upfront MAGAZINE VOL. 1 NO. 1 Winter 2015 upfront MAGAZINE VOL. 1 NO. 1 Winter 2015
editor-in-chief Chloe Silver
contributors WORDS PICTURES
Emilia Vieni Matt Janicki
Jacob Hrajnik Lauren Barthold
Dean Snowball Dasha Zolota
Evangeline Fitz Jacob Hrajnik
Claire Mclean Alex Lysakowski
Eric Berall Evangeline Fitz
Kaylin Baker-Fields Linda Arki
Jessica Lewis Lucas Kschischang
OT Truong Matt Mullenweg
With special thanks to Paul Sych. depart features ments
8 TOUR DATES 20 DEATH FROM THIS ABOVE 1979 10 VENUE 12 WARDROBE THIS IS MY 13 SOUNDCHECK FAVOURITE 26 SCRAP OF 14 OPENING ACTS PAPER THE 40 ENCORE FRONT COVER The Flaming Lips at The
42 DOUBLE TAKE Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, 2009.
Courtesy of Matt Janicki. 46 AFTERPARTY 32OKTOBERFEST BACK COVER Childish Gambino playing
to a huge crowd in Oakland in 2012. IST WUNDERBAR!
Courtesy of Matt Mullenwag. I have been going to concerts in that’s only from the fans’ side. Imagine
Toronto for a long time. what the performers must be feeling
My first concert was at the when they end a set that they have
SkyDome (yes, it was called the given their all to perform. That feeling
SkyDome then) way back in 2003. My is what Upfront Magazine is about. We
dad took me to see a slew of performers aim to examine the concert experience
at the Concert For Toronto festival from top to bottom, start to finish.
such as The Tragically Hip, Barenaked Sometimes literally.
Ladies, Sum 41, and more. This magazine wants nothing more
Now, 11 years later, I attend a live than for you to enjoy your concert
show at least twice a month. Being able experience to the best of your ability.
to see musicians perform the music you We do our best to bridge the gap
have heard so many times is really cool. between audiences and performers,
You can watch the music being created so that everyone can share in the
and see how the musicians experience experience. After all, we’re all just
it in person. And the closer you are to searching for that feeling, right?
the front, the experience heightens all So read on. Experience, remember, editor’s s the more. On numerous occasions, I learn, and discover all that Toronto’s LETTER have looked into the eyes of performers indie music scene has to offer to you. as they held out microphones to me What are you waiting for? It’s time for
because they noticed I was singing you to get Upfront.
along to their lyrics.
That feeling you get when you walk Stay tuned,
out of a show that was so exciting and
fun and intense, is incomparable. And Editor-in-chief Chloe Silver
winter 2015 7 TOUR DATES january
2 3 4 Mississauga 1 2 decembershoegazers Huge Cosmic hit the Your new fave mix of Willie Nile hits the Handlebar. rock and folk, Strand Horeshoe Tavern. Article on page 14. 1of Oaks visits the Rock out to Death Get a little country Horseshoe Tavern. From Above 1979 at in your veins. the Sound Academy. Article on page 20. 3 8 9 10 5 136 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Tokyo Police Club returns to Toronto at Danforth Music Hall. 11&12Article on page 32. 14 15 16 17 Rural Alberta 20 11 12 13 14 16 17 Hang out with Advantage hits the Cracker15 and Danforth Music Hall, The Johnny Red Eyes Camper Van their second time in revisit the Smiling Beethoven at Lee’s Toronto this year. Buddha Bar. Article Palace. Article on page 32. on page 18.
21 22 24 25 261927 18 20 21 22 23 Jason Collett’s Basement Elliot Brood brings Revue comes back for a Check out The Vaselines 24their sound to the second year during Luminato at Lee’s Palace. Phoenix. at the Dakota Tavern. Two Alternative rock fresh nights for twice the fun! 18 from Glasgow.
