It was a disappointing turnout to what was otherwise a fine set of intelligent pop music by Portland's Laura Veirs and her backing band Saltbreakers at the El Mocambo this past Saturday night. It's been about a year and half since she performed in Toronto when she opened for Sufjan Stevens at Trinity St Paul Church. My impression that night a year and half ago(especially standing near the merch table after the show) was that she gained a lot of new fans, myself included. It's a bit surprising that the El Mocambo was nowhere near capacity(maybe 40-50 people) for Laura's return appearance to Toronto. Thankfully, the crowd on hand was appreciative and did the courteous thing by approaching the stage for Laura Veir's set, making her feel quite at home.
According to Laura, her and and her band never paid much attention to what they wore on stage but this time, they wore the snazziest outfits I've seen in a long time. Laura's dress was adorned with stars, flowers, and guitars while her band Saltbreakers[Tucker Martine (percussion) Steve Moore (piano, organs), Karl Blau (bass, guitar, vocals)] wore suits similarly adorned with various things like trees, moths, and nautical objects. Drummer/producer Tucker Martine's suit jackets with it's various nautical objects adorned especially reflected the nautical-themed album cover of Laura's most recent album "Saltbreakers" (Nonesuch). Ingratiating herself to the audience, Laura asked if anyone in the audience knew Tony Dekker of Great Lake Swimmers who she and the band toured with(bassist Karl further saying that he was a sweetheart), and also asked the audience if anyone had read "Fugitive Pieces" written by one of her favourite authors Toronto author/poet Anne Michaels. Anyone going to this extent to extend herself to the audience might come off insincere but Laura was quite the opposite. Totally charming.
Overall, it was a set of polite-sounding, intelligent pop music. Laura's vocals, not overly feminine but still vulnerable sounding, was easily best the best instrument to carry her song's melodies. The band instrumentation was competent but at times felt somewhat lacking. I can't quite pinpoint what it was - or maybe I can; it could have been the bass from the second floor vibrating down through the ceiling to our floor. It was somewhat of a distraction and even Laura joked about it, at one point contemplating whether their next song should be a louder one or one of their quieter numbers. Unfortunately, I couldn't grab a set list fast enough but I did recognize Laura perform several familiar numbers like "Galaxies", "Secret Someones"!, "Pink Light", "Don't Lose Yourself", and "Rialto"(complete with handclaps!). A lovely, intimate show that could have benefited more from a stronger turnout(shame on you, Toronto).
Preceding Laura's set was her bassist Karl Blau who performed as a one-man-band using a looping station to loop human beat box sounds and other vocal effects, as well as guitar arrangements, as a backdrop to his own vocals and guitar/bass guitar playing. Starting his set with a folkier tune, Karl progressed to tunes with almost funky, even reggae, overtones, and as such he reminded at times of Beck. Quite possibly, the most amazing display of a looping station I've ever seen. The crowd was a little sparser for Karl's set than Laura's but a little prompting from Karl got the crowd to approach closer to the stage. The music's not necessarily my cup of tea but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
Had I known Montreal's(by-way-of-Florida-and-Taiwan) Jade McNelis was the first opener of the night my friend and I would have made an effort to show up earlier. I get many MySpace links sent to my e-mail and many I don't check out or I'm not impressed with but Jade's MySpace is one of the few I've taken notice of. Her vocals are awesome - they sound a little like Emily Haines in my opinion - and the music's an exemplary blend of melody, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. I can't believe she's only 20 yrs old. Chris Seligman of Stars produced her debut EP "All The Fables". Unfortunately, my friend and I missed her set. She may have only played solo because I think I recall only seeing a keyboard set up onstage before Karl's set. I may possibly try to take in her 11:10 pm scheduled set at the Horseshoe Tavern tomorrow night which is no cover, part of Edge 102.1's Nu Music Nite.
My photos from the show to come soon.
MySpace: Jade McNelis
MySpace: Karl Blau
MySpace: Laura Veirs
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The Smudge of Ashen Fluff graciously provides mp3's of Feist's recent live session on KCRW broadcast on May 10, 2007.
Vancouver's You Say Party! We Say Die! make their way eastward starting towards the end of the month, stopping in Toronto for a show an NXNE show at Horseshoe Tavern on June 9. Tour dates over at their MySpace.
Aversion has a Q&A with Mary Timony, whose newest disc "The Shapes We Make" (Kill Rock Stars) came out on May 8. No upcoming Toronto date unfortunately, but she'll be in Buffalo, NY at Mohawk Place on June 12 if you're inclined to make the drive.
The Hidden Cameras play an all-ages, early gig at Phoenix on June 15 - you already knew that. Before they head off to Europe for the summer festival circuit, according to their MySpace their only other Canadian gig for now will be on June 16 at Dublin Street United Church in Guelph - openers are Nathan Lawr & the Minotaurs, Doors 7:30 - Show 8:00 - tickets $15 adv/ $18 door which will be available at Daydream Nation and Ground Floor Music in Guelph. Hopefully they'll make it back for the Hillside Festival in Guelph at the end of July.
Brooklynites Bishop Allen will be at Lee's Palace on June 28. Tickets $10, onsale on May 17.
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