Dead Letter Chorus @ Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (March 16, 2010)

  Dead Letter Chorus: photo by Michael Ligon

One of the highlights for me at this year's Canadian Musicfest was a charming folk, alt-country outfit from Australia called Dead Letter Chorus. Making their Toronto debut at intimate Toronto venue, The Painted Lady, it was a brief set but one that managed to adequately convey their strengths including strong melodies, attractive male and female vocals, and a tight-knit musicianship. Their Painted Lady set was one of two showcases(the other being at the Rivoli a few days later) which the band performed for Canadian Musicfest but before embarking on a short Canadian tour with Charlottetown's Two Hours Traffic, they also stuck around in Town to play Nu Music Nite at the Horseshoe Tavern this past Tuesday - officially it was to celebrate the Canadian release of their debut album "The August Magnificent" (which originally was released in their native Australia in 1998). I'd timed my arrival at the venue perfectly just before Dead Letter Chorus kicked off their set, and while it was a generally thin crowd, there seemed to be a curiosity (and perhaps a few spectactors that were familiar with the band) that motivated some to move a little closer to the stage. The band's sound varied a little over the course of the set, going from sombre, noir tones to sunnier rootsy pop songs, and it's with the latter on songs like "Magnolia Farm" and "Down In Your Valley" where I feel they excelled. The band has two strong lead vocalists with the effervescent vocals of Gabrielle Huber and the effortless, casual vocals of Cam Potts, a competent rhythm section with bassist Tristan Thorne and drummer Lee Carey, and guitarist Michael Faber was particularly expressive both in his stage persona and guitar-playing.

I had the chance to speak briefly with bassist Tristan Thorne who I'd purchased their CD at the merch table for affordable $10 Cdn (unlike the $20-$30 it might cost in Australia as they'd bantered during their set). They had no plans on attending SXSW this year, instead as Thorne revealed, focusing their efforts on touring Canada, a place where they felt they belong, which is maybe the nicest compliment I've ever heard from a band touring our fair country. A sentiment such as thing should perhaps not be too surprising as Dead Letter Chorus' Huber and Two Hours Traffic Liam Corcoran collaborated and wrote a song together which they performed at this year's ECMA's as part of the SOCAN Songwriters Circle, and leading to the Sydney meets Sydney iniative. And now both bands are touring together across this fair country. While I already have plans on April 3, the night Two Hours Traffic/Dead Letter Chorus stop in Toronto at Lee's Palace, I do highly recommend you check the Aussie's out (and of course our own Two Hours Traffic).

For full tour dates go to Dead Letter Chorus' MySpace.

Photos: Dead Letter Chorus @ Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (March 16, 2010)

Canadian Musicfest w/ Dead Letter Chorus (March 10, 2010)

  Dead Letter Chorus: photo by Michael Ligon

It didn't seem my first night of Canadian Musicfest last week would start on a good note given I'd shown up to the Lee's Palace for The Bonfire Ball featuring Jason Collett, Zeus, and Bahamas later than intended(getting in line around quarter after 9) and saw a lineup bigger than expected. I took a chance and decided to wait but after an hour I gave up and bailed as it realistically did not seem like I'd get in. As it was a Wednesday night and I had to work the next day, I wasn't fully committed to seeing any of my alternate choices for 11pm or later but ultimately decided to head down to the Gladstone to check out Will Currie and The Country French but en route on the Dufferin bus to the Gladstone I changed my mind and decided instead to check out Aussie's Dead Letter Chorus at The Painted Lady on Ossington Ave. I'd liked what I heard and fully expected it be an entertaining time.

The Aussie five member indie folk-rock outfit timed their Canadian Musicfest appearance to coincide closely with the release of their debut album “The August Magnificent” released in Canada on Bumstead Records today March 16, the album released independently in their native Australia in 2008. A tight squeeze it was at The Painted Lady, one of the smallest venues in Toronto I've ever been in, but the concentrated patronage added at least the illusion of a buzzed-about show. If I had to guess, the reason for the close to capacity crowd was that they'd probably had come out for locals The Wilderness of Manitoba, themselves a buzzed-about indie folk outfit. But at least people stuck around for Dead Letter Chorus.

With the stage illuminated with a combination of dim lighting and christmas lights and the band spiffied up in their presentable garb, they were so immediately likeable as they performed a set of tuneful folk-rock possessing an underlying rootsiness reminiscent say of The Jayhawks. Co-lead vocalist Cameron Potts did an admirable job on vocals but it was the effervescent lead vocals of keyboardist Gabrielle Huber like on their debut single "Down In Your Valley" where they really excelled. For the most part, vocals were a dual responsibility as Potts and Huber traded off vocals as well as sung together, a combination which really worked well. Musically, they're conventional as 'alt-country' [if you had to lump them into a genre] bands come, but the musicianship was played with a good sense of urgency when necessary and fortunately they had really strong tunes.

With their debut album released today, and their album release show tonight at the Horseshoe Tavern(sorry for the late reminder), I hope for big things for the band in North America. And then one day I can look back and say , "remember when they played that tiny venue in Toronto, The Painted Lady?"

If you don't catch the band tonight, they're going on a short Canadian jaunt opening for Two Hours Traffic which will stop in Toronto at Lee's Palace on April 3.

Photos: Dead Letter Chorus @ The Painted Lady (March 10, 2010)
MySpace: Dead Letter Chorus
Video: Dead Letter Chorus - "Down In Your Valley" (music video)