3am Mixtapes: Episode Fifty Nine: Space!

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general as most perfect songs. Some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Songs To Play While Punching and Kicking The Air To Get Your Frustrations On Life Out.

And this week is going to be a little topical. Inspired by something that happened last week, it's the Top Six Interstellar Songs!

Space out to:

"The Universe Expanded by Franz Ferdinand
"What If I Can't See The Stars Mildred? by Matthew Good
"Go Go Space Man by Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party
"Cosmic Destroyer by Chad VanGaalen
"Cold Moon by The Zolas
"Space Oddity by David Bowie

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!

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The Zolas @ Imperial -- 06/13/14

Just yesterday I was talking about a Vancouver venue I didn't much care for, so it's appropriate to swing the other way and celebrate one of the better new venues in the city. This weekend marks the first anniversary of The Imperial, and they celebrated with a whole weekend of goodness; Hey Ocean! on Thursday night, The Zolas on Friday, and The Dudes on Saturday.


I got to the venue part way through the first band of the night, Damn Fools, who were recently announced as one of the top twelve bands for this year's Peak Performance Project. The six-piece had a pretty straightforward classic rock sound, without much variety to the songs, and lots of random solos and jamming spread throughout.
Even though I came in mid-way through the set, they seemed to be playing for abnormally long (for the first of three bands) and while they were fine musicians, their music wasn't all that interesting; just a generic, Black Crowes-ish southern rock sound. They seem like they would be a great "house band" at a bar, or another place you're not really paying attention to the music. But nothing I would see again on purpose.


Next up was former Sun Wizard co-frontman, James Younger. I had seen him a couple months ago, opening for The Gay Nineties, and his set (and my opinion) didn't differ too much from that show. His 70s-influenced throwback rock sound got the crowd moving, but as I said last time:

There was nothing about the set that made me dislike it, but not much that made it particularly stand out either. Younger and his bandmates -- which included Andy Bishop, who plays in about 37% of all Vancouver bands -- were all unarguably strong musicians, but there wasn't much variety to the songs. It was Perfectly Acceptable Music, and a good opening act.

And after the weirdest between-set music (the thumping techno dance remixes were not really fitting) the emcee was out to announce a couple Peak DJs who were out to announce The Zolas. 

They kicked it off with the first couple songs from their most recent album Ancient Mars, "In Heaven" and the insanely infectious "Knot In My Heart", before announcing that this would be the last time they play that album in full. Zach even joking that this was less a show and more a focus group to decide which songs to keep. 

And so most of the set was dedicated to the album, with only a few exceptions; my favourite b-side "Cultured Man", the chaotic "Marlaina Kamikaze" where Tom really let loose on the keys, and their newest song, a one-off single "Invisible". Other highlights included the quirky "Observatory", and "Strange Girl", which got the crowd clapping along (or attempting to, anyway). 

The band was in fine form, especially Zach with his usual barely-contained ball-of-energy self, jumping around the stage, trying to find his roommate a date between songs, and even going into the crowd to sing the last song of the main set, "Escape Artist". 

And of course, after they finished the main set, they were back for a couple more, with Zach first taking stage alone for the soft and creepy "Cold Moon" before the band joined in, and ending on (of course) their breakout hit "You're Too Cool", the entire crowd singing along, some even in the appropriate falsetto. 

Unsurprisingly, it was a great set from the band, as they fed off the energy of the sold-out  hometown crowd, and while I am sad to see some of the songs from Ancient Mars go, I am definitely excited to what's next from Zach and Tom.

setlist

In Heaven, Knot in my Heart, Observatory, Ancient Mars, Local Swan, Cultured Man, Strange Girl, Euphrates and Tigris, Marlaina Kamikaze, Invisible, Escape Artist. 

(encore) Cold Moon, You're Too Cool.

There is one thing that did bother me, though: I am getting more and more annoyed by Vancouver shows running late. It's by no means a new phenomenon and not limited to one venue, but The Zolas didn't hit the stage until quarter after midnight -- 45 minutes after the advertised set time. I understand that shows run late, set times are "subject to change", things happen and all that... but 45 minutes is ridiculous, even for a weekend. 

But scheduling and strange house-music aside, I still really like The Imperial as a venue. It's got great sound and is a good room, size- and sight-line-wise, and I am looking forward to checking out more shows there in the years to come.

3am Mixtapes: Episode Thirty Two: Breakups

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general like top six Winnipeg bands. Some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Songs To Use as Your WWE Entrance Music.

Sixteen weeks ago, I did a Crush Mixtape, songs you might want to play for... someone. Eight weeks ago, it was the makeout podcast, for necking. So, to take things to take things to their logical (if cynical) conclusion, it's breakup songs. Yup, this week it is the Top Six Songs For the Broken Hearted!

Breaking hearts this week are:

"Marlaina Kamikaze" by The Zolas
"Anytime" by My Morning Jacket
"Love it Dissipates" by Mother Mother
"Holes in Your Coffin" by Phildel
"Mama's Boy" by Hannah Georgas
"Cheers Darlin'" by Damien Rice

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!

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3am Mixtapes: Episode Twenty Three: Covers (that are not Hurt)

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general like best breakup songs. Or some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Songs With Opposite Titles.

This week is all about someone else's songs, it is the Top Six Cover Songs That Are Not Hurt By Johnny Cash! I always love me some cover songs, and here are just a few of the ones that have stuck with me over the years.

Hear these bands do versions of:

"Hoppipolla" by We Are Scientists, covering Sigur Rós
"Le Pyromane" by The Zolas, covering Karkwa
Take On Me" by A.C. Newman, covering A-Ha
"Ignition (Remix)" by Zeus, covering R. Kelly
"What You Waiting For" by Franz Ferdinand, covering Gwen Stefani
"Common People" by William Shatner, covering Pulp

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!

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3am Mixtapes: Episode Seventeen: Christmas Songs

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general like favourite songs of the year. Or some might be a little more... esoteric. Top Six Songs With The Number Six In The Title.

It's about that time of the year where music everywhere is infiltrated with Christmas carols and songs. And there's not much you can do if, like me, you don't really care for Christmas Music. Which is why I bring you this week's Top Six Christmas Songs for People That Hate Christmas Songs.

Featuring the musical stylings of:

"Puddleglum" by Said the Whale
"Snow" by The Zolas
"A Cup of Kindness Yet" by Hey Rosetta!
"Get Behind Me, Santa!" by Sufjan Stevens
"Fairytale in New York" by The Pogues
"The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al Yankovic

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!



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The Zolas & Hollerado @ Commodore -- 11/14/13

Despite The Zolas' steady rise to power in Vancouver, they had never played one of its most iconic venues, the Commodore Ballroom. Not even in an opening slot or anything. Well, not only did they pop their Commodore cherry, but they did it in one of the best ways possible; in front of a sold out crowd with the pride of Manotick, Ontario, Hollerado.

