And finally, Public Enemy tickets have been slashed slashed slashed in half and are now the low low low price of $19.99 ($28ish with fees). Offer valid until Monday @ 10 a.m. Also, according to ticketmaster, the show is now at the Garrick.
I first caught Stars at the Pyramid on an unbearably cold Friday night way back in February 2003. The plunging mercury coupled with the band not taking the stage until 1, meant about 25 people saw them that night. Prior to starting, an understandably upset Torquil Campbell blew past me muttering, “Let’s play this fucking show already.” But as Stars settled into “What the Snowman Learned About Love”, the time and the inevitable confrontation with the brutal outside weather didn’t matter to the thin crowd. The half-hour I caught was enchanting, one of my favourite concert experiences to date. I wish I could’ve stayed until the end, but the last bus departed at 1:35.
Stars have gone supernova ever since. Each return to Winnipeg has brought bigger crowds in front of Stars with the band graduating from the Pyramid to the Burt. The Montreal-based quintet's recent announcement that they’ll be touring intimate clubs meant a surprising-but-welcomed return to their Alma Mater. Further intriguing was the show’s concept: for the main set, Stars would play their brand new, not-yet-released record (not even on the rogue file-sharing sites, I think), Five Ghosts, in its entirety, followed by a fan-voted encore.
Taking the stage at a surprisingly early 10:20, Stars performed, as advertised, the whole of Five Ghosts in track order to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd. What immediately struck me was how stripped down and edgier their new record sounded. The ornate production and melodramatic arrangements have been minimized on Five Ghosts, as have the direct and playful boy-girl vocal interplay between Campbell and Amy Milan. This time around the band channels a harsher 80s sound replete with strident electronics that makes these songs not as immediately accessible as past material (A caveat: it was tough to gauge the crowd’s collective response, since this was everyone’s first exposure to the tunes). The band’s one-two vocal punch is still utilized effectively throughout Five Ghosts, just differently. Campbell and Milan harmonize more with each other, and any vocal exchanges don’t register as tongue-in-cheek responses. This time around, the golden-voiced duo seems bent on complementing each other’s mellifluous pipes.
In the end, Five Ghosts will require listeners to spend some time with the challenging wares it offers up, and I’m looking forward to hearing the finished product through my earphones.
The fan-voted encore wasn’t an encore per se since it came immediately after the 45-minute main set. More like a second half. It was loaded, unsurprisingly, with all the favs like “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead”, songs where Torq and Amy’s sporty vocal fencing are front-and-centre.
During “Ex-Lover”, lead-off track from 2004’s Set Yourself on Fire, I noticed (and heard) most of the crowd gleefully singing along. About midway through, I further noticed most males were singing along with Torq while a lot of females took over when Amy did.
And, I must admit, I found it very charming.
“Encore”
Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
The Night Starts Here
Take Me To The Riot
Elevator Love Letter
Heart
Ageless Beauty
One More Night
Calendar Girl
Update: I'm told the presale password is social. Probably could've guessed that one.
It's official! Those widely circulated Broken Social Scene rumours are true. On October 6th, the massively talented Toronto-based collective will bring their equally massive sound to the biggest venue they've ever played here to date: the Burton Cummings Theatre. Presale starts tomorrow, and as soon as I procure the code, I'll post it on here.
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Exactly one week from today, The Lo Pub plays host to a triple-bill of local talent: Hyper-literate troupe The Paperbacks, experimental rockers The Departures, and upstart indie-trio The Eardrums.
I recently cornered The Eardrums and bombarded them with 11 random, interest/character-revealing questions. See what they had to say below. Also, they sent along some fun Eardrums-related schwag - some red, yellow, and orange guitar picks (the band's official colours); a homemade guitar pick holder; and a few small-but-fashionable buttons. If you’re interested, shoot me and email by Wednesday @ noon with “The Eardrums Schwag Giveaway” in the subject line and your name in the body of the email. Winning name will be drawn randomly shortly after noon on Wednesday.
Behold!
Legend:
G - Grant Partridge, 26
T - Tim Partridge, 26, Grant's twin brother
J - Donald James MacLean, 25
1. Where are you right now?
G: Where else? Crappy Road, where magic happens... A.K.A. our studio/jamspace... A.K.A. my bedroom. T: I'm at home playing tug-a-war with Sadie.
Let’s talk Winnipeg…
2. Where is the best place in town to catch a bite?
J: The Underground Cafe on Arthur. I go there with my friend whenever she's in town from Toronto. The Sun Burger -- delicious. T: Olympia Diner. It's a Greek restaurant on Portage. Cheap-cheap, big portions. I appreciate quantity even moreso than quality, and they have both.
3. Who is your favourite local artist/band?
T: The Waking Eyes. I know that Holding On To Whatever It Is wasn't Video Sound II, and it took like five years for it to be released, but crank up "Keeps Me Coming Back" and you'll see why they're still my fave. Runners up are Jicah, the Stiff Bishops, and the Telepathic Butterflies. J: The Waking Eyes. I do like them. I used to be a big fan of Comeback Kid. What else... Electro Quarterstaff!
