Archive for June, 2009
Let’s Chat: Valleys
June 30th, 2009 | By: Nathaniel Wisnicki
Valleys
The Montreal-based Valleys have been generating a fair bit of buzz lately, with their ‘psych-folk’ sounds fitting in well with the Semprini record label (also home to Pas Chic Chic, Chocolat and others). Key members Marc St. Louis and Matilda Perks founded the band four years ago and have since been cruising around (as a four-piece), playing around Montreal.
Playing NxNE on the 19th, Marc sat down for an interview before their show at Rancho Relaxo. Their albumSometimes Water Kills People is set to be released on Semprini in September.
The Singing Lamb: So, if you don’t mind me saying, you look a bit nervous!
Marc St. Louis: Ha! Well, a bit. We’ve mostly just played in places with about five people in them. [laughs] This is one of the first times where we’re sure we won’t know anyone in the audience.
Are you used to playing Toronto?
Not at all, actually. We’ve only played here four times before, never at NxNE.
What did you think of the city, in general?
Toronto’s really nice. I might just be saying this because I mostly spend my time in Montreal, but it’s a welcome change. We’re staying the whole weekend, which should be nice. It seems in Toronto that there’s something interesting to see any night you want.
Any particular artists you’d like to see?
It’s definitely be nice to see No Age and Health later on, but I’m not sure if I’ll get to.
Does there seem to be any glaring differences between the Montreal music scene and the Toronto one? From what you know?
Well, not a lot of people want to admit it, but the Montreal scene is actually pretty competitive. I mean, I know that all music scenes are competitive in some ways, but in Quebec it’s kind of unspoken and a little more intense. There’s no grudges held or any of that kind of stuff, and the bands are kind of communal there, but at the same time there’s always the feeling hanging over everything of wanting to get up there first, you know?
It’s just kind of tacitly implied?
Exactly. I mean, I don’t want to sound like all the artists in Montreal are ego-driven people, but as always there’s the competitiveness of it all. There’s fewer venues in Montreal, so it’s very much an issue of size.
Well, so now that you’re going to be playing in front of more people, and later when the album comes out, what can people expect from your live shows?
Well, the live show starts out treating the melody kind of delicately, in a way. And then it goes more ambient with the melodies and we kind of warp it in a bunch of different ways.
So you improvise a lot?
Yeah, definitely. We don’t really let the songs have segues. Like, instead of putting a guitar solo in we’ll kind of make it freer and looser, very on-the-spot. Pascal (Oliver, bandmate) is really good with improvising, since he knows his equipment well. It’s a very intricate set-up which I’m still trying to understand.
It seems that’s where you guys differ from the bands you’re compared to, like Yo La Tengo.
Yeah, we get that a lot, but I guess it’s more because we have the male-female vocals going on.
And which of you do you think is the more confident singer?
Neither! [laughs] We’re still trying to lock everything down vocally.
And how did the partnership between you two come up? Were you in bands before Valleys?
We were in a bunch of little bands before, mostly very folk-y or some slower feedback jams. When we were living in New York, our friend Rachel Lipson asked us to be her backing band in the UK, so we did that for a while and learned a lot. And we’ve been together as Valleys for four years. Four years this May.
And how have you and the band been reacting to the press acclaim?
It’s very encouraging. I think if you play songs by yourself, you might learn a lot but you might feel a bit distant. When you get feedback like we’ve been getting, it’s all worth it.
That kind of thing is very refreshing to hear. Most bands seem to pretend like they don’t give a damn about what the press thinks.
Not us. I love getting feedback.
Okay, and one last question: if you were a singing animal, what would you be?
Probably a buffalo. Because they’re big and I like them.
***
Valleys wordlessly took the stage at 11 that night, and Marc would have seemed to be right about nervousness – there were plenty more at the venue than five. When they began to gently strum their guitars, though, they provided a stark (and very welcome) rebuttal to the loud blues-rock bands that had preceded them.
The live experience was truly exciting, though, because each song seemed to be unpredictable from moment to moment. In one five-minute song, the group could sound like Glenn Branca’s early-80s guitar experiments and the minimalist American composers of the 70s. There was never a single moment where one could suspect a mapped-out structure – everything seemed sonically and emotionally real…more a suggestion of melody rather than the blatant expression of it. This worked staggeringly well for the band.
