Number One

concert review: Lightspeed Champion, Flowers Forever @ Lee's Palace (Toronto, Ontario), June 11, 2008



I can't speak firsthand about first openers Charleston, North Carolina's The Explorers Club, although I heard they were all sorts of Brian Wilson-esque goodness, but second openers Omaha, Nebraska's Flowers Forever and headliners UK's Lightspeed Champion were as opposites as two could bands could be playing on the same bill.

Glow-in-the-dark, larger than life, cut-out, faces adorned the stage, with moments of smoke-machine billowing and eerie lighting set the mood for Flowers Forevers sinister punky, garage pop. I hadn't known until after the fact that, Derek Presnall, is the guitarist and vocalist for indiepop outfit Tilly and the Wall so maybe that ignorance made me approach Flowers Forevers set with an open mind. I've read several items on the band that make the accusation that Derek's change in musical direction with Flowers Forever sounds forced, but honestly I though Flowers Forever were decent. Though, perhaps on a bill as a warm-up to the pure pop sounds of Lightspeed Champion is a little weird.

If Flowers Forever's set was a little too jolting to the system, Lightspeed Champion's set was as a good a remedy as one could get. Stepping it up from playing as a duo, when Dev played with violinst Mike Siddeel at the Horseshoe Tavern in March of this year, they were joined by a drummer(Anna Prior) and bass guitarist this time around, fleshing out songs off of "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge", and later on in the set utilizing the configuration on a surprising rocking rendition of the Star Wars Darth Vader Theme. Other than the latter's obvious benefiting from the full band, I found myself feeling that Lightspeed Champion's set back in March was the better one. I'd probably feel differently if I could hear the female drummer's background vocals better (like Emmy The Great's delicious background vox on the album), but otherwise the added drums and bass guitar this time around wasn't nearly as much of an improvement as I'd hoped for for songs that were already great performed with just guitar, violin and vocals.

Even on an off day Dev's banter contributions are still as charmingly goofy than most, but even still, banter quantity was less this time around than last. He apologized for being 'anti-social' when he took a moment to discuss the NBA finals with a fan near the front of the stage who apparently brought it up. He also complimented the venue and it's high stage - ok, so that wasn't funny, but hey a compliment's and compliment, and if there's a music venue comparable to Lee's Palace anywhere with a stage as high or higher than Lee's Palace, I want to know.

My photos from the show are over at Flickr.

Reviews of the show over at Chromewaves and It's Not The Band I Hate....

MySpace: Flowers Forever
MySpace: Lightspeed Champion

Midnight Surprise

concert review: Lightspeed Champion @ Horseshoe Tavern (Toronto, Ontario), March 4, 2008



I had a bit of a dicey drive in to Toronto from the 'burbs during a few evenings ago's evenings snowy conditions but in the end it was well worth it to see UK's Lightspeed Champion's Toronto live debut at the Horseshoe Tavern during Dave Bookman's no-cover Nu Music Nite.

Yes it was icy and snowy outside and Lightspeed Champion's Dev Hynes was dressed for the weather in a ski sweater and fur hat, but he was so comfortable on stage he hardly seemed to break a sweat(at least on his forehead - well except towards the end when he finally wiped his brow).

Nary a lap-steel in sight(as I'd heard on a song or two from his debut album "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge", Dev brought his songs to life(playing a set without a set list) with his solid but respectable guitar work, the complimentary violin arrangements of violinist Mike Siddell(played with the similar casual sonics of say Final Fantasy) and Dev's melodic vocals. Stripped down to the duo, the music was less pastoral/folk-rock from what I'd heard from the album and had a much more raw feel to it. The whole set musically was sublime.

Banter-wise, Dev sounded as seasoned as any music veteran, throwing out quips and comments with a rambolic charm. The obligatory comment about how much he liked Toronto was counterbalanced more specifically with how much he liked "this street"(Queen St) at least[you knew that that was the only part of Toronto that he probably he'd actually seen]. In introducing a new song, he went into a rambolic explanation of how 'new' the song was but in the end just admitted that most of the songs he was playing that night were new to us. Oh, and the refrigeration of beef story was priceless, but you had to be there.