I got to the venue with just a few songs left from PUP. It was the first time in Vancovuer for the Toronto band, and if the lead singer's joking was any indication -- "I've never seen a girl at our show before" -- it was the biggest crowd they had played to. The four-piece has been gaining lots of buzz recently for their debut self-titled album, and their live show proved it was all worthy. They were very tight for such a young band, and while their indie punk rock may have been a little too on the punk side for my taste, I couldn't deny how good they were. They wrapped up their set with their current single, "Reservoir", and I would not be surprised to see them back at the Commodore to headline in a few years.

As the lights dimmed and A Tribe Called Red's "Electric Powwow" blasted over the speakers, the four members Hollerado took the stage, launching in to "Don't Think" from their most recent album White Paint. And while that album didn't quite grab me in the same way that Record In A Bag did, I was still excited to see them. With their insanely catchy power pop Hollerado is a ridiculously fun live band, not only with their incredible energy, but with a great stage show too, with blasts of confetti leaving streamers dangling from the ceiling, faux snow machines, and black lights illuminating not only the banner behind them but their instruments and equipment as well.

The set started with the mix a little off, the vocals seemed a bit buried, but evened out a few songs into it and everything really seemed to click. The four-piece is incredibly tight, and Menno Versteeg is a great frontman, but on more than one occasion drummer Jake Boyd stole the show. Standing on top of his drum kit for the anthemic "Got To Lose", and especially his insanely intense drum solo during the set-closing "Do The Doot Da Doot Do". Other highlights included the powerful sing yell-along "Juliette" and "So It Goes", a true story about Menno's Dutch grandfather, Nazis, and forgiveness.

It was a super fun set, and I hope it's not another two years before the next chance I get to see them live.

setlist
Don't Think, Pick Me Up, Good Day At The Races, Too Much To Handle, Fresno Chunk (Digging With You), Juliette, Fake Drugs, Desire 126, So It Goes, Got To Lose, Americanarama, Thank You (For Sticking Around), Do The Doot Da Doot Do.

In contrast to Hollerado's big, bright show, The Zolas hit the stage bathed in shadows and deep blue lights, for their occasionally darker and moodier alt-pop. They opened with the first track off of Ancient Mars, "In Heaven", and their brand new single, the incredibly dancey "Invisible".
While most of the set focused on the new album, there were a few older songs slipped into the set as well, the chaotic breakup song "Marlaina Kamikaze" and the post-apocalyptic "The Great Collapse".
Other highlights included the quirky "Observatory" and the catchy "Strange Girl" (which Zach gleefully praised the hometown crowd for picking up on the irregular clapping beat).
Zach's obvious enthusiasm and gratitude was evident throughout the night; first requesting everyone in the crowd kiss each other to change the mood after a small scuffle broke out near the stage, and later admitting that the band didn't always get lucky or catch many breaks, but rather "our only luck is you guys". And Zach embraced that love when he went into the middle of the crowd with his keyboard for the final song of the main set, "Escape Artist".
But of course, they were back out for a couple more; first Zach starting alone with "Cold Moon" as the band slowly joined him, and ending with the entire room singing along to "You're Too Cool".

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

3am Mixtapes: Episode Five: Lyrics

Hey look, it's another episode of 3am Revelations' very own podcast!

Each week on 3am Mixtapes, I will present to you, in my dulcet tones, the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as broad and vague like Best Duos, or they can be as obscure and specific as Best Songs To Put On A Mixtape To Give To Someone You Have A Crush On.

It seems like up until now, it's mostly been about how a song sounds. So to change things up, this week I give you the Top Six Lyrics. Not of all time, just a few songs that have come out in the last couple years that had lines which, for one reason or another, really stood out.

Featured on this week's podcast is:

"No Game" by Redbird
"Observatory" by The Zolas
"The End of That" by Plants & Animals
"20s" by Rah Rah
"Reluctant Readers Make Reluctant Lovers" by Library Voices
"I Was Wrong" by Jess Hill

Any questions or comments or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!



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Keloha Festival @ Waterfront Park -- 07/05 - 07/07/13

On the sunny shores of the Okanagan lake in Kelowna BC, the Keloha Festival celebrated its second year. And what a celebration it was. From local heroes like The Matinée and The Zolas, to national favourites like Arkells and The Trews, to international headliners Mutemath, Matt and Kim, and MGMT, the Keloha lineup was the one I was looking forward to most out of all the "local" festivals this summer.

Day one: Friday

I arrived in Kelowna Friday just in time to catch the last couple songs from Yukon Blonde (thanks to a lack of signs and getting blocked out by a body of water and a fence trying to get into the festival). The band sounded great in their hometown, and were definitely a great way to start things off.

After getting settled in and getting the lay of the land; checking out the Island Stage in the middle of a lagoon and the Sandbar Stage right on the beach, and all the vendors in between, it was time for The Trews to take the stage. The Antigonish rockers started with the high energy "The Power of Positive Drinking" and hardly slowed down. They had the hillside crowd singing and clapping along, especially to songs like "Not Ready To Go" and one of my favourites, "Poor Ol' Broken Hearted Me". As they are wont to do, they also had a couple covers slipped in to songs, like U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" in the middle of a new song "Lord, Keep Me In Mind".
After what seemed like not nearly enough time, they ended the set with "Hold Me In Your Arms" to thunderous applause, the crowd definitely revved up.

The night ended with Mutemath, who were the band I was most excited about. I hadn't seen them live in a few years, and was afraid I had hyped them up too much in my mind, but from the minute they hit the stage (and drummer Darren King wrapped his headphones around his head with electrical tape) and started into the title track of their most recent album Odd Soul, I knew I had been worrying for nothing.
The whole band had incredible energy, but especially lead singer Paul Meany. When not at the keyboard, or playing keytar, he would be right up at the barrier, leaning into the crowd singing. He even performed a few of his trademark "keyboard handstands".
Highlights of the set included the relatively-mellow & heartfelt "Noticed", and the explosive "Typical", as well as the grand finale, "Break The Same" which transitioned into "Quarantine" as an air mattress with lights around the side was thrown into the crowd, and Paul got on top to surf the crowd while singing. And as he got back on stage, they ended the set with another bombastic percussion breakdown, leaving the crowd spent and drained for a first night of Keloha that would be hard to top.

Day Two: Saturday

The second day started with a couple Vancouver bands on the Sandbar Stage. Rococode started off the day and were followed by Dear Rouge. Both put on strong sets, despite the early afternoon heat draining everyone's energy (okay, maybe just a certain blogger's energy) and both had a good, dancing-on-the-beach vibe.
(Dear Rouge would later put on an absolute rager at Doc Willoughby's with The Zolas as part of the After Party series)

Over on the Island Stage, Malibu Knights had a pretty generic rock sound, while Fields of Green tore it up for their hometown crowd; their high energy prog-rock sound continuing to grow and amaze me. I caught a bit of Gold and Youth but their dark and synthy sound would be better suited to a dimly lit and smokey venue, not a bright and sunny day.
I also was able to squeeze in a few songs from Shad on the beach stage, "Rose Garden" and "Ya, I Get It", where Shad jumped into the front of the crowd, before his DJ's laptop crashed, and he got the crowd to provide the percussion for the next song.

