Sunset Rubdown @ Rickshaw Theatre -- October 10, 2024

Even after last year’s reunion show(s) and a whole brand new album, there’s a part of me that still can’t believe Sunset Rubdown is back. But after the release of Always Happy to Explode a few weeks ago, the band has once again hit the road, starting their tour here in Vancouver at the Rickshaw.

Opening the night was Sister Ray, who I only caught the last few songs of, walking in to singer Ella Coyes’ soft vocals, and a haunting song, before they picked up a guitar for a more upbeat tune. After joking, since we’re friends now they wanted to hear everyone’s secrets (be it at the merch table or over DMs), they capped off with a song that I didn’t catch the name of, but liked the heartfelt lyrics. I’ll definitely have to check out their latest EP Teeth, and keep an ear out for them in the future.

It wasn’t long before Sunset Rubdown flashed on the screens flanking the stage, and the band came out, Spencer Krug and Camilla Wynne both on keys & vocals, Nicholas Merz on bass, and Jordan Robson-Cramer on drums (later joined by Eli browning to fill in on drums when Jordan took over guitar).

Starting with “Worm” off the new album, the band played a set that wove through their catalogue, all the way back to “A Day In The Graveyard II”, with songs ranging from the restrained “Losing Light” to the manic “Snake’s Got A Leg”; sometimes capturing all that in one, like “Shut Up I Am Dreaming Of Places Where Lovers Have Wings”, which went from calm stillness to a thrashing wave, crashing upon the shore and back.

Other highlights included Krug’s distinct vocals blending with Wynne on the seasonally appropriate “Ghoulish Hearts” and the absolute earworm “Reappearing Rat” from the new album, as well as a pair of personal favourites from Random Spirit Lover, the creepy “Winged/Wicked Things” and “The Mending of the Gown” with its ridiculously chaotic energy.

After nearly an hour and a half, the set came to a close with “The Men Are Called Horsemen There”, but after making the crowd work for it, the band was pulled back for an encore with one last song, “Stadiums and Shrines II”, thanking everyone for coming once again.

A couple times throughout the night, the band joked that since it was the first show of the tour, they didn’t have a firm setlist, so would just play everything and people could leave whenever they wanted. I have a feeling that if they did make good on that promise, the room would have been full until the wee hours of the morning (I know I would have stuck around).

setlist
Worm
Snowball
Cliché Town
Silver Moons
Snake’s Got A Leg III
Us Ones In Between
Ghoulish Hearts
Candles
Shut Up I Am Dreaming Of Places Where Lovers Have Wings
A Day In The Graveyard II
Losing Light
Reappearing Rat
Winged/Wicked Things
The Mending of the Gown
The Men Are Called Horsemen There
(encore)
Stadiums and Shrines II

Sunset Rubdown @ Rickshaw Theatre -- May 15, 2023

This show has been a long time coming. Not just because the last time Sunset Rubdown played a show in Vancouver was in 2009 (when Richard's on Richards still existed) but since the reunion show was announced, it's gone through two venue upgrades (from the Fox to the Biltmore to the Rickshaw) and one postponement (when the band got stuck at the ferry terminal on Vancouver Island). But the wait was worth it as the long dormant group returned to Vancouver to kick off the second leg of their comeback tour.

Opening the show was Nicholas Merz, whose set I caught the last half of. Alone on stage wearing double denim and a cowboy hat, Merz was behind a modified pedal steel creating loops for a bit of an avant-garde country sound, punctuated by his deep, crooning vocals. He would show off his voice even more when, a couple times at the end of a song, he strode up to the front of the stage with a bit of a soft-shoe to belt out some stark lyrics — once just himself, unaccompanied by the loops he created.
His set was either one of the most earnest performances I've ever seen, or -- and I can't quite put my finger on what makes me think this -- a very elaborate performance art piece. Either way, it was a very entertaining.

Then after a bit of a break, it was time for Sunset Rubdown as Michael Doerksen, Camilla Wynne, Jordan Robson-Cramer, and Spencer Krug hit the stage. Right off the bat, Krug apologised for the circumstances of the last show, and was incredibly grateful for the sold out crowd on an unseasonably hot Monday night. He joked that was the last they’d be speaking for a while and launched into “Snake's Got A Leg” from the groups debut album to kick off the set.

From there they ran through a selection from all four records, from “The Empty Threats of a Little Lord” to the relatively fragile “Silver Moons”, with other highlights including “Us Ones In Between”, building to an intense finish with Krug's distinctive vocals filling the theatre, and the dark and haunting “Winged/Wicked Things” sending chills through the (warm) room.

Between the familiar songs, the band teased some new material. The first time, Krug clarified it was just an old one that was never recorded, but later a new song was introduced with no such caveats. As far as I know, the band has been coy about any future plans, but fingers crossed.

