Peak Performance Project Showcase #4 @ Red Room -- 09/29/11

The Peak Performance Project is a multi-year contest in which The Peak, along with Music BC, picks 20 BC musicians/bands a year and makes them stars. The first year was won by We Are The City, and last year, Kyprios, with a ton of great bands and artists included as well.

Part one of the project was a rock & roll boot camp where they went on a week long retreat where industry pros helped them refine their craft. Phase two is a series of shows at The Red Room, four artists a night for five weeks, each playing a 45 minute set. In the last two years, the bands would all have to learn and play a cover of a classic Canadian song, but this year they will all be playing the songs they wrote about Vancouver for the Vancouver125 celebrations. Honestly, I am a bit disappointed about that, because one of my favourite aspects of the showcase series last year was seeing which song they picked and how they interpreted it. But I am sure their Vancouver songs will be great.

The fourth showcase was my most anticipated, featuring two bands I had seen before and enjoy live, and two that I had not seen live before, but was most looking forward to seeing.
(Also, the night featured five different musicians named Matt.)

The Matinee kicked off the night, and boy did they ever kick it off with a bang. I had heard nothing but good things about their live show and they more than delivered. Starting with a slower tune, they quickly burst forth with a driving, folky roots-rock sound.
Lead singer Matt Layzell has an amazing charisma on stage and Matt Rose is a phenomenal guitar player, to say nothing about the rest of the band. They had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand, clapping along with "Sweetwater" and singing along at various points. There was also a fantastic moment in the middle of "The Road" where they brought out a couple extra drums for a breakdown, with each member bashing away. The whole set came to an explosive ending, which saw Rose smashing an acoustic guitar.
The set was pretty amazing, and I think it would be fair to say it was my favourite showcase of the project thus far.

Up next was Redgy Blackout, the other band I was really looking forward to. And they, too, definitely lived up to my expectations. They put on a really fun and energetic rock show, and as well as their own songs, they broke out a great cover of Arcade Fire's "Wake Up", which I loved (see above mini-rant about covers). Another highlight was Scott cracking out the trumpet (and top hat) for a jazz-infused "Who Am I", my favourite song of the set. 

They had a bit of a lull, though, and some lost momentum when they brought out a piano for their Vancouver 125 song and technical difficulties ensued, but they brought it back by the end of the song which featured a good number of the other PPP band members joining them for a song-along. They ended with the beautiful "Alexandria" and an energetic "Bottom of the Sea". 

Behind Sapphire was up next, hitting the stage with kind of a weird -- and long -- intro wearing Asian masks before launching into "Oh My, What A Fine Day". They passed out glow sticks, that they were wearing, and disposable cameras (I think) through the crowd. As usual, they had a great energy and looked like they were having the most fun on stage, but for whatever reason the sound for the set really wasn't the best. Grant's vocals were not coming through very clear and the whole thing just seemed really muddy, which really detracted from their set.
It was more a disappointment than anything, really; I have seen them before and know they can do a lot better.

Finally, it was Treelines closing out the night. They (high)kicked off their set with some straight up rock, and a pretty intense energy. Especially from frontman Matt Lockhart, but especially from his brother Steve, on bass, who is always belting out the lyrics, whether he is mic'd or not. They played a good mix of songs from their Young Man EP and newer ones, including "Courage" which featured a slow burn to a soaring chorus and "When I Get Grown" with Matt Kelly (now also from CBC's Cover Me Canada) on pedal steel and featuring Michelle Faehrmann on cello.
Their Vancouver song, creatively titled "The Vancouver Song", featured either the silliest or most brilliant lyrics, and was really a simple, straight forward, and descriptive, love letter to the city.
And they brought it to a close in fine fashion with "Ghost Towns", getting everyone at the front of the stage jumping and dancing along.

It was definitely the best all-around showcase thus far, though next week looks like it could be just as good. For the final week, we'll see Maurice, Lindsay Bryan, 41st & Home and Rococode wrapping everything up.

Behind Sapphire w/ Treelines & David Vertesi @ St James Hall -- 01/21/11

It had been a while since I saw a show at St. James Hall; mostly by design, since despite its great sound, it can get incredibly hot and stuffy in there. Especially if you have high energy bands playing. But even though I avoided shows there in the past, I could not pass up the trio of bands there last night.

David Vertesi -- who I've now seen play four times in the last two months -- was up first, and it seems like almost every time he has different composition to his band. This time he was joined by drums and [sometimes upright] bass, the latter of which played by Peter Carruthers (of Said The Whale & Siskiyou). And, of course, the keytar, which drummer Dan Klenner (Hey Ocean!) also played. As I mentioned the last show, as much as I like his acoustic sets, the full band lets him really cut loose, as with the dynamic ending to "Born To Run" or the upbeat "Mountainside". Both of which were great, and adhered to his mantra that night that his songs would "make old people dance and young people cry". Vertesi also seems to be getting more and more talkative during his shows, joking with the crowd between songs. He took a tuning-lull and turned that into the opportunity to come up with a couple "codewords" to elicit cheers throughout the set.

