Savvie Album Release @ Hindenburg -- 02/13/15

About four and a half years ago was the first time I saw Savannah Leigh Wellman performing live, under the moniker Redbird. It wasn't long after that when she released the EP We're All Friends and Lovers Until It Falls Apart, which I was quite taken by -- especially thanks to her strong voice and lyrics.
Flash forward a few years, and now Savannah has scrapped her folksy singer-songwriter sound in favour of a decidedly more rock & roll direction, with something that she has tongue-in-cheek dubbed "Sex Rock". Her brand new album, Night Eyes, was released just last week, and she took to one of Vancouver's newest venues, the Hindenburg, to celebrate.


Unfortunately, thanks to another show happening on the same night I missed both opening acts, Jody Glenham and Black River Killers, arriving just as the latter wrapped up.


Joining Savvie on stage was a band that consisted of a few familiar faces; Nick Petrowich (of Willhorse), Joseph Blood (of Bend Sinister), Jody Glenham (of, uh, Jody Glenham), and Brendan Krieg (who I believe was part of Savannah's old old band), and to celebrate the album's release, they played it in its entirety, front to back.

The tone was set right off the bat with "Break You In", which teases "I could be the one to break you... in" and the mood continued on with the crunchy guitars and reverb-drenched vocals of the first single "Without You", as Savannah owned the stage with a confidence and presence fitting to the term "sex rock".

Other highlights of the set included the catchy, gritty-pop of "Gravity" and the smoother "I Fall Again" which, like many of her songs, simultaneously makes you want to drown your sorrows in whiskey, and get right back out there -- or as Savannah put it between songs, lamenting on the fact that the next day was Valentine's Day: "don't sit at home feeling fucking sad, sit at home feeling fucking sexy"

But my favourite of the night (which is, unsurprisingly, a favourite from the album as well) came exactly halfway through with a heartwrenching and passionate song of a doomed romance called "Dreams of Surrender". Savannah's soaring voice wailing in the choruses literally gave me chills, as the song built to a huge ending with Jason Blood letting loose on guitar. 

They ended the set with "The Tower", the only song released as Redbird reworked for her new sound, with Savannah warning that "nostalgia is a fool's addiction", and which once more saw Blood shred on the guitar for its explosive climax.
But, seeing as they were playing the full album, Savannah came back out alone, guitar in hand, for the hidden track on the album as an encore. It was a beautiful, stripped down song that was a great ending to the set, both sonically and emotionally.


As someone that had stated before that the whole "folk singer-songwriter" thing is starting to wear out its welcome, I have been really digging the new direction Wellman has taken. I quite like the album, and this was a great debut show. If I'm not mistaken, it was only the second or third time the band had done a show together, and aside from a couple small things, they seemed to be working pretty well together.
Plus, it was my first time at the Hindenburg, and I really liked the venue. It had a nice layout, and sounded really good. Hopefully there will be more shows there worth checking out in the near future.


setlist
Break You In, Without You, Trust the In Between, Gravity, It's OK, Dreams of Surrender, Beautiful Pain, I Fall Again, Where We Wanna Be, A Blur and A Haze, The Tower.
(encore) [secret song]

3am Mixtapes: Episode Sixty Four: Sex Rock w/ Savvie

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 best female-fronted bands , but some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Songs to Listen to While Hungover on a Sunday Morning. 

This week I am joined by a special guest co-host, Savannah Leigh Wellman, who will tell me all about her new band Savvie, and her new favourite sound with the Top Six Sex Rock Songs!

Shake your hips to:

"Get Some" by Lykke Li
"Boo Hoo Hoo" by No Sinner
"Do I Wanna Know" by Arctic Monkeys
"Make It Wit Chu" by Queens of the Stone Age
"First One In" by Zeus
"Without You" by Savvie

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

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Ma Petite CD release @ Prophouse Cafe -- 05/16/14

A couple years ago, Indiana Avent made the journey from her homeland of Australia to Canada to record her debut album in Vancouver. She had previously played violin for people like Bon Iver, Dan Mangan, Gotye, and Amanda Palmer, but decided it was time to put her own songs out into the world, and with loads of Vancouver's finest backing her she recorded The Road That Led Me To Fall.
The album was finally released it last month, and Indiana returned to her second home to celebrate its release.


Starting off the night was Savannah Leigh Wellman, frontwoman of Redbird playing solo. In contrast with Redbird's new hip-swaying rock, Savannah played some softer jams, her strong voice soaring over acoustic guitar, as she started with a newer song called "Wandering One".
Early on, she noted that most of her songs were a little more dour than Ma Petite's, so made sure to play a few happier songs, including a lovely song called "Morning Day and Night". There were also a few Redbird songs in the mix; "Some Birds" and "Oh Please My Heart".
She ended her set with what ended up being my favourite song of the night, an absolutely heartbreaking ghost-story-slash-breakup-song, called "The White Eagle", as Savannah poured everything into the song.