28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 Nikki Fierce ring in the new year at The Big deal that he Sister. Article on is, Owen Pallett page 16. 19 plays two shows on the same day 31 at Lee’s Palace.31
winter 2015 9 THIS VENUE
One part concert venue, one part crazy dance party, one part late-night burrito haven. This place has it all. 10 let’s head over to Located on Bloor, in a very loud block And when the bands have played
of the Annex between Borden and their encores and gotten on their tour
Lippincott, lies Lee’s very own Palace. vans, you can head upstairs to the
The building in its present incarnation Dance Cave for some amazing beats lee’s.as a concert hall has been open since from the eighties, nineties, and oughts. 1985, although it originally opened as In the coming months, the Dance Cave
a movie theatre in the 1950s and even is slowly becoming a concert venue as
served as a restaurant in between. well. Hosting small bands like Elvis
The front facade of Lee’s, with its Depressedly and Paul Cargnello, both
colourful graffiti-style outsider art, the venue and the bands are quickly
is easily recognizable and has helped gaining momentum.
the venue reach an iconic status in Truly one of the great music venues
Toronto architecturally. Musically the of Toronto, Lee’s is a special mix of
venue is iconic as well, having hosted concert hall and night club with a Big
the Toronto debuts of such renowned Fat Burrito franchise open as late as
bands as Nirvana, The Smashing the hall. You could not want for more,
Pumpkins, and Oasis. literally.
winter 2015 11 WAR- SOUND DROBE CHECK
How do people pick the shoes they wear The sun shone brightly into my eyes
to shows? Generally, you know you’re on an early morning in August. Today
going to be standing for a while. Do you was Edgefest 2013, a popular summer
go for comfort or style, or both? If you music festival held at Downsview wear heels, you’ll be able to see better calm Park, and I was chosen to be a concert but your feet will not thank you for it photographer for the event. At 6:00
by the time the main act hits the stage. AM I can’t say I was terribly excited. And what about outdoor concerts? before My body ached as I forced myself out of There might be sand or mud or even bed and began to pack my camera and
snow! Decisions, decisions. Story by Emilia Vieni extra lenses. the I was one of the first people to arrive on the grounds. As I began to
take photos of the early risers that
arrived at the festival, people of all ages stormbegan to show up, many with tattoos and strange flower headbands. The
energy slowly began to grow as more
and more people filled the grounds. I
could tell that this was going to be an
exciting – if not exhausting – day.
As the day wore on, the crowds
grew with the darkening clouds.
Rain didn’t have a chance to quell kicks. the excitement that I witnessed from bands and audiences alike. I shot
photos of Mother Mother, Monster
Truck, and The Lumineers among
other performers. The quiet I had
ABOVE Monster Truck’s Jon Harvey experienced in the morning had been
sings his guts out all over the crowd. completely taken over by the sounds
of cheering, guitars and bass. I got to
stand right at the front with the help
of my media pass, and I could feel the
energy of the crowd.
winter 2015 13 OPENING ACT
Huge Cosmic has, quite literally, a huge rather than take on extra members. Huge Cosmic blend mayonnaise-thick
sound. They sound like a merry band Though the band’s name was chosen fuzz tones, clean guitar taps, buzzy
of fifteen but in reality are comprised from a Haruki Murakami novel, the synths, busy drumming, 11/8 time
of two. band once toyed with the idea of signatures, and ‘90s Emo reminiscent
Vocalist/guitarist Jacob Hrajnik naming themselves “Gradients” – as vocals. Their music is an uncommon
and vocalist/drummer Dean Snowball it seemed that every song they were melange of math rock and shoegaze. huge quickly realized they could enlarge writing was an ever-evolving and never- their sound with the use of a loop pedal, returning series of movements, moods, Hear Huge Cosmic live in action at cosmic bass amp, sampler pad and keyboard, and ideas. Exploding out of the canvas, http://hugecosmic.bandcamp.com/. Huge Cosmic is Dean Snowball and Jacob Hrajnik. Most of the press photography of the band makes them look deep and dreamy-eyed, like their music.
