otherwise a killer set. The crowd was jumping and flinging about in no time, and of course a couple of crowd surfers graced us with their presence as well.

Seeing as it was Valentine's Day, the choice of "Arms Tonite" for the opening track of the set was very suitable. Mother Mother then blitzed through, hit after hit, their two albums Touch Up and O My Heart. Overheard in the crowd: "if they don't play 'Hayloft' I'm going to cry." Well, there was no need to fret, as MM saved the best for last and had the whole crowd go bananas with their latest single.

Much like the set by fellow Vancouverites Hey Ocean!, Mother Mother's set was sprinkled with new songs. Two, "Simply Simple" and "Eureka," were played previously in their live shows. Another new song, which started as a normal love ballad, got MM'ed rather quickly and turned into a rock out dance-fest a verse in. Can't wait for the new album, whenever that's slated to be out.

Toronto's Elliott BROOD played in LiveCity Downtown shortly after at 9:30; this LiveCity had a fraction of the capacity compared to LiveCity Yaletown. This resulted in two separate lineups- one to get into the plaza, and another hour long line within the plaza to get into the venue where the BROOD boys were playing. Lame, I know. Most of the set was spent outside watching the boys on a large screen, hearing the enthusiastic crowd banging their wooden spoons and cookie sheets to hits such as "The Valley Town" and "Write It All Down For You" from EB's latest Mountain Meadows. Not to be outdone, the 20-30ish people watching the screen outside, as well as some in the lineup, danced, jigged, and swung about to the music filtering out from the venue and the large TV outside, yours truly included. And boy, was it good dancing music. My legs were jelly by the end of the night.

For the very last song of their set, Elliott BROOD dedicated "Miss You Now" to their good friend Dan Mangan of Vancouver, saying  that they hope to see him soon. Dan, of course, returned the love via Twitter. By last half of the song, the lineup had disappeared, and I was able to run in quickly and snap the photo you see above of the dancing, enthusiastic, noisy crowd.

What a night; running from the show of the winner of Best Live Act to one of the finalists. Maybe next time I'll catch EB in real life real life, as opposed to on a screen, separated by glass and a lineup.

Live Blogging Olympic Music : Malajube & Opening Ceremonies

I kicked off my Olympics celebrations at the cozy, kitschy corner of Vancouver known as Granville Island, where la Place de la Francophonie was located. After dinner, we caught the beginning of the Canadian anthem and bolted out the doors (after paying, of course) and ended up at the outdoor PdlF just in time to catch the last sustained note. What followed was 3 hours of standing in the pouring rain with about 150 other people, mostly francophone, in the outdoor plaza as we watched the visually stunning pageantry known as the opening ceremonies. Music-wise, it was a bit disappointing to note that all the performers were lip-syncing, although some were very, very good at it. The most touching moment was definitely when the entire stadium stood to honour Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who had passed away earlier in the day due to an accident during practice. A minute of silence was observed, which resulted in a silent BC Place, as well as silence throughout our plaza.


All in all, the highlights of the Opening Ceremony can be summarized thus-- killer whales, Koyczan and k.d. lang. The visual effects simulating our wildlife drew gasps throughout the audience; BC slam poet Shane Koyczan delivered an impassioned poem highlighting the place of Canada in the world, and k.d. lang performed a spotless and thoroughly worthy rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." (was that really lip-synced? don't believe it) A tweet I read post performance summed it up quite nicely; "That's Canada for you. A vegan lesbian from Alberta singing a song written by a Quebec Jew."

Thankfully, the set by Montreal's Polaris-nominated Malajube was indoors at Performance Works theatre. The theatre was standing room only by the time we arrived, half an hour before their set was slated to begin. And by the time they took to the stage, the wide wooden floors of the theatre were covered with the bums of an eager audience. And they did not disappoint. Mixing sparse English and French banter in the beginning of the set, Malajube quickly got down to business, interspersing their trippy, nudging hardcore and prog-rock with only a few "merci, merci"s. 

Guitarist and lead singer Julien Mineau's vocals were in top-notch form, and in the few songs where he and keyboardist Thomas Augustin screamed the lyrics, the crowd went absolutely ape-shit and it was amazing. Augustin also reminded me of Foo Fighter's Dave Grohl with his demeanor and mustache. Instrumentally, the set was near flawless, with a few technical difficulties in the beginning soothed out a couple of songs in. The two songs that I knew well, "Porte Disparu" and "Luna" from their latest Labyrinthes were played back to back in the beginning of the set. The band was not afraid to take the audience on a ride, often stretching out the songs into long, instrumental freak-outs. The audience more than happily returned the favour by slam dancing and crowd surfing. All in all, it was a fucking concert.

What made the night special, on top of Malajube in their top form, was seeing the most eclectic group of fans rock out gleefully in Performance Works. Myself, my Mexican friend, his francophone boyfriend, the nearby group of teen Chinese girls were all singing along at the tops of our lungs. Middle aged couples were front and centre, in the middle of the most enthusiastic and non-hostile mosh pit I've seen. When someone pushed, they pushed back with big grins. Some up front (like me) had their wet shoes off from being outside and were dancing without worry. When an older lady side stage was flinging her arms about and sending voodoo arms toward the stage (so looking generally awkward), two high school girls jumped from in front of the stage to join her in her strange Macarena-like dance. The crowd was bloody brilliant, and very Canadian.

As my friend Cody at @cdnmusic would say, Malajube pour le gagner (PLG)!

Here's the set list for the night:

For more photos from the Malajube set, visit my Flickr!

Spotlight: Woodhands

One of the country's top electro bands, Woodhands, a duo made up of Dan Werb (vocals, synths) and Paul Banwatt (drums, live vocals), released a new album this past Tuesday. Remorsecapade is a follow-up to 2008's explosive Heart Attack, which led to tours in Asia, the US, and here in Canada. This new release keeps the band rocking the keytar, pounding out the dance hits, and exploring its emotional baggage.

