Said the Whale @ Rio Theatre -- 12/16/12

It was a Christmas extravaganza at the Rio Theatre this weekend for a pair of sold out Said the Whale shows. I was at the second night, Sunday, where the stage was set to Maximum Christmas, with a yule log burning on the Rio's big screen before the show and light snowfall during; the bands were flanked by giant inflatable Santa & Frosty; strings of lights cross-crossing the stage; and a wreath hung on the kick drum. All it was missing was stockings hung with care.

Opening the night was Rococode with their dark yet catchy alt-pop. It was the first time I've seen them since their minor personnel change (a new drummer), but they were as good as ever, with songs like the soaring "Empire", which always gets stuck in my head, and "Ejay", that breaks down into an chaotic and cacophonous ending. After the haunting "Ghost I & II" (a song in dire need of a theremin) they wrapped up their opening spot with a new song, the holiday themed "Winter Revival".
They always put on an enjoyable show, with a high energy and the great harmonies with the vocals of Andrew & Laura intertwining, and this was no different.

setlist
Weapon, Run Run Run Run, Empire, Dreams, Blood, Ejay, The Riot, Ghost I & II, Winter Revival. 

Not long after that, the lights dimmed for Said the Whale and Ben came out and took a seat at the stand up piano on stage, first breaking out the recorder for some Little Drummer Boy, then starting the show with the Christmasy "The Bones of Winter". The rest of the band joined him -- all clad in Christmas sweaters -- for "Wanting Like Veruca" and getting the sold out theatre to clap along to "This City's A Mess".
They played a good mix of old and new, with some of their Christmas songs sprinkled in. For the past few years, they would put out a Christmas EP, and this year they released them as a collection. And while I've never been a big fan of Christmas music, there are a few songs -- like "Puddleglum", a depressing look at last minute shopping -- that I can get behind. There was also a new song thrown in, a Ben-fronted bass driven slow jam called "Okay Okay Okay", that was quite an interesting departure for the band.
Other highlights included "Love is Art/Sleep Through Fire", one of my favourites of theirs that is puzzlingly relegated to an EP, "Black Day in December" (the weekend marked the 6th anniversary of the Stanley Park windstorm that the song is about) and of course, the insanely infectious "Camilo (The Magician)". They wrapped up the main set with "Goodnight Moon", starting with Tyler sweetly strumming his ukulele then exploding into sheer joy.
And of course they were back for an encore, first Ben and Spencer came out for "Weight of the Season" before the exuberant "Emerald Lake, AB", and they wrapped up the whole night by puling Rococode on stage, and with Jacelyn at the piano, leading a sing along to "Christmas Time is Here", the lyrics up on the screen for people to sing loud, for all to hear.

Said the Whale is always a fun band to watch live; the interaction between the band -- especially Ben and Tyler -- shows just how much the band enjoys playing, and how appreciative they are to their Vancouver fans. And that energy pours out of them

setlist
The Bones of Winter, Wanting Like Veruca, This City's a Mess, Love is Art/Sleep Through Fire, Black Day in December, [mystery song]*, The Light is You, The Reason, Out on the Shield, Puddleglum, Big Sky MT, Lines, Okay Okay Okay, Howe Sounds, Loveless, 24 Days of Xmas, Camilo (The Magician), The Gift of a Black Heart, Goodnight Moon.
[encore] The Weight of the Season, Emerald Lake AB, Christmas Time is Here. 

*possibly another Christmas song I didn't catch the name of. 

String Fling w/ Four on the Floor String Quartet @ Rio Theatre -- 12/13/12

Even if you don't know them by name, there's a good chance you've seen some members of the Four on the Floor String Quartet playing live. As a group or individually, they've been a part of the Vancouver music scene for a while, playing with local artists like Adaline, The Belle Game, Kyprios, The Matinee, and many others, as well as having members of the quartet taking place in every Peak Performance Project as a part of various backing bands.
But they've decided to step into the spotlight and put on the first (of what I hope is many) String Fling, which saw members Hannah Epperson, Michelle Faehrmann, Tony Kastelic and Dougal McLean inviting some local acts to the Rio Theatre to play some of their own songs, with string accompaniment. And as someone who has always had a soft spot for strings in music, I was definitely interested to see how they came together with some of Vancouver's finest.