Next up was Twin Bandit, the pairing of Hannah Walker and Jamie Elliott. Also armed with only acoustic guitars, they had a country-ish sound with the two girls' voices intertwined into nice, soft harmonies, complimenting each other very well.
Standouts from the set were a cover of Ana Egge's "Hole in your Halo" and one of their own songs, which I didn't catch the name of, that was more fiery than the rest and introduced as a song about "the kind of love that makes you want to die"
They had gorgeous voices and a great presence, but I feel like they would make amazing scene-stealing backup singers -- the Ana Egge & Rose Cousins to someone's Joel Plaskett, or the Watson Twins to someone's Jenny Lewis -- as their own songs were just not quite strong enough.
They did mention near the end of their set that they would be playing the Media Club next weekend with a full band, so I would be interested to see how they are with a fleshed out sound.

And finally, it was time for Ma Petite to celebrate the release of her album. Completing the theme, Indiana took the stage alone with an acoustic guitar -- switching to ukulele halfway through -- with soft songs that were held aloft by her gentile, almost fragile voice.
She started with the sweet "Morning Song", and was incredibly charming on stage, introducing most every song with a little story; joking that a lot of the songs were about either birds or boys, before going into a song about both birds and boys.
Her storytelling extends through her music, with songs like "I Like That You Like Books" weaving through the narrative of working in a bookstore/coffeshop and flirting with customers (rather, a certain customer) or the longing of an ocean separating people in "Make Like A Bird".
As the set drew to a close, she led the crowd in a sing-along to a favourite "Man About Moon" before wrapping up the night with the upbeat "Two Big Thick Duffle Coats"

Often times it seems descriptors like "cute" can seem dismissive or condescending when it comes to music, but Indiana's soft and intimate songs -- even when they are about sad things -- are incredibly endearing and you can't help but smile while listening.

setlist
Morning Song, Lonesome, Winter Wind, I Like That You Like Books, Make Like A Bird, Sparrow, Words To Keep, Oh the Vampyre [AA Bondy cover], Man About Moon, Two Big Thick Duffle Coats. 

Steam Whistle Unsigned w/ JP Maurice, Rolla Olak, & Redbird @ Biltmore -- 04/03/14

The Steam Whistle Unsigned concert series was started by the Toronto microbrewery to promote local unsigned talent, and they have returned to Vancouver for the first show of the year. The ongoing concert series, which takes place in multiple cities across Canada, spotlights three local bands and partners with a charity that receives the proceeds of the show; this time it was Music Heals, an organization that promotes the healing power of music.

Starting off the night was a favourite around these parts, Redbird. It's been a while since any new music from the band, fronted by the lovely voiced Savannah Leigh Wellman, and recently she has been teasing a shift from her previous folksy-rock sound to what she described as "rock you can shake your hips to" -- or simply, Sex Rock. Which was a perfect description to the groovy jams of the new songs that made up the bulk of the set, like the sultry "Wandering One". Even the few old songs were bumped up a little, like "The West Wind" and the almost unrecognizable sexy bass groove given to "No Game".
My favourite of the set was the final song, which I didn't catch the name of; Savannah introduced it as a space rock song, and the slow beginning gradually swelled into a dizzying swirling of John Sponarski's amazing guitar and guest Andrew Rasmussen's keyboard for a great ending to the set. As someone that is maybe starting to think they are getting "over" the current folk movement, I really enjoyed the new sound, and I am very interested to hear the new album that Savannah teased.

Next up was Rolla Olak, who I have seen play a few times recently, ranging from solo to a full band. It's always the latter I enjoy more, and luckily that's exactly what this was, as Rolla was joined by his band (which included John Sponarski pulling double duty). His roots-y sound is a lot more upbeat and rocking with the full band, the energetic boot-stomping songs getting people moving. And while Rolla doesn't say much on stage, his passion is evident.
Part way through the set Savannah came out and helped sing on a slower jam, and as he was finishing up, Rolla got the weeknight crowd to sing along a little to a song called "It's Alright". He wrapped up with probably the best song of his set, a raging blues rocker where he was joined by Eric Larocque on harmonica.
Olak puts on a strong set, but I think is just missing that undefinable something to set him apart and above the others like him, to take him to that next level.

