Tim Baker @ Commodore Ballroom -- November 18, 2022

Tim Baker has been busy. With the release of his latest solo album, The Festival, the former Hey Rosetta! frontman has been getting back into touring shape, as seen on the series of shorts on his youtube channel, It's Gonna Be Great. And it's a good thing he did, because his current tour landed him here in Vancouver, at the legendary Commodore Ballroom.

Opening the night was Georgia Harmer, alone on stage with all her guitars -- joking about wanting to show each one off now that she could tour again. Playing stripped down versions of songs off her laetst album, Stay in Touch, her voice managed to cut through the chatter Friday night crowd. The catchy & rollicking “All In My Mind” and the breezy “Top Down” caught people's attention, before “Be Here”, a gorgeous closer.
I managed to see a little bit of her set when she opened for Dan Mangan earlier this year, and I was quite happy to see her again this night.

As the lights dimmed and the the sound of waves crashing filled the room, Tim Baker took the stage with his All Hands band. He started off with “Lucky Few”, at first just his soft voice alone at the piano, a single spotlight on him, before the rest of the band slowly joined in, bathed in a blue light as the song grew.

From there the set ebbed and flowed — much like his songs themselves often do — swelling up with intensity like the soaring “The Shield”, before crashing down like the melancholic “Dance”. Other highlights included my two favourites off his new album, “Year of the Dog” exploding into a heartwarming finish, and the fun and bouncy “Some Day” that had the crowd joining in.

Part way through the set he slipped in a couple old Hey Rosetta! songs, first a “Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering)” and then “Welcome”, a classic which hit me way harder emotionally than I was expecting, building to an incredible finish.

After a huge fun singalong to “All Hands”, Baker ending the main set, appropriately enough, with “Don't Let Me Go Yet”. Which the crowd did not, calling him back for more; the joyful Hey Rosetta! tune “Harriet” and yet another appropriate closing song, “Goodnight Everybody”.

If you were to force me to make a list (which I hate doing) of my favourite bands, I think Hey Rosetta! would rank pretty high. But even though they went on an “indefinite hiatus” in 2017, it's been hard to miss them, as Tim Baker has continued on, making some excellent solo albums, putting on incredible, emotional live shows.

setlist
Lucky Few
The Shield
Spirit
My Kind
Dance
Strange River
Jungle Suite
Year of the Dog
Some Day
Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering)
Welcome
Echo Park
The Festival
All Hands
Don't Let Me Go Yet
(encore)
Harriet
Goodnight Everyone

Spencer Krug @ China Cloud -- November 11, 2022

The last time I saw Spencer Krug perform, it was with Wolf Parade, at the Just Like Heaven music festival in Pasadena, California, alongside a few thousand other people. So when Krug announced a string of solo piano shows -- for his new album Twenty Twenty Twenty Twenty One -- and the chance to see him alongside a few dozen people at the China Cloud in Vancouver, I knew I couldn't miss it.

The opening act for the evening was a Nanaimo band simply named SEX. The duo of Max Pittet on keys and Chris Thompson on synth (and both occasionally on bass) played a set of electronic-voiced synthpop. Their songs were often upbeat, like the sexy breakup song, “Come Again”, but even the ones with more serious subject matter still had an air of levity, like the double entendre titled “Kickin’ It” about substance abuse. The duo admitted they were a but nervous for their first show in Vancouver, but with banter that landed more on the “charming” side of “charmingly awkward”, they were a fun opening band.

Lit with a lamp in front of the piano, and a row of candles above the keys, Spencer Krug kicked off with "Black Is Back in Style", for a set spanning many of his projects. From the Moonface song "Heartbreaking Bravery", which was performed a cappella, with just a soft percussion of stomps and finger snaps; to the newer "Chisel Chisel Stone Stone", with its intricate piano runs, which Krug nailed after telling us he was still working out how to translate the song to piano; and even an old Sunset Rubdown song, "Us Ones In Between".

Cuts from the new album, like the dense "New Kind of Summer of Love", were translated into stripped down versions, but his distinct vocals and deft piano kept the crowd rapt. Both with the new songs, but especially with favourites like the bubbling intensity of "City Wrecker", and one of my all time personal faves, the absolutely gorgeous "Julia With Blue Jeans On", with Krug's voice going from a fragile tremble, to an fervent wail.

In keeping with the intimate vibe of the show, Krug chatted with the crowd a few times throughout the set, as if friends gathered in a living room. Near the end, he asked how long they wanted to watch one man play one piano, and after admitting the consensus of "forever" was slightly unreasonable, he decided to eschew the idea of leaving the stage & returning, saying he had just two more: one new, "How We Have to Live", and one old, "Fast Peter".