The show was broken into two halves, with each the performers playing a few songs and a steady flow of music with Four on the Floor performing between acts, with songs from their members or spoken word poetry over top of some strings arrangements. They opened the show with a songs before being joined by the first performer of the night, Ali Milner. With her gorgeous voice and jazzy piano, the strings blended really well with upbeat songs like the catchy "Waiting" and the dynamic "Fly".

After a spoken word interlude, they showcased a couple of their own solo projects, first Dougal Bain McLean with a could laid back, singer-songwriter-type songs, followed by the looping violin and lovely voice of Hannah Epperson, joined by Ajay Bhattacharyya on a drum machine for the aptly named "We Will Host A Party".

Ajay stayed on stage, joined by his bandmate Amy Kirkpatrick as Data Romance was up next. There was a bit of technical difficulties before they started, but Hannah covered fairly smoothly and they soon launched into their dark and moody, synth-infused electronic vibes. They played a couple new songs, teasing a new album in February, but I think they meshed with the string quartet least well -- which isn't to say it was bad in the slightest, just a clash of styles. That is, until their last song which was a bit more low key with Amy's ethereal voice soaring with the strings to close out the first half of the show.

After a short break, the second half opened with a spoken word piece from the quartet before Dominique Fricot took the stage. He is definitely no stranger to playing with Four on the Floor -- they helped him land third place in this year's Peak Performance Project -- and so he meshed the best with the quartet of all the performers. The acerbically charming Fricot talked and joked with the crowd, taking advantage of their relaxed atmosphere to play a couple slower, quieter songs from his repertoire, including the title track to his recent EP If Baby Could Walk. 

The next interlude, featured another spoken word piece, this time it segueing into the quartet playing the epic Game of Thrones theme, which was as fantastic as it sounds.

Of all the acts of the night, I was most interested to see how Shaun Verreault's bluesy sound mixed with the strings, and he introduced his first song as one least likely to be backed by a string quartet; Wide Mouth Mason's "Love Not Loving You". Originally a raw, distorted blues-rock song, it was turned into an absolutely gorgeous and heartbreaking number that ended up being my favourite of the night. His next couple songs were from his own solo albums, both a little more suited for the strings accompaniment, giving his amazing guitar playing and powerful voice an extra kick.

After one last Four on the Floor interlude, The Gay Nineties hit the stage to close out the night with their energetic and infectious rock. The first song had guest vocals from the powerful Colleen Rennison of No Sinner, and their raw energy was enough to get people up and dancing at the front of the stage. They sounded pretty much exactly like themselves, but with the addition of strings, which wasn't a bad thing at all, and they were definitely a good choice in closing out the night.

The pacing of the show was fantastic, with it never dragging on or seeming long, and for the most part everything ran like clockwork. It was a great night of music with a fantastic premise, and at the end of the show, they hinted at already planning a second one, and I already can't wait to see who Four on the Floor will be collaborating with for another.

The Zolas w/ The Belle Game @ Rio Theatre -- 11/16/12

It's been quite a while since The Zolas played their last "proper" show in Vancouver. There have been a few free shows scattered throughout the summer, but they were all missing half of the main duo, Tom Dobrzanski, as he was busy building his new recording studio Monarch Studios. But the band was back together at a sold out Rio Theatre for what was both their homecoming show and their CD release party, celebrating their latest album, Ancient Mars.


