Spencer Krug @ China Cloud -- November 11, 2022

The last time I saw Spencer Krug perform, it was with Wolf Parade, at the Just Like Heaven music festival in Pasadena, California, alongside a few thousand other people. So when Krug announced a string of solo piano shows -- for his new album Twenty Twenty Twenty Twenty One -- and the chance to see him alongside a few dozen people at the China Cloud in Vancouver, I knew I couldn't miss it.

The opening act for the evening was a Nanaimo band simply named SEX. The duo of Max Pittet on keys and Chris Thompson on synth (and both occasionally on bass) played a set of electronic-voiced synthpop. Their songs were often upbeat, like the sexy breakup song, “Come Again”, but even the ones with more serious subject matter still had an air of levity, like the double entendre titled “Kickin’ It” about substance abuse. The duo admitted they were a but nervous for their first show in Vancouver, but with banter that landed more on the “charming” side of “charmingly awkward”, they were a fun opening band.

Lit with a lamp in front of the piano, and a row of candles above the keys, Spencer Krug kicked off with "Black Is Back in Style", for a set spanning many of his projects. From the Moonface song "Heartbreaking Bravery", which was performed a cappella, with just a soft percussion of stomps and finger snaps; to the newer "Chisel Chisel Stone Stone", with its intricate piano runs, which Krug nailed after telling us he was still working out how to translate the song to piano; and even an old Sunset Rubdown song, "Us Ones In Between".

Cuts from the new album, like the dense "New Kind of Summer of Love", were translated into stripped down versions, but his distinct vocals and deft piano kept the crowd rapt. Both with the new songs, but especially with favourites like the bubbling intensity of "City Wrecker", and one of my all time personal faves, the absolutely gorgeous "Julia With Blue Jeans On", with Krug's voice going from a fragile tremble, to an fervent wail.

In keeping with the intimate vibe of the show, Krug chatted with the crowd a few times throughout the set, as if friends gathered in a living room. Near the end, he asked how long they wanted to watch one man play one piano, and after admitting the consensus of "forever" was slightly unreasonable, he decided to eschew the idea of leaving the stage & returning, saying he had just two more: one new, "How We Have to Live", and one old, "Fast Peter".

The last time I saw Spencer Krug perform a solo piano show, specifically, it was at The Lido a few years ago. While that was also a great show, the din of a bar really detracted from his set. This time, I couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere; almost dead silent, the incredibly respectful crowd hanging on every note, sometimes even waiting until between songs to open a can of beer. And if that's not having the crowd in the palm of your hand, I don't know what is.

setlist
Black Is Back in Style
Heartbreak Bravery
Slipping In and Out of Thee Pool
My Puppeteer
Barbarian
City Wrecker
Chisel Chisel Stone Stone
New Kind of Summer of Love
Us Ones In Between
The Fog
Julia With Blue Jeans On
How We Have to Live
Fast Peter

Spencer Krug @ The Lido -- 05/02/19

One of my favourite shows in 2016 was a super intimate show from Moonface at a bar two blocks from my house, The Lido. Jump ahead 3 years, after the release of his latest album -- and now just going under his own name -- Spencer Krug returned to The Lido to kick off his tour.

Accompanying him was Light Conductor, the duo of Jace Lasek (Besnard Lakes) and Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy) joined by a third member, whose name I didn't catch -- in fact they didn't say anything, up to and including the name of their band, until a single "thanks" at the very end.
Their moody synths were very fitting with the psychedelic background projections The Lido usually has, as their instrumental washed over the growing crowd. Almost entirely instrumental, with very few breaks between songs and picking up intensity as they went. Just a I thought the set was going to go on too long for their type of instrumental, they shifted gears and, with a few lights that changed exactly on the beat, pulled out some guitars and for a song with all three chiming in on vocals.
It seemed the perfect music to listen to through headphones, close your eyes, and just drift off into space (how altered your state is while doing this is up to you).

Not long after, Spencer Krug took a seat behind the piano and launched into a new song (that you can find on his Patreon) called "Fading Graffiti". From there he played a range from brand new ones, to the latest Moonface album, to old favourites, and even a few other treats like the Sunset Rubdown song "Us Ones In Between".
His distinct voice and gorgeous piano transfixed the crowd packed in the back of The Lido, with highlights including a stripped down version of “Yesterday's Fire”, one of the songs from his collaboration with Siinai; the intense one-two combo of “Barbarian” and “Barbarian II”; the haunting “City Wrecker”, and the absolutely heartbreaking "Julia With Blue Jeans On", one of my favourites, which ended the main set.
But he was drawn back out by the crowd, mentioned that his pal and collaborator Dan Bejar was in the crowd somewhere* and dedicated the Swan Lake song "All Fires" to him to end off the night.
*(just before this, I had noticed he was standing right next to me and was trying to keep my cool)

Unfortunately, as much as I like The Lido, it has a bit of a dark side as a music venue. Since it is still very much a small(ish) bar, and the shows there are usually free, you have the section in the back packed with people at attention, but then also... the rest of the bar. Throughout the set you could hear chattering from the other side of room, as well as the usual bar sounds of glasses clinking and cash being thrown around. To the point where Krug even mentioned and joked about it, and went to far as to apologise.