But I had to leave his set early to go catch The Zolas back at the Island Stage. The crowd was gathering and started to groove as they kicked off with "In Heaven" and "Knot In My Heart", the opening tracks to their most recent album Ancient Mars. As usual, the band had a strong stage presence and energy, especially Zach Gray, who is like a pot simmering over, always ready to erupt.
Most of the set focused on the new album, including the quirky "Observatory", but they also tossed in a couple older songs, like the fiery "Marlaina Kamikaze" and the passionate "You're Too Cool", which ended off the set.

Another one of the main bands I was there to see were up next, Arkells. Even though they had been at a festival the previous night in Toronto, they were advised not to miss this show, thanks to the setting alone, and they made sure to point out it was definitely worth it.
"On Paper" started off the set, with the band's energy through the roof, as usual. They are a fantastic and tight live band, and lead singer Max Kerman has an amazing and effortless stage presence. Highlights included "Oh, The Boss is Coming", which got the crowd yelling along, and they also dug into a little Motown that they save for special occasions with a cover of Jackson 5's "I Want You Back".
They wrapped up the set with one of my favourites, "John Lennon", and the raucous "Whistleblower".

Australia's Atlas Genius was up next, but while they were starting to amass a bigger crowd who were getting the dance party started, I thought their set felt a little flat. It was a pretty upbeat rock sound, and they were certainly very fine musicians, but a lot of the songs sounded pretty much the same and I just couldn't get into it.

And finally, wrapping up the second night was Matt and Kim. I had heard they were good live, but I had no idea just how nuts Matt Johnson on keys (and the odd sample, like the explosion he used to punctuate things) and Kim Schifino on drums (sometimes literally standing atop the drums to play, or clap, or "shake her booty") would be. They came right out with an incredible energy and fantastically likeable personalities to whip the crowd into a frenzy. They weren't just playing for the crowd, they wanted to party with them.
From throwing out balloons, to getting everyone to simultaneously jump, to Kim running atop the crowd to dance while people held her upright, both musicians were full of raw enthusiasm, which was absolutely contagious.
I wasn't too familiar with their music -- only recognizing the bouncy "Cameras" and "Daylight" -- which ended the set, but they definitely put on an amazing show and I wouldn't hesitate to see them again.

Day Three: Sunday

Unfortunately, I had to head back to reality early on Sunday, meaning I would miss MGMT, but I did manage to catch a few local favourites before departing.

I got there just in time for Maurice to take the Island Stage, joined by a couple familiar faces, including Andrew Rasmussen on keys and Stephanie Chatman on violin. Starting off the set with "Get Mad", JP has an effortless stage presence and fills his songs with raw emotion, and highlights included the undeniably catchy "Mistake" and the best song that deals with the repercussions of a threesome, "Robin".

Wake Owl was up next, and I'm not sure if it was where I was perched on the hill, but the sound wasn't too great; their rich and lush orchestral sound didn't seem to translate very well. They played some songs off their Wild Country EP, the eponymous song being a highlight, and a few new ones which were a bit more upbeat and jaunty.

At that point, The Matinée was supposed to be taking the Sandbar Stage on the beach, but they had a little bit of highway trouble and were still on their way, so they swapped with Saskatchewan grunge band One Bad Son who were pretty much an average and generic grunge band.

But The Matinée did manage to get there just in time for their new set on the Island Stage, and despite the ten hours of travel they had just endured, they still put on one heck of a set. Starting off, as they usually do, with "L'absinthe", they put boots to the ground and kicked things into high gear. They got people clapping along to "Sweet Water", which also featured a great banjo solo from Matt Rose, threw in their cover of Zeppelin's "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", and wrapped it up with "The Road", with its top-notch percussion breakdown.


And with that, I had to head back. I was disappointed to leave, but not too sad of missing the rest of the day, as they were mostly artists I had seen or didn't have too much interest in, and the weekend was already packed with enough memorable moments to last a dozen festivals over.

If the lineup is even a fraction as good as this next year -- and if they keep the "After Party" series going, with smaller bands playing in small local venues -- I will be back to the Okanagan in a heartbeat.

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.

Sweetheart Serenade @ Rio Theatre -- 02/14/12

To be honest, I don't usually pay much attention to Valentine's Day. I usually just let it slip by unnoticed, but when Hip City puts together a show like the Sweetheart Serenade, with a few local acts playing intimate acoustic sets at a venue as nice as the Rio? Well, I wasn't going to miss that.
There were five acts throughout the night, and they all had short sets, so I'll [try to] keep it brief. But first, one thing that bugged me was an incessant buzz or hum throughout the night. It wasn't that noticeable when songs were played, but it was pretty prominent otherwise; if the person on stage was transitioning or bantering. I noticed it last show at the Rio, too, but hopefully it was just a one-off thing. I usually like shows at the Rio, so I would hate for this to be a persistent problem.

But on to the show itself. First up was Hannah Epperson, armed only with her violin and looping pedals. Interestingly enough (probably not that interesting), every time I've seen her has been at a show involving Zach Gray. Her set was short, but she showed off her fantastic violin skills and masterful loops, with a voice that fit perfectly for a few of her own songs, and an instrumental cover of "Can't Buy me Love". She also has the best awkwardly-charming stage banter this side of Aidan Knight, joking with the crowd between songs.
But the short set wouldn't be the last we saw of Epperson, as she was without a doubt the hardest working musician of the night.

Next up was Sunny Pompeii, the solo project of Said the Whale drummer Spencer Schoening. At first he was out alone for a couple songs with a folky charm, both original -- one that started "Last night I dreamt I kissed Neko Case" which immediately became a favourite -- and covers, before being joined by Epperson for a song and bandmate Simon Marmorek for the second half of the set. The covers throughout included the likes of Akron/Family, Grizzley Bear and Animal Collective and while Spencer's voice was a little worse for wear thanks to recording earlier in the day, their original songs were quirky and entertaining.

Next up was Tariq, who was backed by his Brasstronaut bandmate Sam Davidson on clarinet and space clarinet EWI, but performing his own songs. In contrast to Brasstronaut's ethereal sound, Tariq was more straight forward folk, almost with an alt-country twinge to the songs. He kept the theme of love songs going, though had mostly sadder love songs, and the strength of them was definitely Tariq's lyrics; a perfect example being "Front Row Seat", a love songs related through concert seating, with some clever and poignant lyrics that was not just my favourite of his set, but one of my favourites of the night.

John Sponarski, Harold Donnelly and Georges Couling of Portage & Main took the stage next. They, too, were joined by Epperson for a song, "Rocky Mountain Wanderer", and Savannah Leigh Wellman of Redbird (and honourary Portage & Main member) was also out for most of the set providing backup vocals. After the building "I'd Never Climbed a Mountain", they brought their set to an end getting the mellow crowd a bit more energized to sing along to the two-word chorus of "Carolina".
Some of their songs are as good, if not better, when stripped down, so it's always nice to see them play a more intimate acoustic show.

And finally The Zolas wrapped up the night. Zach and Tom took the stage and, once again, Hannah Epperson was out to lend her violin. They played a couple new songs, starting with "Ancient Mars" that had Tom on the drum pad, before feigning leaving, but were of course out for more; a cover of Radiohead's "Codex" and another new(ish) song "Strange Girl", where Zach decided to spontaneously jump on the drum pad mid-song for hilarious (yet awesome) results.
That seemed to be the end of it but they were out one last time -- in what may have been a rare legitimate encore -- for the crowd favourite "You're Too Cool" before ending the show.