The last time I saw Spencer Krug perform a solo piano show, specifically, it was at The Lido a few years ago. While that was also a great show, the din of a bar really detracted from his set. This time, I couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere; almost dead silent, the incredibly respectful crowd hanging on every note, sometimes even waiting until between songs to open a can of beer. And if that's not having the crowd in the palm of your hand, I don't know what is.

setlist
Black Is Back in Style
Heartbreak Bravery
Slipping In and Out of Thee Pool
My Puppeteer
Barbarian
City Wrecker
Chisel Chisel Stone Stone
New Kind of Summer of Love
Us Ones In Between
The Fog
Julia With Blue Jeans On
How We Have to Live
Fast Peter

Skye Wallace @ Fox Cabaret -- November 09, 2022

Skye Wallace made her long-awaited return to Vancouver last night, on the heels of her latest album, Terribly Good. In the midst of a cross-Canada tour, the Toronto singer came back to the city that was once her home, with a stop at the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately I missed the first opener, Nonarchy, arriving to the venue part way through Zoey Leven's set. I caught the last bit of her breezy, indie-pop sound on songs like “Closer” and “Gatekeeper”, an upbeat, jangly tune off their 2019 debut EP, Messy. The few songs I heard definitely made me want to keep an ear out for more in the future.

Not long after, Skye Wallace took the stage joined by her band; Devon Lougheed (guitar), Gina Kennedy (keys), Jenna Strautman (bass), and Chris Dimas (drums). She kicked off the hour-long set with a couple of older tunes, the darker "There is a Wall" and the raucous "Mean Song 2" before launching into new material off Terribly Good.

Highlights included "Everything is Fine", the self-convincing anthemic answer when asked how you’re doing; the gritty "Tooth and Nail", which slipped into a fun cover of The Watchmen's 90s hit "Stereo"; and "Keeper", a bittersweet number which she admitted was almost her first love song... until they broke up some time between writing and recording the song.

Part way through the night, Devon and Chris took a break while Skye introduced a song written about Angelina Napolitano, "Swing Batter". With just her playing electric guitar and Geena & Jenna on backing vocals, the song’s intensity, combined with Skye's incredibly powerful voice, sent chills & goosebumps throughout the room.

The set came to a close with the raw "Tear A Piece (Bite Me)" before finishing off with another cover, Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time". But after a moment the band was out for one last song, a favourite of Skye's dad (who was in attendance) "Reaper", an absolute banger which saw Skye hop off the stage and onto the floor to shred on guitar, while a portion of the crowd lost it in a mosh pit (which Skye had half-jokingly requested earlier in the evening).

As Skye Wallace mentioned a couple times during the show, she was incredibly excited to be back onstage, especially back in Vancouver, and especially at the Fox. But even if she hadn’t said anything, that excitement and energy was radiating off stage and through the crowd, for a great night of dark-folk-rock.

setlist
There is a Wall
Mean Song 2
Truth Be Told
The Doubt
Everything is Fine
Phantom Limb
Swing Batter
Keeper
You Left
Coal In Your Window
Tooth and Nail [w/ Stereo by The Watchmen]
Tear A Piece (Bite Me)
If I Could Turn Back Time [Cher cover]
(encore)
Reaper

Basia Bulat @ Hollywood Theatre -- October 14, 2022

Earlier this year, Basia Bulat released a brand new album, The Garden, which featured songs from her previous five albums, re-recorded with brand new strings arrangements. To celebrate the album, she set off on a cross-Canada tour, wrapping up in BC with a stop in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre.

I was running a bit late for the show and only managed to just catch the end of Katie Tupper, who was opening the show. And was almost immediately disappointed I wasn't there earlier. Joined by only her guitarist on stage, her smooth vocals and neo-soul sound had the gathering crowd captivated.
Her personal songs were juxtaposed by her light banter between, joking about about their origins and her hometown Saskatoon (and even the “mood whiplash” of doing so). She closed out the set with the first track off her current EP Towards The End, a sultry tune called ”Live Inside”.

After a short break, Basia Bulat took the stage alone to start off with an acoustic "It Can't Be You", before being joined by her band; Andrew Woods (her partner) on guitar, Joshua Toal on bass, and Matthew Woodley (of Plants & Animals) on drums.

Bulat floated between guitar, keys, and the autoharp throughout, introducing songs and bantering with the crowd with a bubbly excitement, as her incredible voice filled the room for songs spanning her albums, like “Fool”, “Your Girl”, and “If It Rains”, dedicated specifically to Vancouver.