To celebrate the release and help get the word out, the band hosted a secret, invite-only show Thursday night at Toronto's not-spacious Smiling Buddha bar. Slightly north and west of the usual hotspots, and often playing host to bands even I've never heard of, I admit to not having ventured there before. I got there early, and spent a quick hour and a quarter talking with an assortment of local press-types and friends of the band. At around 10:30pm, a smoke machine and two green lasers having created somewhat of a proper vibe, and with photographers assembled at the front, the band started to play. And then quickly stopped. Aw, Woodhands. The technical issues were almost instantly sorted out, and the show really got started. The band performed a few of the songs off Remorsecapade, brought Maylee Todd on to contribute her part to "Dissembler" and "Dancer" from Heart Attack, then seamlessly transitioned into "Coolchanize," the standout track from the new album. The performance wasn't quite the display of musical wizardry I've seen from this band, but that's hardly the point. Experiencing these songs---also "CP24," "Talk," and "I Should Have Gone With My Friends,"---performed live makes me excited for everyone who'll get a chance to see this band on their upcoming tour. And, as a friend of mine told Paul after the set, it was just fun to see them play in a small venue just like the old days. (Read more about that here.)

Remorsecapade is the band's second full-length album. Like the first, it offers up eminently danceable tracks and much artistic interest. Electro isn't usually this smart and fully danceable. The best track, "Coolchazine," grabbed my attention right away. Some of the others took a few listens, but by now I'm quite taken with the record.

The first track, "Pockets," sets the tone, and assures the listener that all the ingredients that made Heart Attack great are still present. Slow builds and quiet moments compete with pounding beats and aborted symbol crashes. The song's both groovy and meaningful. It's a love song, after all. "Talk," next up, is about a girl, too. It has dance hit written all over it, but the angst-ridden, yearning kind, not the bubble-gum version. "CP24" you've all heard (and seen). Here the angst gets aggressive and embittered. "Sluts"---which I just noticed begins with a technical glitch and Dan swearing "fuck this machine"---has a more dance club vibe. The girl problems continue, but there's a resolution. What begins aggressively ends with a much more healthy attitude. Awesome. And then comes "Coolchanize." As Dan himself might say, "Oh shit!" Screams! Grunts! This song takes me through the ringer. Dan---or the man he's singing about---has been done wrong. "Why are you fucking with my focus? Why do you have to be the closest thing to me?" and etc. The man can't get a break, though, deciding next that "I Should Have Gone With My Friends" instead of following his date around. This is another great dance track. After all this "Dissembler" comes as a welcome reprieve. Maylee Todd, whose smooth vocal performance on "Dancer" added so much to the first record, is back, performing a duet on this one with Dan. Much airier, this pop love song is really lovely. Everyone now feeling better about things, it's time to dance (and scream) again. "When the Party is Over," featuring fat synth beats, under-emphasized drumming, and great singing, is another solid Woodhands song. The final track ("I Want To Be Together," followed by the outro "How To Survive A Remorsecapade"), is radically different in sound. It's slower, contemplative, sad---"I want to be together" is the repeated refrain---but also a smart way to end a record that's full of anger and heartbreak and other emotional struggles. A "remorsecapade" indeed.

Download: "Pockets" (Remorsecapade, 2010).
Download: "I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry cover)" (unreleased, 2009).
Download: "Dancer" (Heart Attack, 2008).
Download: "I Wasn't Made For Fighting" (Heart Attack, 2008).





And the live version:



Pick up a copy of Remorsecapade at your local record store, or order it through Paper Bag Records (or whatever other online retailer you like). You can also get both full-length records on vinyl from Paper Bag, as well as some digital-only releases, including last year's Dancer EP, a must-have for DJs or dance-party hosts.

The band is playing shows throughout Canada, February through April. Go see them if you're able!

2 Feb 2010, MTV LIVE, Toronto
6 Feb 2010, Hillside Inside at Sleeman Center, Guelph, Ontario
20 Feb 2010, Biltmore, Vancouver, British Columbia
24 Feb 2010, Pawn Shop, Edmonton, Alberta
25 Feb 2010, Broken City, Calgary, Alberta
26 Feb 2010, Amigo’s, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
27 Feb 2010, Lo Pub, Winnipeg, Manitoba
2 Mar 2010, Phog Lounge, Windsor, Ontario
4 Mar 2010, Level 3, St Catharines, Ontario
5 Mar 2010, Moon Over Marin, London, Ontario
6 Mar 2010, This Ain’t Hollywood, Hamilton, Ontario
11 Mar 2010, Opera House w/ k-os (Canadian Music Week), Toronto, Ontario
6 Apr 2010, Red Dog, Peterborough, Ontario
8 Apr 2010, Mavericks, Ottawa, Ontario
9 Apr 2010, Le Cercle, Quebec City, Quebec
10 Apr 2010, Club Lambi, Montreal, Quebec

Live Review: OOTS 3rd Anniversary w/ The D'Urbervilles, Forest City Lovers, Evening Hymns, Jenny Omnichord.

Toronto label Out of this Spark celebrated its third anniversary at the Garrison in Toronto Friday night. The party was a showcase for all four of the label's current bands: The D'Urbervilles, Forest City Lovers, Evening Hymns, and Jenny Omnichord. Three of the groups have new albums coming out this year, so we were treated to many new songs.

Jenny Omnichord is the solo project of Jenny Mitchell, a Guelph musician who also plays with other bands, including the Burning Hell. Mitchell is a great songwriter and lyricist. Her songs are often quirky, sometimes serious, but always earnestly delivered. It's also pretty neat to watch her manipulate her omnichords, an electronic instrument based on the autoharp that allows the performer to mix together a wide array of sounds using only her fingers.Friday night Mitchell performed some new songs off the album she's current working on---it'll include songs about "babies and skeletons." She entertained us with songs about a bout of bad luck in NYC, "Blankets & Bones," her young son, Elvis impersonators in London, ON ("The Kings of London"), her "baby daddy," skeletons in love ("Skeletal Love Song"), and a final one about "polyamorous skeletons," which included the singalong verse "How would anyone know whose are whose bones?" All in all, it was a nice, short set that afforded Mitchell enough time to show off her talents.

