A couple months ago, Calgary’s Miesha and the Spanks dropped their latest EP Visions, and hit the road to celebrate! The tour brought them to Vancouver on a rainy Thursday night, with support from Francis Baptiste at the Fox Cabaret.

I got there just as the emcee from VIM House (who put on the show) was introducing Francis Baptiste, joined by Rob Thomson on bass, Diego Perez on drums, and Gavin Harper on pedal steel. He launched into a set that teased songs off his upcoming album Talk To Me So I Don’t Forget, sung in both English and Nsyilxcen, which he explained was an endangered language with fewer than a hundred fluent speakers, and this was his way to pass it on to his son. The deeply personal set also included songs about his addiction recovery with the title track “So I will not forget” and his spirituality in “The Creator”. He wrapped up the set with the introspective “Work In Progress”, and I’m looking forward to checking out the album when it’s out early next year.

It wasn’t long before Miesha & the Spanks were out, Miesha Louie on vocals & guitars, and drummer Sean Hamilton (no relation) also chipping in on backing vocals. In the grand tradition of ‘duos who are louder than full bands’, they kicked off they set hard with “Lost Boys” and barely slowed down, hitting a couple older songs, including the powerful “Dig Me Out”, before getting to the new album with “Vision 4 U”.

The duo mostly just rocked the whole set, but a few times chatted with the crowd; from lighthearted banter with Sean regretting eating so much Vancouver sushi before the show, to more serious subjects like partnering with Moose Hide Campaign to raise awareness for violence toward Indigenous women and girls, which lead into a standout from the EP, the infectious “Good Boys”.

Other highlights of the set included the anthemic “Cut My Bangs” and Miesha’s absolutely scathing vocals on “So Mad”. They also slipped in a cover of The Stooges’ classic “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, and after “Fight My Body”, the duo finished off with “Heart Is On Fire”, going all out one last time as Sean came out from behind the drums and jokingly passed out in front of Miesha.

I’ve seen Miesha & the Spanks a few times over the years, and they are always very loud and explosive, while walking that tightrope of songs that are fun to watch live despite having serious or even dark subject matter. Add Francis Baptiste as the opener, and it’s a great night of two acts that are not afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

setlist
Lost Boy
Motorin’
Dig Me Out
I Can’t Wait
Vision 4 U
Good Boys
Cut My Bangs
So Mad
It’s My Year
Smiling
I Wanna Be Your Dog [The Stooges cover]
Can I Scream
Fight My Body
Heart Is On Fire