In all, it was a really nice night, and all the performers on stage looked like they were legitimately having fun and were all really loose on stage, creating a really nice and intimate feel. Perhaps appropriate for what day it was.

Sing It Forward @ Vogue -- 12/21/11

Name your three favourite Vancouver bands. Chances are pretty strong that at least one of them was at the Vogue last night for Sing It Forward, an evening benefiting the kids of the St James Music Academy. Organized by David Vertesi and Ambrosia Humphrey, they brought together some of Vancouver's finest for a night of music.

Leading up to the night, there was also a series of videos posted on Vancouver is Awesome of the bands joined by the kids of SJMA for a song (see them all on their Vimeo channel), and these were shows throughout the night between sets.

As there were almost a dozen acts, each had a short set of three acoustic songs, so I won't linger too long on each act.

Arriving just in time for the last song by Aaron Nazrul of The Boom Booms, he was joined by just about the whole band for a song about East Van, where they're from. It sounded pretty much what you'd expect from The Boom Booms; upbeat and energetic.

Next up was The Belle Game, starting off with "Sleep To Grow", including a fantastic ending with Andrew Lee on trumpet. Even stripped down acoustically, the band had a lush, rich sound that seemed to fit perfectly for a theatre venue like the Vogue; I would love to see them do a full set there sometime. They wrapped up their set with "Shoulders and Turns" with a good number of the other musicians coming out for percussion to end with a bang.

Rococode was next, their raucous sound translating acoustically very nicely (the use of the xylophone definitely helped out with that). The songs -- "Empire" especially -- were no less catchy, and "Dreams" possibly worked even better as an acoustic song, being much more haunting stripped down, and getting the crowd to sing along for the end of it. 

Up next was the man of the night, David Vertesi himself. With just Andrew Rasmussen joining him on keys, he played some of the softer songs from his album; "All Night, All Night, All Night" and "Learn To Run", the latter building to an intensely emotional ending. He ended the set with a surprise guest, calling out Hannah Georgas to sing backups on "Mountainside", bringing up the energy a bit more to wrap up his set.

Ben, Tyler and Jacelyn of Said The Whale were up next, with Ben taking care of the vocals, since Tyler was still recovering from having his tonsils removed (seriously). Every year the band puts out a Christmas song or EP, and their set consisted solely of some of these Christmas songs, with the dreary "Puddleglum" being one of my favourites of the night. Even in a post-surgery haze, Tyler had pretty good energy, and Ben's great voice effortlessly filled the venue.

Wrapping up the first half of the night was Aidan Knight who started off with the most heartbreakingly beautiful song, "Margaret Downe", and even managed to break a string. At an acoustic show. After some of his usual hilarious banter -- a story about how his guitar got the name Burnt Reynolds -- and some deliberation, he played a brand new song and ended, of course, with "Jasper", bringing up all the kids on stage to sing with him.

At this point there was a short intermission, and then Adaline kicking off the second half. She had a bit of a auspicious start, as the keyboard she rented wasn't working, and the one they had been using all night wasn't ready. But she handled it like a champ, first encouraging the kids to continue on with music, then ready to sing a capella, with Robbie Driscoll on bass. Just as she started, though, they got the keyboard fixed and she was able to launch into her somewhat dark, sexy sound, starting with "The Noise" and then bringing out Laura Smith to help with background vocals for "Keep Me High", ending with her own Christmas song from the Light Organ compilation.

Next, Vince Vaccaro was out solo, armed with just his guitar. I've always found Vaccaro's music kind of hit or miss, personally, but I rather enjoyed his acoustic set, and I can't deny he is a pretty great performer. After his first song, he invited all the St James kids back on stage, and they helped out -- along with Ash from Hey Ocean and everyone's drummer Johnny Andrews -- for "Costa Rica" to wrap up his portion of the night.

Another surprise guest popped up between sets when Shad came out to fill the time before the next act with a couple freestyle verses, including his soliloquy from the end of "Live Forever"

Then it was the only non-Vancouver act, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald coming in from Calgary. After a new song, and teasing an upcoming album, he launched into "Movie Life", with a little but of "The Thong Song" (cleaned up a little, for the kids) slipped in at the end, and another new one with Vertesi -- and the kids back up on stage out to help out with singing. MBF is always incredibly fun to watch live, as he just exudes charisma, and you can't help but be charmed by him.

Zach Gray of The Zolas was the penultimate act, coming out with a couple new songs; "Strange Girl" and, after taking a survey of his own (which went about as conclusive as Aidan's) a brand new one called "Ancient Mars", which Zach described as a nerdy love song that he never played all the way through before. It had me at the first line, "I want to believe in time travel". He ended the set with everyone getting into "You're Too Cool", and some great singing along from the crowd.

And finally, wrapping up the night was Hey Ocean starting with a really cool version of "Big Blue Wave" -- which I may have liked even more than the full band version. They threw in their new Christmas song, which had the best intro; first Vertesi introduced in each instrument as they came in (including everyone's favourite holiday instrument: the keytar) and then brought out the awkward dancers, with the greatest dance moves of the year from Aidan Knight and Alex Andrew from the Belle Game. They wrapped it all up with the St James kids back on stage, and all other musicians as well, for a giant singalong to "Alley Ways", for a pretty great moment to end the night on.

It ended up being a four hour long night, but it hardly felt like it, as there was never a dull moment or a lull in the show. All the performers were top notch, and they kept the changeover times to a minimum, with the videos or the lovely emcees from The Peak keeping things running smoothly.

It would be cliché to call it a magical night, but there is hardly any better description, and I hope some variation of this turns into a yearly event.

2011 Grey Cup Festival @ PlayNow.com Stage -- 11/26/11

I'm no football fan, so for me the best thing about Vancouver hosting the Grey Cup is definitely the free outdoor music. Over the weekend there has been a ridiculous amount of great local bands playing at a free outdoor stage just outside BC Place. Friday saw Rococode, Bend Sinister, Kyprios and The Dudes, among others, but the lineup Saturday night was just stellar. Sponsored by The Peak, it started with TV Heart Attack and The Boom Booms, both of which I missed, and then just ramped up from there.

The first band I caught was The Belle Game, getting there a song or two into their set. As per usual, they had a great stage presence, with members, including sometimes-member Andrew Lee on trumpet, dancing and even braving the rain and coming right out to the front of the stage a few times -- at their own risk of falling. Highlights included "I Wish You Weren't Like A Dead Lover (Sometimes)" and "Shoulders and Turns", which saw tour-mates Hey Ocean! joined them for the cacophonous ending (and also guitarist Alex Andrew's random dance break).

Next up was The Matinée, fresh off their big Peak Performance Project show and BCCMA appearance. Kicking things off with "L'Absinthe", they immediately won over the gathering crowd with their collective charisma, getting everyone to forget about the cold and rain, if only for a moment, while clapping & stomping along to "Sweet Water" and singing to "Rocking and Rolling", one of the highlights of the set.
"The Road" was another highlight, especially with the amazing drum breakdown, and it was fun to see them slip in little bits of covers to their songs, including Neil Young's "Old Man" in "Let Her Go".