Download: Jenny Omnichord, "The Kings of London" (Cities of Gifts and Ghosts, 2008).

The slow jams Friday night were provided by Evening Hymns, a band featuring songwriter Jonas Bonnetta backed up on this occasion by the marvelous Sylvie Smith and Tim Bruton from the Magic, Shaun Brodie, and a drummer. The set started with an atmospheric buildup, perfectly setting the tone for what was to follow. I prefer my music a little more fast-paced, but there's no denying the appeal of Evening Hymns: pretty, meaningful songs with compositional complexity and interesting soundscapes. The set included several songs from Spirit Guides: "Lanterns," "Dead Deer" (my favourite), "Cedars," and "Mountain Song," among others. The band put on the night's best performance. Sylvie Smith has to be the perfect backing vocalist for this band. Her beautiful, clear voice is the ideal accompaniment to Jonas' vocals. Brodie's trumpet and accordion added much to the set, too. Though the chatty crowd kept to the back, this is a band best heard in a quieter environment, or listened to through good headphones.

Download: Evening Hymns, "Cedars" (Spirit Guides, 2009).

Forest City Lovers is the most prominent band on Out of This Spark's current roster. With two full albums already under their belt, and a another one coming this year, they've created a niche for themselves in the crowded Toronto folk-pop scene. I tend to prefer listening to their recordings than seeing them live, and Friday didn't change my mind. I don't know what it is, but it's true. It may be that I was standing too close, or the mix was off---the bass was more prominent than I would have liked. Still, Kat Burns was in fine form, and playing with her full band, including violinist Mika Posen, bassist Kyle Donnelly, drummer Christian Ingelevics, and extra guitarist Tim Bruton. They performed songs off Haunting Moon Sinking (2008) and The Sun & the Wind (2006)---I recognized "Don't Go," "Song for Morrie," "Watching The Streetlights Grow," "Sullen Seas," "Pirates (Can't All Sail the Indian Ocean)"---plus a couple new tunes, including "If I Were a Tree" off their recently-released 7". I eagerly await adding their next album to my list of favourites.

Download: Forest City Lovers, "Two Hearts" (Haunting Moon Sinking, 2008).

In the headlining spot were the D'Urbervilles. This is a great band, exuding cool and bursting with talent. Their 2008 debut full-length, We Are the Hunters, is still high-up on my list of favourite albums. The band's been recording on and off since the summer, and the new songs I heard Friday night bode well for their next album. What I like about this band's sound should still be there: funky bass lines, strong guitar melodies, top-notch vocals, and precise, interesting drum beats. Front-man John O'Regan is the stand-out performer here, but he's backed up a stellar team in guitarist Tim Bruton (The Magic, Forest City Lovers), bassist Kyle Donnelly (Forest City Lovers), and drummer Greg Santilly. John and the others tried to get the crowd revved up, but the audience was resistant. Too bad. Even spirited performances of "Spin the Bottle" and "The Receiver" weren't met with the enthusiasm I'd have predicted. With the right energy in the room the D'Urbervilles can deliver an explosive performance. Here's hoping that album of theirs comes out soon and I get another, proper chance to party with them.

Download: The D'Urbervilles, "Spin the Bottle" (We Are the Hunters, 2008).

As a special treat, at the end of the show, members of the D'Urbs and FCL got together with Jenny Omnichord to perform three more songs, one from each of their respective repertoires. Not quite the "family band" experience that we got in the summer, but hearing one of Jenny's songs played with a full band made it plain once again that she's far from a novelty act.

Happy birthday, OOTS. Here's looking forward to those new releases.

[Photo credits: Frank Yang. Awesome shots, eh? More here.]

Live Review: Basia Bulat, The Luyas @ Trinity-St. Paul's, Toronto

Basia Bulat played Trinity-St. Paul's United Church in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood on Saturday night to celebrate the launch of her new album, Heart of My Own, due out on 26 January. She gave a stunning performance, moving, heartwarming, and well-received by members of the capacity crowd. This was my fifth time seeing her, and it was awesome to see this talented performer bring the house down in such a beautiful environment.

I was excited for the show, but didn't realize so many others were too until I got to the church at the advertised door time, 7pm. The lineup was already more than a block long. I took my place in line, in front of a group of people speaking Polish. I figured they were members of the Bulat extended family, and a minute later drummer (and brother) Bobby Bulat came over to greet them. Confirmed. The crowd was a mixed bag: many younger concert-goers, including a few familiar faces from the local music scene, but also older couples. We all stood still for at least 30 minutes until the doors were finally opened and we slowly made our way in.

Inside, a large stage took over the front of the deceptively-small church. The pews on the ground floor were divided into four sections, about a dozen or so deep. Upstairs, hundreds more people sat in tiered pews in the U-shaped balcony that wrapped around the entire room. A few minutes after 8pm, the lights dimmed and the first band started to play.

They were the Luyas, a Montreal 5-piece headed by singer-guitarist Jessie Stein. They were presumably excited to get a chance to play for a relatively large, captive audience. Stein appeared in a short red dress, black blazer, black knee-high leather boots, and sporting short, curly hair, a kind of female pompadour. She looked great. Musically, her backing band---drums, violin, keyboard, and French horn---impressed. Some of her musicians also play in those other Montreal bands, Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre. But Stein doesn't sing well. Her breathy, child-like vocals had me cringing. There were spots during a couple songs when instrumental jam-outs caught my ear. Mostly, though, the Luyas' brand of bizarre orchestral pop with sub-par vocals did little for me. I can't imagine an audience there to hear Basia Bulat's wonderous singing and folk-pop rhythms felt much love for them either. At one point Stein implied she'd like us all to rebel by standing on our pews. If she'd performed much longer than her allotted 35 minutes, she might well have had a rebellion on her hands. In a more appropriate context she and her band might have gone over better with me.