RIGHT Huge Cosmic’s first EP,
Microcosmic. You can listen to it in its
entirety on their bandcamp.
winter 2015 15 OPENING ACT
Nikki Fierce began as a summer project transformation into a new person.
shortly after three bored girls watched The genre of their music is hard
the movie “The Runaways.” They were to pin down, but recently they’ve
inspired by Joan Jett’s sound and decided upon the combination of
“fierce” attitude. Evangeline had a indie, alternative, rock, and pop, with a
guitar and Claire had her dad’s drum mixture of grunge as well.
set. Emily originally began with keys, Nikki Fierce represents
but moved on to bass which became her everything the girls can be with
instrument of choice. The band name their best potential. It is about love,
originated from the British movie confidence, acceptance, and of course
“How To Be.” The girls were struck by empowerment, otherwise known as
the character named Nikki Fierce, being “fierce”.
finding him hilariously inspiring.
Nikki Fierce became their alter ego, Check out Nikki Fierce’s sound
similarly to how the character Nikki in at https://www.facebook.com/
the movie used his name to mark his NikkiFierceBand.
ABOVE The girls pretending to care NIKKI that their picture is being taken.
Evangeline, Claire and Emily are the wiley femmes who make up fierceNikki Fierce. It would not be a good idea to mess with them. winter 2015 17 OPENING ACT
Ever heard of The Johnny Red Eyes? Eric, Formed in 2010, The Johnny Red Eyes maybe a little nausea. Brian, Rob and Sean play some music that’s are a band that incorporates influences The Johnny Red Eyes band definitely memorable. from a slew of genres such as noise, comprises itself of four merry
punk, ska, and progressive rock. members: Brian Steels on lead vocals
Early formations of the band began and rhythm guitar, Rob Parkinson on
by playing punk/ska at shows in and bass and backup vocals, Eric Berall on
around Toronto. But after a lineup lead guitar and backup vocals, and Sean
change and a trip to Halifax, the band’s Singh on drums. the sound matured. And so was born an interesting collection of tracks filled Check out their sound at
with interesting time signatures, http://thejohnnyredeyes.bandcamp.
strange progressions & genre-bending com/. The band will also bring their
movements designed to fill audiences noise to Canadian Music Week, taking johnnyred eyes with wonder and excitement, and place from May 1 to 10, 2015.
LEFT The band hanging out in a
ravine. Pants are for suckers, anyway.
winter 2015 19
DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 IS ALIVE AND WELL
After over eight years on hiatus, Jesse and Seb have kissed, made up, and rocked the fuck out. Story by Dean Snowball
Two impressionable young lads who play a full north American tour, ending
went by the name Death From Above with a sold out two-night performance.
released a couple of extended plays, After two cross-Canada tours to warm
changed their name, recorded a full up new songs, they recorded their
album, and metaphorically called it a second full length record entitled The
day. From that moment onward, since Physical World. As quickly as they
their debut album You’re A Woman, I’m had disappeared, DFA came back with
A Machine achieved gold status, the the same amount of energy they had
band garnered an impressively massive displayed in 2004. It has just the same
fan base all around the world, far kind of disco-punk and hard rock
surpassing previous numbers. flavouring you’d expect, but with a new
The duo consists of Jesse F. Keeler modern rock and pop mixture. This
(bass, keys and vocals) and Sebastien time around, electronics and keyboards
Grainger (drums and main vocals). are added (played by previous producer
ABOVE The nefarious duo performing Their music can only be described Al-P, current bandmate of Jesse in his
at the old (new) Sonic Boom in Honest as gritty, sweaty dance punk with a MSTRKRFT side project).