Check out a few of my photos over at my Flickr.

More reviews/photos from the show over at Chromewaves, lyncanthropy, and The Panic Manual

MySpace: Lightspeed Champion
:
:

I just noticed that Toronto indie record label Unfamiliar Records has just relaunched a brand spanking new website, in no small part to celebrate their showcase with Musebox tonight at Wrongbar in Toronto. Unfamiliar will bringing tonight The Airfields and The Paper Cranes and filling out the rest of the line up are Toronto's Lioness, plus Norway's Syme and some other band called Boys In A Band. Full details here. And as the same Stille Post thread says here, look out for some upcoming Unfamiliar Records releases from The Paper Cranes, The Airfields(!), The Two Koreas, Snailhouse(!), The Clips and Chad Blue.

New Sub Pop signees(for US distribution) Foals make their Toronto debut on May 2 with a show at Lee's Palace. The band's album "Antidotes" is out in the US on April 8. As Pitchfork put is, the band perform "...fun, feisty, post-punk tunes..." if that's your thing.

Cyndi Lauper's True Colors tour returns to Toronto for a show at Molson Ampitheatre on June 4. The official website hasn't been updated yet but Pollstar is listing it.

Good news, I got my CMW media accreditation. It's just a matter of going down to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and registering onsite. Thanks to those who suggested I e-mail them about it.

Free Not Free

Another hodge podge of links and tour reminders today:

The final schedule for the upcoming Pitter Patter Festival(taking place March 27-30 in venues mostly in Toronto but also in London, Oshawa, Lindsay, Peterborough, and Belleville) has been confirmed.

Masked Brits Clinic are offering a free download of their single "Free Not Free". Registration is required(always a catch). They're at Lee's Palace on May 11 - btw they're taking requests for songs you'd like to hear them play at their upcoming shows(I assume they mean requests for their own songs, although I'd be interested in also hearing them do a cover. Hmmm.)

Get an audio/video sample of what to expect at UK's Lightspeed Champion's upcoming show at Horseshoe Tavern on March 4. (The video btw is of Dev performing 4 tracks solo and acoustic for CNET Networks.) [link via Domino Records]

East Coast buzz-band Dog Day have a few upcoming CMW shows, first March 6 at Horseshoe Tavern then March 8(with Jenn Grant and The Night Painters also on the bill) at the Rivoli. Chartattack confirms more of that March 6 lineup at the Horseshow which will also include The Acorn, Immaculate Machine, Kate Stelmanis, plus several more to be announced. Speaking of Jenn Grant above, Hero Hill has a review and video clip of Jenn's appearance at Halifax's recent In The Dead Of Winter festival.

Watch Will Sheff of Okkervil River covering Loudon Wainwright's "Motel Blues", sitting, singing and playing guitar on a motel bed (ME Backstage Session). (Via Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands). Okervill River as well as The New Pornographers are at the Phoenix on April 9 and tickets are $26.50.

In promotion for their sophomore album "Walk It Off"(out April 8), Tapes N' Tapes will be hitting the road and'll stop in Toronto for a show at The Opera House on April 14.

Pitchfork points to video of Feist's recent appearance on Later With Jools Holland. She's at the Sony Centre For Performing Arts with openers Great Lake Swimmers on May 13.

The following tour dates, I'll shoot off quickly: The Duke Spirt, and UK blog buzz band The Pigeon Detectives are at Lee's Palace on March 8(as part of CMW). Louis XIV with What Made Milwaukee Famous and Carolina Liar are at The Mod Club on March 19. Dragonette with Fritz Helder & The Phantoms and Sweet Thing are at the Phoenix on April 3. Chromeo is at The Opera House on March 22. Gary Louris, with openers Vetiver are at the Mod Club on March 30, tickets $20.

And now some other random music news: Stereogum points out that UK's Guillemots have a new song(not the new single) "Kriss Kross" available for download here and you can also hear the band's new single "Get Over It" over at their MySpace. The band's new album "Red" comes out in March.