But all was soon forgiven. From the first note of Basia Bulat's opening song, the familiar-but-newly-recorded "Heart of My Own," I was back to being excited. In a flattering crinkly brown dress, mauve tights, and calf-high cowboy boots, Bulat exuded warmth and charm. She seems to be great friends with her band-mates, and especially the lovely women who flank her on either side of the stage: Holly Coish (vocals, ukulele) and Allison Stewart (vocals, viola). The band---a 6-piece also including Bobby, Erik Arneson (banjo, guitar), and Bret Higgins (bass)---performed songs off 2007's Oh, My Darling and Heart of My Own. "In the Night" was second, then Bulat performed a couple songs (including "Snakes & Ladders") from the grand piano off stage right. She returned to centre stage for "Once More, For the Dollhouse."

After a moving rendition of "Little Waltz" Bulat's band-members left the stage, and she performed "If Only You" and "Sugar and Spice" on acoustic guitar, then "Sparrow" on the ukulele. Allison, Bret, Erik, and Holly returned to sing backup on "The Shore," featuring the gorgeous and strange hammered harp. (Not to be confused with the autoharp, pictured above, which Bulat also played.) The church was silent, audience members enraptured. The final four songs--- "Pilgriming Vine"; the "fun song," "Go On"; "If It Rains"; and "Walk You Down" were more rousing. Cue standing ovation. The first two encore songs called for audience participation: "Before I Knew" and "I Was A Daughter." The concert ended with a solo vocal performance of a traditional negro spiritual, unmiked. It was sensational. Cue second standing ovation.

Throughout the set Bulat thanked us all for coming, and expressed genuine happiness at being home, playing in this great venue. "A dream come true," she explained. During the encore, out of mic range, she exclaimed "this is so fun!" to her band-mates. They seemed thrilled too. And so was I. This concert was a rare treat. Though, Bulat told us, it had been a particularly bad day for the band prior to the show, her good humour and spirited personality seemingly know no bounds. The strength of her voice, and her and her band's impressive musicianship was awesome. "Hope to see you next time," she said, as always. Yes, you will.

Download: "Gold Rush" (Heart of My Own, 2010).
Download: "Go On" (Heart of My Own, 2010).
Download: "In the Night" (Oh, My Darling, 2007).
Download: "Home" (live at Criminal Records, Toronto, Dec 2007).

Photo credits: Frank Yang. More here.

Live Review: Constantines 10th Anniv. w/ Ladyhawk, Julie Doiron @ Lee's Palace, Toronto.

To celebrate 10 years as a band, the Constantines put together a mini-tour, including 3 official shows and 1 secret one in Toronto. They brought along some of their favourite bands to play with them: John K. Sampson (from the Weakerthans), Attack in Black, Metz, Oneida, Tropics, and the ones I saw on Saturday, 19 December, at Lee's Palace, Julie Doiron and Ladyhawk. That was the last show of the tour, and it felt like an extra-special celebration.

Julie Doiron was first up. I'd last seen her sell out Lee's of her own accord in what turned out to be one of the best shows I saw all year. She was once again joined by the Baird brothers, Jesse on drums and Jay on bass, and occasionally Will Kidman from Constantines on extra guitar. (Shotgun Jimmie watched on from the audience.) Julie and her band were in fine form. I liked a new song they played, one that sounded like "The House of the Rising Sun" but with different lyrics. The most noteworthy part of their short set for me was the small group of female super-fans around me. "She's so cute," squealed one young woman to her companion. Later on, the blonde one whipped out a harmonica and played along. Julie noticed; it was weird. But the drunken duo disappeared once her set ended. I was glad for it: their dancing involved bumping into me rather more than I cared for.

In the middle spot was Ladyhawk, a band I'd yet to come across. I was worried I might not like their sound before they even got on stage when I suddenly I found myself surrounded by men who kept referring to each other as "bra." (It took me a moment to understand what on earth they were talking about.) And then the band appeared. The bassist had long blonde hair, the kind that looks best when its owner is rocking out. See? The lead was in a tie-dye shirt of sorts. An odd choice, but perhaps an homage to their sound. Their set showed off a musical range from classic rock to early and mid 90s grunge to alternative. Not exactly my cup of tea, and a smidge repetitive at times, but they certainly had their enthusiasts, including Julie, watching and taking photos just off-stage. Bry and Dallas from the Cons crashed the set, joining the band to sing backup "ooh oh ooohs" during the penultimate song. (My friend Rochelle got a picture of that.) So, you know, it was a fun time.

By the start of Ladyhawk's set, Lee's Palace had filled up nicely, and once they were done there was no moving for me, for fear of not being able to make my way back to the front row. I usually like to be right up front during concerts. That way, I can see what's happening on stage and have a much better sense of being part of the show than if I was standing way back, having to look over taller people's heads to catch a glimpse of the musicians. Since the shows I go to tend not to be feasts for the eyes, it's important for me to be able to see the players; otherwise, I'd probably get bored. For Constantines's set, I was standing in front of keyboardist Will, a good spot, I was told, to keep clear of the moshers. As it turned out, it was a brilliant vantage point to watch the goings-on on stage.

It was clear from the get-go that Constantines elicit the kind of response I rarely see at concerts. (I tend not to go to big-ticket ones, though.) By the time the band played "Young Offenders," with its shout-out refrain "Can I get a witness," the concert was feeling like a religious experience. All around me people were pumping their fists in the air and singing along. Soon enough there was moshing just to my right, and mostly by people who didn't look old enough to have known the band when they first started. When bassist Dallas Wehrle tossed his ski mask---he'd been wearing a full-face white balaclava---into the crowd, there was a bit of a scuffle. A few minutes later one crazed female fan, already drenched in sweat from dancing and ramming into people, had it, holding it tight.

