Buying Shots for Talk In Blue at the Horseshoe

Date of show: March 8, 2012
Shot of choice: tequila (with lemon)

Written by: Chiara DiAngelo

Calling St. Catharines home, Talk in Blue is comprised of Barsin Aghajan (guitar, keys, vocals), Dave Allen (lead guitar, vocals), Ben Pearson (guitar), Brian Cliffen (bass, vocals), and Nathan Heuvingh (drums). With three-part vocals and almost every member playing multiple instruments, the band’s melodic folk sound inspires hand claps, finger snaps and sing-alongs.

Talk in Blue started the night off with some light-hearted hand-clapping before moving into recently recorded “Deep Rest,“ showing off more of a mature, contemplative side of the band with the hauntingly melancholic lyric “Maybe I’m just not good enough for anyone, maybe I’ve just lost sight of what I’m looking for.” They then moved on to “Masse,” which has one of the loveliest music breaks, really showcasing the guitar and keys. They were also able to get the early show-goers into the spirit of the night, snapping their fingers right along with the band.

Thrown into the middle of their set was a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” With his deep, soulful vocals, Aghajan sang the part of Stevie Nicks surprisingly well. They followed it with a short and funky new song called “Men Who Hide Their Tears,” which had Aghajan slapping the bass. Completely different from all the rest of their material, it was exciting to see them take a risk, have fun, and break out of the “indie-folk” mold. Rounding out their set was “Hurricane Song,” a slower jam with heavy guitar and their signature three-part harmonic vocals.

While there is still a roughness around their edges, there is something special about watching as a band experiments, honing and developing their sound. Constantly switching instruments amongst themselves, the depth of musical talent within this band is evident. Having gathered quite a following in their hometown since their EP dropped last June, the band now has their sight set on bringing their infectious “singing on the street corner” sound to the big city and beyond. Catch them now – they are just going to get better and better.