Date of show: November 24, 2013
Written by: Chiara DiAngelo
Opening the night was Vancouver’s Jordan Klassen. Where there was nervous awkwardness when we saw him at the Dakota earlier in 2013, this was now replaced with confidence. Still just as quirky, Klassen owned his eccentricity and thus, commanded the stage with a newfound presence. Jocelyn Price’s nymph-like lilting backup vocals added depth to Klassen’s whimsical falsetto throughout their set. Resplendent songs such as “The Horses are Stuck” and “Go To Me” felt like the first dappled rays of spring sunshine breaking through the tree cover of a forest. Sun in our eyes, the band’s orchestral folk brilliance cast an enchantment and a warm glow over the enamoured audience as they brought us into their fairy tale-like realm.
Filled with tunes to warm your spirit this winter, Klassen’s album Repentance was released on Nevado Records in November. And if you are into vinyl, the smoky grey limited edition release is sure to be one of the prettiest records in your collection!
By the time headliners Royal Canoe took the stage, a large-sized crowd had overtaken the venue and they were clearly ready to dance. Quickly warming to the Winnipeg band, the audience en masse began stripping away winter layers to groove along to their funk-infused electro-pop beats. Making this our third time seeing Royal Canoe over the course of a month’s time, “Exodus of the Year” and “Bathtubs” remained as set stunners. Even hearing their version of Leonard Cohen’s “Is That What You Wanted?” for the third time didn’t feel tired. Because with this six piece, there is always a new intricate layer to unravel, beat to follow, and band member’s enthusiasm to get lost in. Not bad for a Sunday night!
Filling the space between the out-of-town bands was Toronto’s Thomas D’Arcy. With limited audience engagement, the singer didn’t necessarily immediately gain the growing crowd’s full attention but the lighthearted alt-rock pop essence of “I Love You But I Don’t Know Why” and “I Wake Up Everyday” soon proved difficult to ignore.
You can check out D’Arcy’s latest EP The Price You Pay over on iTunes.
buying shots for bands 
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