The last time I saw The Zolas, a month ago, the band was comprised of Zach Gray backed by The Liptonians, but they were back to the usual lineup with Tom Dobrzanski on keys, Henry Alcock-White on bass and Niko Friesen on drums.
Starting with "You're Too Cool", they were as energetic as ever, with some great banter from Gray; at one point someone threw on Oh Henry bar on stage, so Zach responded by tossing out some chocolate he had in his pocket... and then some carrots that were in the other pocket. The set included a couple new[ish] songs, "Guest" "Cultured Man" of their recent 7" and "Strange Girl", which had short, kinda-rapping verse from Gray, and they brought their portion of the evening to an end with a bang, with "Marlaina Kamikaze".

As the cold picked up and the rain died down a little, Hey Ocean! hit the stage next. Their newest single "Big Blue Wave" started the set, which consisted mostly of their new material from their as-yet-unreleased album -- unless you happened to be at a show on their recent tour, or there last night, where they were more than happy to hand out copies.
Among the new songs, "Make A New Dance Up" was definitely the most catchy, and there were a few older ones as well, including "Fish" with the adorable Ashleigh Ball dancing out at the front of the stage, as well as their great cover of "Be My Baby" -- which had everyone, including the entire Belle Game out huddled around drums at the end. After a couple slower songs, one of which dedicated to the memory of Randy Ponzio, they wrapped up the set with "A Song About California".

And finally, wrapping up the night was Said The Whale just as the rain was letting up -- which had Tyler slightly sad, since they went out and bought 50 ponchos for people and wanted to toss them into the crowd.
They started off with an older, rarely played song "Wanting like Veruca", and had a few other older tunes throughout the set, including "Live Off Lamb" which Tyler said they hadn't played in four years. But as well as the old, there was new, with a few songs from their recent EP and upcoming album; the insanely catchy "Lines" and the intense "Big Sky Montana" being two highlights.
There was also a funny moment during "BC Orienteering" when Ben forget some lines, first asking the audience to help, then trying to catch up until Jacelyn stepped up like a champ to finish the verse; which wasn't the only time the keyboardist stepped up for a larger vocal roll, including one of the newer songs.
There was also lots of singing along throughout the set, especially for the closing pair of songs, "Camilo (The Magician)" and "The City's a Mess"

Any one of these five bands I would see on their own without hesitation, and putting them all together -- for free, at that -- was absolutely worth braving the elements to see.

The Zolas with The Liptonians and Hannah Epperson @ St James Hall -- 10/24/11

On the heels of the release of their split 7", The Zolas and The Liptonians have brought their western Canadian tour to an end with a pair of shows here in Vancouver. St James Hall was the site of their second show -- the first happening while I was otherwise occupied -- and was all ages, which meant a lot of teenage girls there to see The Zolas.
(If you even want to feel old, just go to an all ages Zolas or Said the Whale show)

First up was Hannah Epperson, armed with only her violin, loop pedal and soft, beautiful voice. I've seen her a few times before, but I am always taken by her masterful loops, building layer upon layer with just her violin. A few of her songs were just instrumental -- and were captivating on their own -- and when she added vocals, her voice matched the mood perfectly. She had the crowd completely enthralled, with dead silence for her while she was playing, breaking into cheers only when she was done each song.

The Liptonians were up next, launching into "You Know I Did", and their fantastic contribution to the split 7", "Destroy Destroy Destroy". Right off the bat they proved why their live shows have such a great reputation, with their incredibly tight sound and solid harmonies, and the show just got better from there. "Perfect Swimmers" was one of the highlights, a soft song that fit the venue perfectly, and had everyone golf-clapping along in lieu of their forgotten shaker, and one of my favourites, "Growing Old in the City", featured a garbage can lid and a cacophony of sound that swells to an insane climax. I am fairly certain that if I ever go mad, I want that song playing at the time.
After what seemed like not nearly long enough, they drew to a close with "March Back Into the Sea", starting soft and swelling to a great ending for the set. And I already can't wait to see them live again.

setlist
Terrell's Dream; You Know I Did; Destroy, Destroy, Destroy; Lesage; The Privatest Parts; Perfect Swimmers; Float On By; Growing Old in the City; Hey! Hey! Help is on the Way!; March Back Into The Sea.

And wrapping up the night was The Zolas. Or rather, The Zoliptonias, as Zach Gray's partner in crime Tom Dobrzanski couldn't make the tour, so Grey was backed by the five members of The Liptonians. It was really interesting seeing Zach with a completely different band, especially up to six members from the usual four, since it really rounded out songs; they had a great chemistry and the sounded fantastic.
Starting off the set with the dense and moody "Guest" "Cultured Man", the other song from the split 7", before getting a nice bout of recognition applause (or, shrieks given the demographic at an all ages show) for "You're Too Cool". The set featured mostly older songs, prompting lots of clapping and singing along, but also another new song, "Strange Girl", and after a raucous ending with "Marlaina Kamikaze" Grey came back out alone for just one more song, the soft "These Days", backing off the mic a few times, really taking advantage of the quiet crowd.
I feel a little weird saying it it was a fantastic set from The Zolas, given that really only one Zola was there, but it really was a great show, and was pretty cool to see the collaboration, and I kind of with The Zolas played as a six-piece more often.

setlist
Cultured Man; You're Too Cool; The Great Collapse; Marionettes; I've Got Leeches; Body Ash; Strange Girl; Marlaina Kamikaze.
(encore) These Days.

Shows of October

Well, I did this last month, so let's try it again, shall we? Here are some of the shows I am excited about in the month of October. It's a pretty stacked month, with lots of great shows announced so far (with a few conflicting ones, too).

Big Sugar with Wide Mouth Mason at the Commodore on October 21st & 22nd.
Top of the list would have to be this show, no question. I was at the Commodore eight years ago for what was, at the time, Big Sugar's final Vancouver show and it was phenomenal. I was thrilled when they got back together, and when they announced Wide Mouth Mason -- who Gordie Johnson now plays bass with -- would be opening? well, their show at the Yale in January has probably been one of my favourite shows of the year, so that's just extra added awesome.

Chad VanGaalen at the Rio Theatre on October 15th
Even though Pop Okanagan is happening this same weekend, I am pretty sure seeing CVG live trumps an entire festival. It will be two years to the day (and, in fact, at the same venue) since I last saw him, which is far too long. (Accompanied video not mine, was taken from the last show, with Julie Fader on keys)

Kathryn Calder at the Biltmore on October 27th
Even though I've seen her a couple times this year, Calder is always incredible live. Her new album is out soon, and I am very much looking forward to seeing her live again.

Dominique Fricot with Sidney York at the Electric Owl on October 14th
Ten and a half months. That's all it took between seeing him at One Night Stand and finally seeing him perform his own material. Which is inexcusable. And of course, there's Sidney. The only time I've seen her was at a venue with sub-par sound, so I am very excited to see her somewhere that will sound good.

