David Newberry album release show @ Hindenburg -- 09/13/15

Celebrating the release of his brand new album Replacement Things, David Newberry (who recently relocated to Toronto) returned to Vancouver and brought some friends along, for a show at the Hindenburg. One of which was The Nautical Miles, who I unfortunately missed.

The first band of the night though was The Wild Romantics, and coincidentally enough, the last time I saw them was at the Hindenburg where they upstaged another band on that band's album release show.
The spot-on harmonies of Aleisha Kalina and Evan Miller were on display for songs like "A Monday In May" and the rest of the band drove their rockin' sound for new songs like the title track to their upcoming EP, "She Could Tell". 
My favourite song of the set was the gritty, badass "Fist Fight" culminating in a literal guitar duel between Evan and guitarist Rory Froese. And the final song which was the best showcase of the incredible chemistry between Alisha and Evan, as they each grabbed their microphones, locked eyes while singing, coming together forehead-to-forehead, and even swapping mics on the fly. 

Up next was the man of the hour, David Newberry. He started with an older song, "So It Goes", joined by Corbin Murdoch of The Nautical Miles on backing vocals, the first of a few guests he would bring up throughout the set. From there he focused on the new album, with the lead track "We Were Honest Once", also bringing up his friend and frequent collaborator JP Maurice joined the band for backing vocals on "Coyote" and stuck around for a few songs. 
A couple highlights of the set included the powerful and haunting "Lost in Content", and an incredibly intense song where he was joined again by JP, as well as Alisha & Evan of The Wild Romantics; especially when he hopped off stage and got down on the floor with a politically charged monologue, of sorts, inspired by the ImagineOct20th movement. 
He ended what seemed like an all-too-short set with the upbeat and rollicking "Aftermath", leaving everyone wanting more, literally chanting his name. 

The songs from the new album were well crafted and catchy, but I think one of Newberry's greatest strengths is in his lyrics. And every time I had seen him prior, it was at shows not conducive to listening to lyrics. Luckily, this time the atmosphere was better for that sort of thing, and combined with the fact that I made time to listen to the album earlier in the day, this was the best set I had seen from Newberry.

Hollow Twin EP Release @ Hindenburg -- 04/26/15

It was a pretty solid lineup set for Hollow Twin's EP release. Formerly knows as Chatterton Eve, Emmalee Watts and Becky Wosk recently decided to get away from the folk-duo sound and put together a full band, with more of a soulful sound.
Admittedly, I was there as much (if not more) to see the openers, but I had heard a few songs from the new EP and was interested to check Hollow Twin out. Plus, I wanted to check out another show at The Hindenburg, which I am really liking as a venue (well, except for their use of blacklights... that I could do without).


Starting everything off at 9 sharp was The Ruffled Feathers. I hadn't seen the Vancouver six-piece in a few months, so I was looking forward to the set as they kicked off with the grandiose yet catchy "Home" from their first EP Lost Cities. They went on from there playing a set of songs old and new; "Our Beautiful House" off of Oracles made me wish I had a glass of whiskey in hand, and a newer song "Strange Dream" featured bass player Paolo Brian taking over vocals a little.
But most of the vocals throughout the night came from Gina Loes, who also swapped from guitar to ukulele a few times. Her charming voice powered the chamber-pop sound, as the band bubbled over with a fun energy that drew the growing crowd to the stage and got people, if not dancing, then at least tapping their feet.
They wrapped up with a couple of my favourites of the set, an adorable song called "It's All Right, You Can Kiss Me In The Moonlight" which featured a great violin solo from Molly MacKinnon, and the explosive, "Blueprints For Our Failed Revolution".


Next up on the night was a band that I have liked more and more each time I've seen them play, The Wild Romantics. Up until recently I had only seen them as the duo of Aleisha Kalina and Evan Miller, and I liked them okay. But last month, they were opening for Shred Kelly, with a full band, and I was really impressed.
Alisha and Evan's great harmonies were still on display, evidenced by songs like "A Monday In May" or "Memphis, TN", as the couple shared the mic a few times throughout the night with an intimacy. But as a full five piece, the band is much more rocking. And the set just built in energy and intensity as they went on, with a couple highlights being the sharp and biting "Who You Fooling" which had Evan jump into the crowd to sing with some people (those willing, anyway), and a badass rocker called "Fist Fight", that featured an almost literal guitar duel between Evan and their guitar player Rory Froese.
The couple just moved to Vancouver from the island and put the band together a few months ago, and I am looking forward to see what is next for them.