Valleys certainly have their own style, but the band that they seemed to call up most was Explosions in the Sky. And while that band creates triumphant grandiosity with only a few guitars as they spin and swirl around each other, Valleys go one step further by managing to do the same things with a much more improvised aesthetic – and with not as many guitars.
A friend observed to me during the concert that the band would be a fantastic group to sit in a living room with as they waded through one of their space-y jams. And it’s easy to see why – the vocal interplay between Matilda and Marc is both charming and endearing (which might have been helped by Marc when he looked up at the crowd with alarmingly sad eyes). And the gauzy textures that were provided behind them fit in to a relaxed and yet edgy sound that would indeed seem most appropriate for living room introspection. Listening to Valleys is like listening to a band that are going down a pathway whose destination is unclear…taking each step with relish and anticipation, but smart enough to be wary of what they find at the end.
For more Valleys,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/valleysvalleysvalleys
[NXNE] Boys Who Say No @ Clinton’s
June 30th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
![Boys Who Say No @ Whippersnapper (Not part of NXNE) [Photo Credit: Band's MySpace]](http://singlamb.nfshost.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/boyswho.jpg "boyswho")
Boys Who Say No @ Whippersnapper (Not part of NXNE) [Photo Credit: Band's MySpace
The only band I was able to catch (due to scheduling) was Toronto’s very own Boys Who Say No. Having seen them play multiple times this year, I must say this set was among one of their best. This band has a tendency to continuously grow and get better with each performance. Lead singer Luke Correia-Damude conveys a strong sense of confidence and conviction when he sings that just grabs people’s attention with every song; not to mention his James Dean-esque charm helps a lot.
Acting as almost a melting pot of genres, Boys Who Say No’s sound ranges from country-infused pop tunes to straight-up indie rock sing-alongs. Since the formation of the band though, they have fine-tuned and narrowed down their sound significantly; making for a more cohesive live set.
The energy level that this band feeds the audience is quite infectious, whether it made you just toe-tap a little or full out burst into a dance party. Enthusiasm, excitement and humour (as a joke, Correia-Damide introduced themselves as Japanther to the audience) – Boys Who Say No are on their way to becoming an incredible band. They’re not Japanther just yet but one day they will; and they’ll be even better.
Also, someone please explain to me why “It’s A Shame” is not a bonafide hit already. If they didn’t win the bedazzled shirt, they at least deserved a sleeve.
For more Boys Who Say No,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/boyswhosayno
Missed Boys Who Say No at NXNE? Catch them in town on July 4th (Tranzac), 17th (Silver Dollar), and 23rd (Drake)! For more details, click on the MySpace link!
[NXNE] The Black Lips @ Yonge-Dundas Square
June 29th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor
The Black Lips @ Yonge-Dundas Square (Photo Credit: Matthew Braga)
How Danny Viola Played Onstage With the Black Lips
It is Thursday, June 18. Outside, the sky is grey and gloomy; the threat of rain hangs in the clouds. Alas, the weather does not represent my attitude (which is sunny and upbeat), as I am sitting in front of the Black Lips, who I have been an incredible fan of for some time.
The Atlanta, Georgia foursome, whose lo-fi garage rock has played innumerable times from inside my car stereo, are sitting in front of me and are going to be playing as one of the headlining bands of the North By North East music festival here in Toronto. We are just off to the side of the main stage at Yonge and Dundas Square, and the four of them are preparing to play their set.
“Danny, I wish we could have met earlier. I was expecting some 40-year-old guy who knew nothing of us when I heard that we were going to be interviewed. I never thought that it was gonna be some fuckin’ sweet uni student,” says Jared Swilley, one of the guitarists and singers.
“Wow Jared, you’re making me blush. No need for all these compliments,” I chuckle.
“No man, we’re serious. This has been one of the best interviews we’ve had,” says the eccentric Cole Alexander. “Seriously man, we wish we could stay in Toronto for a bit longer and chill.”
“Ah, I know guys me too. But we’ll always have tonight, and if we were meant to be BFFLs, we’ll meet again someday,” I say.
“Danny, we don’t usually do this. But would you want to come up on stage and play tambourine on our last song?”
Holy shit. I can’t believe it. Trying not to vomit from excitement, I tell them yeah, I’d be honoured.