Ed’s on September 26. minimal set up and maximum levels of
bravado. After five years, Death From
Above 1979 returned to the stage to
winter 2015 21 To commemorate the release of lives depended on it. A major label
their new album and the relocation of band who became famous in their
Toronto record store Sonic Boom from “indie” days became the talk of the
You know this lady their Honest Ed’s home, they played an town after playing an exclusive concert she’s my baby, exclusive show inside the storefront. in a soon-to-be abandoned record The show was only seen by contest store. Complete with free drink tickets, she’s my baby, baby winners who entered to win through snacks and an amazing opening set Vice Magazine and Molson Canadian. by Canadian BC legends The New When can I see you? In a second wave of raw power, the Pornographers, Death From Above band known to their fans as “DFA’79” 1979 has cemented a status as a classic Can I love you? played songs from their two albums modern Canadian rock band. This with the same amount of energy they band has the ability (as a duo, mind Can I hold you? displayed almost 10 years ago. About you) to move a crowd of hundreds, three songs into the set, everyone could nay, thousands of people. That takes a feel the heat oozing from the growing special kind of talent. 23 number of bodies rushing to the front.
Everyone seemed to be screaming the
lyrics to Romantic Rights and pumping
their fists into the misty air like their
ABOVE The boys jamming at Riot Fest
on September 6. Note the pair of legs
sticking out of the crowd on the left.
RIGHT Jesse and Seb locked in a
lovegaze that lasted three songs. You’re beating walls now you just won’t quit You play with shapes but they just won’t fit” “ – from “Romantic Rights” off You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine (2005) There’s a darkness and a hollow on the highway 24 DFAEvery cross by the roadside tells a story
– from “Trainwreck 1979” off The Physical World (2014)
RIGHT Jesse performing one of his ABOVE Sebastien smacking the living
skull-shattering baselines. daylight out of his kit as he belts out
the lyrics.
winter 2015 25 Who knew a wee sheet of paper could hold so much awesomeness? Gaze upon a lovingly curated collection of setlists from the hands THIS IS MY of concert-goers themselves.
26 FAVOURITE What is a setlist? It’s really just a piece Further, and perhaps more simply, of paper that bands use to keep track there is only one setlist for each show
of their set. Logical, really. It’s got the and only one person can own it. The
order of the songs on it, and if you’re setlist acts as a kind of personal link
SCRAP OF lucky enough to be close enough to the between the musician and audience.
stage (and have good eyesight), you Here, collected for your perusal,
can follow along. You can see that this resides an array of setlists from very
PAPER piece of paper isn’t really anything different shows. Therein, the setlists
special. But then, maybe it is. The represent very different things about
setlist reflects the experience shared the bands who produced them as well
between the band and the audience, as the people from the audience who
and is the only material object that can now own them.
represent the audial phenomenon of
what occurred on that day in that place.
winter 2015 27 THE DECEMBERISTS DIE ANTWOORD owned by Kaylin Baker-Fields
RETRIeVED Feb 1, 2011 owned by Dean Snowball VENUE The Sound Academy
RETRIeVED Feb 14, 2012 After waiting for about two
VENUE The Phoenix hours in the freezing cold that On Halloween night, when is February at the Waterfront, I everyone gets invited to a slew of knew I had won when I ran into costume parties, I chose instead the venue and staked my claim at to see a South African rave-rap the front and center of the floor. In trio. I passed the time before the just a few minutes, I would be only show chatting up a security worker a short distance away from Colin who was manning the front of Meloy, the quasi-heartthrob of the the stage. Amidst cyber goths Decemberists. complaining about their day jobs He actually brought his acoustic and hipsters debating the validity guitar out into the audience a of the band’s new album, the number of times, and of course bouncer and I chatted about his I was the first to touch his plaid- job and other random subjects. In shirted chest. I noticed that he was the end, I made the right choice: dancing around all over the setlist he chose to award the set list to under his feet, and I made it my me, passing it over the heads and goal to retrieve it before I left. grabby hands of said hipsters. I One pleasant chat with a bouncer thanked him with a wave and a later and that setlist was mine. I smile. He winked in a more-than- still keep it on my bedroom wall. If friendly way. Maybe I was a little you look closely you can see Colin’s too smiley. boot print. It’s the best part. owned by Evangeline Fitz BEDS RETRIeVED Sep 29, 2010
VENUE Massey Hall It was my first real concert. They were full of energy, which I didn’t expect considering their minimalistic, melodic tunes.
