PHOTOS: Hannah Georgas, Sam Lynch at the Hollywood Theatre - December 07, 2023
Hannah Georgas, with Sam Lynch
The Hollywood Theatre
December 07, 2023
Read Kirk’s review of the show here.
Hannah Georgas @ Hollywood Theatre -- December 07, 2023
It has been a long time since I’ve seen Hannah Georgas perform live, a little over five years, and even longer still since her last proper headlining show in Vancouver. So I was very happy that she was ending her current tour, in support of her new album, I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care here at the Hollywood Theatre.
I was also glad to see Vancouver’s Sam Lynch opening the show. She took stage alone with just her guitar and lovely voice filling the room, teasing a selection of songs from an album she just finished. The short set built in intensity as it went, and also included a couple songs from her debut album, Little Disappearance, from a few years ago. On “Good Year”, she had the audience softly singing along, and ended off with “Keeping Time”.
I’ve seen Sam Lynch a couple times before, opening for or performing with others, and the new songs definitely made me want to keep an ear out for when the new album is out.
After a quick turnover, Hannah’s band hit the stage, consisting of some familiar faces -- Feurd Moore, Robbie Driscoll, and Andrew Braun. They started with the instrumental “Drew’s A Beast”, before Hannah Georgas herself came out to launch into “Scratch”, the first song on I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care.
From there, Hannah played a selection from the new album, including the punchy “What I Don’t Want”; “Fake Happy”, written about a friend she lost to a cult(!); and the soft “Beautiful View”, bringing Sam Lynch back out to sing with her.
She also delved into her catalogue, from the ethereal “Enemies” to the more upbeat “Robotic”, and showing off her gorgeous voice on “Don’t Go”.
Throughout the show, Hannah was both vocally & visibly excited to be back in Vancouver, where she started her music career. When not playing guitar or keys, she bounced around the stage dancing, and seemed as bummed as the crowd when the main set drew to a close with “Not The Name You Say”, and everyone in the band letting loose for a swirling finish.
But of course, Hannah was back after a moment, on her own for one of the first songs she wrote (and still one of my faves) “The Beat Stuff”. Then the rest of the band returned to cap the night off with the always heart wrenching “Ode to Mom”, written about her late father.
Even though she no longer resides here, I would still count Hannah Georgas among my favourite ‘Vancouver acts’, and it’s always a joy to see her perform, especially in a good venue. In the couple years since it opened, Hollywood Theatre has been creeping up the list of favourite spots in the city (particularly if they keep booking shows like this one).
setlist
Drew’s A Beast
Scratch
What I Don’t Want
Better Somehow
Enemies
Don’t Go
Lost Cause
Robotic
Beautiful View
Someone I Don’t Know
That Emotion
Easy
Same Mistakes
Fake Happy
Home
Not The Name You Say
(encore)
The Beat Stuff
Ode to Mom
Weekly Photo Roundup - November 9, 2016 ft. JPNSGRLS, Louise Burns, The Darcys, Hannah Georgas, The Matinee, The Sheepdogs
Weekly Photo Roundup for the week preceding November 9, 2016
November has been crazy busy so far with shows and there are even more coming up!
Last week saw two free (win-your-way-in) shows at the Roxy, featuring JPNSGRLS on a Day Of The Dead party, and The Matinee, and The Sheepdogs playing to a completely packed house.
I also sincerely hope you managed to get to the Commodore to see Hannah Georgas perform again. With The Darcys, and Louise Burns opening up, it was an overwhelmingly awesome show. - Read Kirk's review of it here - I agree with all of it, and would like to add the Hannah Georgas definitely made me cry (at least once) that night.
Check out the concert calendar for what is coming up this week!
Photos by Christine McAvoy
Hannah Georgas w/ The Darcys & Louise Burns @ Commodore -- 11/02/16
It's been a couple years since Hannah Georgas moved away from Vancouver to head out east to Toronto, and while she's isn't originally from here, her show at the Commodore this week still felt like a homecoming.
And not only was Hannah returning, but she brought with her quite possibly the best three-band lineup I've seen in quite some time.
Starting off the night was the dark, noir-pop of Louise Burns. She was playing a bit of a stripped down set, joined only by Jody Glenham on keys & vox, and Darcy Hancock on guitar. The short set featured older favourites like "Ruby" and the haunting "Emerald Shatter" and also teased some songs from her upcoming album; including the new single "Storms" to close the set, and one of which I really liked but didn't catch the name of. The new stuff sounded like a natural extension, her ethereal voice lofting over music that so far seems a touch more upbeat that her The Midnight Mass. If they were any indication of the new album, I will be eagerly awaiting it.
After the stage was reset with some plants flanking their name emblazoned on a large, pink neon light sign, The Darcys. Their set mostly drew from their new album, which was out at the end of the week, and marked a shift in the band's sound. Since the last time I saw them (not counting a short acoustic set at The Peak) they had lost half the band -- now just a duo of Jason Couse & Wes Marskell -- and shifted from a moody indie rock to a glossy 80s synth sound. Yet even with the change, it still sounded like The Darcys, a slightly dark edge creeping in underneath the shine, as heard in songs like "San Diego, 1988" or "Coming Up For Air".
But the new songs also got people moving with "Black Diamonds" which saw drummer Wes singing a little bit with a robotic-voice, and their incredibly infectious single "Miracle".
The pair also snuck in a couple older song into the set, both "The River" and "Shaking Down The Old Bones" getting slight makeovers, to fit their new setup, but not so much that they were unrecognizable form the originals.