Part way through the set, Nicholas Merz joined the others on stage on bass, though along with Michael and Jordan, the three of them swapped around on bass, guitar, and drums a little. And while he was behind the keys for most of the night, at once point Krug pulled out his guitar for a few songs, including “You Go on Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)” and probably my favourites of theirs, the barely-controlled chaos of “Idiot Heart”.

After a big intense jam to finish “The Men Are Called Horsemen There”, they brought the set to a close with the frenetic “The Mending of the Gown”, making the crowd work a little for the encore. But of course they were back, with just one more song, pouring all their remaining energy into the epic, winding, ten minute long “Dragon's Lair”, to cap off the nearly two hour set.

Since the breakup of Sunset Rubdown, I've seen Krug perform a number of other times; as Moonface, his collab with Siinai, solo piano shows, and even a Wolf Parade set. But as this show drew closer I started to worry that I was building the renion up too much in my head. Turns out that was for nothing, as the show more than met my expectations. The band hasn’t lost a single step, as tight as ever. Even at two hours, the show felt too fleeting, and I really hope we get to hear more from them in the future.

setlist
Snake's Got A Leg
The Taming Of The Hands That Came Back To Life
Silver Moons
Us Ones In Between
Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings
Winged/Wicked Things
Stadiums And Shrines
You Go on Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
Coming To At Dawn
Idiot Heart
The Empty Threats of Little Lord
We're Losing Light
The Men Are Called Horsemen There
The Mending of the Gown
(encore)
Dragon's Lair

Favourite albums of 2009 (part the second)

In case you missed it, part one is here!
It's only a little late, but I finally got caught up on my backlog of albums from 2009 I wanted to review. I think I did just about every new album I picked up during 09 -- which was over 50! -- so now I might as well post my favourite twenty albums. And yes, that is "favourite", not "best", so while something may be technically "better", these were the ones I liked the most. Also, they are in order of release date, as I am terrible at numbering things.
Were I a more organized person, I would have sat down this long weekend and listened to all 20 albums and come up with something new and exciting to say for each, but with my laziness school term coming to a close, I just didn't have the time, sadly. But I have included links to all the previous reviews I did on the albums, which are still as valid now as they were then.

In A Quiet World by We Are The City (original review)
superb debut

"Fathers" EP by Black Hat Brigade (original review)
an EP with more substance than most full lengths

Dragonslayer by Sunset Rubdown (original review)
this is why SR is my favourite of all Spencer Krug's bands

Nice, Nice, Very Nice by Dan Mangan (original review)
the acclaim is much deserved

Bay of Pigs EP by Destroyer (original review[ku])
more proof of Bejar's musical genius

Monsters of Folk by Monsters of Folk (original review)
could've been messy, ended up awesome

Friends & Total Strangers by The Trews (original review[ku])
live & acoustic, shows their true talent

Vancouver by Matthew Good (original review)
favourite album of the year (surprise)

Islands Disappear by Said The Whale (original review)
possibly perfect power pop

Tic Toc Tic by The Zolas (original review)
insanely catchy


So, what do you think overall? Agree? Disagree? Think I missed something major? Just like to complain? Let me know!

Dragonslayer by Sunset Rubdown

I am going to let you in on a secret, even though I may risk losing some "indie cred" for it. I have never really been too fond of Wolf Parade (oh no, get the Pitchforks!). I don't hate them, by any means, but I do think they have been incredibly over hyped, and I don't looooooooove them like I am probably "supposed" to. Though, I should be more specific; I think it's just Dan Boeckner I don't care for, as I've never really been into Handsome Furs, either. Spencer Krug, on the other hand... He is not only the other half of Wolf Parade, but also one third of Swan Lake, and leads Sunset Rubdown which is, in my eyes, his best band. What had started as a side/solo project has, four full length albums and a handful of EP's later, flourished into a full band where Krug is able to let his ideas flow. Their latest release is the awesomely titled Dragonslayer, which was recorded almost entirely live off the floor, giving the album the same energy and vibe of their (awesome) live show.

It starts off with Silver Moons, an interesting song as it almost sounds like it could be a closing song, and with lyrics telling us "maybe these days are over now", it doesn't even just feel like the end of an album, but the end of something much more significant... but yet, it's just the beginning.The first single, Idiot Heart completely changes things around; a rousing anthem with boundless energy and some of my favourite lyrics of the year; one such example is the Bucky nominated line "I hope that you die in a decent pair of shoes / You got a lot more walking to do where you're going to."
Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh! is one of my favourite songs off the album, and not just for the great title. An almost majestic song, with references to Greek mythology and excellent story telling, it is one of the perfect examples of how well Krug constructs his songs, not just musically by lyrically. Another great example of just that is Black Swan which starts out with an almost controlled chaos which bursts forth between verses only to be reigned back until it is allowed to come together and explode at the end. Paper Lace is a "remake", I suppose, of his Swan Lake song from this year's Beast Moans and... I think I like the Swan Lake version a bit better. And from a remake to a sequel, of sorts, You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II) follows Trumpet Trumpet Toot Toot from the previous album, directly referencing the chorus. It is another stand-out of the album, building to an awesome ending.
Nightingale/December Song is an assault of drums and has an almost tribal feel that leads excellently into the closer, Dragon's Lair. A ten minute epic of a song, opening with a light piano, it slowly gains momentum into what is not only the highlight of the album, but perhaps a highlight of any of the bands Krug is involved in. He doesn't just tell a story, but creates a whole world within the lyrics, and music, of the song. A superb way to end a great album.

