Hillsburn @ Biltmore -- 02/08/19

A couple years ago at the Vancouver Folk Fest, I went to go see a workshop and discovered Hillsburn, who I liked enough to make sure I saw their full set that weekend, too. Flash forward this weekend, their first time playing headlining a show in town, at the Biltmore Cabaret, coinciding with a recent release of the "deluxe" version of last year's album The Wilder Beyond.

The Haligonian five-piece took the stage with the first song off the newer album, the soaring and intense "Strange Clouds", which started off the set with a bang. Vocals were split between Rosanna Burrill -- who also played violin -- as well as her brother Clayton and songwriter Paul Aarntzen, with songs like "Sun Ought To Shine" providing stellar harmonies between the three. Or the darker and melancholic "With The Larks", which built to a huge ending, their three voices bursting off the stage, giving me goosebumps (and likely also the guy near me whose reaction was a stunned "holy shit!!").
Rosanna was definitely the most energetic and expressive of the three, moving around the stage and going up to each member of the band throughout the set and singing with (or even just at) them.

They ran through tracks from their two albums, highlights including the more upbeat "Cover It Up"; the boisterous "Run Down" with a nice stomp & clap-along; and my favourite off the album "Young Desire", a sweeping anthem that ended the main set with Rosanna singing her absolute heart out, getting the crowd to join in on the call & response, and even jumping onto the floor and working her way through the audience.
But they were only gone a moment before popping back out for one last song, the slower and heart-wrenching "Time of Life" which built to an incredible violin solo, leaving the crowd emotionally exhausted.

Sometimes you see a band and their sound is just bigger than their venue-size, and that was absolutely the case with Hillsburn. It's going to be a crime if we never them in big theatres, venues like the Vogue.

setlist
Strange Clouds
Everything Is New
Sun Ought To Shine
Born Only To Love You
Everywhere
With The Larks
Bad Behaviours
When We Were Young
Cover It Up
Run Down
Caught In The Rain
Bury My Heart
Young Desire
(encore)
Time Of Life

Mother Mother w/ Said the Whale @ Orpheum -- 02/07/19

Not counting things like #SingItFwd (or even Skookum, where I only saw part of their set) it's been quite a while since I've seen a full, 'proper' show from Mother Mother. So what better way to correct that that at the historic Orpheum Theatre, especially with the friends they had opening for them.

Those friends being Said the Whale, who took the stage exactly one hour before their new album was set to drop (well, on streaming and digital), flanked by two big Cascadia flags. They kicked off with their first hit "Camilo (The Magician)" to get the crowd pumped, before showcasing songs from the new album, like "Record Shop" and "Love Don't Ask", along with their most recent hit, the instantly infectious "UnAmerican", and "Level Best", a gorgeous song Tyler Bancroft wrote for his son, during which I could hear more than a few people letting out some tears and an aaawwwww or two.

Of course, they also included some older songs, like "Step Into The Darkness", which saw Ben Worcester pouring his heart out at the front of the stage, and one of my all-time favourites, a song that I haven't heard live in a while, and it always brings chills when they play it; "Love Is Art/Sleep Through Fire", which I still think is the best blend of Ben & Tyler's voices.

The last time I saw Said the Whale was a couple months ago, for a pop-up show at Save-On Meats, with about 100 other people as a teaser for their new single. Now to see them in front of nearly 3,000, on the cusp of their new album release, was pretty great.

After a brief intermission, the lights went down and smoke filled the stage as the members of Mother Mother launched into "I Must Cry Out Loud", the first song off their latest album, followed by the title track to Dance and Cry. Ryan Guldemond's wild vocals (and even stage presence) burst through in songs like "Let's Fall In Love" and "Bottom Is A Rock", as the whole band was so incredibly tight and full of energy.

During "Body of Years", Molly Guldemond stepped forward for a haunting cover of Radiohead's "Creep", the sold out room singing along. In fact, most of the set the audience was joining in, not just with old favourites like "Get Out The Way" but even newer ones, with people enthusiastically singing (sometimes even louder than the band, which... well, that's a discussion for another day).

In a nice stretch of songs, Ryan shouted out to everyone here with a relative before playing "Family", thanked everyone for sticking with them from the beginning while playing an acoustic version of "Dirty Town" harkening back to their earliest days, and finally reminiscing about cutting their teeth with bands like Said the Whale, before inviting them back to sing backup vocals on "So Down". There were actually a few times during the night where the setlist seemed very meticulously crafted, with songs arranged thematically, or even just by title (like "Get Up" following "So Down").

After over an hour, the main set came to an end, first with a song that remains my favourite of theirs, the frantic "Hayloft", which segued into a giant, bombastic extro and lead directly into "Bit By Bit", another huge singalong to end the set.

But naturally, that wasn't going to be all, as Ryan & Jasmine Parkin returned to the stage, this time Ryan on keys while Jasmine took centre stage to sing "Biting on a Rose", her incredible voice ringing through the theatre. And finally, after more thanks for coming, and thanking the entire touring crew, they drew to a close with another perennial favourite, "The Stand", which is as quirky and offbeat as it in catchy and memorable.

