Jason Collett @ Fox Cabaret -- 04/26/16

I want to tell a quick story about the first time I saw Jason Collett play live. It was at Richard's on Richards in 2008, and for some reason it was not widely known that it was an early show. Thanks to that, there were very few people there for the first of three bands -- I want to say maybe a dozen people, if that. That opening band was also Jason's backing band at the time, so part way through his own set he paused to let them play a song of their own songs, for the people that were not there earlier. Simply because he wanted more people to hear them.
And then, just over a month later he was back for another show. This time at the more intimate Media Club, also with the same opener/backing band. He mentioned on stage that he was back so soon specifically because he heard people missed his show altogether, thanks to the miscommunication. 
I've always remembered that not only because it was a cool thing to do for his friends playing with him and opening the show, but a cool thing to do for the fans that didn't even get to see him.

I tell this story because the band in question was Zeus, who was also Jason's backing band this night, at the Fox Cabaret. It had been a few years since I last saw Jason Collett play live (coincidentally, it was the Bonfire Ball with Zeus and Bahamas) so I was excited to see him once more, especially with four of the five members of Zeus backing him; Carlin Nicholson, Mike O'Brien, Neil Quin, and Jason Haberman. The band lent their amazing guitars and perfect harmonies to Collett's heartfelt songs, for a great combo. 

Jason started the set off with "Pavement Puddle Stars" going all the way back to '05's Idols of Exile, transitioning seamlessly into the cheeky "High Summer" and then one of my absolute favourites of his, the unbridled "I'll Bring The Sun".
Collett was on and off guitar throughout the night, putting the "dance" part in the new album's title Song And Dance Man (or attempting to, as he joked) and casually bantered to the crowd between songs, even expertly shrugging off a... let's call it an "aggressive request" from the crowd.
Songs ranged from the sombre "We All Lose One Another" -- a song about death which he prefaced with a story about Prince -- to the upbeat twang of "Love You Babe", with highlights including the pairing of the classics "Fire" and "Hangover Days", and the hip-swaying groove of "Love Is A Dirty Word" which ended the main set. 
For the encore, Collett came back out on stage first, starting the melancholy (and timely) "Almost Summer" while the band slowly joined in, and ending off with a nice cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone".

I'm always happy when a great songwriter and excellent lyricist can translate their songs into an engaging live show. And while Collett is more than capable of doing that himself, the addition of members of one of the country's best live bands (Zeus) as his backing band was definitely a plus. 

setlist
Pavement Puddle Stars
High Summer
I'll Bring The Sun
Provincial Blues
I Wanna Rob A Bank
Through the Night These Days
Fire
Hangover Days
Singing American
We All Lose One Another
Black Oak Savanna
Song and Dance Man
Love You Babe
Where Does Your Love Go?
My Daddy Was A Rock'n'Roller
Dirty Old Town
Lake Superior
Love is a Dirty Word.
(encore)
Almost Summer
She's Gone [Hall & Oates cover]

Bend Sinister @ Biltmore Cabaret -- 04/22/16

Almost exactly ten years ago, in March of ought-six, a young Kirk who was just starting to get more into the local Vancouver music scene made his way to Red Room to check out Victoria band Hot Hot Heat on a bit of a whim. But what really stuck out that night was one of* the opening bands, Bend Sinister. I really liked the set, but kind of forgot about them until about a year/year and a half later when I heard them pop up on CBC Radio 3, and found their self-titled EP. Since then, they have remained one of my favourite -- not just local, but Canadian -- bands, particularly live. So I sure wasn't going to miss their first proper show in a while, at the Biltmore Cabaret this weekend. 

