07.12.2008 Wolf Parade / Listening Party

I arrived a little late to make decision on whether or not I actually like Listening Party or not, but from what I saw, I think I liked... I think.. They're indie rock from Shawnigan Lake, in case you're wondering.

I guess it was fitting in some way or another that Wolf Parade walked onto the stage to the Arcade Fire playing on the PA. They were given a warm welcome by the sold out crowd as they launched into a familiar favourite, "You Are a Runner and I am My Father's Son" off their first album. Spencer dedicated that one to his father who was in attendance. It sort of threw me off that this particular song didn't lead into "Fancy Claps", which it has done every time I've seen them. Every song off the new album was played with "the hits" from the first album mixed in. The new songs sound better live than on album. I don't know how to explain it, but they seem to fill the aural spectrum better or something. Hadji their, "sound manipulator/keyboards" guy also impressed the hell out of me. I never really noticed until now how much he adds to their sound. They closed off their main set with "Kissing the Beehive", also the last song on their recent album. It was just as mind blowing live as I was the first time I heard it, which was also live. Dan spent some time borrowing Hadji's thermin during his guitar solo towards the end. A three song encore of older songs sent the crowd and this reviewer home happy as a Wolf Parade fan could be. I guess it was also fitting that they ended with Fancy Claps since they started with Father's Son. hmmm...

Setlist
You are a Runner and I am My Father's Son
Language City
Call It A Ritual
The Grey Estates
Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts
Soldier's Grin
Animal In Your Care
Fine Young Cannibals
Grounds For Divorce
Bang Your Drum
Shine A Light
California dreaming
This Heart's On Fire
Kissing the Beehive
===
It's A Curse
I'll Believe In Anything
Fancy Claps

$30/$30

07.04.2008 Have Heart / Verse

I haven't been to a real hardcore show in few years. I guess Darkest Hour technically could count, but Converge 2005 sounds more likely. It appears my tastes have changed over the years. I can't really think of very many hardcore bands that I'd actually pay to see. Have Heart isn't actually one of them, but I guess Verse is. I've also always been really disappointed with the turnout at most of the diy hardcore shows. This usually means a low crowd density at the front of the stage (if there is even is one) resulting in very little stage diving. I've never been to the Cambrian Hall, but my hopes were raised when I saw a stage, one with some height to it.

The first band was Bodyguard. I felt pretty bored watching them.

Circles followed after about a 30-40 min change over. Actually a good thing, otherwise the show would have ended pretty early. (hardcore shows = 25 min sets) I recognized the guitarist, due to him being ex-Blue Monday. They were a little more entertaining.

Verse, to be honest was disappointing. I expected craziness, because I know people like their record, but two factors came into play. The first being that singer Sean Murphy had injured his leg so his mobility was hampered. Secondly people were complaining of the high stage. I didn't think it was that high, it certainly wasn't as high as the WISE Hall one. Did that stop potential stage divers? I think I spotted one stage diver their whole set. Murphy emarked on how he had to look down when he addressed the crowd. The most interesting part of their set was the (somewhat) stereotypical speech, heard at most diy hardcore shows. Not surprisingly, Murphy expressed his growing disappointment with the current diy scene (and people call me a whiner.... i kid), and its shift away from the diy principals or something to that idea. I've heard that same speech from a lot of bands.

Have Heart is a band I just don't get. I know a lot of people swear by them, but if it wasn't for the energy of the crowd, I would have left early. There was a lot of crowd participation and some more stage diving to keep me interested.


$5/$10

i actually wanted to rate this lower, but i also have to acknowledge that one of the upsides to diy shows is that the ticket prices are kept really low, so even if you didn't have as good of a time as you'd hoped, you at least didn't spend as much on it as you would have if say livenation were presenting it. this also means people like me could justify going if they only like one band on the bill.