PHOTOS: Odario, Bedouin Soundclash @ Imperial Vancouver - February 08, 2020

Odario, Bedouin Soundclash
Imperial Vancouver
February 8, 2020

Christine McAvoy Photography

Owen Pallett @ Imperial -- 09/14/19

The 2019 Westward Festival was this past weekend, and my most anticipated show was hands down Owen Pallett. It’s been nearly five years since he last played the city, and with a new album on the horizon, I was excited to see him again. Especially at a venue like the Imperial.

Unfortunately I missed locals Douse opening the show, arriving just before Owen Pallett hit the stage alone, armed only with a guitar, violin, and looping pedals. A stripped down -- but no less intense -- version of one of my favourites “The Riverbed” opened the set, and from there he played a selection of old and new, stretching back to his time as Final Fantasy with songs like “The Butcher”, and teasing his upcoming album with some new songs. The standout being one called (if my Google-Fu is correct) “Fire-Mare”, which featured some incredible layered vocals.
Owen’s gorgeous violin was strengthened by his guitar, as his impressive voice had the room in an (almost) complete hush while he sang. Other highlights included a heavier “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt” with a raw guitar riff starting the song before the violin joined in, and a beautiful rendition of “The Passion”.

With two lights directly under him, pointed up, Owen was bathed in a blue light throughout the set, while in front of a large screen with scenic visuals playing. From mountain ranges, to spooky towns, to starry skies, more often than not the imagery tied in to the music. One song featuring the sounds of trains was accompanied by slow pans through a rail station, there were aerial shots of a volcano for “Fire-Mare”, and we passed over a graveyard for the haunting “E Is for Estranged”. During an impromptu Q&A near the end of the set, Owen admitted to wanting to get everything done in CG, but due to time constraints, ended up using the Unreal engine to generate everything. Which, all things considered, is pretty appropriate for the man formerly known as Final Fantasy.

After an hour or so flew by, Pallett “ended” the set with “The Great Elsewhere”, but then didn’t even bother with the charade of leaving the stage for the encore. He just declaring he would play a few more, without the mood lighting or visuals. From there he gave a few more songs, including “That's When the Audience Died” as his bow sawed at the violin, and finishing the night with the old favourite “This Is the Dream of Win & Regine”, a song more fitting now than when it was written, and also one that reverberated in my head for the rest of the evening (and on to the next day).

I was sad I didn’t catch more of the Westward festival this year -- mostly just the timing not working out for much else -- but this one show was worth the entire festival. And if the teasers we got at this show were any indication, I can’t wait to hear the new album.

Dear Rouge @ Imperial for Westward Festival -- 09/15/17

For the last few years, I've thought that during the Rifflandia weekend in Victoria, enough bands pop over and do shows in Vancouver that we could probably just have our own festival the same weekend. Well, clearly someone had the same idea, because this weekend was the first ever Westward Festival, spanning 4 nights and several venues in the city. 
There were a few shows to choose on the Friday night, but I decided to go with Dear Rouge at the Imperial. 

I wanted to try and catch a bit of opener Little Destroyer, but the combination of arriving late and them playing a shorter set (I guess) led to me only catching just the tail end. But even just that one song was packed with so much energy that I instantly regretted not being able to show up sooner. 

Soon after that, it was time for Vancouver's own Dear Rouge to return home. I feel like, aside from various collaborative or cover nights, I hadn't seen them play a proper set in a long time, so I was looking forward to hearing what Danielle & Drew McTaggart have been up to.

Backlit by a giant LED board with fog swirling around them, they started off with some fan favourites, the title track from their latest album Black to Gold, and a crowd singalong for "Best Look". They focused mainly on that album, with other highlights being a slowed down, and almost trip hop flavoured version of "Nostalgia" and the simmering intensity of "Wanna Wanna". 
But along with the old favourites, they also teased some new stuff, including a sultry jam named "Motion" and a couple of my favourites of the set; a dark and slightly gritty tune "Live Through The Night", and a badass song that I believe was called "Boys and Blondes" which had to have been inspired by the likes of Peaches. Judging by the preview of the new stuff, I am really looking forward to a theoretical new album.

They had a great stage presence, Drew ripping on guitar and especially Danielle who danced and stalked around the stage, her voice soaring over the crowd as she effortlessly got everyone singing, clapping, or stomping along. I still remember the first time seeing them, thinking that had huge potential but were still a little raw (but, then again, they quickly went on to win the Peak Performance Project, so what do I know?) and literally every time I've seen them since, I've liked them more and more. 

setlist
Black to Gold
Live Through The Night
Best Look Lately
We Don't Fit
Kids Wanna Know
Motion
Little By Little
Wanna Wanna
Nostalgia
Stolen Days
Boys and Blondes
Tongues
(encore)
I Heard I Had

Royal Canoe @ Imperial -- 09/30/16

Usually when a band claims the venue they're playing in is their favourite venue in the country, you take it with a grain of salt. It's a nice thing to say, but you know most of the time it's just pandering; especially if it's not a hometown band. But for some reason, when Royal Canoe claims the Imperial is their favourite, I believe them. They've played the venue a couple times in the last few years, either co-headlining or opening for someone, but this time not only were they the sole headliner, but they managed to sell out the venue. 

