The Ruffled Feathers @ Jim Green House Studio -- 07/29/17

It was an intimate Saturday night with The Ruffled Feathers bringing friends, family, and fans together at Jim Green House Studio -- a performance space next to The Cultch -- for their album release party. Their latest release, Hand-Me-Down Centuries, had come out the day before, and they were eager to share it. 

Opening the show was Laura Reznek, who was initially alone with her keyboard, but was also joined for a few songs by Daniel Baxter on guitar. Her smoky voice drove the cabaret-pop, including a song she introduced as the first (and so far only) song she has written for a theoretical musical she has in mind. 
It was an enjoyable set, but I feel like she is one of those artists that you would really appreciate more, if you were more familiar with their lyrics. 

It wasn’t long after that The Ruffled Feathers took the makeshift stage. Lit from the floor, their shadows danced on the wall behind them, mixing the a projector from the back of the room showing a burning flame, flashing multi-coloured dots, and other abstract imagery. 
Starting off with the appropriate lyrics "It’s been a long time coming" in "Burgundy", they played the new album in order (for the most part), with the band chatting between songs, telling stories like how the various band members met. 
Switching between guitar and ukulele, Gina Loes handled main vocals duties while backed by the other members, who also stepped up for lead vocals for a couple songs; bassist Paolo Brian on "Strange Dreams" and trumpeteer Andrew Lee for "Only 25". Other highlights included the soaring "Cadaverine" underlaid by its darker lyrics, the huge and intense "Sea of Hesitation" (also my favourite off the album), and "Wood Buffalo" which included some beautiful violin from Molly MacKinnon.
They did slip one older song into the set, "Mockingbird" right before finishing with the utterly charming "Kiss Me In The Moonlight". There wasn’t really anywhere for them to go, however, so they just kind of stayed on stage for the "encore break" before hitting one last old favourite, "Blueprints For Our Failed Revolution" for a rapturous ending to the show. 

setlist
Burgundy
How Many Days
Cadaverine
Le Marche
Caravan
(intermission)
Sea Of Hesitation
Strange Dreams
Wood Buffalo
Only 25
Mockingbird
Kiss Me In The Moonlight
(encore)
Blueprints For Our Failed Revolution

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) @ Fox Cabaret -- 06/28/17

As someone who doesn't (read: can't) dance, there are really only a handful of bands that can get me to move more than just the standard Leg-Shake-Foot-Tap and Head-Bob moves. One of those bands is Sacramento's !!! (or Chk Chk Chk if you're trying to say it out loud). Hot off their new album Shake the Shudder, they returned to Vancouver for a show at the Fox Cabaret. 

The five members of !!! were joined by singer Meah Pace, who features on the new album, to get the dance party started with "NRGQ". Clad in a sport coast and shorts, Nic Offer (who I feel is exempt from the No Shorts On Stage rule) soon doffed the coat and lost half the buttons on his shirt, just by sheer movement.
They worked through their discography from new songs like "Dancing is the Best Revenge" (one of my favourite song titles of the year) to older ones, including the vitriolic & explosive "Pardon My Freedom" from '04's Louden Up Now. Other highlights included "Our Love (U Can Get)", showcasing the great blend of vocals between Offer and Pace, the ridiculously fun "Freedom! '15", and the thumping rhythm of "One Girl/One Boy".
Both Offer & Pace were dancing their faces off the entire time, but especially Nic who barely stood still for a minute. Back and forth across the stage, strutting and grooving, even coming into the crowd a few times, Offer was a ball of energy, constantly in motion. 
An hour flew by as they brought the set to a close on the soulful "The One 2", Pace's voice soaring through the theatre, as they were back out for one more in the encore, with the funky "Slyd". 

One of the most flat out fun live bands you'll see, !!! puts on a live set that will get even the most awkward dancing, and promise everyone will leave a sweaty mess and a giant grin on their face. 

setlsit
NRGQ
All U Writers
Pardon My Freedom
Our Love (U Can Get)
DITBR (interlude)
Dancing Is the Best Revenge
Throttle Service
Freedom! '15
One Girl/One Boy
The One 2
(encore)
Slyd

Photo Round Up: Toronto June 2017 ft. The New Enchanters, NEEDLES//PINS, Duotang, The Smugglers, Taylor Knox, July Talk, Arkells

I (Christine) have just recently returned from a trip to Ontario, where I got to check out a few awesome shows in Toronto while I roamed about the city.

