Saturday, March 24, 2012
Bravestation – 8:30PM
Bravestation kicked off Saturday night at the Horseshoe Tavern. For the most part, the 4-piece has been in hiding over the past year while completing their debut full-length album. The band had a well-received 2010 EP, showcasing a very UK-friendly new wave sound. After disappearing, they have come out with an updated sound that leans much more toward a tribal vibe while still maintaining that UK-friendly sound. Bravestation played five of their new songs at the Horseshoe, including their single “Signs of the Civilized”. The set acted as a short preview of what their full-length will sound like, which is set for release later this year. From what I can tell, this full-length is worth waiting for.
From their 2010 EP, the band played “Clocks & Spears” and ended off their set with crowd favourite “White Wolves” that had their fans singing (or yelling) along. It was still early, but their energy set the tone for a great Saturday night.
Chains of Love – 9:20PM
Singer Nathalia Pizarro and guitarist Rebecca Marie Law Gray front Vancouver’s Chains of Love, a band that leans heavily toward a 60s soulful sound but with a grittier garage feel. The band started their set early, setting up quickly after Bravestation left the stage, so fans may have missed out on their set. Those who were there early enough had a chance to get right up front, with Pizarro making eye contact and smiling graciously to those who crowding the stage. Pizarro is certainly a bundle of energy, making it hard not to be mesmerized by her stage presence. “Black Hearts” was a favourite in the set, as well as “In Between,” which was part of their 7” released in December.
The 6-piece just released Strange Grey Days via Dine Alone and is looking at quite a bit of touring throughout the month.
Gentlemen Husbands – 10:20PM
Since Chains of Love started early, there was plenty of anticipation for more music by the time Gentlemen Husbands took the stage. By this time, fans that were looking to see Wintersleep were starting to take over the venue, but there were quite a few fans up front to see these Cobourg rock and rollers. In typical high-energy fashion, the band kicked off with “Family Economics” before playing a set mostly comprised of new songs, including “Bloodlines,” “Do It In The Dark” and “Ferris Wheel Junkie”. Frontman Derrick Ballard’s vocals convey so much passion, which combines with guitarist Ryan Hutcheson’s fervour on stage, making a Gentlemen Husbands set so much fun to watch. The band ended their set with a cover of “Born to Run,” which had much of the crowd singing along. Even members of Chains of Love gathered with a tambourine to rock out to the Springsteen cover.
Having released EP Mirror Doll Business in 2010, it’s great to hear new material from the band, giving fans a lot to look forward to.
Two Hours Traffic – 11:20PM
When Two Hours Traffic took the stage, the venue was packed. The P.E.I. band has been off the radar for quite some time, but has returned with new songs in tow. Despite a lineup change, the band still carries that same folk pop sound that makes their songs great for sing-a-longs and sunshine-filled days. Andy Macdonald now takes his place alongside frontman Liam Corcoran on guitar and vocals and Nathan Gill is the newest member on bass. Derek Ellis rounds out the band on drums.
Fans sang along to old favourites like “Sure Can Start,” “Heroes of the Sidewalk” and “Backseat Sweetheart” and listened intently to the few new Two Hours Traffic songs spread throughout the set. The clear favourite of the night was set closer “Jezabel” off of 2007’s Little Jabs. If there’s a general feeling that Two Hours Traffic has nailed down, it’s a feeling of young love. While there are no frills to their performance, these guys certainly make it impossible not to smile.
Wintersleep – 12:40PM
A majority of those who made it to the Horseshoe Tavern were there specifically for Wintersleep. This set was likely perfect for longtime fans of the band, as it was filled with favourites from the Welcome to the Night Sky, including “Archeologists,” “Laser Beams” and “Oblivion.” Of course, “Weighty Ghost” had much of the crowd singing along, but the absolute highlight was when frontman Paul Murphy pulled out lyrics from his pocket and gifted everyone with a rockin’ cover of the Constantines’ “Young Lions”.
For the band, the set wasn’t quite perfect, as there was a bit of disarray when guitarist Tim D’eon expressed his frustration after fiddling with his pedals repeatedly trying to get his gear to work. “I don’t know what’s going on with my shit!” he exclaimed. Eventually he was able to work things out and the set went smoothly from there. The band ended their set with an epic “Miasmal Smoke & The Yellow Bellied Freaks”, particularly impressive after pulling double-duty that night and playing two sets at two different venues almost back to back.
While it’s hard to tell from the live show if Hello Hum will be a return to form, what fans got to hear at the Horseshoe seems to show some promise after 2010’s New Inheritors fell below many fans’ expectations. The album will be out in June, so we’ll soon find out.
Poor Young Things – 2:00AM
Poor Young Things took the stage around 2am after playing 2 nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre supporting The Trews. The band was on tour with The Trews for about a month, so this show served as a bit of a homecoming for the band (only a bit, though, because they immediately left for another shorter tour). Having seen Poor Young Things play their anthem-like rock songs a handful of times now, I must say that this is one of the most energetic shows I’ve seen these Thunder Bay transplants play – and this was at 2am after playing a show earlier in the night.
The highlight of the set was certainly the set closer “Rockin’ in the Free World,” with friends – Tim Chaisson and members of The Trews – invited to join them on stage. Shortly after the song started, Adam White from The Reason ran on stage, unable to resist the allure of Neil Young. By the time the set ended, the band had certainly made an impression on the crowd, making it clear that if you don’t already know the name Poor Young Things, you should.
The Reason – 3:00AM
The Reason played to quite the drunken dancing bunch almost right up until the 4am last call. It was a smaller crowd, but that’s to be expected around 3am. With the task of closing out the night, the Hamilton rockers made sure to make their set worth it. Although, apparently the star of the set was apparently bassist Ronson Armstrong, as the crowd could not stop yelling his name. “Let’s hear it for Ronson,” frontman Adam White encouraged.
While the band played their hits from Fools, as well as a couple new songs, it was their covers that had really had the crowd going, played covers of Weezer’s “Tired of Sex” and Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” However, the absolute highlight has to be the set closer, which was an impressive extended cover of “Underwhelmed” by Sloan that White proclaimed as a personal favourite.
I hadn’t intended to see The Reason twice in the week (the band wasn’t even listed in the CMW schedule), but I’m sure glad I did. | CL
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