An hour later, I am standing on the side of the stage, waiting for my cue. My legs are shaking, I’m trying not to piss myself, and out of nowhere I am pushed onstage by one of the crew. I look at the band and they all nod and smile. The song starts, and I start playing my tambourine. My nervousness is gone, and I play that instrument like a fucking pro. It is at that very moment when I realise that I can do better than just a tambourine, so I grab a guitar and start playing this killer solo. Suddenly, girls start rushing the stage. I suspect that they were driven to madness by my sheer manliness and musical prowess. Over the screaming of the females, I hear Jared yell out “I JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. YOU ARE THE NEW LEADER OF THIS BAND.”
If you couldn’t tell, I love day dreaming. I should have gone into fiction writing over journalism.
***
The “Let’s Chat” that Never Was: Black Lips Edition
While that never REALLY happened, I am pretty sure it WOULD have if the Black Lips had only shown up to the interview. Let me backtrack a bit and tell you why, and how, the Black Lips broke my heart.
A few weeks ago, I was literally giddy with glee when Melody (Editor-in-chief – The Singing Lamb) told me that I would be interviewing the Black Lips for this website. The band was in Europe, so I went out and bought a calling card, and starting counting down the hours for our phone interview.
Finally, the day comes, and I was shaking with anticipation like a kid on Christmas day waiting to open his presents. So I stared at the clock and wait for our 11:30 AM phone interview. Finally, it’s time, and I started dialling. The phone rang for a full minute. I hung up and try again. Same result. I called and I called and I called. No answer. I was crushed. I tried to rationalize it. Maybe they were away from the phone, maybe there was a mix up. Later in the day, Melody tells me that she talked to the label representative, and another interview has been set up for the following day.
The next day, I woke up to a text message from Melody telling me that the interview is cancelled. FML.
But things took a turn for the better later on in the week. Melody messaged me telling me that I now get to interview the band IN PERSON. I love life again. Food tastes better, the grass looks greener. My life is complete.
Fast forward to the present. It is June 18, the big day. I am sitting in Ryerson’s campus pub completing my pre-interview ritual (going over notes while downing a few beers to calm my nerves). I reach the right balance of confidence and not slurring my words, and walk over to the stage to meet the band. Only one problem: they are not there. I wait a few minutes, and still there is no one. I send the tour manager a message and he says that he will be there in 10 minutes. I sigh with relief; at least I know they are not going to bail on the interview like the last couple times…
It is over an hour later and I am watching the band go up onstage to play. The manager never calls or messages me back telling me why they did not show up. I receive no messages after the band finished playing. I am shut down. Ditched. Ignored. I feel like I have been stood up on a date, ignored by those I love the most. The only person who knows what it’s like to get excited about something, show up with the best intentions, only to get blown off is this boy here. He and I are not so different. Stay strong mystery Rose Boy.
Megan Fox… I mean the Black Lips, I LOVE YOU!
While the Black Lips’ performance is okay, I stand by my belief that they would have been much better with me onstage, tambourine in hand. Maybe it was my frustration and loathing which made me not enjoy the show as much as I could have. Who knows? All I do know is that my heart has been ripped out and I will never love again. So if you excuse me, I will go cry into my pillow for the next seven hours.
To leave an angry message on behalf of The Singing Lamb,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theblacklips
* In all honesty, we here at the Singing Lamb do love Vice Records and The Black Lips. This particular incident did affect the love though. We have faith that it will be resolved and patched up one day.
By Danny Viola
News Update!
June 28th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
The Dodos
News Updates are back! Sorry for the lack of posts here, on the main page. Hopefully, everyone found their way to the ‘Features’ page though and the Singing Lamb’s NXNE coverage! There are still a few more reviews and interviews coming up this week, so keep checking that page! For now, this is what I missed out on for the past two weeks (more or less).