The bassist, Oliver, filled the hall owned by Chloe Silver sipping on my third cider of the with his presence, hunching and RETRIeVED Aug 22, 2014 evening, I was in a curious enough swaying over his instrument, VENUE The Smiling Buddha state to notice a scrap of paper reminding me of some kind of It was a rainy Friday. I was going keeping me company on the table. tribal dancer. The only thing to see my friend’s band play and I unfolded it and could not make that felt wrong about the whole I was late. By the time I got to the sense of it at first. After a minute, thing was the way the audience venue, I saw the drummer outside I realized that it was the setlist of was confined to their seats. It was chatting and I knew I had missed one of the other bands! I hadn’t during the encore that finally their set. But I had done what any seen them play and I didn’t know everyone ran up to the small space good friend would do, I showed up. anything about them, but I kept at the front to sing and dance We all hung out inside and listened their setlist. I still don’t know why, along to “VCR” and “Islands”. to the next band play. While but I’ll probably keep it forever. When the band finished, I noticed people grappling for the setlists taped to the stage. Following suit, I began yelling at the stagehand to “please pass me Oliver’s setlist!” It’s become my tradition to try and obtain any relic I can of a transcendent musical experience. THE XX
winter 2015 31 oktoberfest ist
32 wunderbar
Beau’s Oktoberfest is not for the faint of heart. An astounding mixture of good beer and awesome indie music come together in the right pinky finger of Ontario that we call Vankleek Hill. Story by Kaylin Baker-Fields
UPSIDE DOWN A strange view of
the München Haus, one of four Beer
Houses in which you may plentifully
whet your whistle.
winter 2015 33 Vankleek Hill is a small, relaxed Brewery’s 6th annual Oktoberfest in Grøenland and more. Oh, and let’s
community in Eastern Ontario at the the first weekend of October, and it was not forget Canada’s Polka King Walter
corner of serenity and nowhere, known easy to see that the organizers were no Ostanek offering a taste of traditional
for its gingerbread, Beau’s craft beer strangers to rocking out, drinking up, music. While the musical acts took
and…Oktoberfest? If you couldn’t find and having a good time, no matter the place later at night, I had no trouble
this place on a map before, spending a weather. The event initially caught my finding entertainment during the
muddy, sauerkraut filled weekend sure eye because of its selection of top notch daytime. The fairgrounds hosted three
would make all your compasses point musical acts: Joel Plaskett Emergency different beer tents; offering a variety
in its direction. Just look for the mass and Tokyo Police Club headlining of Beau’s funky goodness, a midway;
of people in bright green alpine hats! I two amazing nights of Rural Alberta built on clever, homemade carnival
was lucky enough to experience Beau’s Advantage, Zeus, The Strumbellas, games, a Cask Haus; housing over 70 prost!
RIGHT Joel Plaskett warming the ABOVE Enjoying a Nordic Pale Ale cockels of everyone’s hearts with his and watching the Beau’s team set up for
Maritime folk-infused rock tuneage. the competitive Keg tosses.
winter 2015 35 LEFT The Rural Alberta Advantage
doing their musical thang on stage.
Gemütlichkeit(gu-moot-lish-kite) different craft beers from breweries nerds-in-training”. Offering cooking than just respectable, it was legendary. A German phrase, roughly translating to an atmosphere of all over Ontario and Quebec, and two with beer classes, beer education and Ever wanted to try bison chili or perogie
comfort, peace, and acceptance, what Oktoberfest is all about. seemingly never-ending food tents. The other “beer-cathalons”, anyone could poutine? How about Fritos Pie (chili
event stage was not to be missed, being become a beer connoisseur. piled into a bag of Frito chips)? This
used for the landmark sausage eating When all the fun and beer began to was the place to be. From oyster bars to
contest and the stein holding struggle. produce pangs of hunger (which was beer-flavoured ice cream, the festival
Beside this was a big arena used for the inevitable due to the lingering smell had everything that a beer lover’s
classics: the spouse carrying race, the of delectable spices and pretzels), one gastronomic dreams could construct.