Opening up for them was another Vancouver favourite, The Belle Game. They were also supposed to be celebrating the release of their latest album, but it got delayed until next year. That didn't stop them from focusing most of the set on newer material, however, starting with the haunting "Ritual". Their rich, lush sound that was perfect for a theatre venue with the awesome and powerful voice of Andrea Lo filing the room; especially evident on "River", which was an amazing example of that power.
The six-piece was also joined by occasional-member Andrew Lee on trumpet (and tambourine) who got to show off on the explosive climax of "Sleep To Grow", and they ended their set with "Wait Up For You", which also built to a huge ending, and guitarist Alex Andrew solo-ing front and centre.

From the first time I saw The Belle Game -- on a small stage of a mediocre sounding venue -- I knew I wanted to see them in a setting like this, a soft seat theatre venue, and I have no doubt they'll only move on to bigger and better venues.

setlist
Ritual, Wasted Light, Keeps Me Up At Night, Blame Fiction, River, Salt + Water, Sleep to Grow, Wait Up For You.

It wasn't long before Zach Gray and Tom Dobrzanski took the stage with the rest of The Zolas, now a five piece with bassist Henry Alcock-White now on guitar. The set was heavy with the new album, opening with the lead off track "In Heaven", easing the crowd in with its soft beginning before rising in intensity.
The whole band had a great energy, but especially Zach, who has a strong stage presence; always full of energy, jumping around, and very personable, talking between songs as if just chatting with a friend and not a sold out theatre. Songs about lost love and heartbreak filled the set, and highlights include the extremely catchy and danceable "Strange Girl", as well as the big sing along to "You're Too Cool" -- which was either in the appropriate falsetto, or highlighted the gender ratio in the crowd -- and the dark yet bouncy "Knot In My Heart".
Near the end of the set, Zach climbed into the crowd and over the first few rows of seats to stand in the middle of a sea of people for "Escape Artist", and they closed out the main set with "Marlaina Kamikaze", the controlled chaos of the song bubbling over to a frantic ending. But then of course, there was the encore, first with Zach and Tom out alone for "Cold Moon", then getting the rest of the band back for the mid-to-post apocalyptic "The Great Collapse" to end off the night.

At a few points through the night, Zach expressed extreme gratitude (and a little disbelief) at the crowd, thanking everyone profusely for coming. But while it may have been a shock to Zach, it wasn't to anyone else, since The Zolas are more than deserving of the adoration.

setlist
In Heaven, Euphrates and Tigris, Strange Girl, Ancient Mars, Observatory, Local Swan, You're Too Cool, Knot In My Heart, Escape Artist, Marlaina Kamikaze.
(encore) Cold Moon, The Great Collapse.

Aidan Knight @ Rio Theatre -- 10/27/12

It only took one listen for Aidan Knight's new album Small Reveal to slide itself into my theoretical list of favourite albums of the year. So I was, of course, excited to see him live for the first time since the album came out, and especially in a venue like the Rio Theatre. The soft seat movie theatre seemed like a perfect place to experience Aidan Knight -- whose name now represents the full band -- and he had brought along a couple artists that I had been meaning to hear more of.

Andy Shauf was the first of those artists. He started the night off, taking the stage alone and sitting only with his guitar and a collection of soft and sad, melancholic yet beautiful songs, with the highlights being "Hometown Hero" and "Jesus, She's A Good Girl", both from his upcoming album, The Bearer of Bad News.
He also had some awkward-yet-charming banter worthy of opening for Aidan Knight, as he chatted between songs, even taking questions from some fans up at the front. Shauf was certainly engaging, but the tone of his songs was kind of the same throughout his short set, and I think he definitely would have benefited from a backing band to fill out his sound.
Though full band or no, I'll be sure to catch him next time he comes through town.