The Constantines played for more than 2 hours, including a 4- or 5-song encore. Julie Doiron sang lead vocals on one tune, and Jennifer Castle sang and swayed to one, too. The first encore song featured Leslie Feist. (I admit to being impressed at having Feist performing a few feet away from me, even making eye contact a couple times!) Proving once again that this concert really was a celebration, before launching into "Nighttime / Anytime (It's Alright)" vocalist Bry Webb asked for his mother to make her way onto the stage. Mid-way through the song, there she was beside me, asking Rochelle how to get up there. We told her, but with the sea of excited people all around, she decided to plant herself on the dancefloor just beneath him. When the song ended and it was brought to his attention that she was there, he told us how it was his mom who'd shouted "turn it up" when he played the newly-recorded song for her. And so the recurring, shouted refrain was born. Neat. Not to be outdone by their fans, the band was really ripping it up that night. Will Kidman's keyboard stand looked oft-abused to me, but so too were his organ and synth. A couple times during their set the organ on top fell to the ground near my head as the entire setup crashed. Upon failing to get everything working after losing the organ a second time, Will gave up and threw the organ to the ground himself, leaving him unable to play one of the encore songs.

Man, being in a rock band looks like so much fun.

Not being familiar with very much of the Cons discography---shame on me, I know---I felt more like a spectator than a participator through much of the concert. But if that's gotta be the case, this was the show to be at: the energy of the enthusiastic people around me, the voyeuristic feeling I got out of seeing Julie Doiron (sitting on the floor just off stage) lose her shit to "Young Lions," being jerked back to reality when Will's organ crashed two feet from my head, and, well, finding myself really enjoying new-to-me songs recorded over the past decade was pretty great. Highlights for me included "Subdomestic" and "Soon Enough." Looks like I got me some record-buying to do.

Photo credits: mandrs has more shots of this show. Thanks!

Review: Two Hours Traffic, Sports: the Band, and the Darcys @ The Garrison, Toronto.

A couple Saturday nights ago (21 Nov) I went to the Garrison to see one of my favourite bands, Two Hours Traffic, and a couple good local acts. The Garrison is the newest downtown venue for indie bands and DJ nights. Located in the Dundas & Ossington neighbourhood, it's just a stone's throw from the Dakota Tavern, and kitty-corner to a handful of trendy bars. I've been going there regularly since it opened in late October, usually because it is home to the Sunday-night series Wavelength. This particular show was all-ages, though it seemed like only a small handful of people were not wearing blue wristbands. I had missed THT when they played Lee's Palace last month during their proper cross-country tour, so was eager to see them, and at a smaller venue than they ought rightly to play. But so much the better for me.

First up were the always snappily dressed Darcys. I know I've seen this band at least once before, but it was so long ago that I really have no memory of it. Their recordings, though, I enjoy, even if they are a bit too rock for me. Knowing their songs didn't get me anywhere that night, though: the whole set list was, so we were told, comprised of new songs. How fun. Their record is done but no word yet on when it will be officially released.

Download: The Darcys, "I'm A Ship" (Endless Water, 2007).
Download: The Darcys, "The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead" (Final Fantasy cover, single, 2009).

The Darcys post-rock fuzz-gaze art pop (or whatever; I shouldn't even try) was followed by Sports: the Band, a more peppy / less preppy outfit. I've seen Sports a few times, and I quite like their spirited pop tunes. I've increasingly come to respect the fact that they are doing something a little different, even though their live performances aren't always as tight as they might be. What they lack in precision is more than made up for in stage presence . . . and here I especially mean the dorky/adorable Robin Hatch on keys and vocals. It was, unfortunately for me, her last show with the men, but it's all good. Here's to new musical projects and directions.

Download: Sports: the Band, "Cast Lots" (s/t EP, 2008).

Earlier this year PEI folk-pop quartet released their third full-length album, Territory. To my mind it's not as good as their second, Little Jabs. That record, though, is so so so good that I forgive them. A band can't be brilliant all the time. And so it was with their performance. Not quite as mesmerizing as they could be, but certainly strong enough to meet my high expectations. (It would have been hard to beat the last all-ages show they played in Toronto.) The set was about equally filled with songs off Territory and Little Jabs, including my favourites "Stuck for the Summer," "Jezebel," "Territory," "Stolen Earrings," "Backseat Sweetheart," and so many more! The bit at the end of "Lost Boys" was performed as a full song by Liam. Good stuff. The excited fans around me near the front---including CBC Radio 3 host Grant Lawrence, to whom the band dedicated their encore song---were singing along. Very quickly I found myself grinning and dancing. I really do love this band. They do folk-pop-rock pretty damn near perfectly.

Download: Two Hours Traffic, "Stuck for the Summer" (Little Jabs, 2007).
Download: Two Hours Traffic, "Territory" (Territory, 2009).

The Garrison, being a new venue, is still a challenge for sound techs, and this was apparent that night, especially during THT's set. The first song was rocky, sound-wise, and throughout the set I would have preferred a slightly better mix with louder acoustic guitar. No big deal, though. Improvements are being made, and the sound techs will work out the kinks. It's nice to have a new spot for good music, and so far I've had a great time hanging out there.

Tonight was no exception. Good bands, some variety, a healthy crowd, and I even bought myself a copy of Little Jabs on vinyl before I left. Now I just need a record player . . . .

Photo credit: Ming Wu, of the THT show in Ottawa earlier this month. He has his own music and photo blogs.

Review: The RAA, Bahamas, and Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace.

On Friday night the RAA performed for a sold-out hometown crowd at Lee's Palace. It was a great show; I'll get to that. First, some background.