ABOVE A sausage eating contest. The malt sack races and the keg tosses. If had only to mosey on over to one of Sometimes, a deep-fried pulled-pork
winner broke the all-time record with all of that still wasn’t enough to do, for the food tents. While any respectable sandwich is the only thing to cure a
18 sausages eaten in under 10 minutes! a couple extra bucks the festival also Oktoberfest food tent would serve rainy Saturday afternoon. After you
presented “School of Bock”, cleverly sausages, potato salad, sauerkraut and became so full that you had trouble
advertised to “beer-nerds and beer- coleslaw, Beau’s Oktoberfest was more seeing straight, you could (and should)
winter 2015 37 fumble your way into one of the beer rainy and muddy, but the spouses kept LEFT Groenland’s Sabrina Halde tents. Beau’s offered thirteen of their racing, the kegs kept getting tossed, crooning like she was born to do it. exquisite beers, each one boasting its and the beer taps never ran dry. And own interesting and enjoyable flavour best of all, it was in the name of charity. from crisp pale ales to creamy milk The festival raised over $95 000 dollars stouts, excellent for the experienced to various charities all over Canada. boozer or the novel sipper. My favourite Thanks, Vankleek Hill and Beau’s, for was the Night Märzen, a lager rich in showing a girl a wicked good weekend body, balance and flavour. It’s regularly of Oktoberfestivities and love. If you’re brewed, so be sure to watch out for it in searching for me this time next year, the Beer Store or LCBO. you know exactly where I’ll be. After all,
By the end of the weekend, I was Oktoberfest ist Wunderbar! BELOW Dusty, the fan favourite, exhausted, a little drunk, totally showing off his skills in the keg toss. stuffed, and had had my ears blessed by the sound of mouth-watering tunes. But more importantly, I had a great time. Our Saturday was chilly,
Auf wiedersehen!
RIGHT Birthday boy Neil Quin of Zeus
strumming his bass like a precious
little four-stringed baby kitten.
winter 2015 39 THE ENCORE yeah
ABOVE The usual superhuman eyeball
is released into the crowd during its yeah very own song Heads Will Roll. yeah! Happy Canada Day: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs played a crazy set at Echo Beach on July 1, 2013.
Story by Jessica Lewis Beach was too hard to resist.
Playing a large outdoor venue, you
would think the massive stage would
dwarf the four piece band (which
included a fourth touring player –
Deep inside the darkness that is my David Pajo) but it was pretty clear show started to gain momentum. Zero, screaming “they don’t love you like I
brain, there is a list. The list consists of tthats size doesn’t really matter when the first truly crossover hit for the band love you”. Probably one of the greatest
bands that, given the opportunity, I will Karen O is on stage. One of the most was the first of the show to get everyone lines of lyrics from the past decade.
always see live. It’s not a long list, but mesmerizing fronts in recent history, dancing. It helped that the delayed Heads Will Roll ended off the main
it’s a good list. One of the bands on this Karen O is simply someone you don’t introduction worked everyone into a set, but everyone knew that there
list is Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Ever since I saw take your eyes off of when she’s on frenzy as they tossed a giant eyeball would be more. Two encores featuring
Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase stage – she’s so unpredictable and her into the crowd. Maps, their most Cheated Hearts, Tick and Date With
electrify the Phoenix about a decade enthusiam and energy are something iconic song, soon followed and had the The Night finished off the 80 minute
ago I knew I wanted to catch them every everyone feeds off of. entire crowd singing to the song. Even set, with the last one predictably
opportunity I had. Despite my initial As the band moved into the though this is my third or fourth time spawning a dancing fit for the people
disappointment with their latest album “greatest hits” portion of their set, hearing it live, it still gives me the chills who remained at Echo Beach. It was a
Mosquito, a Canada Day show at Echo things started to get interesting and the when the chorus hits and everyone is furious finish to a triumphant night.