When I got there, Close Talker was nearly done their opening set. The Saskatoon trio filled the room with their melodic and lofty indie-rock, and wrapped up their set with atmospheric "Burnstick". 

The stage was then set for Royal Canoe, in front of a large backdrop of abstract shapes, with a few orbs on stage among their instruments. Turns out -- as we found out part way through the set -- the orbs were not just for decoration, but each time a band member would tap or hit one, they would light up and play one of a few sampled sounds that the band controlled. It was a really cool added audio/visual element to the show, especially paired with the moody lighting throughout the set. 
As for the music, the Winnipeg six-piece played from their latest two albums, focusing on the just-released Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit. They started off with the playful and funky album opener "Somersault" followed by older favourite, "Hold On To The Metal", some members of the audience clapping along before even being prompted. Other highlights included "Holidays" which made great use of the light up orbs, the slow grooving "Love You Like That", and "Button Fumbla"with its intense ending. 
They drew the main set to a close with the staggering and bombastic "Bathtubs" followed by perhaps my favourite off the new album so far, "Living a Lie", starting with an R&B feel before building to a brain melting wall of sound finale. 
But of course, they were out for one more, as Matt Peters put his distortion effect to good use to create the "demon voice" for another crowd favourite, "Nightcrawlin'" to cap off the show. 

Royal Canoe has always been one of my favourite live bands to watch, seamlessly putting together a unique blend of influences for an unmatched sound, and they appeared to be on top of their game last night. Everything they did just seemed absolutely effortless. 
Part way through the set, during a quiet moment between songs, a voice from the crowd cried out "How are you not the biggest band in Canada?!". And you know what, Random Guy? I couldn't agree more. 

setlist
Somersault
Hold On To The Metal
Bicycle
Holidays
I Am Collapsing So Slowly
Exodus Of The Year
Walk Out On The Water
Button Fumbla
Love You Like That
Checkmate
How Long Is Your Life
Bathtubs
Living A Lie
(encore)
Nightcrawlin'

Plants & Animals w/ Royal Canoe @ Imperial -- 06/16/16

It's been a few years since Plants and Animals last played a show in Vancouver, but with a new album under their belts, the Montreal trio hit the road with a stop at the Imperial. And I was doubly excited, because not only was Plants and Animals back, but they brought with them another favourite of mine, Winnipeg's Royal Canoe. 

It's always nice to see Royal Canoe play on a stage that can actually fit all six members and their mountains of gear, and they spread out nicely on the Imperial stage. With a new album coming out this fall, the band played a split of new and old. There was some singing along to the introspective "Exodus of the Year" and the bombastic "Bathtubs", which is one of my favourites. The new tunes they played sounded like a natural extension of their sound, a dense sonic wall of their unique electronic indie pop. One of the new songs culminated with a brain-melting instrumental, and another, which closed out their set, was a slow, simmering R&B jam that erupted into a swirl of synth and keys. It was perhaps my favourite of the set, and made me eagerly anticipate the new material. 

During their set, Royal Canoe mentioned that Plants & Animals had a rough time getting to Vancouver, which the band themselves later elaborated on, admitting they almost didn't make it after having to abandon their van in Kelowna. Which may have been part of the reason there seemed to be a bit of a delay in the start of their set. 
But they got everything together and launched right into "No Worries Gonna Find Us", perhaps a little cathartically. From there, the set mostly featured songs from Waltzed In From The Rumbling, and while I think it took them a song or two to kind of get in the groove, the set was highlighted by songs like the slightly darker and moody "All The Time" and "Flowers", which had the crowd singing along in hushed tones as the song came to rest. 
There were only a few older songs sprinkled the set; the soaring "Lightshow", the sprawling (and aptly named) "Faerie Dance", and "Bye Bye Bye", which got a huge reaction, and saw Nicolas Basque rock out on the autoharp like few can. 
They ended the set with one of my favourites off the new album "Stay", and newest addition to the touring band Adele Trottier-Rivard joining Warren Spicer on vocals. And of course, they were back out for a couple more. First the raucous "Feedback in the Field" and finishing off the night with "Je voulais te dire", a gorgeous seven minute songs full of musical twists and turns.

Both of these bands I would count among my favourites, especially to see live, and the pairing did not let me down. It was a great show, highlighting some of the most interesting musicians the country has to offer. 

setlist
No Worries Gonna Find Us,  
We Were One, 
Lola Who? 
All of the Time, 
Flowers,
Faerie Dance,
So Many Nights,
Lightshow,
Good Friend,
Bye Bye Bye,
Stay.
(encore)
Feedback in the Field,
Je voulais te dire.