Especially since opening this night was Calgary band Boreal Sons, who I had been meaning to catch live for some time now. (Dante Hadden was the other opening act, but unfortunately I missed his set). 
I arrived as the three piece was starting their set, their piano-driven art-rock filling the room with songs like the simmering "Refrain" and the sweeping "Quietly Awake" from their latest album Threadbare. Along with that they teased some new tracks, and even pulled out a cool cover of Feist's "The Bad In Each Other", keeping the original's hurt emotions, and adding their own spin musically. 
Lead singer and keys player Evan Acheson chatted with the crowd between songs, expressing excitement about their upcoming tour -- their first in a while -- and asking for questions or comments (joking he never actually got any when asking that). 
They ended off with "Sparks", probably my favourite of the set, their harmonies building to a strong finish, and I am glad I finally got the chance to see them. 

With a quick turnaround, thanks to the early show schedule, Bend Sinister hit the stage soon after, the familiar faces of Dan Moxon on vocals & keys, with Joseph Blood on guitar, Matt Rhode on bass, Dicky Neptune on drums, and Kristy-Lee Audette on trumpet, synth, and tambourine. I think this was my first time seeing the band with Kristy-Lee as a full time member -- previously she had just joined for a song or two on trumpet -- and she was a great addition. 

They started the set off with a couple new tunes, cranking up the energy and barely let up for a little over an hour, with a great flow of songs. Early on, the bouncy groove of "Fancy Pants" got people moving, and the roaring "I Got Love" showed just how much band can rock. I've always said said Dan Moxon is a monster on the keys, and the rest of the band can absolutely keep up with his energy. 
Other highlights included perennial favourite, the uplifting "Things Will Get Better", and a deep cut from Stories Of Brothers, Tales of Lovers, "Dr. Lee" with Dan dedicating it to the fans that have been with them for a while. They also previewed more new material, from the album they're working on. One called "Foolish Games" which saw JP Maurice joining them on cowbell, and another called "Gang of Wolves" which absolutely blew me away, and I can't wait to hear it recorded. 

They drew the main set to a close with the Moxon's powerful voice soaring over eight-minute winding epic "Best Of You", but of course were back out for more, pushing right up against the curfew before the Friday night DJ dance party started. First they went back to that aforementioned self-titled EP for a song that is still one of my favourites, the explosive "Time Breaks Down", and then a very appropriate new song extolling the virtues of rock 'n' roll, as Dan slyly yelled "Fuck the DJs!" off the top, culminating with friends joining them on stage for a anthemic powerhouse of a closer. 

The show proved why, after all these years, I still love seeing the band live, and I am really excited to hear what new music they have for us coming up. 

*Fun fact footnote: the other opening band was You Say Party.

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.

Madic House Concerts with Kirsten Ludwig and Alexandria Maillot -- 04/05/16

The Madic Records House Concerts series is, well, exactly what it sounds like. Dan Mangan's record label, Madic Records, has started curating a series of house shows across the country, with hand picked artists. The likes of Astral Swans, The Crackling, Woodpigeon, and more have all been a part of the tours, and the latest featured Calgary-born, Victoria-based Kirsten Ludwig.
They crowd-sourced locations, and everyone met up at a nice house in the heart of Vancouver, with a living room set up for the show. 

Vancouver's Alexandria Maillot started things off, joined by Daniel Baxter also on guitar. The house show setting created a more intimate atmosphere as Alexandria chatted with the crowd throughout the set, between songs off her upcoming album, TIme, as well as a cover from The Civil Wars. Maillot's voice lilted over the pair of guitars, and highlights included the soaring "Sunday Sara" and the bouncy "Time (On Your Own)" -- which is her entry into this year's CBC Searchlight competition. 

After a bit of mingling Kirsten Ludwig took the (makeshift) stage, alone with her guitar. Unfortunately, she had come down with laryngitis that morning, which made singing a little... tricky. She tried to adjust her set to compensate, including a Ryan Adams cover, a few brand new songs, and "Cinnamon" off her new album Honest Tracks, a hauntingly beautiful song. 
It was a little clear she was frustrated by the turn of events, but took it in stride, telling jokes between songs, and humourously slipped into spoken word mid-song. Had it been any other venue than a house show, I don't think it would have gone as well, but the audience was supportive, and even with the waning voice, the few songs she played were captivating. I hope she is back soon for another show. 

