Dan Moxon @ Green Auto -- March 03, 2023
A few months ago, Bend Sinister’s Dan Moxon released his second solo album, All My Friends, and was finally able to have the release party this weekend, at Green Auto. I hadn't been to the space before, but it was a nice intimate room in East Van, filling a niche that feels a little lacking in this city right now.
I caught the tail end of Zoey Leven, arriving right as they started a cover of the Supergrass song “Alright”. She ended the set with a couple newer songs, including the fuzzy and upbeat -- in tone, if not lyrics -- “I Feel Like A Loser”. I think this was the second time recently I only saw their last few songs while opening for someone, and it made me want to make sure I was there for the full set next time.
It wasn’t long after before Dan Moxon took the stage, backed by Alana Pearce on drums, Sydney Tough on bass and Luke Vincent on saxaphone, as well as a small strings section of a violin & cello for the first and last few songs from the album.
Starting with the haunting “Stuck On Midnight”, Dan played through All My Friends in full. His fingers flying over the keys and voice filling the room with songs like “All My Friends Are Dead”, an upbeat lament about losing touch with people; the soulful “Cross The Line”, which featured Bend Sinister drummer Nick Petro making a cameo for a very special percussion part (cracking open a beer can); the jaunty, 70’s-tinged “Real Good Guy”; and “Know It All”, a song that Dan joked was “too ragtime” to go viral on tiktok.
The album closed with “Film”, before Dan wound the evening down with a couple songs from his previous album, Lounge Singer. The contemplative “Where You Going To Sleep Tonight” went into “Morning After”, which built to a rollicking finish, and finally, “New Year’s Day” to end off the night.
Whether it’s a bombastic show with Bend Sinister, or a (relatively) subdued solo set, Dan Moxon is always fun to watch live. Combined with the first (and hopefully not last) show at Green Auto, made for a real fun night.
setlist
Stuck On Midnight
The Storm We Know
I Am Not Alone
All My Friends Are Dead
Love Life
Cross The Line
Real Good Guy
Know It All
Keep The Love Alive
Go Easy Now
Film
Where You Gonna Sleep Tonight
Morning After
New Year's Day