Leif Vollebekk was up next, also taking the stage alone, starting off with his guitar and harmonica and a bit more of a bluesy vibe. After a few songs, he went over to the upright piano for a few songs, including a cover of Tom Waits' "Picture In A Frame", and then it was back to the guitar for an impromptu poll over who to cover next. Sigur Rós won out, and with a little bit of looping, he did a really nice cover of "Heysátan", bow and all.
He played a few more of his own songs, including one specifically dedicated to those who had recently suffered heartbreak, before capping off the set off with yet another cover, "Just For A Thrill" from Ray Charles.

It wasn't long then before the curtains parted, and with the swelling of some strings, the Small Reveal trailer came on the big screen and Aidan Knight and his Friendly Friends took the stage. They immediately launched in to the soaring "Dream Team" which build to a huge ending, setting the tone for the rest of the night. Most of the set focused on the new album, and along with his endearingly awkward stage banter, Aidan charmed the crowd with song that were rich & lush, many of which built to grand endings of swirling guitars and keyboards and horns.
Part way through the set the rest of the band took leave of the stage and Aidan turned down his guitar, stepped off mic, to the very front of the stage, to play "Margaret Downe". His unamplified voice filled the theatre for an absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful performance that left very few dry eyes in the house.
The mood was soon brought back up as the band came back, and a couple songs later they had nearly the entire sold out theatre singing along to the unabashedly joyous "Jasper", and after a bad great pun about naming their genre "Grand Folk" thanks to songs named "Magic Cupboards" and "Knitting Something Nice", Aidan ended with another sing along, "Creatures Great & Small".
But of course that wasn't the end as they came back for another pair of songs that climb to grandiose endings, "Friendly Fires" and "North South East West", to somehow top everything else that night and bring the whole show to a gorgeous ending.

It was an amazing show all around, and Aidan specifically seemed much more confident than I had ever seen him on stage. He's always been great live, but he and the band were more cohesive than ever, and weren't afraid to try new things with old songs.

setlist
Dream Team, A Mirror, Singer Songwriter, You Will See The Good In Everyone, Altar Boys, Margaret Downe, Lambics, Sorrows, Jasper, Magic Cupboards, Knitting Something Nice, Creatures Great & Small.
(encore) Friendly Fires, North East South West.

Royal Wood @ Rio Theatre -- 10/20/12

It seemed that every time Royal Wood has come through Vancouver for the last couple years, I've somehow missed the show. But this time, everything aligned as he came to the Rio Theatre, a nice soft seat venue which seemed like it would fit Royal Wood's sound perfectly.

Opening the night was the Inuit-raised Montreal singer Elisapie. She was out with a pair of multi-instrumentalists, who were mostly on guitar, but also drums or kick pedals to create a light and beautiful pop sound. Elisapie had a lovely voice and some very catchy songs, including the breathy "It's All Your Fault", an ode to Leonard Cohen and the gorgeous "The Earth Moved". She also had a very warm stage presence, telling stories between songs and winning over the crowd. I wouldn't be surprised if half the crowd left with a bit of a crush on her or her music.

Not long after, Royal Wood was out with a full band in tow. He kicked off with "The Thick Of It", the lead off track to his latest album We Were Born To Glory, and wove his way through songs old and new, including his hits ("and by 'hits' I mean songs they play on the CBC" he joked).
Jumping between his guitar and a grand piano, he went from the slow and beautiful "I'm So Glad I Found You" to the rollicking "The Fire Did Go" and everywhere in between, with other highlights being "I Want Your Love" and the heartbreaking "Lady In White"
Royal was very smooth on stage, flawlessly killing time between songs to fix a drum pedal that broke mid-song, and a lot of his banter showed a bit of a dry, sarcastic sense of humour. He playfully teased people shouting requests and even slightly mocked the whole "encore tradition", calling attention to the "encore" that was written on his setlist before playing the "last song", then feigning surprise when he came back out. But he knew exactly what to play, as he capped off the night with "Do You Recall", getting some 'recognition applause' for a nice way to end off the night.
It was a really strong performance, and I'm glad I finally got to see him play live.