And finally, ending the night was JP Maurice. Joined by a stagefull of familiar faces, his nine-piece band included a host of local musicians; Stephanie Chatman on violin, Jer Breaks on guitar, Timmy "Boom Bap" Proznick on drums, Marcus Abramzik on bass, Andrew Rasmussen on keys, and a backing vocal trio of Alex Badger, Stephanie Mcmahon, and Savannah Wellman. There were a couple times when the nine-piece band felt a little too cumbersome, but the members rotated on and off stage, and for the most part they gelled well.
Starting off with a pair of songs that showcased the darker side of JP's pop-rock, "Poison Heart" and "Get Mad", the set was filled with raw emotions. Many of his songs are about love and/or loss, and the passion pours out of JP when her performs, leaving his heart on the stage every night.
Friend and collaborator David Newberry joined JP on stage for a song, "Pennies" and after the infinitely catchy "Mistake", JP and friends closed the set with the single from his most recent album The Arborist, "The Other One".
But even at a half past midnight, the remaining crowd cheered for more, and the band was back out for one final song, JP's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams", which briefly morphed into "Teenage Dream" and back again.

Not only was this Unsigned show a great showcase for the local bands, but a great showcase of the local scene. Musicians were crossing bands the entire night, and even the crowd was filled with various members of other bands, there to watch. It's shows like this that show off the level of support that can exist in parts of the Vancouver music scene.

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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Then & Now @ Biltmore -- 08/20/13

The brainchild of Vancouver's beekeeper, Then and Now is a simple concept; take a handful of local artists, and get them to play a brand new song & an old song-- their newest, shiniest song, and one of the first songs they wrote, potentially embarrassing.
The night was also a fundraiser for Megaphone Magazine, a local publication that is sold by the homeless or low income people, who get to keep the profits of their sales.

Starting off the night was Redbird, and Savannah Leigh Wellman really took the concept to heart, setting the bar for the rest of the night. Her "then" song was one written in high school, influenced by pop-stars, called "Make Your Move", that peaked when Savannah started rapping. It was exactly in the spirit of the show, and as amazing as it was cringe-worthy. Her "now" was a brand new song, thematically similar but decidedly more mature.

Buckman Coe was up next, his older song being a folky love song, while his new was more reggae influenced.

Victoria musician Katie Schaan, better known as Ciseaux took the stage next, starting with an acoustic guitar and the song "Close To Me" off of Katie's debut album, which was put out under her own name.
Her new song was a love song about a boy, played on the ukulele. After wrestling with some technical problems, she ended up unplugged it and perched on the front of the stage, completely unamplified, her powerful voice still filling the room.

Devin Miller from Young Pacific was the first of the night to break from the acoustic, with his electric guitar. His first song was about friendship, or a lack thereof, and his newer one made use of his pedal board, for a song that was a bit more spacey and ethereal.

Wrapping up the first half of the night was the super secret surprise guest, Bed of Stars. Like many others throughout the night, his "then" song was a love song. His "now" was a pretty chill newer song.

After a brief intermezzo, Skye Wallace took the stage to start the second half. Joined by Alex the cellist, her first song was one written when she was a teenager. Her new song was one called "Monster" and built to some absolutely intense vocals.

There was a change of pace as spam poet Duncan Shields was up next, also joined by Alex the cellist. His nerd-themed pieces included a "then" which used video games as a metaphor for his ex-girlfriend, with great wordplay & puns, especially for video game lovers. His "now" was something he described as "filk music", which was taking folk songs and rewriting the words to make them nerdier. His was to the tune of "If You're Happy & You Know It" and was about Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Ford Pier. His "then" song had a very 90s-Canadian-vibe to it, and Pier took the concept of "now" to an extreme; he had only finished writing the new song at 6:30 that same morning, and it had never been performed out loud before.

And wrapping up the night, beekeeper themselves. The only full band electric set, Devon surprised his bandmated by choosing "Nice Lunch" for their "then", an old, rarely played song from their first album. They then wrapped up the night, with their newest, called "Arms Length". As with just about everyone throughout the night, it was an interesting juxtaposition between the then and the now, seeing how the songwriters have progressed.

The first time they did this show, last year, it ran a bit long, but this year did not drag at all. With a leaner lineup, the night zipped along at a fine clip, and I can only hope they plan on this again next year. It's a fantastic concept for a great cause.

Ma Petite Single Release @ Media Club -- 09/28/12

Australian musician Indiana Avent -- who has played violin with people like Bon Iver, Dan Mangan, Gotye, and many more -- has been living in Canada for the last year or so, making her debut album under her own band Ma Petite. With the help of some of Vancouver's finest, the album is almost ready to see the light of day, and to give it a little bit of a tease she took to the Media Club for the launch of the first single.