I've been following the Rural Alberta Advantage since the summer of '07, and first saw them perform back in May 2006 (with, apparently, Friday Morning's Regret, AKA the Wooden Sky, though I can't remember). About a year ago, I included the RAA in my personal list of the hottest Canadian bands of 2008. Listing them at no. 7, I noted that they'd gone on an east-coast tour, played to a capacity crowd during NxNE, and that their album had been

getting rave reviews from critics and regular folk across the continent. . . . Hampered in part by the success of Woodhands---drummer Paul Banwatt plays in both---the band has had to turn down show offers (to open for the Dodos, for one) and hasn't been able to tour as extensively as it otherwise might have. And yet. All this underground pressure must lead somewhere, and heck it has to be soon. I predict some lucky label will snatch up the RAA in late 2008 or early 2009, re-release Hometowns, and we'll see the band take itself out west and beyond.

(They made it to no. 19 on the actual hottest list.) A month later they opened for Ohbijou and the Acorn at Lee's Palace. I remember thinking that this was a pretty big deal for them, and the band thought so too. They were really excited to be playing that night. As part of my review, I commented, "here's to hoping for bigger things for this band soon!"

Well. I wasn't quite right about the details, but that's because I could never have imagined what actually did happen very shortly after I published my "hottest" list on 27 October. The story's been told well here, but the short version is that the good reviews got the word out a bit and in November their self-released disc, Hometowns, was named eMusic's album of the month. Soon enough bloggers all over the US (primarily) were writing about the album, giving it more rave reviews. I read a whole bunch of these, and got a huge kick when some random young woman in Ohio or wherever wrote that the RAA was her new favourite band. ("Hey!," I'd think, "that's my band!") Fast-forward to March, where at SxSW, thanks to eMusic, the RAA opened for Grizzly Bear in a church, to---you guessed it---rave reviews. Thrilling! Soon they were signed to Saddle Creek.

After that Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole, and Nils Edenloff started touring in the US---they'd played a couple NYC shows in early 2009 already---and then did make it out to western Canada and back. They've been on the road pretty steadily since then, and, if I'm not mistaken, have also been recording some new songs for their next album. Their 30 July CD release show at the Horseshoe was sold out (crazy, at $12-$15 dollars a ticket). Friday's Lee's Palace gig, their first in Toronto since then, was priced at $15 in advance, or $18 at the door, but tickets were long gone days before. The RAA is getting to be out of my price-range. How wonderful.

And Friday's show was indeed wonderful.

-----

Fox Jaws opened things up. This Barrie band, producers of finely-crafted indie rock, are always good, but Friday they were on top of their game. They sounded fantastic, and though I'm still not convinced guitarist Dan Allen should take over lead vocals from Carleigh Aikins on occasion, I was impressed. I'm starting to see what Bob sees in them, and though I think they are a little too rock for me, they looked right on that stage. One song fell a little flat---something about phone calls---but otherwise, great stuff.

Next up, the man responsible for one of my favourite albums of the year, Bahamas. I saw him---Afie Jurvanen---back in August (playing with the Weakerthans' drummer), and then again all by his lonesome when he opened for Amy Millan at the Mod Club. I really enjoyed both sets, but the Mod Club performance was something special. His banter was spot-on, really adding to his songs, and the heavily female crowd was pretty near silent. So I was looking forward to seeing him again, this time with his regular drummer.

Once they got on stage, they proceeded to sound-check---must'a not had a chance before---and that's fine, but it wasn't the best sign. Sound problems marked his set, but mostly sound problems the audience couldn't detect. Jurvanen got some laughs later by covering the song he said he could hear being played upstairs in the Dance Cave. The character I'd seen at the Mod Club was there in force, and I'm not sure I really like the extra attitude. All the talking between songs distracted somewhat from the music, and didn't end up having the hoped-for effect: to shush the audience. There were some good moments, including a song I'd never heard before, and a cover of Prince's "Purple Rain" to end things on a definite high note.* And he played some of my favourites off Pink Strat. I was happy, but not ecstatic.

Bahamas was less than magical, but the RAA really rose to the occasion. They came on stage to cheers from the audience, and the band members' grins gave away their delight. It had been quite a year, and though I suspect most people in the audience had no idea of just far the band has come, this did nothing to diminish the moment. Throughout the set I could hear people singing the words to songs they knew, and anticipating when it was time to clap along, or even when it was time to go "woo ooo" during "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge."

The set was heavy with songs off Hometowns, but we were treated to a few new songs, including one song I had never heard before. One of them, about life on the road, featured pounding beats. A real folk-dance number, it was awesome. Another, presumably titled "North Star," I've heard a few times, and it too I quite like. The one I'd never heard before started with an organ solo, and soon enough Banwatt came in with another pounding, primal drum beat. The chorus had Edenloff practically screaming. Brilliant. (Every time I see this band I'm struck by how amazing Banwatt is. Why do I always forget?) During the encore they played "Barnes' Yard," yet another new one. I'm looking forward to a new RAA record. Should be a stunner.

I've seen the RAA more than 15 times now, in a few different settings, and I always liked them. But, like I wrote about their July show, touring has made a difference. Not just in their stage set-up, which has Banwatt in-line with Cole and Edenloff, and not just in banter, which is much better, but in performance, too. They fill the stages they are playing with their presence and sound---Edenloff especially---and know how to perform to fans both new (mostly) and old (like me). Although I was most excited about hearing newer stuff, I was still thrilled with the ones I've been hearing live for years. And I still love their record. I'm listening to it right now.

Download: The RAA, "Don't Haunt this Place" (Hometowns, 2009).
Download: The RAA, "Frank, AB" (Hometowns, 2009).
Download: The RAA, "Barnes' Yard" (Daytrotter Session, 2009).

Great show. Oh, and that hottest Canadian bands list I referred to above? The RAA topped it in 2009. Of course.

Photo credit: I took the ones of each band member on Friday night from Chromewaves. Frank Yang has great photos of all the performers.

* I think I was the only person in the audience not to know this song. Everyone else was singing along.

Concert Review : Rose Cousins & Royal Wood at the Media Club

Rose Cousins and headliner Royal Wood put on a fantastic show on November 17, 2009 at the Media Club in Vancouver-- one full of switching roles, great laughs and even greater appreciation of your loved ones.

