Toronto – The Mod Club was home to one massive dance party on Friday night and the club crowd have Toronto’s DVAS and Australia’s Miami Horror to thank for it. I’ll be frank, I wasn’t even aware of Miami Horror until two months ago. Clearly, I was the only one as the Mod Club was sold out and there was a healthy lineup at the venue when I arrived there at midnight.
Making their Toronto debut Friday, Miami Horror wasted no time in living up to the lofty expectations the sold out crowd had for them by delivering an energetic rock star worthy show that had me thinking that this may be the last time that they play a small venue like the Mod Club. Miami Horror started out as synthesizer-obsessed producer Benjamin Plant, and has since grown into a full band. Anyone who has seen electronic music played out in concert with a live band will agree that it’s a way better solution then a bloke on a laptop. Armed with a guitar, Benjamin provided the vocals for all the tracks while delivering several rock star guitar moves. Clearly this man has taken lessons from other front men, for a band who is only one year old, Miami Horror played their set like veterans.
In a live setting, the songs from Miami Horror’s debut record Illumination jumps out at you with a relentless beat and just plain out dirty synth lines. Tracks like Holidays (originally sang by Alan Palomo of Neon Indian), Moon Theory and I Look To You provided worthy dance soundtracks for the very clubberific crowd, who for my money, was one of the best crowds I’ve seen in awhile. They danced for the openers, they danced for the in-between set DJs and they definitely danced for Miami Horror. As the set progressed and the band started delivering it’s singles, the dance floor turned out some crowd surfers, which for me is a rarity for any non hard rock acts. That’s a pretty good sign of a job well done.
Opening for Miami Horror was Toronto’s own synth loving duo – DVAS. A band that I’ve managed to miss seeing all of last year, DVAS’s two man act was a great way to start off the party vibe. Playing tracks off their 2010 debut record Society, DVAS provided a healthy dose of energy to the crowd although I thought some of the 80s guitar riffs on the tracks would have been better off with a live guitarist. I have since read that they do employ a guitarist on stage for shows, so maybe being an opening act on this particular night dissuaded the band from doing so. The band finished off a short five song set with their hit single Society which sounded as good as it does on album.
Armed with a solid debut album and a ridiculously fun and energetic live act, Miami Horror are well on their way to bigger things, check them out when you get the chance.
Holidays by Miami Horror (Official)