Opening the night was Garrett Kato, though unfortunately I got there a bit late and only caught his last song. The rootsy rock of Redbird was up next. Lead by Savannah Leigh Wellman's strong voice, she was joined by John Sponarski on guitar & Ben Appenheimer on bass, as usual, and brand new addition: Malcolm Holt from The Gay Nineties on drums.
Opening with "The Tower", the set was a mix of songs from last year's debut EP, We're All Friends and Lovers Until it Falls Apart, and new songs, including an absolute rocker, "I Fall Apart", my favourite of the set.
Redbird continues to get more and more polished in their live show, both musically and stage presence, with some good banter -- especially the joking (and teasing) between Savannah and Sponarski -- and I really can't wait to see how that translated to their next release.

Not long after, Ma Petite took the stage, with Indiana and a few familiar faces, including Olivier Cléments (one of Aidan Knight's Friendly Friends), Ben Appenheimer (once again) on stand up bass and Matt Kelly (of all the bands) on guitar and keys; Jordan Klassen even joined briefly by on guitar.
Indiana's great sense of storytelling shines through in the songs -- and her stage banter -- for some adorable folky tunes, which she admitted, "boys or birds", with one of my favourites being "I Like That You Like Books", a catchy song about having a crush on the customer while working as a barista.
After a few songs, the band took a break while Indiana did a couple on her own, then they were back for a cover of AA Bondy's "Oh The Vampire" and the song of the night, "Man About the Moon", which starts soft and explodes into a joyous ending. Both that and "Goodbye Sweetheart" following had bouts of group vocals, before the set came to an end -- sans fake-encore -- with a song about adjusting from Australian to Canadian climates, "Two Big Thick Ruffled Coats".

It was a lovely set, and the only problem wasn't with Indiana or the band, but rather the volume of the crowd. I don't know why it is, but the Media Club always seems to have the most talkative crowds, and while the front half of the room was rapt by Ma Petite, the back half (near the bar, of course) was getting almost disruptively noisy.

Portage & Main and Redbird @ Media Club -- 03/09/12

On the eve of their [almost] cross-country tour, Portage & Main and Redbird got together to throw a little going away party at the Media Club. Both bands were among my favourite new bands (and albums) last year, so I was excited to see them together.

First up was Twin River, comprised of Courtney Ewan and Andy Bishop (of Red Cedar and White Ash Falls) and joined by some familiar faces; Malcolm Jack of Sun Wizard on bass and Dustin Bromley of Pleasure Cruise and about eight other bands on drums. It was their first show in that incarnation, and they sounded pretty tight; Ewan took lead vocals for most of the set, and their folk-alt-country sound set the tone for the night. Though nothing from the set really stood out, it was still enjoyable, and I am definitely interested in hearing more from them in the future.

Next up was Redbird, led by the beautiful voice of Savannah Leigh Wellman with John Sponarski on guitar and Ben Appenheimer and Graham Serl on bass and drums, respectively. They kicked off the rootsy-rock set with "Therein Lies the Grey", immediately captivating the packed Media Club. Savannah has a great stage presence, and good banter, especially the back and forth between her and Sponarski.
A few new songs were sprinkled throughout, including one called "I Fall Again", which really caught my ear, and "The Tower", their new single which has one of my new favourite lines "Nostalgia is a fool's addiction", and after Sponarski tore it up with a solo during "In The Hands of Ghosts", the set ended with another new one, "Roll Over Me".

setlist
Therein Lies the Grey, West Wind, Wandering One, Set Me Free, I Fall Again, Oh Please My Heart, The Tower, In the Hands of Ghosts, Roll Over Me.

And finally, Portage & Main took the stage, Sponarski and Harold Donnelly splitting vocals and guitar, with Georges Couling on keys and sharing the rhythm section with Redbird. They began the set with "Nothing", and from the get go, they were firing on all cylinders. They had a great energy as they rocked through their set.
Savannah joined them for some backup vocals on "Rocky Mountain Wanderer" and they slowed down a little with "When You're Gone", but ramped the energy right back up with a new one, a dirty swamp rocker called "Sweet Darling".And after one of my favourites of theirs, the slow-building "I'd Never Climbed A Mountain", they wrapped up the show with the bar room sing along "Carolina", not only getting everyone to join in on the chorus, but pulling friends on stage to join them.

In the last year, I've been lucky enough to see both Portage & Main and Redbird multiple times each, and I can safely say that this was the best show I have seen from either band. It could have been the atmosphere -- with half of the Vancouver music scene at the packed Media Club -- or wanting to leave on tour on a high note, but both bands pulled out all the stops for a great show.

setlist
Nothing (Take What You Need), What Have I Done?, Better Man, Rocky Mountain Wanderer, When You're Gone, Tonight pt. 2, Sweet Darling, I'd Never Climbed a Mountain, Carolina.