NME reports that Brian Jonestown Massacre 's new album "My Bloody Underground" will be released March 31.

If you're crossing the pond, BBC News confirms that Jay Z has been confirmed to headline Glastonbury. Interesting choice - I'm not a big fan, but he's not bad.

Pitchfork has an interview with Alison of Goldfrapp. The new record "Seventh Tree" is out in stores on February 25 in the UK and the following day in the US. Only a few select UK dates on the horizon - I don't think they've been in Toronto since circa "Felt Mountain"(and if you were at their show at The Opera House at that time like I was, you know that didn't go well).

California (All The Way)

Stay tuned today for the announcement of the Coachella lineup. Update: Among the early confirmations for this year's Coachella are Portishead, My Morning Jacket, and The Verve according to Billboard. The rest of the lineup is expected to be announced by later on today. Update: Billboard updated their original story and other confirmed acts for Coachella include Jack Johnson, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters (performing the band's classic album "Dark Side of the Moon"), the Breeders, Rilo Kiley, Death Cab For Cutie, the reunited Love And Rockets, Justice, M.I.A., Sasha & Digweed, Fatboy Slim, Cafe Tacuba, and The Raconteurs. Update: Full lineup here. The Canadian contingent going down to Cali for Coachella include Tegan and Sara, Stars, Islands, Metric, Holy Fuck, and DJ A-Trak.

One of the bands rumored to be there this year(and who could possibly sway me to consider to go to Coachella this year) is Portishead who recently announced some long-overdue tour dates, with more dates to come(cross your fingers for Toronto!). Update: Portishead headline the second night of the 3-day Coachella festival.

From Blown Speakers points out that Vancouver indie-choral group The Choir Practice will be singing the US and Canadian National Anthems for tonight's Vancouver/Minnesota NHL game - game's at 10 pm EST on SportsNet.

The Montreal Mirror spoke to Young Galaxy's Stephen Ramsay. Young Galaxy open for Peter, Bjorn and John at the Phoenix on January 22.

I guess I haven't been paying attention. Firstly, I didn't know that Metric had filmed a live performance(at Metropolis in Montreal in 2006) of theirs for a DVD. Secondly, I didn't know that they show the film at The Royal in Toronto twice last week(including Jimmy, Emily and Joshua participating in a Q & A after the screening). Well, the DVD "Live at Metropolis" gets its release on February 12 and BlogTO linked to the trailer. The band takes a break from the recording of its fourth album and to celebrate the release of the new DVD with a show at Sound Academy in Toronto on February 7.

The Kooks are back in Toronto for a 19+ show at The Mod Club on February 11, onsale through Ticketmaster on January 26 at 10 am, tickets $20.00.

Brooklyn's Vampire Weekend performed a live session on BBC 6 Music's George Lamb program last week which you can listen to here and see some photos from the session here. They return to Toronto for a show at Horseshoe Tavern on February 11. The band's self-titled debut full-length gets its official release January 29 through XL Recordings.

In addition to their already announced date in Toronto at Circa on March 28, Crystal Castles have a secret show in Toronto on February 21. Full dates over at their MySpace.

While we wait patiently for the new album from Kathleen Edwards entitled "Asking For Flowers"(out March 4), the Hamilton forum at Stille Post is indicating a show in their fair city on March 22 at Westside Concert Theatre, tickets $25.00. I'd assume a Toronto date wouldn't be far off.

Domino Records is streaming clips of songs from UK's Lightspeed Champion (ie. Dev Hynes) debut album "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge", out in the UK this week and in North America the following week. Frankly, I never had listened to his music until last week when Chromewaves wrote a post about him - his music is quite lovely at times. There's something about Brits performing twangy, pastoral pop music - it just sounds so good. As Chromewaves mentioned last week, Lightspeed Champion is heading to North America for SXSW and an acoustic tour with a stop in Toronto on Tuesday March 4 at Horseshoe Tavern(Tuesdays at the Horseshoe traditionally being no cover, Nu Music Nite). It's circled on my calendar as a definite maybe.