An Untold City Holiday With The Darcys (& More!)

Date of show: December 18, 2010

The Untold City presented the first show we ever covered and it was certainly a good one. Not surprisingly, their holiday show was another banger.

Oh, The Darcys, what a party you throw! If the Silver Dollar didn’t hit capacity, it was pretty darn close. The four talented fellas that make up The Darcys are Jason Couse (vocals, Rhodes, guitar), Mike le Riche (guitar, vocals, keys), Dave Hurlow (bass) and Wes Marskell (drums). Together they make music that dances the lines between brooding indie rock, art rock, and shoegaze.

Bringing tons of distortion and a rhythm section that is fascinating in its own right, combined with brooding vocals from Couse, The Darcys had the crowd’s attention for their whole set. The intricacies in their arrangements are evident, making full use of the dueling guitars, Marskell’s talent on drums, Couse on the Rhodes, and le Riche’s multi-instrumentalist work. And although their tunes do not exactly fall into the “pop” category, The Darcys still had the crowd singing along, most noticeably to the songs on their House Built Around Your Voice 7”, the title track and “Edmonton to Purgatory.” It was a rockin’ set, firmly establishing why people should continue to pay attention to this band, despite nearly 4 years since their debut release, Endless Water.

Although they’re still working on a release for their sophomore album Young Believers in the new year, The Darcys didn’t come without new merch; they were selling brand new t-shirts with the line “stop thinking like a millionaire” in all caps from “Shakin’ Down the Old Bones.” Look out for Young Believers, but, in the meantime, be sure to catch The Darcys live. They’ll be sure to make it worth your time.

When Whale Tooth hit the stage, the crowd was bustling and many caught on to the infectious energy of front woman Elise LeGrow. Many in the packed Silver Dollar were singing and dancing along. The rest of Whale Tooth is comprised on Alex Denike (guitar, vocals), Mike McCreary (bass), Norm Maschke (guitar, vocals), and Sep Noroozi (drums). There’s chemistry on stage, helping each other out with their stories/banter and, more importantly, creating music that is magnetic. Together they make danceable pop rock, heavily driven by LeGrow’s lush jazzy vocals. They’re fun, full of energy and they put on a solid entertaining show. Just watch the charismatic LeGrow bounce around the stage and try to say otherwise.

Whale Tooth showcased some newer tunes. They’ll be in the studio next month, so look out for new material soon.

The Rival Boys opened up the night, and even though they were on early, they still had a decent turnout. This 3-piece is fronted by Lee Rose (who is actually not a boy), who has a big voice that commands the stage. She rocks out with brother Graeme Rose (guitar, vocals) and Sam Sholdice on drums. With passionate vocals and a sound heavily driven by high energy on drums, this band has the ability to sound sweet and rockin’ at the same time.

Bravestation closed out the night and, although they played a late set, they still had quite the crowd. I’m sure by now this is evident, we’re no stranger to Bravestation. However, the crowd that follows them never ceases to fascinate. Their friends and fans always rush the stage, singing along with such (drunken) vigour. It’s undeniable how much energy is in the crowd, which is mutually fed by the band.

Devin Wilson (vocals, bass) is always spot on with his vocals, backed on harmonies by brother Derek Wilson (guitar), as well as Andrew Heppner (keys, percussion). In the back, you’ll find Jeremy Rossetti, the always-smiling barefoot drummer. Their new wave/indie pop sound is catchy and full of energy, but pay attention because their arrangements really showcase their talent. Look out for good things from the band as the buzz continues and it’s well deserved.