The Second Annual Movember Mo-Off @ Biltmore Cabaret -- 11/30/11

As November draws to an end, so too do the lifespan of many men's nose neighbours. Of course I mean the moustaches sported for Movember, to help raise awareness for prostate cancer. And to end off the month with a bang was the second annual Movember Mo-Off, the brainchild of Savannah Leigh Wellman. As well as three pretty kickass bands, there were prizes for best 'stache, a barber station to shave (or just trim) the cookie dusters with before and after photos, a photobooth, moustache shaped cookies and lots of mustachioed men in attendance; to either the chagrin or delight of the ladies.

The first band of the night was Redbird, with a mix of songs off their debut EP, We're All Friends and Lovers Until it Falls Apart, and newer ones. I've mentioned before my soft spot for female singers with a strong voice and a little bit of a roots bent (an affliction I blame on the likes of Neko Case) and Savannah's great pipes and beautiful songwriting definitely fit that mould. The guitar riff on "Therein Lies The Grey" will get stuck in your head for days and "No Game" contains one of my favourite lyrics of the year, "My subtlety sabotages me / so please read between the lines".
Another highlight of the set was a new songs which I didn't catch the name of, but saw the band rocking out a little harder than the rest, with a great solo from guitarist John Sponarski.
Redbird has definitely been one of my favourite new bands this year, and I was glad to be able to see them one more time before years end.

Next up was another favourite new band, and a double shot of Sponarski with Portage & Main. They were fresh off a tour with Treelines, which would explain three quarters of the band joining John, Harold Donnelly and Georges Couling; Matt Kelly on pedal steel, Steve Lockhart (with his usual enthusiasm) on bass and Grant McKinnon keeping things incredibly tight on drums. It probably helped that they had spend the previous two weeks playing together, but as a whole they meshed phenomenally well, and it was probably the best set I've seen from P&M this year (and I've seen them a few times).
Highlights of the set were the fantastic harmonies of the catchy "What Have I Done" and the intense "Tonight pt 2", plus a new song, a complete rager, revelling in dirty southern rock. They rounded out the set with my favourite of theirs, "I'd Never Climbed A Mountain" which builds to a soaring ending, and finished in their usual way, with the great singalong "Carolina".

Finally, wrapping up the night was a band I have seen thrice in the last two weeks, The Matinée. And even thought it was the third time, it still felt fresh, as they did a good job of changing up their sets; most of the songs were the same, but they would throw in different touches, like a bit of "Another Brick In The Wall" slipped into a song and a cover of Ryan Adams' "Let It Ride". They were missing keyboardist Dave Young, but were still firing on all cylinders, with their usual blend of folk, roots and rock and great energy & presence, especially lead singer Matt Layzell (even with his self-described creepy moustache).
They didn't end up starting til around midnight, so the weeknight crowd had thinned out a little, but as soon as they kicked off with "Let Her Go", everyone there was into it, with the usual clapping/stomping break in "Sweet Water" and singing along to "Rocking & Rolling". After the great drum breakdown in "The Road", that has each member bashing on various drums, they ended the night with "Stomp", which starts with Pete Lemon shining on drums and builds to an insane climax, featuring one of many face melting guitar solos from Matt Rose.

Not only was it a night of three killer bands, but they ended up raising over $1,500 for Movember. I'd say it was a huge success.

Redbird EP Release w/ Debra-Jean & The Means @ The Kozmik Zoo -- 06/17/11

After months of waiting, the debut EP from Redbird, We're all friends and lovers until it falls apart was ready to hatch. The release party was at a new venue for Vancouver, The Kozmik Zoo (formerly The Hennessey Lounge), which is a restaurant-venue, so it had the usual problems that those tend to, such as an odd and awkward layout and more-than-usual chatter, but the sound was actually really good, and that's what matters most.

First up was Diego Zaragoza, who took the stage with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica. His set started with a little bit of generic-acoustic-singer/songwriter fare, but as the set went on he showed more depth. He also had a pretty strong voice, at one point stepping away form the mic and letting loose, he could be heard at the back of the room. For the last song of the set, he brought up Savannah to help out with vocals.
To be honest, I had a little trouble really getting into the set, since his acoustic folky sound combined with the noise and chatter didn't mesh well, but he was a good opener and I wouldn't mind seeing him play again in a quieter venue.

Next up was Debra-Jean & The Means, with Debra-Jean being, of course, formerly of Mother Mother but now off on her own. The last time I saw her, as part of the Peak Performance Project last year, I was a tad underwhelmed from her set -- but I ended up really liking it this time around. The songs had a very dark and moody feel, that were definitely driven by her stellar voice, and it seems like both the songs and her voice had a much stronger range than previously, which was my only complaint then. Debra also had a great presence, completely owning the stage for her whole set; and to say nothing of her band, the Means, who provided excellent backup.
She's only got a five song EP out right now, but I'm looking forward to what is to come from the band.