Show Announcements:
Library Voices @ Horseshoe (July 28th, 19+)
Woods, Wooden Wand @ Sneaky Dee’s (August 8th, $10.50, 19+)
Langhorne Slim @ Horseshoe (August 5th, $10.50, 19+)
The Hold Steady @ Lee’s (September 27th, $21.50, 19+)
La Roux @ El Mocambo (July 31st, $12.00, 19+)
The Dodos, The Ruby Suns @ Lee’s (October 17th, 19+)
Dinosaur Jr. @ Phoenix (September 30th)
Built To Spill @ Lee’s (October 6-7th, 19+)
White Lies, Still Life Still, Love is All @ Phoenix (September 28th, $20.00, 19+)
The Breeders @ Lee’s (August 15th, $23.50, 19+)
Jesus Lizard @ Phoenix (November 9th, $20.00, 19+)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Kool Haus (August 4th, $32.50, ALL-AGES)
For those who have yet to purchase your Yeah Yeah Yeahs tickets (i.e. me), unfortunately the show is sold out. Rumours are swirling that a second show may be added, but don’t be too hopeful. Fuck. Next best thing? Road trip to Osheaga – who’s in?
In addition to the already fantastic line-up for this year’s Harbourfront shows, The Dears have been added to the Canadian Voices festival and will be performing a free show on July 26th. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.
Yes Giantess will open for Little Boots at Wrongbar on September 14th.
Sick of The Singing Lamb’s coverage of NXNE? Same. For more coverage, check out these wonderful sites:
Chromewaves
Pete Nema
For the ‘records’
It’s Not The Band I Hate, It’s Their Fans
Narratives
Lycanthropy
North By East West
MW Music Review Blog
The Top Down
Suckingalemon
That’s more or less my list of favourite sites too, by the way. But all of them have fantastic photos and reviews from the festivities so take a look at them! …Then come back and read some more on the Singing Lamb. Please.
Haven’t had time to catch a Secret Session @ Tara yet? It’s okay; catch up and download sessions on theirsite now! If you’re in town, be sure to catch free sessions from Barzin, Black Hat Brigade, and The Artist Lifethis month! Read more about it on their Facebook page.
Other News:
The title of the new Hidden Cameras album is called Origin: Orphan and will be released again via. Arts & Crafts.
In an interview with NME, Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler says the band is currently writing a follow-up to 2007′s Neon Bible. Read the interview here.
Feist joins Wilco onstage for a performance of “You and I” - watch here!
Islands lead singer Nick Thorborn talks to Pitchfork about the band’s new album, Vapours (out September 22nd). Read here.
Surprise! New Spoon EP coming out this week! Read more about it here.
Listen to She & Him’s cover of the Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” here. Then go out and watch (500) Days of Summer, out on July 17th. Watch the trailer here.
Amy Millan’s new album, Masters of the Burial will be released on September 8th. Here’s the tracklisting:
Masters of the Burial
01. Bruised Ghosts
02. Low Sail
03. Old Perfume
04. Towers
05. Day To Day
06. Bury This
07. Finish Line
08. Run For Me
09. I Will Follow You Into Dark
10. Lost Compass
She’ll be at Harbourfront on July 25th for a free show, alongside Gentlemen Reg!
Due to the city worker’s strike, the Poor Pilgrim show on Toronto Island this year has been postponed to August 9th. Another fantastic show happening on Toronto Island that’s to-be-announced will be Wavelength presents: ALL CAPS! This show will take place on August 15th; details to come.
This year’s Summerworks Theatre Festival will be August 6-16 and although the Music Series has yet to be announced, Miracle Fortress and Polaris long list nominees, Think About Life have already been confirmed! Exciting!
Happy listening!
Musically,
Melody
Let’s Chat: Hannah Georgas
June 28th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
Hannah Georgas
The Singing Lamb: So you haven’t had to time catch anyone so far at NXNE?
Hannah Georgas: No!
Are you planning to?
I want to. But basically, I have to leave at 6:00 am this morning to catch a flight tomorrow morning so it’s kind of iffy. I’ll get to see Said the Whale though!*
You recently worked with Said the Whale on the new album, correct?
Yes, I did! Well I just went in and sang some stuff with them, like harmonies and a few of their songs.
How was it to work with them?
Cool! They’re great, I love that band to death as people and they’re just great musicians and I like their music a lot. It was nice.
I also hear a rumour that part of your backing band tonight will be members of Mother Mother? How did that happen?
Yeah! Well Ryan, the lead singer from Mother Mother is producing my record, so I randomly just asked him one day – because I’m in a transition, looking for a drummer and guitar player – and randomly went ‘So if you want to play with me, you should!’ and he was like, ‘sure’ and I was like, ‘What!? Done!’ So he said, ‘If I’m not busy for the time that you need me then I’ll do it with you’ and it worked out in my favour so it’s pretty exciting because I think he’s amazing. It’s him and then Jasmin the keyboard player and Ali the drummer will be playing with me. And then my bass player. It’s cool!