About halfway through the set, she was joined by local violinist Meredith Bates, as the “strings section” to add the lush sound from the versions off The Garden. Highlights including a gorgeous rendition of "Heart of My Own", the emotionally staggering "Infamous" (which is my absolute favourite of hers), and the soaring "Tall Tall Shadows", one of the best showcases of her powerful vocals.

Basia drew the main set to a close with "Love is at the End of the World", starting soft and then exploding into an extended breakdown, where every band member got the time to shine with their own solo. But as the entire band took a bow and started to leave, they weren’t even off the stage before the crowd was calling Bulat for more.
She returned immediately for a couple of songs on her own, fielding requests for deep cuts like "The Pilgriming Vine" and "Before I Knew", both off her debut album Oh, My Darling. Then finally, the band also returned to ask us one last question: "Are You In Love?"

As is the case with a lot of artists I've seen over the last year, Basia Bulat was very happy to be back on stage; not only telling us how much she missed performing to people (and not a cell phone), but you could see the emotion on her face at various points throughout the night. A feeling that was definitely reciprocated by the crowd.

setlist
It Can't Be You
Fool
Your Girl
If It Rains
Book of Rules [The Heptones cover]
The Garden
Heart of My Own
Already Forgiven
Infamous
Good Advice
Tall Tall Shadow
Love is at the End of the World
[encore]
The Pilgriming Vine
Before I Knew
Are You In Love?

Broken Social Scene with The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Commodore Ballroom -- September 22, 2022

It seems like the last few years have seen a lot of anniversary celebrations for albums, which -- aside from making me feel old -- has been a wild trip back through time. Case in point, Broken Social Scene struck out on tour to celebrate their breakthrough 2002 release, You Forgot It In People. Their first stop? The Commodore Ballroom here in Vancouver for a pair of shows.

Opening the night was The Rural Alberta Advantage — and fun story, when I was on vacation earlier this year, I happened to be in Los Angeles the same night as their show there, so this was my second time seeing the trio this year, in two different countries.

They started with "CANDU" off the latest EP The Rise, with Nils Edenloff’s distinct vocals ringing off songs like “Bad Luck Again” and the tempestuous “Tornado ‘87”.

Mid-way through the set, drummer Paul Banwatt and keyboardist Amy Cole took a break for Nils to perform a song on his own, one written for his wife (before they were married five days previous to this show!) "Ten Feet Tall".

Once the band returned, they slowly built back the intensity with "White Lights" before a few more, and ending off the set with the explosive "Terrified".

Not long after, a full compliment of Broken Social Scene members took the stage; Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Sam Goldberg, and Ariel Engle, along with Evan Cranley (of Stars), and special guest drummer Loel Campbell (of Wintersleep) a last-minute fill-in on this tour for Justin Peroff. Throughout the night members changed instruments, running around stage, with Drew and Canning, and occasionally Whiteman taking lead on the male vocals, and Engle doing all the female vocals.

As a celebration of You Forgot It In People, they started off the set with "KC Accidental" and then went through the first half of the album, including the chilled out "Looks Just Like The Sun", tropical instrumental “Pacific Theme”, and a raucous "Cause = Time". At one point, Drew said he was inspired to not just play the album front to back after seeing Alanis Morissette live, and immediately went into a few songs from their self-titled: "7/4 Shoreline" and "Fire Eye'd Boy", a pair of crowd-pleasing singalongs.

After dedicating "Hug of Thunder" to Gord Downie, coming up to the fifth anniversary of his passing, a gorgeous version of “Lover’s Spit”, and soaring “World Sick”, they thanked everyone again and launched into “Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)”, a cathartic song, especially with Drew encouraging the crowd to just scream everything from the last couple years out.

That was supposed to be the encore break, but as everyone was leaving the stage, Drew didn’t move and just waved everyone back for one last song, one that was conspicuously absent from a set celebrating You Forgot It In People. With Ariel Engle taking main vocals once more, and dedicating it to every woman who was ever in the band, they capped off the night with an incredibly emotional singalong to perennial favourite, “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl” to send everyone home happy.

A few times during the show, while the band was paused between songs, the crowd just erupted; it was the first show on Broken Social Scene’s tour, so the members on stage were all visibly emotional to be back at it, and the crowd was more than happy to welcome them. How could we not with a pair of bands like this?

BSS setlist
KC Accidental
Stars & Sons
Almost Crimes
Looks Just Like the Sun
Pacific Theme
Cause = Time
7/4 Shoreline
Fire Eye'd Boy
Shampoo Suicide
I'm Still Your F
Hug of Thunder
Lovers Spit
World Sick
Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)
[encore]
Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl

RAA setlist
CANDU
Bad Luck Again
Tornado 87
3 Sisters
10ft Tall
White Lights
Frank AB
Brother
Terrified