The first show was the eastern performance by The Smugglers, with guests The New Enchanters, NEEDLES//PINS, and Duotang at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern.

The following weekend, I was invited to attend the Taylor Knox performance at the Drake Underground. It's always excellent to see a band you've never heard of before and enjoy it immensely. Check him out HERE.

And finally, from small club to the BIG BIG stage, I went to the Budweiser Stage (formerly Molson Amphitheatre) for the Arkells show, with guests July Talk (as well as Said The Whale, whom I missed photographing because of traffic, but got to catch 2/3 of their set!). The show was epic, and as you can see from the photos above, the crowd was packed in. Both bands are always a pleasure to photograph, and debating which to post is difficult.

Next trip to Ontario is in September, and I should be around for the Polaris Music Prize gala.
Thanks Toronto!

All photos by Christine McAvoy

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre -- 06/22/17

I knew this was going to be a heavy show. The recent album from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree, was made after the death of one of Cave's sons, which is reflected on not only the album, but also a documentary on the making of the album, called One More Time With Feeling (a great watch, by the way). So when the sold out show came up at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, I had emotionally prepared myself, knowing it would be more intense than the previous two times I had seen them -- which were already some of the most intense shows I have seen. 

There was no opener for the night, just Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds taking stage shortly after 8. As the half dozen members of the Bad Seeds filled the back of the stage, Nick Cave came out and perched on a chair front and centre, somewhat antithetical to his usual stage demeanour, for the first song "Anthrocene". But immediately after, as they launched into "Jesus Alone", Cave put the chair aside and was his usual on-stage-self; stalking back and forth, limbs shooting out wildly, throwing the microphone, crouching into the crowd as arms reached up as if in worship. I don't think I've seen a single other performer with as much effortless presence on stage, commanding a crowd with just a movement or single word, as he was occasionally projected onto the big screen behind the band, literally larger-than-life. He leaves more of himself on stage than most musicians I've seen at half his age. 

The set ebbed and flowed, pulling from their vast library, as the songs slowly built in energy before erupting with "From Her To Eternity" and then calming back down with piano ballads "The Ship Song" and one of my absolute favourites, the gorgeous "Into My Arms". Songs from the new album were wrought with emotion like "Girls In Amber" and "I Need You", and old favourites like the sinister "Red Right Hand" and "The Mercy Seat", building to a frantic finish, had the crowd moving. 

The emotional climax of the set came with "Distant Sky", an incredibly heartbreaking song in which Cave's shaking voice proclaims "They told us our dreams would outlive us // They told us our gods would outlive us // But they lied", I'm sure bringing a tear to more eyes than just mine. And while guest vocalist Else Torp wasn't there for her verse, the video of her singing was projected onto the big screen behind them, like an angel watching over the band. 
That was followed, as on the album, by the sombre "Skeleton Tree" to finish off the main set. And honestly, I would have been satisfied if the set ended there, but it was clear there was more coming, as the crew was getting gear ready as opposed to tearing down. 

The encore began with Cave wading deep into the crowd, past the front area and perched atop the seats as he lead the crowd in singing and clapping to "The Weeping Song". He made his way back on stage for the chaotic murder ballad "Stagger Lee", bring a hoard of people up with him to dance along as Cave pantomimed the songs violent narrative. 
After nearly two hours, the night finished off back out amongst the crowd, Cave leading another sing along, this time to "Push The Sky Away", leaving us with the lyrics  "Some people say it's just rock 'n' roll / Ah, but it gets you right down to your soul"

And I can't think of any better way to describe the show than that. Intense, powerful, emotional, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is one of the best live acts I have ever seen, and everyone needs to witness them perform at least once in their lives. 

setlist
Anthrocene
Jesus Alone
Magneto
Highs Boson Blues
From Her to Eternity
Tupelo
Jubilee Street
The Ship Song
Into My Arms
Girl in Amber
I Need You
Red Right Hand
The Mercy Seat
Distant Sky
Skeleton Tree
(encore)
The Weeping Song
Stagger Lee
Push The Sky Away