So it’s midnight Saturday night, I’m wiped out already (yea, I’m an old lady inside so what), but there’s still so much to see. Having heard a song by Young Liars, I thought it was definitely worth checking out as it would bring the dance. Bring the dance it did. First time in Toronto, (second showcase for NXNE) Young Liars are a 4 piece dance-rock band from Vancouver. We hit the venue just as they were setting up and made our way to the front. I don’t know if you’ve been to the Painted Lady, but it’s like every other bar on Ossington, long and narrow. How they packed this in for shows, I’ll never know, but loved the intimacy of the space, and the lighting. It made you feel as if you were in your parents basement hosting a secret dance party.
Young Liars played hard, and made us all dance up a storm. Much like Phoenix and a bit Cut Copy-ish, there’s nothing better than seeing people playing actual instruments and still making you dance. Not hating on the electronic music genre, I love it too, but watching a dude/dudette wail on a guitar while getting all sweaty on the dance floor makes the experience seem much more authentic. Can’t pick just one, but the stand out songs were definitely “Colours,” “Echoists,” and “6/4”. Based on their talent and great live set, I would expect to see these guys touring around the area much more often. Hit them up next time they’re here and dance your fucking feet off.