BUT, with all that aside, it was still a great show. It was intimate and beautiful, and I wouldn’t hesitate to see him there (or anywhere, really) again.

setlist
Fading Graffiti
Yesterday's Fire
Barbarian
Barbarian II
River River
The Cave
Us Ones In Between
[New Song]
Minotaur Forgiving Knossos
Running In Place With Everyone
City Wrecker
Julia With Blue Jeans On
(encore)
All Fires

Moonface & Siinai @ Fortune -- 06/04/17

You know how you have those few bands that just seem to be "cursed"? By which I mean, you just always seem to miss out when it comes to seeing them live. I am a fan of Spencer Krug in all incarnations, but have always had bad luck seeing his live shows. I saw Sunset Rubdown back in '09, but didn't see him again until last year's solo piano Moonface show at the Lido
Which is just a long way of saying the anticipation was high to see not only Moonface, but Siinai along with him as well. Having just released their second collaborative album, My Best Human Face, it was the first time in Canada for Finnish Siinai as they came to Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver. 

Opening the night was Krug's Wolf Parade compatriot Dante Decaro, but unfortunately I got there just at the tail end of this set. He was on stage with a guitar, joined by a keyboardist, playing some slow burning songs. 

It wasn't long after that Moonface and Siinai took to a dimly lit stage, the five members shrouded in shadows, only occasionally lit by passing spotlights in soft blues and yellows, adding to the mood of the music. 
Starting off with "Quickfire, I Tried", Spencer Krug's distinct vocals filling the room, before kicking into the frantic "Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips". They played from both collaborative albums, including explosive songs like "I'm Not The Phoenix Yet" and the simmering intensity of "They Call Themselves Old Punks", to the more mellow "The Nightclub Artiste".
Near the end of the set a girl from the crowd shouted "Play Yesterday's Fire!" and Krug quickly replied "you got it" and without hesitation or missing a beat, the band immediately launched into the song. It was either ridiculously fortuitous timing, or the quickest & best request fulfilment I've ever seen. (It was probably the former, but I like to think the latter) . 
After that, he fielded another request for "City Wrecker", the haunting song finishing off the main set. But of course, they were back -- not without Krug pointing out what an absurd tradition the whole encore thing is -- with one last "slow and loud" song, "Lay Your Cheek On Down" finishing the night. 

Spencer Krug is great at pouring emotion into his songs, and Siinai more than kept up with him, keeping the audience rapt the entire time. Krug even pointing out how 'quiet' the crowd was, but not necessarily in a bad way. There was still wild applause and cheering between songs, but little to no chit chat, which is always nice, meaning the bad had the room's full attention. And I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Sunday evening. 

setlist
Quickfire, I Tried
Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips. 
The Nightclub Artiste
I'm Not The Phoenix Yet
Faraway Lightning
Prairie Boy
They Call Themselves Old Punks
Ugly Flower Pretty Vase
Yesterday's Fire. 
City Wrecker
(encore)
Lay Your Cheek On Down

Moonface @ The Lido -- 04/15/16

I haven't seen Spencer Krug perform live (in any of his 18 bands) in so long, that Richard's on Richards was still a thing. Sunset Rubdown at Richard's in '09 was the last time I saw him, and I have been dying to fix that. So when he announced a Moonface solo piano show -- at an intimate bar just down the street from me, The Lido -- I knew I had to be there. Especially since Julia With Blue Jeans On was one of my favourite albums of the last few years. 

The intimate night was just Spencer, on stage alone with an upright piano, in front of his own psychedelic reflection on the projection screen of The Lido. After the album came out, I was amazed how impactful something as simple as a man with a piano could be, and a lot of that had to do with the passion and emotion that he pours into the lyrics and channels through the piano, and that absolutely translated live as his fingers went from softly dancing over the keys, to hammering home each note, his distinct voice matching with a soft tremble or a wild howl. 

As expected, he played mostly from Julia With Blue Jeans On, starting off with "Love The House You're In" and I immediately knew it was going to be a special night. The pairing of "Barbarian" and "Barbarian II" soared and momentarily managed to silence the noisy half of the bar (it was still a Friday night, after all), and he fielded a request for "Your Chariot Awaits".
Krug also dipped a little into his back catalogue, pulling out a stripped down rendition of "Heartbreaking Bravery" the title track from the first Moonface album with Siinai, and even going back to Swan Lake -- the collaborative band with Dan Bejar & Carey Mercer -- for "All Fires". 
Along with that, he tossed a couple brand new songs into the mix, which sounded amazing. He didn't say if they were off the upcoming Moonface & Siinai album, but I can't wait to hear them again, the latter of which packing a strong lyrical punch. 

After about an hour, Spencer somewhat sheepishly said he should probably wrap things up, but had nowhere to go offstage, and after the relentless applause he asked if it was okay to just pretend he left and came back to do a couple more. First the older "City Wrecker" which he promised to play for a friend, and then the titular "Julia With Blue Jeans On", a gorgeous song which just gave me chills, and was a perfect ending for the night. 

The show has to be, hands down, one of my favourites of the year, and I can't wait to see Moonface again; be it solo, with a full band or Siinai, or as something altogether different. I just hope it won't take another seven years. 

setlist
Love The House You're In, 
The Fog, 
Heartbreaking Bravery, 
Barbarian, 
Barbarian II, 
[new song],
November 2011,
Fast Peter, 
Your Chariot Awaits, 
All Fires, 
[new song].
(encore)
City Wrecker, 
Julia With Blue Jeans On.