Halifax-based Rose Cousins, touring her new album The Send Off, began her opening set by the strumming of her guitar and the clear, warm tone of her voice. Well, not completely accurate. She opened her set by commenting on the amount of people surrounded the stage and how it made her feel "popular." And indeed there was a unusually large crowd for an opening set, which consisted of a dedicated base of "Rosebuds," which included Vancouver artists such as Jill Barber, Nat Jay and T Nile. She also thanked Grant Lawrence of CBC Radio 3, who was in the audience, for interviewing her earlier on during the day and heaped praise on the CBCs across Canada.

It wasn't long into her set that the rest of the people in the room were equally captivated by her honest lyrics, perfect (can I say that?) voice and gut-busting banter, which ranged from touchingly personal to hilariously inappropriate. She also accompanied herself for the entire set on keyboards, guitar and mandolin, save the beautiful "All the Time It Takes to Wait" which was accompanied by the "talented and handsome" Royal Wood.

Rose had the attention of the entire crowd in the usually chatty Media Club. Mid-set, she put the audience on the spot by asking for things in a den-- with the crowd yelling things like "chesterfield!" and "Jenga!" and her constructing a vivid image of that idyllic childhood den with her descriptive imagination. She then transitioned into her song "The Dancers" which imagined an elderly ballroom aficionado couple waltzing around this constructed den.

This was not the only time she called out for audience participation, of course. In another great switching of roles, she called out for an audience member "who's good at keeping rhythm" before playing the last song in her set, "Sadie in the Kitchen." I volunteered hesitantly, and soon found myself sharing the stage with Rose accompanying her on the shaker egg. She gladly regaled myself, an audience member, with the spotlight (and microphone!) while she led the rest of the audience in a sing-along, complete with "random vocal projections." The adorable refrain "before bed, before bed, B for bed, B for bed..." was written with her friends' young daughter in mind, and meant to be an "adult children's song" that she composed for said friends' wedding. Her willingness to share the stage and completely engage the crowd in participation recalls the show by her good friend, Joel Plaskett, whom she supported in a Vancouver show in May.

So yes, I'm going to include that in my resume and CV from now on.

Royal Wood took to the stage with guitarist Dean Drouillard inconspicuously, launching into their first of many songs. Playing many songs from his latest The Lost and Found EP as well as his 2005 A Good Enough Day, Royal filled the Media Club with his romantic, melancholy ballads without his usual backing band. And was the show romantic! Couples lined the perimeter of the stage, as well as filling the rest of the venue, while Royal told of the songs inspired by his brother's wedding, his parents' love, his own love and that of his friend's grandparents. In one of the more poignant moments, he told the audience to never settle for less than the reverberating, lifelong love that they deserve, and for which he sings. These touching anecdotes were nicely interspersed in the song-heavy, banter-light set, which included hits "Juliet" and "Don't Fall Apart."

Royal invited Rose back on stage for 2 songs near the end of his set, and wrapped up with an extended, passionate "Acting Crazy (It's a Breakdown)." Before returning on stage for the encore, he seemed confounded by the presence of washrooms where backstage is supposed to be. The Media Club's backstage is actually at the back of the room, and he commented that he wasn't sure whether to enter the men or the women's washroom in order to get there. Matching Rose's incredible sense of humour, he poked fun at the men in the room by encouraging a final sing-along by saying "this is to show your sexual confidence," which of course, got a burst of laughter and the desired louder audience participation.

All in all, the show was a heartwarming experience, and concert goers exited the Media Club with muted smiles, holding their loved ones into the windy, rainy Vancouver night.

For more photos of the show, visit my Flickr set.

Review: Amos the Transparent, The Love Machine @ Rancho Relaxo, Toronto.

I was working steadily on Saturday night, and unsure whether I should even leave the house for some fun, but about 11:30pm I decided it was time for a break. I was at Toronto's Rancho Relaxo by midnight, in time to catch the final two bands on the bill that night: Ottawa's the Love Machine and Amos the Transparent, also from the nation's capital.

The Love Machine played a full, happy set of exuberant, catchy songs. Mostly new ones, they said. I was impressed, and the crowd certainly was, too. Although I'd never seen the band before and hadn't a clue what to expect, I was definitely late to the party. Audience members were singing along to some songs, knew the right hand-claps, and etc. Their music wasn't the most cutting edge pop I've ever heard, but their energy and enthusiasm made it all the better. Great four-part harmonies and a little synth action didn't help either. Good stuff.

The last song was the show-stopper. It ended "This is the way that we scream our hearts out." It's not on the disc I got afterward (their 2007 EP, If You're a Bird, I'm a Bird), and a little internet searching revealed that's it's on their first (self-titled) EP, put out in 2005. I believe the band is currently putting together another album. Something to keep an ear out for.

It'd been several months since I last saw Amos, one of my favourite bands of 2008 that's only gotten stronger since then. By all rights they should be playing much larger venues---and they sometimes do---so I knew I was in for a treat. The first time I saw this band was at Rancho, they are always so much fun in that long, narrow room. Plus, a look at their new website earlier that day informed me that the band had new, red t-shirts! (Embarrassing admission: One time I went to Rancho to see Amos play wearing one of their band t-shirts.)

Things were running really late at Rancho, and if I'd been relying on the subway, I would have had to miss their set, seeing as it started at about quarter after 1am. (Thank you, bicycle.) The band had noticed the late start, too, taking the opportunity to drink perhaps a little more than usual in advance of playing. Lead-man Jonathan Chandler noted as much to us, paraphrasing local blogger Bob Battams. But, so much the better, I say! The band played rousing versions of songs off their albums, 2007's wonderful Everything I've Forgotten to Forget and the 2009 EP, My, What Big Teeth You Have . . . . (I was planning on stealing the set list after the show, but I got distracted [see below]). One of things that sets this band apart from others is that each time they perform, their songs sound just a little different. The changed instrumentation is on purpose, and helps keep things interesting. Although the crowd had thinned a little, there was still a good contingent out, dancing and singing along. The band expects their audiences to know the words to their songs when they play Toronto, and we didn't let them down.