Next up was Treelines, who always bring an exorbitant amount of energy on stage. The Brothers Lockhart and Matt Kelly were joined by fill in drummer, Grant, and started off with "Statuette", cranking the energy -- and power kicks -- through most of the set. They focused on the Young Man EP, but also played a couple from their previous self titled album. One such, when they brought the energy down for a moment, was "Canadian Airlines" where the Matts, Lockhart & Kelly, were joined by Rebecca Slaven on accordion. It was a really cool addition to the song (even if there did seem to be some sound issues with the accordion). There were also a few new songs throughout the set, including one called "Linked Arms" and "Cowbell" which, as you might guess, features a solo from the eponymous instrument.
I think the best indication of the passion Treelines has on stage is bassist Steve Lockhart, who sings along to almost every word of every song... even though he only "officially" joins in on vocals for a few small parts -- the whole band shares that level of energy, and it's one of the main reasons that makes them so fun to watch live.

Finally was Behind Sapphire, who were playing their last Vancouver show before heading out on tour. They hit the stage with a half dozen members (including one new), and while they may not have the same intensity as Treelines before them, they are no less energetic live. Between their soul-funk-pop songs, lead singer Grant singing into his trumpet bell -- not to mention his cape and genie shoes -- and natural joking around between songs, the best way to describe their show would be whimsical.
Starting with "Oh My, What A Fine Day" -- which has a new video out by the fine folks at Amazing Factory -- they definitely had the all ages crowd engaged. Playing mostly from their self titled album, they also had a new song, which showed the band was stretching their musical wings -- while most of their songs don't necessarily sound repetitive, they definitely all have a distinctive sound to them, so it was nice to hear them expanding their repertoire.
I have seen them a few times over the last few months, and I would say they are doing nothing but getting better.

Rolla Olak w/ Steph Macpherson, Behind Sapphire & Bob Kemmis @ Waves -- 12/04/10

It seems like these acoustic shows are a weekly occurrence for Waves Coffee House on Howe St -- a couple weeks ago I saw Treelines do an acoustic set there -- and if they keep getting acts like these, I will keep going back.

I got there just after Bob Kemmis started. I had seen him a couple years back, liked him... and never really heard anything from him since. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw he was playing the night. It was only a couple songs in that I was reminded why I liked him the first time around. He's a damn good storyteller, both in song and in his joking between songs. And it helped that the songs were pretty damn catchy, too and everything he did seemed completely effortless.
Near the end of his set he broke out the looping pedal and looped both his guitar and then vocals, creating a veritable band and a great song. Hopefully it won't be another couple years til I see him again.

Next up was Behind Sapphire. I was interested to see how they would turn out acoustic, as they had a pretty big stage setup at their Peak Performace showcase, and I wasn't sure how they would translate. They seemed a bit unsure at first, mostly because they were seated & the whole atmosphere of the crowd was more relaxed, and they were used to more ruckus. But the three of them managed to translate their energetic sound down without losing any of their quirkiness or enthusiasm. Though even as they stopped being antsy -- for want of a better term -- as the set went on, that didn't stop them from wandering through the coffee house to the back of the crowd for part of a song. It's always cool to see a band with a "big" sound be able to strip it down, and Behind Sapphire managed to pull it off.

Steph Macpherson was up third, and each time I've seen her live, there have been less people on stage with her. This time she was up alone -- except for a couple of Behind Sapphire to lead the crowd in a stomp/clap for a song, and Rolla Olak helping out on guitar on the last one. Her songs translate perfectly into an intimate setting like a coffee house of quiet, attentive people, and she was as engaging as the crowd was receptive. Though now I've seen her twice in a coffee house or cafe and only once in a concert venue with a full band, so it would be nice to see that again, to compare.
There was also a bit of a surprise after she finished. She sang Happy Birthday a public domain song wishing a joyous anniversary of birth, for a lucky guy whose birthday was that day. Also, there was cake.


And lastly was Rolla Olak, who came out with none other than Colin Cowan on [stand up] bass. I wasn't too familiar with him, but as the random, possibly intoxicated man is the crowd proclaimed, that he was pretty rad. His songs were dark without being bleak, and a little but haunting; with some pretty darn good songwriting, too. I am curious to know if he normally plays with a band, or if the acoustic set is his normal one, but either way, I would be interested in catching him again.

The Peak Performance Project Showcase #4 @ The Red Room -- 09/30/10

The Peak Performance Project is a multi-year contest in which The Peak, along with Music BC, picks 20 BC musicians/bands a year and makes them stars.
Last year it was won by We Are The City, and they have barely slowed down since winning. This year it seems like the competition is a lot tougher; at least half the bands I have either liked before the contest, or have grown to like because of it. I definitely do not envy the judges on who should take it come November.
Part one of the project was a rock & roll boot camp where they went on a week long retreat where industry pros helped them refine their craft. Phase two is a series of shows at The Red Room, four artists a night for five weeks, each playing a 45 minute set, which includes a cover of a classic Canadian song. I always love it when bands play covers live, so that is one aspect I am definitely looking forward to. That, and seeing who everyone picks (I am going to keep a running tally on how many Neil Young and Leonard Cohen songs we get -- so far, one Young, no Cohen... but two Corey Hart).

