Date of show: March 25, 2014
Written by: Chiara DiAngelo
The Darcys were greeted by an enthusiastic sold-out hometown crowd when they took the stage. The band’s atmospheric art-rock vibes and frontman Jason Couse’s elevated falsetto on set opening “Hunting” held us in rapture, and the possessed nature to Couse as he switched from guitar to keys during second song “Pretty Girls” transfixed our gaze. The pit was soon a messy tangle of dancing bodies as they progressed into the synthy “Itchy Blood” and “747s.”
The band’s time grinding it out on the road has upped the ante on their stage deliverance and also expanded Couse’s comfort level with stage banter. He was humble and heartfelt in his expression of the band’s collective happiness to be back at home, playing to their favourite people. He dedicated set closer “Shaking Down the Old Bones” to those people who have been coming to Darcys shows “since we used to play for free.” The explosive transition before the band delved into that power line “stop thinking like a millionaire” was once again a knee-shaking stow-stopper. Rather than shouting for “one more song,” the crowd instead began a lively chant of “olé, olé, olé,” which still did the trick to bring the band back out for two more songs, ending with “Lost Dogfights.”
Beyond their stylish Topman-worthy attire, The Darcys reminded us of the reason why they won the “Sexiest Music” Bucky award – because their music is damn sexy! – and were nominated for a Juno. Toronto has long known there was something special about these four men, and they’ve rightly started to receive the national recognition they deserve. It was nice to bask in what felt like merely a few short moments with them as they have likely out-grown Lee’s Palace the next time they come home.
Cat calls from the crowd began even as the band dealt with some technical difficulties setting up for their set. We fell in love with Calgary’s Reuben and the Dark last year and these emotions soon came flooding right back the moment frontman Reuben Bullock sang his first note. Weighed down with emotionally-laden lyrics spinning tales of love and loss, the band’s moody and moving setlist was hinged upon the evocative and earnest nature of Bullock’s deep lilt. It expanded and swayed as it progressed, billowed by the forceful energy of gorgeous group backup vocals. Introducing us to a handful of new songs, a highlight remained the frolicking anthemic single “Rolling Stone.” Their set ended with some serious double floor tom action, with the echoing screams from more than a couple of girls in the audience drifting throughout the venue long after the drumsticks’ pounding ceased.
With the band’s first full-length Arts & Crafts release Funeral Sky set for release on May 27, we’re excited to see what comes next for Reuben and the Dark! Unit then, you can watch their video for “Rolling Stone” here and next up, be sure to check them out at Field Trip on June 7!
Lee’s was already filling up when openers NO came on. Frontman Bradley Hanan Carter‘s New Zealand-accented voice and melancholic baritone immediately brought to mind that of The National’s Matt Berninger. While NO’s lyrics are similarly moody and morose, their set possessed less of of a “rainy day” heaviness to it; the six-piece rather heralded more of a Killers-esque dance appeal with some serious group backup vocals, which made for an enjoyable combination.
The LA band’s first show in Toronto, they introduced the audience to their debut album El Prado, starting with “Another Life.” It didn’t take long before Carter took to the top of the speakers at the side of the stage to improve his vantage point of the crowd. Winning the crowd’s full attention by the second song, Carter paced the edge of the stage constantly, often returning to the precipice of the speakers. There was a certain air of triumphance to his movements, as if he was aware that they had successfully caught the eye of a city often known for being hard to win over. Their set catapulted forward with highlights being “So Scared” and “Leave the Door Wide Open” before finishing with a swelling singalong.
While they might not be ready to join the ranks of Matt Berninger and Brandon Flowers just yet, all the ingredients are there for potential future attainment.
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