Soon enough, Two Way Monologues' promoter Dan Wolovick and his wife, Terri Coles, were handing out shots of Jägermeister to the band members. But, somehow, there was one left over, and since I was right in front of him, Chandler told me to drink up. (That's him in white; also pictured is Daniel Hay.) Oh boy. So then the set got a little more fun and a bit more sloppy and I had to concentrate more on not losing my balance. Ahem. There were attempts at contests to give away EPs, a rendition (feat. audience participation) of "happy birthday" for Chandler's wife, much hooting and hollering and etc.

I had a blast. I bought a red t-shit---$10!---and tried to sober up a little before heading home. Note: One shot of Jager is apparently one too many.

Download: The Love Machine, "Green Tea and Honey" (If You're a Bird, I'm a Bird, 2007).
Download: The Love Machine, "We Are Squirrels and This Is Nuts (The Family Song)" (The Love Machine, 2005).
Download: Amos the Transparent, "Lemons, aka BigFishLittlePond" (My, What Big Teeth You Have..., 2009).
Download: Amos the Transparent, "Title Track" (Everything I've Forgotten to Forget, 2007).

Amos the Transparent are playing at Ottawa's Capital Music Hall on 27 November, competing for a $250,000 grand prize (the Big Money Shot). They've already won a tidy $25,000, and I, for one, would LOVE for them to take home the "big money." If you're in Ottawa that night, go see them!

Photo credit: Terri Coles.

Apostle of Hustle speaks to me…

If you go to an Apostle of Hustle show just to see a charter member of Broken Social Scene, you've done both yourself and Andrew Whiteman a disservice.

In its own right, Apostle of Hustle have produced three albums of compelling music that eat their way out of the darkness of being known as a member of the baroque pop orchestra, Broken Social Scene. Apostle of Hustle stands on its own, not as a side project of the larger machine, but a home for Whiteman's artistic prowess to take the lead.

Apostle of Hustle dropped into London (London Music Club) to kick off a short tour in support of Eats Darkness , the third LP on Arts and Crafts for Whiteman. Flanked just by percussionist Dean "Deaner" Stone, the packed room were delighted with songs and showmanship, that included Blackberry, Eazy Speaks and Snakes, highlights from new album, as well as old favourites My Sword Hand's Anger from National Anthem of Nowhere.

It's easy to see why Apostle of Hustle shows are legendary not just for the musical side, as Whiteman's quirky appearance and delivery, are offset by weirdly hilarious between-song prose. And he has a definite flair for presentation with a show includes a flag (presumably for Nowhere), a mask, and some sort of water ritual that includes territory marking and a sky high spit take.

And while most of the show will leave you transfixed on this enigmatic presence, you are equally drawn in to the beats of Dean Stone. Spending equal time between his traditional kit and his makeshift beat studio centre stage 'Deaner' creates these primal, tribal beats to drive the frenetic guitars of Whiteman home.

It's hard to make a live show stand alone, and have as much meaning and impact as an album, but some do. Apostle of Hustle is one of the ones that can. And will.

But, don't take my word for it – catch them on the rest of the mini-tour at:

• Wednesday November 18th, 2009 – Peterborough, ON at Montreal House
• Thursday November 19th, 2009 – Toronto, ON at Lee's Palace
• Friday November 20th, 2009 – Wakefield, QC at The Black Sheep Inn
• Friday November 27th, 2009 – Montreal, QC at Il Motore
• Saturday November 28th, 2009 – Kingston, ON at The Grad Club

Live Review: Shout Out Out Out Out At The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver

It was a cold Friday night in the Main and Hastings area where many kids looking for a good time gathered at the fabulous Rickshaw Theatre ; a relatively new and much needed venue in Vancouver. The acoustics, friendly staff and fabulous management make any show seen there scrapbook / journal material. On the night’s bill was Edmonton’s dance-electro super-group Shout Out Out Out Out reppin' the 7-8-0 and supporting their most recent release Reintegration Time.

The evening began with Real Fake Diamonds, who were playing only their 5^th show ever. They got the crowd going with their synth-pop beats, and impressive dance moves. Two of Real Fake Diamonds' three members are also members of Shout Out; one was sporting a TMPD shirt, a great Toronto band (on YYZ Records) who supported Shout Out on some of their recent shows back east. It is safe to say that Real Fake Diamonds sufficiently stimulated the crowd for what was to come.

The stage looked like the set of a 1950’s science fiction movie, with machines full of knobs and buttons. But instead of turning a man into a fly-human hybrid, Shout Out’s machines were made for making people dance. Shout Out hit the stage in a flurry of flashing lights, electro beats, high kicks, furry hats, friendly middle fingers and enough cowbells to satisfy Christopher Walken. It was easy to see that Shout Out were masters of their machines, and the craft of creating energy.

For close to 2 hours Shout Out took the crowd on a roller coaster ride full of suspenseful climbs, building potential energy and then releasing that energy in exhilarating dips and turns with their 3 synth, 2 bass (at times) and 2 drum set-up. The transfer from potential to kinetic energies was easily observed in the crowd’s collective shaking of asses. Yes ladies and gentlemen this was not your average thigh-slapping, toe-tapping, head-nodding show. If you had the pleasure of being at the Rickshaw Friday night, you were rocking out in anyway you saw fit, leaving a generous amount of perspiration on the theatre floor. Those in the crowd who didn’t consider themselves fans of electro-dance music before the show were quickly converted.

After Shout Out’s 15 minute encore, the kids spilled onto East Hastings street and floated home with dance beats now ingrained in their minds. Their first order of business was to procure the music that had just moved them, well maybe after they inhaled some of Uncle Fatih’s Pizza. According to their myspace Shout Out has no upcoming shows, but if in the future you get the chance to see them do not pass it up and if the spirit moves you, pick up their records. Also if you find yourself in Vancouver, check out a show at The Rickshaw.