winter 2015 41 DOUBLE TAKE
Travel through two unique reviews of the Ontario born electronic musician’s show at the Danforth Music Hall on November 24. dreamscaribou of
Story by Chloe Silver Story by OT Truong their renowned single. The Danforth Caribou’s entire performance
I’ve been listening to Caribou (aka Dan It was exactly 9:17 PM when the first Music Hall vibrated from the bass of was seamlessly exceptional, from
Snaith) since his third album Andorra sight of Caribou’s live ensemble was the music and dancing of the audience. their extended remixes to their
came out in 2007. I have since fallen in spotted. The four members appeared If you haven’t heard Caribou choreographed lights. The concert was
love twice more with Caribou’s sounds, on stage dressed in all white as the before, they carry an electronic sound visually and acoustically satisfying.
for Swim in 2010 and Our Love earlier crowd grew in excitement. Little did I with a focused beat, fluid vocals and an We were fortunate to witness
this fall. The way he puts electronic know, I was about to experience one of echoing melody. What remains unique his collaboration with Jessy Lanza,
sounds together to create music that is the best shows I would see this year. about their songs is their continuous performing Second Chance during their
somehow warm and full of an organic Caribou opened their set with Our rhythm and hints of experimental last show on tour together. Jessy also
touch astounds me. Love, paired with warm purple flood noise that become evidently adored by opened Caribou, displaying her strong,
I was extremely excited to see lights that later flickered to the beat of their listeners. pure vocals with her Grimes-like mixes.
that he was bringing his band to the
Danforth Music Hall on November 24.
I knew the show was going to be great,
even if just because the Danforth is
always filled with energetic people who
really feel the music (and the sloping
floor makes for a good view).
winter 2015 43 DOUBLE TAKE
As the show started, Dan and his We knew it was close to the end three bandmates came onstage wearing when they started playing Can’t Do matching white outfits to contrast Without You, their first single off the the dazzling lights that reflected off Our Love album, but it wasn’t a show them and the audience throughout without an encore and they returned to the entire show. One of my favourite the stage with Sun, literally brightening parts was when all of the lights focused the venue with their energetic sounds unmovingly on a spot in the middle of and powerful light show. the ceiling during the slow-jam intro of Caribou is an artist you must catch
Back Home, making the hall into some when they are back in town. One can kind of electronic cathedral. only hope it won’t be too long of a wait.
One of the most amazing things about the show was that while I would certainly classify his music as electronic, the four-piece contained two guitars, one and a half drum kits, two synthesizers, and a couple of flute version), Snaith recreated the sound solos. The sounds created by this with his crash symbol. The live music ABOVE A sight for sore eyes: real eclectic mix of instruments resulted showcased a different spin from its instruments during an electronic show. in a delicious mix of sound, and it was recorded counterpart, and I was loving easy to see that this was not the usual it the whole time. electronic experience of a guy pushing As the last sounds of the encore buttons on a MacBook and bobbing his rework of Sun died out, I couldn’t stop head once in a while. The sounds were shaking from the incredible experience being composed right in front of the that had washed over me. If there is audience. Even for Bowls (which uses ever a current band to see live for a
Tibetian singing bowls in the recorded truly unique experience, it is Caribou.
winter 2015 45 AFTER PARTY What makes an awesome set?
Odesza, an electronic two-piece
from Seattle, Washington have played
this year at Osheaga in Montreal and
The Mod Club in Toronto and both of
those shows were a spectacle to witness.
First of all, yes, they do use MacBooks,
but they actually dance, embrace the
crowd, and even turn sideways, back-
to-back, to play percussion pads in a
very interesting stage setup.
The best part of the whole show is
Some people don’t like to go to live the visual effects that bathe the stage
shows for electronic musicians. They in a crazy glow and make you feel like
ABOVE Odesza ripping it up at The say that there isn’t anything to see but a you’re on a different planet entirely.
Virgin Mobile Mod Club on October 6. dude behind a MacBook, standing still. These guys may make electronic
Sometimes he will bob his head or put music, but their live shows are at least
his arms up to the crowd when the beat as entertaining as their recorded
is about to drop. The usual boring stuff. music.
winter 2015 47