Kirsten decided after a few songs that she couldn't continue, and asked Alexandria back up on stage, who finished the night with a couple more songs, including a much-requested Dixie Chicks cover. 

Illness aside, it was a nice night of intimate music, and I really hope Madic continues this house show series. 

Radio Radio with Kaylee Johnston @ Biltmore -- 03/26/16

Hot off their new album Light The Sky, Acadian hip hop duo Radio Radio trekked across Canada to finish in Vancouver. It had been a while since they were last here, and the packed Biltmore Cabaret greeted them with great enthusiasm. I had heard many good things about their live show, but hadn't seen them perform before, so I was excited. 

An added bonus was the opener, Kaylee Johnston. I had seen her play a couple tribute shows in the last few months, and was floored by her talent. But somehow hadn't seen her doing her own material, which I was glad to change. It was her first time playing with her current backing band -- a guitarist and another on keys and tracks -- with Kaylee front and centre, occasionally playing acoustic guitar, letting her powerful voice fly over her pop music. And it was pop music, with a bit of an edge to it. She promised a song called "Kickdrum" would kick us in the face (it did) and "Are You The One For Me" soared before breaking down into a quasi-rap verse. Johnston also slowed it down with songs like the heavy-hearted "Let's Pretend" and a sultry cover of "Hotline Bling". 
She ended with her upcoming single "Getting Over You", showing off her great voice, and projecting such confidence, as she did throughout the set.
There were a couple times in the set where you could kind of tell it was their first time playing together (nothing distracting, they just need time to gel together) and I think a live drummer would have also helped. But she teased her upcoming album and a release show in a few months back at the Biltmore, and I will be certain to be there for that. 

Not long after, as the crowd built in anticipation, it was time for Radio Radio as Gabriel L.B. Malenfant and Jacques Alphonse Doucet jumped on stage -- almost literally -- and didn't stop moving for an hour and a half. The duo was full of energy, jumping around, dancing (sometimes synchronized) to their electronic hip hop. From songs that got the entire room dancing and jumping with them, like the aptly named "Solo Dance Party" and "My Dance Floor" to songs like the delightfully absurd ode to HGTV with "Remodel (Mike Holmes)".
Other highlights included "Jacuzzi" and "Then Came The Music", which has one of my favourite choruses of the year: 

I don’t need another melody
I don’t need another bass line
All I need is some words you see
So how about you bring me some poetry

While their new album is entirely in English, their previous albums were in Chiac, a mixture of French and English, and they not only sang in both languages, but addressed the crowd as well. And during "Tcheindre together" they even lead everyone in some "participaction", singing along in French -- or a close approximation for those who are unilingual (like me). 
There was plenty more participaction throughout the set; with "Deskshoo" -- another highlight of the set -- the entire crowd sang joined in yelling "HEY" and gave our best Nature Boy "WOOOs", before they ended the set with the title track from the new album "Light The Sky" and more orchestrated singing along. 
But they were not quite done, as they made the crowd work for the encore, and pulled out any remaining stops with a few more songs, pushing right up to the curfew. 

Hands down, Radio Radio is one of the most flat-out fun live band I have seen, leaving the crowd a tired, sweaty, and satisfied. 

setlsit (disclaimer: best I can remember, may be some errors) 
Living A Dream; 
Busy; 
Gong Hotel;
Tcheindre together;
Cause I’m a Hoe;
50 Shades of Beige;
[unsure]
Solo Dance Party;
Sunrise/All Inclusive War Tour;
Then Came the Music;
Remodel (Mike Holmes);
Tonight's The Night;
Jacuzzi;
Guess What?;
My Dance Floor;
Sweater Weather;
Dekshoo;
Boomerang;
Light The Sky.
(encore)
Saint-Pétersbourg;
Ça c'est nice;
Happy Hustler;
Jacuzzi After Party;
Comment ça va?