And the conflicts? That lies with the aforementioned Big Sugar/WMM show as well as:
Sidney York with The Ruffled Feathers & The Belle Game at the Railway on October 20th.
Zeus at the Biltmore on October 21st
The Zolas & The Liptonians on October 20th at the Electric Owl and October 24nd at St James Hall
So. There's all that. Zeus is a fantastic live band who haven't been here since the (incredible) Bonfire Ball tour. The Liptonians blew me away live earlier this year, and pairing them with The Zolas is perfect. And the show at the Railway has just an excellent lineup. There could be a way to see all the shows, but it might be tough!

Oh, and there's the last Peak Performance Project showcase with Maurice, Lindsay Bryan, 41st & Home and Rococode on the 6th at the Red Room well as Danny Michel with Jody Glenham at the Biltmore on the 13th, which should be fun, and of course, the Foo Fighters at Rogers Arena on the 25th. But as much as I love the Foos, and as great a live show as they put on, I have a feeling I won't be able to make this show unless I somehow get press, or win tickets...

Whew. That's a lot of shows.

Live at Squamish: Day Two -- 08/21/11

The first day was down and a huge success, but second day of Live at Squamish was the one I was most looking forward to, packed with excellent bands all around. But before I get to it, I just wanted to make note that I love how the festival booked local bands. A good chunk of the people playing during the day were local independent artists, and when you have a festival that boasts 9000 people a day, that's some great exposure for people who deserve it.

The first act I was excited to see was Brasstronaut, playing the Stawamus Stage. They played a fairly short set, starting with "Slow Knots" and with a few new songs in there; one named "JT", which had a phenomenal and spacey instrumental ending, was dedicated to John Wah's year old kid, who was attending his first festival. They ended with an energetic "Lo Hi Hopes", giving the day a good start.

Panda Watch. And by Panda Watch, I mean Said the Whale

Bend Sinister was up next on the main stage, but I sadly missed them to head to the Giribaldi Stage to catch first Shane Koyczan doing some slam poetry – he was doing short in-between sets at various times all weekend – and then the enigmatic Panda Watch. For the weeks leading up to the festival the question Who Is Panda Watch? was on people's lips, and while there was some who figured it out, others had no idea that it was actually Said The Whale (I knew a month or so ago, and it was a tough secret to keep).
After setting up and coming out with creepy looking panda masks, they played an instrumental intro before ripping off the masks and revealing themselves to play a set of all new songs, which sounded pretty great.
A couple really stuck out, including the closing song which was a love letter to their fans, a "Ben-song" which may may or may not be called "True Love", and the aptly named "Hurricane Adele", as it was a complete force of nature. One of my favourite sets of the weekend, and I am definitely looking forward to the album.

The Zolas, with guest Ashleigh Ball

After the Whales, it was back to the Stawamus Stage for another Vancouver band, The Zolas – who actually started early (which was frustrating since I ended up missing half the set). They were as energetic as ever and looked like they felt right at home up on the main stage. Before they went into "Pyramid Scheme", Zach called up Hey Ocean's Ashleigh Ball for vocals, who was then seen sprinting through the field to leap (almost literally) on stage. "You're Too Cool" had a good sized sing-a-long going, and for the closing song, "Cab Driver", they brought their parents out for some backup vocals and dancing.

The Dudes were up next, though I only saw part of their set to recharge in the media tent and wander around to look at some of the other exhibits, like the artisans market and silent disco. The Dudes are a fun band live, no doubt, but I wouldn't say I'm too big a fan of them; a lot of their songs sounds kinda... samey.

Black Mountain did not run our hearts around.

It's weird to admit, but I almost forgot to be excited for Black Mountain; there was just so much going on. But as soon as "Old Fangs" hit, I remembered how absolutely amazing the band is live; Amber Weber's hauntingly powerful voice, and Steve McBean's incredible shredding – especially on "Tyrant" – which could only be described as "face-meltingly astonishing". From the fast and frantic "Let Spirits Ride" to the relatively mellow "Roller Coaster" and the building intensity of "Queens Will Play", Black Mountain was without a doubt my favourite set of the festival.

Though there was a strange and awkward moment near the end of their set. As they were wrapping up with "Don't Run Our Hearts Around", an overzealous stagehand walked in front of the band, mid-song, to tell them it was time to wrap it up. Definitely an unnecessary and unprofessional touch.

Soon enough it was time for a second dose of Metric, after their acoustic set the previous day. And it was definitely quite a contrast to that, especially in the level of intensity from Haines; she was back and forth and dancing, a ball of energy that hardly stood still for a minute. They kicked off with "Black Sheep" (which had me momentarily thinking "Envy Adams??") and blasted through a good chunk of their catalogue. Older songs were spiced up a bit, with "Empty" featured a few lines of Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)". "Sick Muse" and "Dead Disco" were a couple more highlights before they ended with "Stadium Love"

Shake your head it's Metric

And wrapping up the festival on the main stage was Weezer. I am not going to lie, I have never been that big of a fan of Weezer, so as far as I was concerned the festival ended with Metric. But I stayed to catch a few of their songs before heading out to beat the rush down the Sea to Sky. They started with "Surf Wax America" and a couple songs in played a cover of Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks". They certainly have their fans, but to me they seemed to be going through the motions a bit, and there wasn't much that compelled me to stay.

All in all, I would say it was a fantastic weekend. They streamlined a lot from the first year, and I love that they included the Green Couch stage, even though I didn't get a chance to see as much as I would have liked on it. And while I liked the headliners better last year, I think they had a stronger all-around lineup this year. One thing I did like better about last year that it was on the long weekend, giving people more time to decompress after, but aside from that, I would say the second year of Live at Squamish was a triumph, and I already can't wait to see what is in store for next year.

Khatsahlano! The West 4th Music + Art Street Festival -- 07/23/11

Another weekend full of music, this time a day of free shows thanks to Khatsahlano! The West 4th Music + Art Street Festival, with West 4th Ave being closed off for several blocks, and five stages of music with dozens of bands throughout the day.

The day started at 11:30 with Kingdom Cloud, and even before noon all three members of the band -- in their uniform white jeans, blue shirts and neckerchiefs -- were full of energy; especially Evan, who was bouncing around the stage, hardly staying still for a moment. Blasting through insanely catchy power-pop songs, with awesome titles like "Love Goblin", "Turbo Ranger" and "Rainbow Road", they were incredibly fun to watch and a good start to the day.

The next act I wanted to catch was Ma Petite, even though I had seen them the night before. The set itself was similar, with charming songs like "I Like That You Like Books" and singer Indiana Avent's nice voice and great sense of storytelling.

From there it was a rush to The Peak sponsored stage where David Vertesi had just started. Most of the sets were only a half hour long that day, so Vertesi only had a handful of songs, which included his awesome cover of "Say You'll Be There" by Spice Girls, which seems to have become a staple of his repertoire, and the infectious "Mountainside" to wrap up his set.

After that there was a bit of a break in the action where we visited a "side party" put on by Zach Gray from The Zolas, on his front lawn. There were just a couple short sets with Hannah Epperson and her amazing violin looping first, then Zach playing a few songs solo. It wasn't too long, but gathered a pretty decent sized group of passer-by's and neighbours, and was a really fun and cool idea.

