Everything

Concert Review: The Presets, Golden Filter, April 6, Mod Club

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Ricky in Concerts, Everything | 2 Comments

Toronto – What a horrible way to start April – I got sick, the Penguins lost two crucial games to CAROLINA and FLORIDA, I forgot to attend my fantasy baseball draft and worst of all, it is still practically winter. It snowed last night, what the hell? Seriously, not funny. As bad a start as April had, it seems to be getting better. Last night was a good beginning as Aussie dance rock troupe The Presets are were in town, promoting their hit album Apocalypso.

Before the Presets were the opener The Golden Filter, who have been receiving a lot of attention lately, and is a favorite of our friends Indie Kid Vs Dance Kid. They are an electronic dance duo (accompanied by a drummer for live performances) from Brooklyn. Everything is from Brooklyn these days. Here is an interview by Eye magazine with them. The venue was about half packed when the band took the stage at 10 pm, which prompted me to figure out why the hell didn’t I stay at home and watch 24 first. The live set included a drummer, the guy on the keyboard/synth/electro knobs and the lead singer Penelope, who looks like a cross between the girl from the Ting Tings and Alison Goldfrapp. I couldn’t actually make out what she looked like because her hair covered most of her face, so I can’t vouch for her hotness. One thing I will say is that she has the sexy nonchalantly dancing and clapping thing down pat. I would say that’s her signature move – swaying side to side, looking into space and clapping. That’s ace.

I was not very impressed with the set, I had heard some buzz about this band earlier so I went to see them. The music all seems very similar, breathy sultry vocals delivered over standard electro beats. In fact, it was so repetitive I myself was doubting the whole genre as a whole. I was all like ‘is this really that bad or have I been in a cave lately and all my appreciation for electro acts have all been a veil pulled over my head by RayBan wearing ravers?’. I decided that this was a case of the music not being very good. While Penelope definitely looked the part of a lead singer, she lacked a certain stage presence that is probably necessary for an act like the Golden Filter to succeed in a live environment. Actually, she reminded me a bit like Lykke Li, if Lykke Li grew up in Williamsburg. I am sure with time, she will be more engaging in a live concert environment.

The Presets came on at around 11pm. Much to my surprise, the Presets are not a live band! I had always envisioned a lead singer (Jules), a drummer, a bassist, a guitar and someone on the synth. The Presets are just Jules on the synth/electro knobby dj thingys and Kim on the drums. This was much to my disappointment. The crowd however, was nuts from the starting track of ‘Talk Like That’ all the way to the last track before the encore, which I believed to be ‘My People’. Toronto fans are often guilty of being the standing around types, however, tonight was not the case as people were dancing left and right.

The concert itself was a bit to slow to start, I was still getting over the disappointment of them not being a full piece set. ‘Yippiyo-ay’ sounded better on album and I was thinking that I was heading to another disappointing show ..then the wall of lights turned on.

Through out the set, the Presets had a relatively normal Mod Club light show, however, behind them was a picket fence of light bulbs, you could say. For much of the first half the set, these lights weren’t on and I was starting to think that maybe they were decorations. Then halfway thru the set, the lights turned on and wow oh wow. What a light show. The next forty five minutes of the set was basically an orgasm for the eyes as colors exploded left and right, lights here, lights there. It was one of the most impressive light shows I have seen. It was about that time when I decided that this show was alright.

The next 45 minutes of the show was a bit of a blur, the dance beats/super light show combo started to overwhelm your senses and soon enough, it was hard to resist dancing. Once you get into that mode, the tunes starting flowing better and it’s hard to not lose it for the songs ‘If I Know You’ and ‘This Boy’s in Love’, both of which sound awesome live.

All in all, a slow start turned into a solid night. People who went to the show got their dance on, and even if I feel that they would have benefited from a more live sound, I think the Presets are worth a look the next time they roll around. Oh yeah, awesome light show.

Concert Review: The Phonemes, April 2nd, Tranzac Club

Posted on April 4, 2009 by Wade in Concerts, Everything | 5 Comments

It was a star-studded event at the Tranzac on Thursday night to catch The Phonemes warm up show before their west coast tour with Laura Barrett. Yes, all the local celebrities were out; Levi MacDougall, Katie Crown, Gentleman Reg and some really drunk bastard. Yes, nobody pulls off the slacker cut off capri pants quite like Levi Macdougall. Come on Levi, I’ve seen the Rogers and Tim Hortons commericals, buy some decent pants, I know you can swing it.

I’ve been trying to catch the Phonemes for a while now since they paly around town all the time. The musical project of Magali Meagher, the Phonemes’ are quiet, cool and rely on simply melody driven songs. After reading Magails’ bio on her Phonemes website I learned that besides being a corner stone in the Toronto music scene, she has backed up Daniel Johnston. If you haven’t seen The Devil And Daniel Johnston, you need to check it out. Great flick.

The Phonemes played a quiet set, occasionally interrupted by the drunk dude, the cash register and the opening of cans of pop, but what do you expect at Bloor and Brunswick at 11:00 on a Thursday night.