And then was time for Redbird. I had seen them [more than] a few times this year, and they just keep getting better and better. The band was firing on all cylinders last night, and Savannah Leigh especially seemed to be brimming with not only confidence, but enthusiasm as well. You could tell she was thrilled to be playing, and that translated to a great set. They kicked off with the first song from the EP, "Therein Lies The Grey" and went on to play all the songs from the album, as well as a few others. Including a brand new one called "Set Me Free", which was really upbeat, and I quite liked. Another favourite of the set was "No Game" (which I've mentioned liking a few times before). They were joined by Debra-Jean on backup vocals for a couple, "Some Birds" & "Oh Please My Heart", and her voice complimented Savannah's voice -- which is equally awesome -- quite well.
They ended the main set with "In The Hands of Ghosts", but didn't even get a chance to leave the stage before the one song encore, with Savannah breaking out her new guitar, one used and signed by a certain influence of hers, Mr. Sam Roberts. (for a moment I was almost expecting a Sam Roberts cover, but it was a Redbird song, "Treasure Map")

setlist
Therein Lies The Grey, The West Wind, The Tower, Set Me Free, Some Birds, Oh Please My Heart, Roll Over Me, No Game, In The Hands of Ghosts.
(encore) Treasure Map.

West Coast Pop w/ Yukon Blonde, Sun Wizard & Redbird @ Red Room -- 05/07/11

The penultimate instalment in the West Coast Pop! concert series, this was another one that I was really looking forward to. A band that has proven to be fantastic live and another one I have really been digging for the last couple months, it was sure to be a good one.

Kicking off the night was Redbird. Even though they don't have anything released just yet, I've been able to see them live a couple times this year (and get my hands on a few acoustic tracks) and they just keep getting better every time I see them, which makes me more and more eager for the upcoming EP.
Their too-short-set was full of energy and lots of fun, with Savannah's great voice blending really well with the folky, roots rock sound. "Oh Please My Heart" is a definite earworm of a catchy song, and "No Game", which -- despite not even being released -- has become one of my favourite songs of the year; especially with the far too relatable line "my subtlety sabotages me, so please read between the lines".

Next up was Sun Wizard, another fairly new Vancouver band, who had more of a straight ahead rock sound, with twinges of psychedelia. The four members were focused mostly on playing, with not much by way of stage banter or even too much to engage the crowd (the bassist even had the clichéd 'vaguely bored bass player' look). A couple of songs, most notably "World's Got A Handle", sounded great, but most of them were a little interchangeable, with the same kind of sound going on. But they put on a perfectly enjoyable set, and while I might not go too see a show of their own any time soon, I would not be against seeing them live again, and I could definitely see them getting better given time.

And finally, Yukon Blonde. I've had the fortune of seeing them a couple times before, but always as the opening band, so it was great to have them play a longer set. The band always puts on a great live show, and last night was no different. With their incredibly energetic, eardrum-melting power pop-rock and near-perfect harmonies, they had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands, singing along to all the older songs -- with Jeff Innes even handing over the mic to the crowd for part of "Wind Blows". There were also a few new songs sprinkled throughout the set, which were quite good, but taking the cake was one called (according to the setlist) Radio, an intense rocker that I can't wait to hear again.
The only complaint would be that a couple of times, the vocals seemed to be a bit low. But it wasn't a persistent problem, and didn't take away from their set all that much.

setlist (taken from the on-stage setlist, so some new songs may be shorthand)
Rather Be With You, Brides Song, Wind Blows, Oregon Shores, Iron Fist, Water, Blood Cops, Radio, Stairway, Babies Don't Like Blue Anymore, Nico Canmore.
(encore) My Girl, Loyal Man.

Henry & The Nightcrawlers with David Vertesi and Redbird @ Biltmore Cabaret -- 03/21/11

Originally, I was not sure if I was going to blog about this show. As you should may know, I was instrumental in the organization of it, bringing the three bands together on one night. I felt that a) blogging about it would be too conflict of interest-y, and 2) during the show I was half watching, and making sure everything was going smoothly. But after a brief twitter-poll, I decided I would, but just focus on the performances. And so, inspired by Henry and his reading poetry in lieu of stage banter, I decided to review all three sets... in haiku.

Redbird
Beautiful voices
And masterful guitar work
They don't have No Game

David Vertesi
David does it all
Shoulder shimmies to heartbreak
He is Broadcasting

Henry & The Nightcrawlers
Some new Nightcrawlers
Henry rocked On A Week Night
Poetry and all.


For all of you that came to the show support my endeavour and, more importantly, Evolution1079... thank you so much. I can't express how much it meant to me.