Describe the vibe of the Vancouver music scene.
Vancouver’s got the west coasty vibe and you definitely feel like a little bit of that surfy, mellow vibe. The climate out in Vancouver has a lot of that kind of music going on and it’s great. I think there’s a lot of great music in Vancouver like Mother Mother; they’re one of them that I love – which is not what I just described at all but still!! Yeah, I think it’s very supportive group of people/musicians out there.
You were originally born and raised here in Ontario though, right?
Yep, in Newmarket. So just a little bit outside of Toronto.
Do you ever miss it here?
To be honest, no! But its always nice to come back and visit for sure and there’s a great scene for music in Toronto; I’ve been back here quite a few times this year. I almost feel like I should stay out here sometimes but I do love Vancouver.
I read on your MySpace profile that you want to marry Jack Black?
Yeah, he’s a funny guy! He’s probably the most hilarious person on this planet. If you know me well, you know that I just love to laugh and I find humour is just a necessity in life. I admire him and think he’s amazing.
What’s your favourite Jack Black movie?
Nacho Libre! And today, Year One comes out and I really, really want to see it so I think when I head back tomorrow I will see it tomorrow night.
So this is your first time playing NXNE?
Yep! I also got to do CMW which was fun but yes, first time at NXNE!
How do you feel about festivals vs. regular shows?
It’s such an exciting time to be playing festivals. There are tons of musicians you get to check out and other interesting things going on so it’s awesome. In a way, the benefits of playing an actual show is having your soundcheck and not being so strict on your 40-minute set and then swipe your stage and move onto the next.
What about small venues vs. big venues? You played the Air Canada Centre before?
I did; back in the day! An intimate show is a really special thing and to play to a really small audience, it’s a better vibe then playing in front of tons of people. But a huge audience is a huge rush and a lot of fun. It totally depends; they’re both a cool things to do.
Any plans on a full-length soon?
Well I’ve just finished tracking for the full length record a couple of weekends ago and we’re going to release some singles off that coming up at the end of this summer/fall…wait, actually that’s a lie. It’s going to be mixed at the end of the summer so definitely fall. And then I’m releasing my record next year. Super, super excited about it!
How will it be compared to your EP?
I think the EP was amazing but there’s definitely a bigger sound to it – really edgy, some really great and cool things we worked on that I’m so stoked for.
Cool, and finally – if you were a singing animal, what would you be?
A singing racoon! My friend and I were just trying to figure out designs for t-shirts and she said, ‘If you were any animal, you’d be a racoon,’ and I was like, ‘Fuck you!’
* After the interview, Hannah Georgas walked down the street to Criminal Records and joined Said the Whale for a couple of songs during the band’s in-store performance.
For more Hannah Georgas,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/hannahgeorgas
[NXNE] This Book is Broken Book Launch @ Courthouse
June 27th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau
Broken Social Scene @ Courthouse (Photo Credit: Matthew Braga)
When you have an event name like the “This Book is Broken Book Launch” who else would you expect the special guests to be? It sure ain’t the Arcade Fire. Needless to say, everyone had their good guesses prior to the show (Feist, Stars, Metric, and any Arts & Crafts affiliated bands) but the only logical guess had to be the night’s celebrated stars themselves, Broken Social Scene.
As soon as one walked in, photos were plastered across the two screens on the left and right sides of the walls of the venue and it was quite hard to miss the signs and hints – especially if you turn around and then proceed to see Broken Social Scene’s lead singer Kevin Drew and drummer Justin Peroff mingling with folks on the side of the stage.