Even though it's only eight tracks, is about fifty minutes, and those 50 minutes are packed with briliance. It had been said before, but with Dragonslayer, Krug cements just how much of a music genius he truly is. He knows precisely what he is doing and delivers it in an exquisite way, and that is what makes this album so great. There are very few bands that sound like Sunset Rubdown... or even could sound like them. This is a perfect example of why Sunset Rubdown is my favourite of all of Krug's bands.

Download Idiot Heart

Download Black Swan

Download You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)

Clicky to exchange monies for music

"They sound like robots... in the jungle." Sunset Rubdown @ Richard's -- 06/30/09

Sunset Rubdown is quite possibly my favourite project of Spencer Krug, and considering his other bands are Wolf Parade and Swan Lake, that's saying something. (Though, for full disclosure, I am not a huge fan of Wolf Parade. I think it's that I don't care for the other half, Dan Boeckner... but that's for another time).So when they come in to town there's no doubt I'm gonna be there. Especially when playing Richard's.

The first band of the night was Elfin Saddle, and wow. Their website touts them as "the unusual union of a small Japanese woman, a Canadian woodsman, and a ramshackle pile of objects and instruments" though the live act consisted of a third member. And through the course of their set they played the following instruments: upright bass, baritone, banjo, ukulele, kick drum, symbol, full drum set, xylophone, accordion, saw, recorder. At the very least. And the main two members were playing multiple instruments at once. The "Canadian woodsman" (Jordan McKenzie) was playing a kick drum on the floor with hit foot, accordion with one hand, and the xylophone with the other. While singing. It was a very impressive display. Musically, they were very good as well; they had a kind of Bjork and/or Animal Collective feel, but without the pretentious suck. The vocals were split between the two, with some of Emi Honda's songs sung in Japanese, and while they were good live, I could see the vocals, from both of them, being a bit much over the length of a full album. I would have liked them much better had they been an instrumental band. That being said, I still really enjoyed them and am kind of regretting not picking up their album there.
I also attempted to take a video of the last song from my fancy new phone, but the sound wasn't the greatest. The above pic is just a cap from the video, hence the questionable quality.

The second band of the night was another three piece, Witchies from Montreal. They were Perfectly Acceptable Music. Nothing too spectacular, but nothing terrible. With guitar, drums and synth, they had kind of a generic indie rock sound going for them, and after some technical problems to start played a decent set. Ultimately forgettable, however.


And finally, Sunset Rubdown. Having not seen them live before, I was not sure what to expect, since their albums can be very dense. Turns out me fears were unfounded. With leader of the band Spencer Krug alternating between guitars and keyboard, another guitarist, bass, at times two drummers, and what can only be described as a Dan Deacon-esque table of crazy sounds, they had a full, rich, and incredible sound. Starting things off with an older and lighter song, The Empty Threats of Little Lord before bringing the house down with Idiot Heart, a song from the newest album, Dragonslayer. From then on the rest of the set focused mostly on the later two albums, that & Random Spirit Lovers, and the more high energy songs from those, for the most part.
Krug had a great energy about him while playing, like a bottled storm, yet between songs, when talking was very humble and appreciative of everyone. Aside from wishing his father, in attendance, a happy birthday and dedicating a song ("This song is about getting really drunk. This one's for you, dad!") and telling a story of climbing the giant cross on Mount Royal in a blizzard, he didn't have too much to say, though. Some other highlights of the set included Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!, Winged/Wicked Things and The Mending of the Gown, all of which played with an incredible intensity and got everyone moving.
The main set ended with the awesome, ten minute long saga Dragon's Lair, then they came back out for the "encore", starting with an older & mellow song, Us Ones in Between and then going absolutely crazy ending the night with Nightingale/December Song. Krug introduced the song as one he was unsure that they would be able to pull off live, since it could be "a bit of a clusterfuck", but brought out some extra hands, two members of Elfin Saddle came out to play guitar & bass, substituting while the other members went and played more drums.

While probably not amongst my favourite shows of the year, it was still a damn good show put on by Sunset Rubdown. I have heard rumours that the stalled construction that was to tear Richard's on Richards down is getting going again, and it may be gone soon. If that's the case, this was a perfectly good "last show" to see there.
Though I do hope they have some sort of good-bye-extravaganza with local musicians playing a farewell show. Like Matt Good. And New Pornos. And Destroyer. And then they all jam together at the end.