Upcoming concert: Henry & The Nightcrawlers, David Vertesi & Redbird @ Biltmore Cabaret -- 03/21/11

Hey chums. As I've mentioned a few times, I am currently in BCIT Radio Broadcast Program, and the music director for Evolution1079, which just celebrated five years on the FM dial (it was just on cable before that).
I am also currently planning a concert. Myself and another student, for a marketing project, are putting this on:

March 21st at the Biltmore Cabaret.
Henry & The Nightcrawlers.
David Vertesi.
Redbird.
$12

Regular readers will know how much of a fan I am of all three acts, so I am  excited to be able to present them all in the same show, and I would absolutely love it if you, dear reader, would be able to come. Here is a link to the facey books event page, or you can buy tickets from Ticketweb here.

Planning this has been a long (and at times frustrating) process, and it would mean a lot if you were able to come!

See you on the 21st?

United Steel Workers of Montreal with Redbird & The Sumner Brothers @ Railway -- 02/22/11

I don't know why, maybe it's by design (in fact, it probably is) but the Railway Club always seems to have a lot of great folk, roots rock, or alt country acts. Last night was a trio of bands that would definitely fit into that.

First up was The Sumner Brothers, and they started their set in a most excellent way, proclaiming "This song is about a giant" before getting right into it. They had a very folk, almost bluesy sound as the titular brothers shared vocal duties, which both contrasted and complimented each other. Both deep, one more smooth and one with a gritty rumble, but full of emotion; one of the brothers was singing through clenched teeth a couple times. He also changed instruments a few times, going from guitar to keys to banjo to soprano sax.
As well as their own songs, they covered Neil Young's "Hey Hey My My (Into The Black)" and did a pretty good job of it, and ended with the  traditional song "Pay Me My Money Down".
They put on quite an entertaining show, and I would be interested in checking them out again.

Next up was Redbird, who I was quite looking forward to seeing. It would be my first time seeing them play a full band show since August, and thus my first time seeing the current lineup in full; who meshed very well together, despite being fairly new. Since that August show, I had seen and heard some acoustic songs, so it was interesting to see those same songs with the full band feel to them. The set started off with "Oh Please My Heart", which is one of the songs I knew acoustically. When the full band kicked in on it, I knew they would make the songs stronger than they already were.
Another song that I was more used to acoustic -- and one of my favourites of the songs I had heard -- was "No Game", and I was a little surprised by how much of a rocker it ended up being. But pleasantly so, as it worked very well. Definitely made me more excited for the upcoming EP.
There were, however, some technical problems with the set -- for a couple songs, Savannah's mic seemed low, and her vocals were drowned out a little, but it wasn't a persistent issue (at least not during Redbird's set) and not terribly noticeable or anything.
I've always liked the roots rock, as well as being a sucker for strong voices like Savannah's, and so the more I see Redbird, the more I am enjoying them. I am certainly looking forward to the next time I will be able to see them live (whenever that might be)

And finally was the United Steel Workers of Montreal. I had heard a lot of good things about them, so was quite intrigued. They hit the stage six people strong, and I immediately noticed there was no drummer -- just guitars, stand up bass, banjo, mandolin and accordion. The launched right into it, and pretty much set the tone for the rest of the night when they broke a string during the first song. And not only that, but they managed to joke and banter enough to keep the crowd entertained while the guitar was being restrung.
Despite being from Montreal (imagine that, a band who is actually from their namesake) they gave off more of a maritime, folk-alt-country feel, reminding me a little of the Tom Fun Orchestra, with the dual male/female vocals and raucous, fun sound. They put on a show that was just plain fun to watch, with the singer even going into the crowd and involving those in the front, from singing to/at them to getting them to shout to actually dancing with a guy. And of course, it was made that much better by the fact that the music itself was actually really good, very catchy.
The aforementioned mic problems reared up again, though, as Felicity Hamer seemed to be continually having issues with any mic she tried. But they didn't let that slow them down as they soldiered through their set.
The encore consisted of the incredibly powerful "Jesus We Sweat", and a slower song that they encouraged everyone to dance for, promising that any pair of people who did so would be getting laid that night.

Definitely a great trio of bands that, despite the technical difficulties, each put on a great show.

Redbird (acoustic) @ The Helm -- 01/05/11

After seeing Redbird for the first time back in August, I had managed to miss all of their subsequent shows, so when an acoustic show popped up at some place called The Helm, I was glad I could actually make it. I had never even heard of The Helm, but the new restaurant/dinner club in downtown Vancouver ended up being quite nice, and a cool place to see an acoustic set like this. I hope they end up booking more shows.

