Photo By Kayley Luftig

I found myself wondering what the turnout of this show would be. Having no idea how the fan base of WHY? in Toronto was like, I curiously and excitedly went front and center of the stage and eagerly awaited to be hopefully packed in and blown away by hearing what sounds so perfect and precise on record, live. Well, I can tell you one thing – Toronto loves WHY? and vice versa. The moment lead singer Yoni Wolf marched up on stage, I did a pan of surrounding faces and saw girls swooning and males cheek-to-cheek grinning. Faces glowing, “The Fall of Mr. Fifths” began and the mad night was born. 

Doing weird antics on stage, as peculiar as the genre of WHY?, Yoni differed his motions from dinosaur claws to robotic dance moves, from head-tilting to stern-stick eye gazing, and captured everyone’s attention solidly during the set. Not to mention his older brother Josiah Wolf killing the instruments to the side – multitasking like none other as he handled guitar, drums, and xylophone. Doug McDiarmid also ran speedy fingers over his keyboard, adding the finishing touches to all of the songs we love, though vocals played the largest part in the show that night. 

However it was five songs in, when “January Twenty Something” began, that the vibe really pushed it. I found my voice not being alone in shouting lyrics, and the second and third rows started shoving forward as each song progressed, having all of us at the front spill on stage. “The Vowels Pt. 2” really shined in on Josiah and his work, as the brushes he scratched and hit against the drums played a key part in the song. Better yet, you wouldn’t believe the thunderstorm that shook up when the intro of “Gemini (Birthday Song)” began near the end, and obviously by this point, all band and crowd members were soaked in victorious sweat. Ending the far-too-short set with “The Hollows”, aggressiveness roared and chanting for an encore began, which was delivered with the intense “Good Friday” and the slow-paced “Simeon’s Dilemma.”  

Providing a good mix of Alopecia, Elephant Eyelash, and most newly released Eskimo Snow, there was definitely something to sing along to for everyone. Sadly, WHY? will not be going back on tour for a while, as they are going to begin working on a new album. As upsetting as it may be to know that there will be a long wait before experiencing this show again, it also rallies up an undoubtedly grand sense of enthusiasm for waiting to hear some new tunes.

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MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/whyanticon

Society

From just seeing the cover for DVAS’s soon-to-be-released album Society, I knew that I could expect an atmospheric journey through a number of different tempos, beats, and backing tracks. Yeah, I know you’re not supposed to judge something by its cover, but in this case, the judgment was completely correct which proves that I should start paying more attention to album artwork. After a couple of seconds into the first song, the title track, you can already get the gist of what to expect. With binding electro beats (more laid back than Daft Punk), the group has produced some funky tunes that bring out the real spirited feeling of summer. I do find parts of the album a bit too carried on, but nonetheless each track is original and mixes up the use of vocals vs. pure music. “Fantasy” in particular locked in my attention with the most peaceful ocean sounds leading into a more and more intense beat and dreamily sung echoes. “Telegraph” also had me hooked with a basic introduction composed of unusual notes, continuing into its entire unique finish. Besides a couple of fantastic songs however, I found Society to be a tad repetitive and conventional. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy listening to it though – in fact, I won’t be surprised if I catch myself playing it again whenever the quiet house needs some substance.

Society comes out July 27th. It’s a great additional touch to your airy summer playlist.

Website: http://dvasmusique.com/