One random thing before starting, I don't know why, exactly, (well, okay, I do) but the Red Room seems to be very keen on manufacturing a line. Last night was the worst, as the line was the longest of all the showcases so far, but as of 9, when the first act was due on, the place still seemed empty. It was like there was more people in line than inside. It was just... weird.

But I digress. Kicking off the night was Steph MacPherson, whose lush, folk-pop sound was helped by a cello & upright bass, as well as Ajay from The Zolas on drums and Vince Vaccaro on guitar. Her voice was smooth and pleasant, and her sound somewhat reminded me of a Kathleen Edwards. She had a really good stage presence, getting the crowd involved, and her banter seemed pretty natural. Though each song had a similar sort of vibe to it. Even the one she prefaced as "most bitter" wasn't all that different than the rest. She closed with a cover of Stan Rogers' "Northwest Passage", which I am not terribly familiar with, but it was quite a good cover. While she didn't quite blow me away, as some other acts have, but I would definitely want to see her live again.

Next up was Christopher Arruda, who was quite the change of pace. Coming out to a recorded monologue, he hit the keyboard chaotically right off the bat, with the rest of his band helping with a dark and vaguely apocalyptic sound. After a few songs, his band took a break, leaving Arruda alone at the keyboard. He introduced his cover without saying who it was and it took me a moment to place it... "Try Honesty" by Billy Talent. Despite that kind of challenging the "classic" part, it was a really good interpretation of the song (and I say that as someone who is not a fan of Billy Talent or that kind of screamo). There was an intensity to it that wasn't matched for the rest of the set, and really made me like the song. He did a couple more alone at the keys, keeping a slower pace, but when the band came back, the returned to the grandiose sound from the beginning of the set, which all seemed a bit similar. While I liked them, I think I liked the songs where it was just him better; those songs managed to have the same intensity, but just seemed to have more depth. To end off the set, the band took leave once again and Arruda finished off the set with another soft song on an acoustic guitar. It was a really cool set, and I would be interested to see him live again. Definitely had the best cover of the night, too.

At this point a whole gang of people flooded the stage to set up for the next set... clad in pajamas. It was Behind Sapphire who, upon starting their set shouted "Slumber party!" as the only explanation as to why, before launching into it. Their set was incredibly fun, though they also had a defined music style, with their funk-soul-pop sound and lead singers raspy voice -- which I (affectionately) likened to a Muppet at one point. They got everyone in the crowd moving on more than one occasion, and snapping along to their cover, which suited their sound, "1234" by Feist -- again, making me wonder about what constitutes as a "classic" (it's a good song, for sure, but is only a few years old). Between that, running through the crowd, and the lead singer singing into a megaphone, and a vase, they made for a very energetic and engaging set. It ended rather interestingly, too, with the Peak Space Cadets, who represent the band and had been dancing throughout the crowd, going to the front of the stage... and unleashing an onslaught of pillow-feathers. It was a really cool thing to see, but you have to feel for the people who had to clean it up (to the bands credit, they promised to help, and after the show I saw a few members who were)

And wrapping up the night, Said the Whale. I've heard some people mention that they shouldn't be in the project, and while I initially shared that opinion, the members still do have day jobs. They're not making a living off of the band, and just because they have been hard working and gotten their name out there doesn't mean they should be punished. That being said, I have complete faith that the judges will treat them as fairly as the rest of the bands. But as to their actual set, they seemed to have as much, if not more energy than I'd ever seen them, definitely on top of their game. Among their set was a brand new song, which I am pretty sure was their "Last Night" song, from the Bootcamp songwriting challenge. It was quite different, darker and more synth-driven , but it was cool to hear that kind of departure from their usual sound. Right before their cover, they mentioned not really ever having done covers (excluding their friends songs) and then went into a very Said-the-Whale-version of Paul Anka's "Put Your Head on my Shoulder", which was pretty awesome and hilarious. They ended the set with "Goodnight Moon", in which they had a little bit of help by way of members from The Zolas, We Are The City, Hey Ocean! and Aidan Knight jumping on stage with tambourines, bells and the sort.
The only thing was, the sound seemed a bit off. It sounded like there was something wonky with Tyler's mic, and the bass was a bit overpowering. I am not sure why, as the other sets sounded great, but there was a longer-than-usual break before they went on. I think it would have worked out better had they played before Behind Sapphire. Maybe it was the feathers. It wasn't enough to be distracting, or ruin the set, but it was noticeable.

Another tough call, but I think the winner of the night was Said The Whale. It was another pretty damn good night of music, as seems to be the trend. There has definitely been sets I've liked more (or less) than others, but I don't think there had been a single one so far that I have disliked.