But as for Rebdird themselves; the acoustic show features three of the members, John Sponarski on guitar, Geneva Gamble on backup vocals and shaker/tambourine and, of course, Savannah Leigh Wellman on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. It was a very intimate set, with both the cosiness of the restaurant and the fact that most people there were friends of the band both helping it be quite casual.
As with last time I saw them, I was struck by Savannah's voice, and the really fitting indie-folky-rootsy sound built around it. A couple songs also really stuck out, lyrically -- one titled "No Game" and the other I missed the name of -- and hope are on the upcoming EP, apparently due out in the spring. There were a couple times where there was a bit of a lull between songs, but nothing that stalled the momentum too much.
After a good 45 minutes or so, the main set ended with a cover of The Black Keys. I am always a fan of seeing bands play covers, to see how songs are interpreted, how an artist puts their own spin on something, and Savannah pulled off "Tighten Up" quite well, being different enough to make it unique, but still doing the song justice.
The encore was even more loose than the main set, as it seemed genuinely unplanned and the band just ended up jamming, with older songs and another cover, of Call It Off by Tegan & Sara.

It was quite a good show, and it wasn't as bad, ambient-noise-wise, as other shows in similar settings have been, and upped my anticipation for both the aforementioned EP, and the full band show next month at the Railway.

The Tom Fun Orchestra w/ Treelines & Redbird @ The Media Club -- 08/11/10

A year and a half ago, I saw The Tom Fun Orchestra live at Pub 340, a dive pub with mediocre sound, a terrible setup and two crap opening bands. It was a testament to how good the band is live that they still put on a fantastic show, one I have been itching to see live again. When they were added at the last minute to the bill of the Treelines show at the Media Club, I was more than intrigued, since Treelines was a band I had heard nothing but praise for, so I was interested in seeing them live. Throw in local acts Redbird and Garrett Kato, all for only $8, and how can you go wrong?

Sadly I missed Garrett Kato, arriving just in time for Redbird to hit the stage, the new musical project from Vancouver's Savannah Leigh. They had a bit of an alt-country sound to them, but not crossing that line into too twangy. Almost similar to Neko Case or Jenny Lewis' solo work, but not quite as strong a voice -- which isn't a slight to Savannah, as she does have a very nice voice, but those two are hard to match. For the last song, the band was joined by Debra Jean Creelman (formerly of Mother Mother, currently in the Peak Performance Project) for a cover of a Bob Dylan & The Band song (which one, I am blanking on), and I'm always happy to hear cover songs live. Her songs were quite catchy, and I would very much like to see the band again, especially on a show where the following bands didn't completely overshadow everything that came before them.

Next up, in prompt fashion, was Kelowna's Treelines. After all the good things I had heard I was on my toes a little, thinking they might not live up to the hype... but they more than proved to be worthy of the buzz. They had a fantastic energy and stage presence to them, absolutely rocking out for most of their songs. The lead singer (Matt, with his "giant eyebrow") especially, who had kind of an understated charisma to him, and was a great storyteller -- regaling us with the story of their drive down from Kelowna that day, which included a guy in a van, with a machete and a 4L jug of milk.
They started big with "Ghost Towns" and didn't look back, playing mostly from their new EP, but throwing in a few songs from their first disk, too.
The set came to a close with "Lions" and "Cowboys", both songs that close out their two albums. Again, I can not wait to see them live again, and that right there would have been a perfect night of music... but there was more!

Finally was The Tom Fun Orchestra. Seeing as they were kind of added to the bill at the last minute, were going on at 12, and being a weeknight, people were slowly trickling out, leaving the place about half full by the time they started. But they thanked everyone for staying out late and launched into a set that those there will not soon forget. Taking the stage eight members strong, no two members with the same instrument -- drums, accordion, banjo, acoustic & electric guitars, violin, trumpet & bass -- creating their amazing and incredibly unique sound, with the lead singer (who I have seen go by pseudonyms Johnny Turbo, Animal Houston and Bob Dilemma) and his Tom Waits-ian rasp, complimented perfectly by Carmen Townsend's smooth vocals.
They kicked off the set with a brand new song, from their forthcoming album (I think he said next year) and playing a good mix of new and older, from their first album, You Will Land With A Thud. As incredible the energy was for Treelines, TFO not only matched it, but beat it, almost making you forget any other band had played that night, no matter how good they were. "Highway Siren Song" and "Watchmaker" were two songs that got everyone rocking, and "Last of the Curious Thieves" brought the house down. Among the new songs was the one they recently released on the interwebs, "Miles Davis", which was absolutely stunning live. They didn't bother with the clichéd encore (yay!) and brought the set to a close with another new one, after a good hour and a half of playing. By the end, seeing as it was 1:30, there were maybe two dozen people remaining, but those left were in awe.
I managed to obtain a setlist, and while this seems about accurate for the most part, the ending was changed up a little.

This year, I have had the good fortune of seeing a whole bunch of shows where every single band playing is a band I would pay to see on their own. I can say, without a doubt, that this can be added to the ranks of those shows, and I can't wait to see any of the above three again.