They finished off with my favourite of the set, "Lip Service", which is the perfect blend of their new and old sounds, coming to a close with an intense swell of guitar & drums.
After a bit of a break, it was finally time for Hannah Georgas, as she emerged with her band on a stage full of smoke, the lights cutting through and silhouetting the members. Starting off "Enemies", the set focused mostly on her latest two albums; For Evelyn which came out earlier this year, and '012's self-titled.
Georgas showed her songwriting range, from the acerbic "Somebody" to the soft and heartbreaking beauty of "Walls"; the high-energy night-out vibe of "Shortie" to the fool-in-love song "Crazy Shit"; to one of my favourites of the set, "Angel" which started with just Hannah's beautiful voice and her on keyboard before the band came in so thunderously that it raised the hairs on the back of your neck. Hannah was also visibly glad to be back in Vancouver, even when not thanking the crowd, bubbling over with energy while performing.
After a little over an hour, the set came to an end with "Waiting Game" before Hannah was back out alone for the encore, armed only with her guitar. She told the story behind one of the first songs she wrote when first moved to Vancouver, "The National" and then capped off the night a great, chilled out cover of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" originally by Simple Minds (though sadly, not raising her fist victoriously in freeze frame while leaving the stage).
Each one of these bands I would have been more than happy with seeing on their own, and for all three it seemed like too long since I last saw a [proper] set from them. Even with different tones, they complimented each other quite well, and really was one of the best all-round shows I've seen this year.
Darcys setlsit
Studio Life
San Diego, 1988
I Want It All
Shaking Down the Old Bones
Coming Up For Air
The River
Miracle
Black Diamonds
Lip Service
Hannah Georgas setlist
Enemies
Don't Go
Evelyn
Somebody
Lost Cause
Angel All The Time
Fantasize
Loveseat
Shortie
Robotic
Walls
Ride Back
Elephant
Crazy Shit
Waste
Waiting Game
(encore)
The National
Don't You (Forget About Me) [Simple Minds cover]
Khatsahlano Street Party @ West 4th Ave. -- 07/10/2016
For the 6th year, the Khatsahlano Street Party took over 10 blocks of West 4th, with vendors, displays, activities, and most importantly, seven stages of music with dozens of bands.
When I saw the lineup announced, I was initially excited about how many great local acts there were, followed immediately by anxiety, because with that many bands there were sure to be some overlaps. And that seemed like the theme of the day, because just about every time I wanted to see a band, there was another one playing I would be missing.
So the first half of the day comprised of seeing bits and pieces of sets from people, a few I hadn't seen before, or in a long time.
The first stop was Nathan Shubert, who you may recognise playing piano or keys for about a dozen local bands. But here he was performing on his own, just him and a piano for some nice instrumental piano numbers, a good way to start the day. After a couple of his songs it was over to The Peak stage to see a little bit of David Beckingham. The Hey Ocean! member recently released a solo album, and that was the focus of his set, playing some emotional folk-pop, and including a cover of The Be Good Tanyas.
After checkout out some of the festival (and grabbing a drink) I caught a little bit of the fuzzy garage pop of Twin River, before going to one of the two main stages to see the end of Jody Glenham & The Dreamers (one of the aforementioned bands Shubert performs in). Her dark, moody dream-pop was juxtaposed by the sun starting to burn through the clouds, with songs like "Gypsy Babe" and the beautifully haunting "Dreamer" which closed out the set.
I stuck around that stage for nearly the rest of the day, with Hot Panda up next. The trio picked up the energy with some rocking art-punk and catchy as hell songs like "Other Spooky Is" and "Same House", and "Masculinity" which featured Catherine Hiltz playing trumpet and bass simultaneously, as she does. You could tell all three of them -- Hiltz, guitarist & lead singer Chris Connelly, and drummer Aaron Klassen -- were having loads of fun, and that energy infected crowd.
Next up was the start of a tough decision: stay at this stage for Jordan Klassen, or hike over ten blocks to the exact opposite end of the festival for We Are The City. I chose to stick around for Klassen, since I had missed his album release earlier this year; plus if I left it would likely mean missing Mounties who were following Klassen. Or so I thought.
Jordan's set was filled with his rich indie-folk, soaring songs like "Go To Me" and "Baby Moses". He also had a fantastic cover of "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis, and capped off the set with "Call and Answer", with it's beautiful build to a grandiose finale.
Unfortunately this is where the day broke down a little; the stage was already running a bit behind, and massive technical difficulties majorly delayed Mounties' set. Over 45 minutes after they were scheduled to go on, there was no indication of the problems being fixed soon, it was time to head over to the main stage, disappointed at missing the band.
But what better way to ensure the day ended on a positive note than Hannah Georgas on that main stage. Having recently moved back to Toronto, it was nice to see her back in Vancouver, and the absolutely packed street seemed to agree. Highlights included songs off her new album For Evelyn like the bouncy and synth-driven "Loveseat" and "Crazy Shit", as well as older favourites like the dance-jam "Shortie" or the acerbic "Somebody". She also included her cover of Rihanna's "Stay" in the encore, coming out backed only by guitarist Rob Tornroos, for her soft and heartfelt version of the song.
Like every other year, it was a highly enjoyable -- if a little chaotic and busy -- festival. But even with the overlapping bands and technical difficulties, it's hard to complain about a free street festival that manages to pull together so many great and talented acts, not to mention everything else that goes into the day.