Jordan Klassen Enchants The Dakota Tavern

Date of show: February 22, 2013
Written by: Chiara DiAngelo

An unofficial Folk Alliance showcase, this early show granted those not attending the festival the opportunity to still get a taste of it. And with it’s 9PM curfew, it was a great start to a low-key Friday evening.

The runner-up at last year’s Peak Performance Project, Vancouver’s Jordan Klassen graced the Dakota Tavern with his winsome brand of orchestral folk. Backed by Brian Chan on cello and with Jocelyn Price providing bewitching backup vocals, the trio started with a choral-like a cappella intro into “On Your Collarbone.” Playing the acoustic guitar himself, Klassen’s lilted, slightly James Mercer-esque (The Shins) falsetto was so captivating – to the point that my macaroni and cheese sat on the table growing cold, unnoticed.

A little awkward in their dialogue, Klassen and Price attempted to tell stories of the airport woes they encountered upon arriving in Toronto, and how Klassen’s song “Hot Ashes” was featured in the end credits of the “terrible Bruce Willis movie,” Catch .44. There was a gentle chemistry between them while singing however, with the interplay between their vocals on “Call and Answer” being more than lovely.

Klassen pulled out the ukulele for “Threads,” a duet with Chan that gave the cello the spotlight it deserved. Despite the chill in air outside, it was a comfortable and cozy setting, surrounded mainly by an older crowd and many industry people in town for Folk Alliance. The free-spirited whistling during one of the songs brought a certain magic to the stage, feeling like a warm breeze blowing on a summer’s eve. Perhaps Klassen felt it too as he took off his sweater, noting he had dressed for winter but the stage was warming up.

Ending with “Go To Me,” Klassen thanked the audience for being such great listeners, and for making them feel “like kings and queens at this wild hoppin’ country bar.” The sheer joy that exuded through the three members while on stage, they truly were kings and queens among us! Do yourself a favour and listen to Klassen’s EP Kindness that was released last year.

The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer

Fellow Vancouverites, Shawn Hall (vocals, harmonica) and Matthew Rogers (guitar, foot percussion) of headliners The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer (HAM) spent their summer with Klassen at the Peak Performance Project and were excited to be sharing the stage with him now. The fact that Elliott BROOD was playing over the speakers before their set proved to be appropriate as the duo got into their down-and-dirty Southern blues set. Their style of music fit the feel of the Dakota really well, the dusty cattle skulls on the walls setting the tone. With Rogers playing guitar and the kick drum, and singer Hall wowing us on the harmonica, they were a far cry from your typical duo – in a good way! Their skills and chemistry was demonstrated best during an extended jam off between the two of them that got pretty heated and almost steamily intense despite the fact that both somehow remained seated throughout.

Rogers knocked over one of his drums at one point during “Are You Listening Lord?” Not wanting to stop their groove mid-song, the two attempted a few times to right it, and someone from the audience also even tried to help out. Soon after, Hall’s harmonica broke and they joked that ghosts of performers past must be on stage tripping them up. It’s not often a band’s inspiration to get into music is in the house for their performance – especially so far from home. It was pretty neat therefore that Hall called out Phil Balsam and the role he played in Hall’s formative years – even cooler learning that Balsam actually worked on the music for none other than Fraggle Rock back in the day. They finished off their entertaining set with a cover of Bo Diddley’s “Pretty Thing” that fit their style so perfectly, as well as getting an audience-wide call-and-answer going on last song “Mojo Working” that even had Hall up on his feet, finally leaving the comfort of his chair.

Fans of full-bodied country-soul might want to check out the duo’s album, Checkered Pass.