Date of show: April 29, 2011
The week before this show, we saw The Darcys play at Harry Rosen, which is part of a new series called Harry’s Underground Lounge. The show was live to air on CIUT 88.5 FM and featured an open bar, hors d’oeuvres and fashion savvy folk. The band played two short sets and schmoozed with the crowd between sets. It was an interesting environment, with a stage placed on the hip bottom floor of Harry Rosen, tucked amongst all the expensive clothing the indie boys cannot afford. Still, The Darcys worked the stage and the awed the audience like they belonged there. In an odd environment, The Darcys gained new fans and garnered attention for their highly anticipated forthcoming album.
Just 9 days later, The Darcys took the stage at the Steam Whistle Brewery, a vastly different environment, but one that likely felt much more like home. But what is particularly impressive is that, between all 3 bands that played that night (Freedom or Death and Wildlife were also on the bill), the venue hit capacity, which happens to be a cool 750. Surrounded by friends, family, media and plenty of fans, The Darcys had a night to remember.
After a bit of suspense (cue smoke machine and entrance music), the four young men that make up The Darcys hit the stage. Frontman Jason Couse, dressed all in white, seemed determined to make an impression on the capacity crowd. Undeniably, there is intensity in Couse’s vocals, drawing the audience in. Never missing a beat, Couse also pulls extra duty with transitions between guitar and the Rhodes. With Mike le Riche on backup vocals, it’s hard to deny that these two make an attention-grabbing duo up front. Perhaps one of the best examples of this dynamic duo is with “Shaking Down the Old Bones,” with an added bonus of the fervency in le Riche’s guitar work towards the end of the song. Throughout the set there are solid bass lines from Dave Hurlow, somewhat hidden in the back and likely underrated in his important role. Wes Marskell’s skill on drums is always a force to reckon with, as he makes everything look easy, despite the noticeable intricacy. Their 9-song set was full of their indie rock sound that combines standout melodies with noisy distortion.
As this band seems to only get tighter with their performances, showcasing nearly their whole forthcoming album in their set, it only makes the anticipation for The Darcys, their self-titled full-length, grow that much more. With only their House Built Around Your Voice 7” out since their revamp as a 4-piece, it’s impressive that the audiences keep growing. As their fanbase keeps growing, more and more people look forward to the album, which is set to be released in the fall. We’re looking forward to it too.
Given this show was part of Steam Whistle’s Unsigned Indie Music Series, the question stands… how long will this band remain unsigned? It seems like it’s just a matter of time.
Kayley Luftig of Turn Up My Photo has graciously donated the photos below.
buying shots for bands 
Leave a Reply