Then it was quickly back to the Peak stage on 4th for Aidan Knight. He announced it was going to be his last show of the summer, and he'll be back in the studio with his Friendly Friends soon to record a new album.
Started with "Friendly Fires", his set consisted of old and new songs, and of course Knight's great awkwardly charming banter. After the beautiful "Margaret Downe" alone, Aidan called not only his Friendly Friends back out, but also the members of Said The Whale and David Vertesi & Ashleigh Ball of Hey Ocean! to join him for the last couple songs. It was a really cool group jam, culminating in "Jasper", an incredible sight with everyone, on stage and in the street, dancing and singing along.

And finally, to wrap up the day, it was Yukon Blonde. Kicking off with "Babies Don't Like Blue Anymore", their tight sound and great energy as good as ever. Highlights were the rockin' "Bride's Song" and the always great harmonies of "Wind Blows", as well as a few new songs throughout the set. One had Kingdom Cloud and Spencer from Said The Whale on stage to help out, and another -- possibly called "Radio" -- which is hands down my favourite Yukon Blonde song, even though I've only heard it twice, live. They ended the set after a nice cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and another new one.

and the incredible day of music.

Summer Live w/ The New Pornographers, Neko Case & Hannah Georgas @ Stanley Park -- 07/09/11

All year the city of Vancouver has been celebrating its 125th year, and this weekend is one of the events I have been looking forward to most: Summer Live; a weekend of free shows in Stanley Park, showcasing Vancouver talent. The first night, which I had to miss, had Mother Mother headlining, but with the lineup they had for the second night, I knew nothing was going to keep me from it.

There was music happening nearly all day, but I showed up at 6, just in time to see the gorgeous Hannah Georgas. The sound for the whole event wasn't really that great, but Hannah seemed to have the worst least good sound. The drums especially seemed a little loud throughout the set, but that aside, it was quite enjoyable. Joined, as usual, by Andrew Braun & Johnny Andrews of Rococode and Robbie Driscoll of everyone (seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I've seen him play with a different band...), she started off with “Chit Chat”, and a few more from This Is Good before a couple new songs, mentioning a new album in the works, which I am eagerly anticipating. “Your Ghost” and "All I Need", off The Beat Stuff EP, were definite highlights of the set, and she ended, after wishing Vancouver a happy birthday, with "The Deep End".

setlist
Chit Chat, Bang Bang You're Dead!, Lovers Breakdown, Thick Skin, Dancefloor, [new song], [new song], The Beat Stuff, Let's Talk, Your Ghost, The National, All I Need, The Deep End.

Next up was the person I was most anticipating for the day, Neko Case. It had been over two years since I last saw her live (not counting shows with The New Pornographers), so saying I was just a little excited is an understatement. She started, and ended, for that matter, with songs I didn't recognize, but the bulk of her set was off her last two albums Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, with a few new ones thrown in. The new songs sounded great, and her voice was, as usual, simply amazing. From lulling the crowd with the softer songs like "That Teenage Feeling" to knocking people over with sheer power on songs like "People Got A Lotta Nerve", her voice in unparalleled. Another thing that makes Case so enjoyable live is her great banter and sense of humour on stage, especially between her and backup vocalist Kelly Hogan.
They, too, had some technical difficulties, but it is always incredible seeing Neko Case live, and I just hope it's not another two years before I get to see her again.

setlist
[mystery song], Maybe Sparrow, People Got A Lotta Nerve, Fever, The Pharaohs, Hold On Hold On, That Teenage Feeling, Middle Cyclone, [new song], Margaret vs. Pauline, [new song], Vengeance is Sleeping, I'm An Animal, I Wish I Was The Moon, Red Tide, [new song], This Tornado Loves You, [mystery song].

After Case I rushed over to the second stage to catch the last bit of The Zolas. As I got closer, I could hear the shrieks of the crowd, and Zach introduce a song as “about sex... or the lack thereof...” and I rounded the corner just in time for “Body Ash”. I only caught four songs, but they were as good as I've seen them; Zach especially seemed to have more energy than usual, bounding around stage. They “ended” with “Pyramid Scheme” -- which I don't think I had ever seen live, so I was happy to hear it -- before coming back (they acknowledged the faux pas of doing an encore while not the headliner, saying Said The Whale insisted) with “You're Too Cool”, which ended with a crowd sing-a-long.

(partial) setlist
Body Ash, These Days, Pyramid Scheme.
(encore) You're Too Cool.

At that point I made the executive decision to head back over to the main stage for The New Pornographers, and miss Said The Whale. Even though I have had bad luck with STW shows this year, I had still seen them thrice since I last saw The New Pornos. Plus... it's The New Pornographers!
They kicked off the set mentioning that Kathryn Calder was running late -- Case threatened to ground her, “With [her] grounding stick” -- so they started off with a couple older ones until Calder arrived. (To be fair, it was kind of insane getting to Stanley Park). From there they played for over an hour, hitting songs from all their albums, with loads of singing along.
Highlights of the set were "Adventures In Solitude" (despite the crowd's terrible offbeat clapping) and especially “Testament To Youth In Verse”, one of my favourites; though it just wasn't the same without Dan Bejar. In fact, I was a little disappointed that Bejar wasn't there at all, but of course it was still a great show regardless. They ended with one of my favourite songs of ever, “The Bleeding Heart Show”, which was an absolutely perfect way to cap off the day.

setlist
The Slow Descent into Alcoholism, All For Swinging You Around, Challengers, Moves, Sweet Talk Sweet Talk, Use It, Adventures in Solitude, Crash Years, All The Old Showstoppers, What Turns Up In The Dark, The Laws Have Changed, Testament to Youth in Verse, Your Hands (Together), Mass Romantic, Sing Me Spanish Techno, The Bleeding Heart Show.

It was a fantastic day of music, and I am now convinced that Hannah Georgas and Neko Case need to tour together... but I have to admit, it did end on a little bit of a sour note. During The New Pornographers final song, I could see something thrown on stage – looked like a water bottle – which just reminded me of the video of Case snapping when a CD was thrown on stage at a show.
After the song the set was done and nothing was said, but after the usual cheering, there ended up being no encore. I chalked it up to curfew, but according to Chris Coburn of The Peak, who was emceeing, there was no encore because Case did not want to go back out due to the thrown object. Which, good. Artists should not have to deal with that kind of crap, and as much as I wanted an encore, I fully support them in not going back out.

Dan Mangan w/ Hannah Georgas, The Zolas and David Vertesi @ Massey Theatre -- 02/11/11

Last night was a benefit concert that featured probably the single best lineup of artists I have seen in quite some time. Each of the four acts I would, without hesitation, go see individually, so to have them all put together was pretty great.
The show was for 65_RedRoses, helping raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis. In between sets there were speakers out to talk about Eva Markvoort, the movie, and to inform those at the show about CF and being an organ donor.