The night began with A&C and BSS alumni Jason Collett. Collett’s set was a quite full of new tunes from his upcoming album, coming this fall, fleshed out with a couple of older songs (“Brownie Hawkeye”, “Charlyn, Angel of Kensington”). As per usual, Collett played a solid set of folksy Dylan-rock tunes, more suited for a sunny afternoon on your porch with a beer in hand as opposed to a disco balled nightclub. That was my main peeve of the night – Jason Collett in a jazz lounge? May as well stick Celine Dion at the Velvet Underground. Albeit, regardless of venue, Collett is fantastic live and his raspy voice sinks into your ears ever so smoothly when he sings, but the dynamics were just slightly skewed. For those who want to catch a real Jason Collett vibe at a show, you should’ve caught his residency at the Dakota Tavern last year. I’m sure we’ll get more opportunities though, come October when his album drops. Oh, and how can I forget – this man can dance.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jasoncollettofficial
Next up were two of Arts & Crafts’ newest members, The Happiness Project (Charles Spearin) and Years (Ohad Benchetrit). Intertwining their sets together, both bands had their share of sound and equipment fumbles. At one point, during Years’ set, Broken Social Scene frontman Kevin Drew leapt onstage to entertain the audience and express his love for Benchetrit while problems were being sorted out. Once technical roadblocks were cleared up though, both sets continued on quite smoothly. Suffering from the same symptoms of previous act, Jason Collett, both Years and The Happiness Project also felt out of place at the swanky Courthouse. Having seen The Happiness Project play in March at the atmospherically intimate Music Gallery, it wasn’t the same seeing Charles Spearin, violinist Julie Penner and company playing in the Courthouse’s environment. Performance-wise though, both acts played very endearing sets of material from their recent releases and the audience seemed to be equally mesmerized by their simplistic, soft sounds. Definitely two acts that prove to be captivating both live and on record.
MySpace (The Happiness Project): http://www.myspace.com/charlesspearin
Website (Years): http://www.yearsmusic.ca/
At this point, it hit me – none of these bands are suited for a venue like the Courthouse. But it’s a book launch. It’s Broken Social Scene. It’s a fucking small stage. How rare is that? Suck it up and enjoy it.
Apostle of Hustle were the second last act of the night, before the “special guests” and it was about time they picked up the tempo. Lead singer, Andrew Whiteman is quite possibly one of the best performers out there today; this man knows how to grab your attention by the proverbial horns and make you watch him as he sings, dances and jumps around onstage. This band has yet to disappoint me live. Reinterpretations of songs such as “National Anthem of Nowhere” and “Cheap Like Sebastien” keep their live shows fresh and interesting; and combined with exciting new tracks from their latest release, Eats Darkness, one can’t help but dance and sway along to their folksy, Latin toe-tapping melodies. Even Whiteman’s bandmates in Broken Social Scene were dancing along on the side; it’s that infectious. Pick up a record, buy a concert ticket, do anything you can do get a taste of Apostle of Hustle if you haven’t yet. It’ll be worth it. And this is coming from an unemployed, broke student.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/apostleofhustle
Alas, it’s midnight. Author of This Book is Broken and singer of the Two Koreas, Stuart Berman, walks onstage to introduce the last band of the night, and by the sight of Kevin Drew, Andrew Whiteman, Justin Peroff, Evan Cranley and many more waiting on the side, it’s kind of hard to not guess by then. And if you couldn’t guess by seeing that line of musicians, you weren’t at the right show. The moment they stepped onstage, the crowd roared; the loudest applause of the night. There was one last surprise in store for the crowd though, as Leslie Feist (who had stated months ago in an interview that she was never going to play with BSS again) skipped onstage after the first song to sing along to “7/4 Shoreline”. By then, chaos ensued, dancing erupted and smiles were permanently painted on everyone’s face. The band played a total of five new songs, one of which Feist did guest on. The new material more or less reflected the typical Broken Social Scene mould, with a slightly refreshed tinge to it. One particular track though – not sure of the title – felt particularly out of place and it is clear from listening to it that the band still needs lots of work on the new record. It was mostly impressive, but seeing as how it was their first time previewing these tracks, they are extremely tentative and the band doesn’t look completely comfortable with them yet. It’ll be interesting to see these tracks progress as they play more shows this summer. The rest of the set, which consisted of rarely played classics (“New Country”, “Almost Crimes”) was spectacular and everyone in the band and in the audience breathed a sigh of relief and excitement to break open a chest of older tunes. Broken Social Scene will always be an incredible experience live and that you’ll remember for weeks, if not months, afterwards. Was this Broken Social Scene at its best? Probably not. But it was pretty darn close. Perfect way to end this book launch? With a one-song performance by the Two Koreas, featuring Kevin Drew and Justin Peroff, who learned the song on the spot. Fuck yes.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/brokensocialscene
Missed Broken Social Scene at NXNE? Catch them for free at Harbourfront Centre on July 11th!