Catch The Phonemes out west this month and across the pond with Forest City Lovers in May. Hearing Pain Perdu performed live is reason enough to get your ass to a Phonemes show.

SXSW Review: Razorlight [Cedar courtyard, March 20 2009]

Posted on March 29, 2009 by Gary in Concerts, Everything, South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Razorlight, SXSW, Cedar Courtyard, March 20

Toronto – Discovering a band isn’t very hard for me to do – I’m horrible at remembering band names, I don’t know that many bands to start with, and even worse I’m vicious at rejecting things that doesn’t produce good vibrations within 10 seconds of incus hitting malleus. For some reason Razorlight kept my attention despite the fact that we were really waiting for White Lies during the afternoon (if you recall this was also the same party where LOTP happily played one song too many and had their brawl with Cedar courtyard security, see below).

What began as a casual head-bobbing turned into seriously listening and by the end of the set, I didn’t care that I was made fun of for liking their sound. Razorlight started in 2002. Either the fans or their marketing contributed to the wiki, because it’s actually quite sizable given their indie status (it’s longer than that of White Lies, for example…) Listening to most of their songs across albums after the set, I’m convinced that they actually sound more American than their British/Swedish composition. Songs like Golden Touch, America, and Vice are all very typical. But it does switch and produce some funny associations… In the City actually sounds more like a Sheryl Crow song when it begins; and at some point during To the sea I’m reminded of Sister Act… weird. There is something to be enjoyed if you have never heard them prior. Although the lead vocal’s slightly off tune style cannot be said to be impassive, it translates just that much better in real life performance. Happily sandwiched between the brawl and the main gig, they played a mix of new and old. Apart from the ones I’ve mentioned already, Wire to wire, Hostage of love, and North London Trash from their new album were there, too. Like I mentioned, sound was not only true to recording but actually better, and good showmanship in general. With that, I’m now happy to have some solid rock in the ipod aside from the sugar-high songs that I normally have.

SXSW Review: Late of the Pier, March 20, Cedar Courtyard

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Ricky in Everything, South By Southwest | 3 Comments

Late of the Pier, SXSW, Cedar Courtyard, March 20

Austin – One week ago today, I was in Austin, amongst my musical compadres, in nice 27 degree weather and watching show after show whilst eating good BBQ meat. Today, I am in almost sub zero temperatures at my desk job reminiscing about the time that was. Yay. The last SXSW review I am writing is about the Late of the Pier show(s). Late of the Pier is a spacey sounding electro rock band from England. I can’t even find the proper terms to describe the music, they have duel synths, appreciate beats but also like pop music at the same time. It’s something else.

The first show we saw them was at the Levi’s/Fader Fort. Let me say something about Levi’s/Fader Fort – it’s too far. They had some fantastic acts (including Kanye, Graham Coxon, Handsome Furst) but seriously, you have to go under the interstate into some ghetto industrial part of town to get there. That is too far in the Texas heat and too time consuming. The Late of the Pier set started off promising, but ultimately equipment problems got the best of them, despite Sam Eastgate’s promise that “we are going to go fix everything”, the set seemed to have been cut short. So we left, and being too tired to walk, took a pedicab:

SXSW Pedicab

Despite having a short set with technical problems, we were impressed enough to catch their set at Filter’s UK party the following day at the Cedar Street Courtyard. Filter decided on that day they wanted to squeeze in an extra band, and so everyone’s start times were pushed back. When Late of the Pier went on, it was about 45 minutes later than they were supposed to and with Razorlight and White Lies still coming up, you knew that there was a good chance that they would get cut short again.

About the show itself, LOTP came out to a decent crowd. I am not sure a lot of people knew who they were, and I am not sure that the newspapers marketed them properly, comparing them to MGMT for some reason. They played songs from their debut album, including Space & The Woods and The Bears are Coming. It was a pretty solid set, the dueling synths were nice. The music is definitely louder and messier in a live setting then on the album and with increase focus on guitar work, the songs definitely come off as less electronic and more rock. The band didn’t really engage with the audience much, rather letting their music do the talking. I guess with time that will change.

The real fun began when the promoter of the party decided that LOTP only had one song left and told the sound guy that. It was looking like LOTP was getting cut short again, so they played what was perceived to be their last song (I forgot what) then at the end of that extended song, they announce ‘Now, this is our last tune’. The promoter on the steps threw a fit fitting for a queen and during the song, ordered a security guard to get the sound guy to turn the sound off, and when the sound guy refused, he ordered the security guy to bring the sound guy over, which prompted either the stage hand or manager of the band to interfere, which resulted in that guy getting dragged up the stairs which resulted in Sam Eastgate going nuts and next thing you know, its all out war. However, cooler heads prevailed and LOTP and the sound guy finished their set to a rapturous ovation. Pictures of the fracas is here.

All in all, a fairly memorable show. Even if the events at the end overshadowed the music that the band put out.

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