We were a few minutes late, so missed the first couple songs from David Vertesi. He was on stage alone, but we caught him in time to introduce the other member of the band that night: his trusty keytar. Both that and the opening lines of "Gentlemen Say" got some laughs & applause. He also played a Hey Ocean! tune, "Jolene", and "Mountainside" brought his set to a close. Even solo, he was smooth as ever on stage, and judging by the reaction, I wouldn't be surprised if he gained more than a few new fans after the show.
I was slightly disappointed, though, that Hannah Georgas didn't pop out to do backup on the songs she sang for on the album, but wasn't really expecting it to happen, it just would have been a nice bonus.

I had never seen The Zolas in a soft seat theatre type venue, so it was pretty interesting to see them in that setting. In fact same could be said about the first three acts of the night.
They kicking off their set with the new(ish) song "Guest", and were their usual high energy selves -- especially Zach, jumping around the stage, singing the end bit of "Marlena Kamikaze" to Tom, and generally being a ball of energy. Midway through the set, Zach mused on how strange it was to have the crowd not chatting while the band was playing, and jokingly encouraging everyone to yell over them -- but missed a golden opportunity by not playing "No Talking" next. "Cab Driver" was as dynamic as always, and they played another new song, "Strange Girl" before finishing it off with "You're Too Cool". Interestingly enough, this is probably the first time I've seen them play where they did not start with that song, and end with "Cab Driver".

Not counting One Night Stands and Malahats, it had been way too long since the last time I saw Hannah Georgas, so I think I was most excited to see her set that night. She was backed buy her usual accomplice Robbie Driscoll, as well as Andrew Braun of Rococode and the set started off with "All I Need" -- which is a great opener, starting soft and building to an intense climax. From there she mostly played off of This Is Good, going from the high energy "Chit Chat" to soft and contemplative "Lovers Breakdown" to the almost haunting "Thick Skin", showing off the range of her songwriting, and vocal talents. She is also completely at home on stage, with the words just flowing out of her effortlessly.
I guess it was because they had so much to get through in the evening, Hannah's set was only about half an hour, meaning there were a few songs I would have liked to hear that weren't played. So while it was still a great set, it kind of made me want to see her live again even more.

And finally -- after an intermission and the short film A Wish Where The Wind Once Blew -- Dan Mangan was up. He started on stage alone, with an older song, "Unnatural Progression", before the full band was out for "Sold". And they were out in fine form, with drummer Kenton Loewen and guitarist Gord Grdina taking over Veda Hille's part in "The Indie Queens Are Waiting", even with the appropriate falsetto. Dan was joking around a few times too, bantering with the fans, sometimes even during a song. I think I've said it before, but his stage manner reminds me of Joel Plaskett; the effortless transitions between talking, joking, stories and songs.
There were a few new songs in the set as well, one called (I think) "Post War Blues" and "Rows of Houses" (re-titled "Rose of Houses" for the night). Both of which were a bit more punched-up, and if they are any indication of the new album, I am very intrigued.
After an emotionally charged "Basket", the set came to an end with "Robots" and the usual sing-along, with Dan inviting everyone from the opening bands and 65 Red Roses out on stage.

I kind of wish they had a bit more time for the night, as any curfewed show with four acts is bound to be rushed, but it was still an excellent assortment of local talent out to support a good cause.

The Zolas @ Club 560 -- 01/17/11

Last night was the opening festivities of the Push Festival at Club 560, and part of the celebration included The Zolas playing a set.

They kicked off the set, as they usually do, with "You're Too Cool" and went through most of the songs from Tic Toc Tic. There were a few new songs thrown in, including "Guest", which never fails to get stuck in my head, and the seasonal "Snow".  They also played, and I think debuted, a brand new song "Strange Girl" (here is a middling-quality cell phone video of it).
The whole band seemed to be even more energetic than normal, especially Zach, who was running and dancing around on stage; perhaps because it was a decent sized stage and their setup was pretty minimal, leaving lots of extra room -- room used by Zach and Henry to roam, dance or jump around the stage. (Tom and Ajay couldn't really go anywhere). Going to the opposite, the calm "These Days" had Zach kneeling or crouching down for most of the song. It's weird when something as small as that adds so much to the song, giving it more emotion and personality.

The usual closer "Cab Driver" brought the set to an end, and thought I've seen it a few times, I realised that it is probably one of my favourite songs to see performed live -- it's just so explosive and a fantastic way to end a set, always somehow managing to top an already dynamic set.

And if I can digress for a moment, as for the venue itself; it is a really good place to see a show, but someone has definitely dropped the ball on what was supposed to be the new Richard's on Richards. Since their opening in April last year, this is only the third show I've seen there -- and it wasn't even really a concert, but an event that happened to have a band. I guess they have been doing other things with the space, but it was billed as an awesome new live music venue, and has really... not been.

Zach Gray @ Rickshaw & David Vertesi @ Cafe Deux Soleil -- 12/10/10

Another busy night in Vancouver, with three people that I wanted to see playing shows. I chose using a very complex series of algorithms (read: which cost less), and decided upon seeing Zach Gray at the Rickshaw, followed by David Vertesi at Cafe Deuz Soleil. (The third was Aidan Knight at the Jon & Roy Holiday Extravaganza)

First stop was the Little Mountain Gallery Fun-Raiser at the Richshaw for Zachary Gray, of The Zolas, doing a solo set. After the first band, World Peace, he said he needed a better name to be able to yell, and jokingly dubbed himself “Lesbian Kissing” for the show. He did a set of mostly Zolas songs, but an older Lotus Child and a cover of (Talking Heads), and like last time, the songs were really cool to see done solo, but did seem kind of missing the “rest” of the song. Maybe I'm just too used to the full band. Zach also went off on a few stories between the songs, which is always cool to see. Well, only if you have a good storyteller on stage, which Zach was, luckily.

And as an aside, I am still no fan of the sound at the Rickshaw. Zach didn't sound too bad, cos it was just him, but the more people you get on stage, the more terrible the sound is. I absolutely hated it my first show there, and I don't think I am going to catch too many more shows there in the future.

After that it was off to Cafe Deuz Soleil for the Megaphone Magazine fundraiser. Vertesi was headlining, but first was the aptly named Julia & Her Piano and also Andrew Lee, of 41^st & Home. Very nice & pleasant sound and a good voice, despite mentioning she was a bit under the weather and Lee's trumpet and backup vocals helped round out the sound. It was a bit chatty in the room, as is wont for shows in places like this, so I wouldn't mind seeing her again in a more ideal setting.

Next up was Ladner and they, too, fit their name, as they were kind of flat and boring. All of their songs ran together and sounded pretty similar, like the same, long song.

And finally, David Vertesi. He was again joined by Dave Joseph helping out on bass, and a wicked keytar. The aformentioned chatter continued through his set as well, but despite that, Vertesi managed to capture the crowds attention with his songs, which he admitted were all about love, for better or worse. And the more I see him play – and listen to his album, for that matter – the more I think the former, as his raw lyrics bring give his [damn catchy] songs relevance amongst all the other songs about love. I think he mentioned, after the set, that the next time he plays (this Friday at the Biltmore) will be with a full band, and that has me very intrigued, as each time I've seen him so far he has been more or less solo.