4. What’s the worst bus route in the city?
G: The 66. Specifically, the Polo Park flavor. Stop getting my hopes up. I know you'll only take me halfway to where I wanna go. J: The 21 Crestview, because it never fucking comes. It's like a unicorn.
5. Where do you shop for music?
G: Between sporadic digital downloads, I like to save my pennies for a biannual binge at Rockin' Richards. T: The Entertainment Exchange moved into St. James a couple years back. Doug from the Paperbacks runs that show. He's turned my CD collection into something moderately respectable.
And some hodgepodge…
6. What are some albums that completely changed your life?
G: They're not too representative of my musical tastes today, but three biggies were OK Computer, Siamese Dream, and Bargainville by Moxy Früvous. T:Born a Lion by Danko Jones. It's a pep-talk whenever you're not feeling 100%. J: Well, the very first album I ever got was Offspring's Smash. I guess that got me into music. That and In Utero. I guess that's a good enough change.
7. Of the albums you own, which has the best cover art?
G: It's gotta be Thick as a Brick. Totally fascinating by itself and perfectly complements the music. Runners up: Pink Flag and The Commercial Album. J: I would either say Santana's Abraxas or Over-nite Sensation by the Mothers of Invention.
8. What is your favourite music video?
T: "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl and a gigantic clay hand smackin' up the rest of the band. I think that was the beginning of Taylor Hawkins dressing up like a lady... and WHAT A LADY! J: Uh, shit. Beastie Boys "Sabotage"! It's a good one.
9. What’s one film you watch over and over again?
G: There's this animated film called The Point, based on a story and songs by Harry Nilsson. Tim and I are brothers - twins, actually - and ages ago, our mom taped The Point off cable. We couldn't have been older than five. I think I still have the VHS kicking around somewhere, but when I get nostalgic, I play an .avi that I found on some Nilsson blog. J:The Planet Earth Series by BBC... it's not a film. Does that count?
10. What is your current ringtone?
J: It's the Super Mario underwater theme. World 2-2. T: Some crummy beeping. It sounds like an injured bird. It's a work phone.
11. And finally, a veritable toughie…who is your favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, or Raphael)?
G: TMNT was a big deal when I was growing up. Back then, I was a staunch Mikey booster, but in retrospect, I reckon he was good for nothing. These days I find Leonardo to be a better role model. T: Raph. He was always the badass. While Michelangelo was saying "Outrageous" and "Cowabunga!", Raph was droppin' "Bitchin'" and "Heck yeah!" Plus there was no such weapon as the 'sai' untill he came around... although I think a chick-character from Mortal Kombat eventually stole his thunder. J: Donatello. He didn't just jump right into to any situation. He thought about it. Y'know, he's a smart guy.
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On the surface, the dreamy electronics inhabiting Mathemagic’s self-titled EP are peaceful and sleep-inducing, ideal music for the background. Plunge deeper and the warmly cool subtleties emerge.
The sonic architects behind Mathemagic are brothers Evan and Dylan Euteneier. The products of Guelph, Ontario, the Euteneiers are not the sort of electro-wizards interested in crate-digging and splicing. What drives Mathemagic’s airy electronics are hazy guitars, aqueous synths, and beautifully lulling vocals that often register just a notch above a whisper.
Clocking in at just over 18 minutes, Mathematics’ eponymous debut EP is but a mere appetizer with the main course arriving later this year. If it is anything like this promising digital release, it should put these boys on the map.
-Mykael Sopher
Rating: 3.0/4.0 Web: http://www.myspace.com/mathemagic Choice Cuts: “Breaststroke”, “Beach Days” R.I.Y.D. Beach House, Toro Y Moi, Yo La Tengo’s And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out Label: Paperbag Records
Library Voices
Denim on Denim
There wasn't a record that I was more looking forward to in 2010, based on the promise of their previous EP, Hunting Ghosts (2008), and especially after seeing them live a couple of times. Unfortunately, Library Voices' Denim on Denim is not the outstanding debut that it could have been.
Recorded in Regina "in the back of a local dance studio", Denim on Denim fails to live up to its potential by not capturing any of the spontaneous energy that makes this eight-member band so special.
Every song on Denim on Denim sounds too polished, cleaned-up and over-produced...the melodies and such are strong enough, but any hint of the controlled chaos that makes a Library Voices show such an exhilarating experience is missing. The band and co-producer Orion Paradis unfortunately decided to play it very safe, which is really too bad.
I still think Library Voices is the best, most exciting emerging indie band in Canada, period. You just can't hear that band on Denim on Denim.
-Nigel Moore
Rating: 2.0/4.0
Web: http://thelibraryvoices.blogspot.com/
Choice Cuts: "Drinking Games", "Insider Trading (On Outsider Art)", "Bookish"
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