And finally, wrapping up the night was the band of the night, Hollow Twin. They played kind of a short set, with songs from on their new EP Keepers (of course) but also their debut EP before that, Noctuary. Kicking off with "Live A Little", Becky's voice fuelled the sultry jams that filled the next half hour, with songs like the soaring "Finders Keepers".
A bit of technical difficulties part way through the set slowed the momentum a little, but they got it right back on track soon after with a more upbeat, dancey song called "What I Wanted", and they drew the night to a close -- not bothering with the whole encore thing -- with "Lighthouse", the final song off the new EP.

The band put on a fine set, but unfortunately I think they fell victim so something I have seen before: stacking their album release with bands so good, that they were a little overshadowed by the end of the night.

Savvie Album Release @ Hindenburg -- 02/13/15

About four and a half years ago was the first time I saw Savannah Leigh Wellman performing live, under the moniker Redbird. It wasn't long after that when she released the EP We're All Friends and Lovers Until It Falls Apart, which I was quite taken by -- especially thanks to her strong voice and lyrics.
Flash forward a few years, and now Savannah has scrapped her folksy singer-songwriter sound in favour of a decidedly more rock & roll direction, with something that she has tongue-in-cheek dubbed "Sex Rock". Her brand new album, Night Eyes, was released just last week, and she took to one of Vancouver's newest venues, the Hindenburg, to celebrate.


Unfortunately, thanks to another show happening on the same night I missed both opening acts, Jody Glenham and Black River Killers, arriving just as the latter wrapped up.


Joining Savvie on stage was a band that consisted of a few familiar faces; Nick Petrowich (of Willhorse), Joseph Blood (of Bend Sinister), Jody Glenham (of, uh, Jody Glenham), and Brendan Krieg (who I believe was part of Savannah's old old band), and to celebrate the album's release, they played it in its entirety, front to back.

The tone was set right off the bat with "Break You In", which teases "I could be the one to break you... in" and the mood continued on with the crunchy guitars and reverb-drenched vocals of the first single "Without You", as Savannah owned the stage with a confidence and presence fitting to the term "sex rock".

Other highlights of the set included the catchy, gritty-pop of "Gravity" and the smoother "I Fall Again" which, like many of her songs, simultaneously makes you want to drown your sorrows in whiskey, and get right back out there -- or as Savannah put it between songs, lamenting on the fact that the next day was Valentine's Day: "don't sit at home feeling fucking sad, sit at home feeling fucking sexy"

But my favourite of the night (which is, unsurprisingly, a favourite from the album as well) came exactly halfway through with a heartwrenching and passionate song of a doomed romance called "Dreams of Surrender". Savannah's soaring voice wailing in the choruses literally gave me chills, as the song built to a huge ending with Jason Blood letting loose on guitar. 

They ended the set with "The Tower", the only song released as Redbird reworked for her new sound, with Savannah warning that "nostalgia is a fool's addiction", and which once more saw Blood shred on the guitar for its explosive climax.
But, seeing as they were playing the full album, Savannah came back out alone, guitar in hand, for the hidden track on the album as an encore. It was a beautiful, stripped down song that was a great ending to the set, both sonically and emotionally.


As someone that had stated before that the whole "folk singer-songwriter" thing is starting to wear out its welcome, I have been really digging the new direction Wellman has taken. I quite like the album, and this was a great debut show. If I'm not mistaken, it was only the second or third time the band had done a show together, and aside from a couple small things, they seemed to be working pretty well together.
Plus, it was my first time at the Hindenburg, and I really liked the venue. It had a nice layout, and sounded really good. Hopefully there will be more shows there worth checking out in the near future.


setlist
Break You In, Without You, Trust the In Between, Gravity, It's OK, Dreams of Surrender, Beautiful Pain, I Fall Again, Where We Wanna Be, A Blur and A Haze, The Tower.
(encore) [secret song]