I wouldn't say I 'forgot' how good Mother Mother is -- especially live -- but this night was an excellent reminder of that, and of just how many prolific songs the band had produced over the years.

MM setlist
I Must Cry Out Loud
Dance and Cry
O My Heart
Let's Fall In Love
Monkey Tree
Get Out The Way
Bottom Is A Rock
It's Alright
Body of Years (w/ Creep [Radiohead cover])
The Drugs
Family
Dirty Town
So Down
Get Up
Hayloft
Bit By Bit
(encore)
Biting On A Rose
Ghosting
The Stand

STW setlist
Camilo (The Magician)
Step Into The Darkness
Record Shop
Love Don't Ask
Love Is Art/Sleep Through Fire
UnAmerican
Wake Up
Level Best
I Love You

Arkells @ Pacific Coliseum -- 02/02/19

A couple years ago (almost exactly two years ago, in fact), I talked about witnessing the journey Arkells have taken from venues like the Biltmore, all the way up to arena shows, when they played Doug Mitchell. And now this weekend they were back for another headlining arena show, this time at the Pacific Coliseum.

The Hamilton band burst onto the stage with "Relentless", an appropriate title for the entire band's energy (and work ethic) but especially singer Max Kerman, who started at a 10 and somehow barely slowed down throughout the night. And the crowd reciprocated, as "Leather Jacket" had the majority of the building singing along while Max sang on the edge of the catwalk that stretched out into the sea of people. In fact, over the course of the show every single member of the band (plus the Northern Soul Horn Section) would strut out to the tip of the stage at one point or another, for a showcase solo -- keyboardist Anthony Carone even broke out the keytar to the band's chagrin -- or the stripped down, full band performance of "Kiss Cam" as they huddled together.

Their two hour set focused on the new Rally Cry, but also hit every album, going back to their origins with "Champagne Socialist" seguing into "The Boss Is Coming" and back again, and even deep cuts requested by fans on a hotline they set up. They listened to a recorded message from an audience member (Max on the prop payphone they had onstage) before going into the rarely-played "Agent Zero".

Other highlights included huge singalongs to powerhouse hits like "11:11" and "Knocking At The Door", the darker "Come To Light", and my favourite off the new album, the Motown-infused "Eyes on the Prize". During which Max disappeared off the stage only to reappear among the crowd in the lower bowl, checking in on people around him, making sure they had the day off work tomorrow (and handing out sick notes if they didn't) before making his way back through the crowd and to the stage.

The 'main' set wrapped up with "Hand Me Downs" and bursts of confetti, leaving the crowd to sing the "ohh-oo-oohs" for an impressively long time after they left the stage (especially for a crowd that large) before they returned for a couple more.

One of my favourite things about seeing Arkells perform is what kind of covers they break out through the set and they absolutely didn't disappoint with the first song of the encore, "Dancing Queen", before capping off the night with the promise "My Heart's Always Yours".

I'm not gonna lie, I absolutely miss being able to see Arkells in smaller venues, even a Commodore-sized room. But watching them onstage at the Coliseum, it was undeniable that they belong there, and put on an as incredible a show as they always have.

Check out more of Christine’s snaps here!

setlist
Relentless
Leather Jacket
Michigan Left
Never Thought That This Would Happen
Show Me Don't Tell Me
Champagne Socialist / Oh, The Boss Is Coming!
Eyes on the Prize
American Screams
People's Champ
Kiss Cam
Only For A Moment
Come To Light
And Then Some
Agent Zero
11:11
Saturday Night
Whistleblower
Knocking At The Door
Private School
Hand Me Downs
(encore)
Dancing Queen [ABBA cover]
My Heart's Always Yours

PHOTOS: Arkells @ Pacific Coliseum - February 2, 2019

Arkells
Pacific Coliseum
February 2, 2019

Christine McAvoy Photography

Royal & Chersea @ Fox Cabaret -- 02/01/19

Friday night at the Fox featured a dual-release of two local artists who had recently put out new albums. Chersea was celebrating her newest release In Limbo, and Royal, with Heart of Shadows.

Opening the whole night was Emily Rowed, who I only caught the tail end of. She joked about playing a “hymn in a bar” as she went through some mellow and sultry songs. The last couple that I heard were a perfect fit as opener for the night.

Chersea was out next, joined by her full band, and showcased her new album playing it front to back (pretty much). While I've seen her playing with a full band a few times -- no longer relying on just her looping pedals -- this was the first time as a real show in a venue (as opposed to an outdoor stage), so I was looking forward to it.
Starting off with the slow-burning "Murphy's Law", songs ranged from the upbeat and frantic "Comfort You" and the insanely danceable "Chromance", to the darker and more sinister "The Wolf" or the heartbreaking "I Can't Be You". She even pulled out a cover of Patrick Watson's "Man Like You".
Jumping from keys to guitar to trumpet over the span of the set (synth player Kristy-Lee Audette also joining in on the latter for dual trumpet action) Chersea's strong voice filled the room, as she often came right up to the front of the stage with the crowd. From the first time I saw Chersea play, alone with her loop station, she always had a strong confidence onstage, but that’s just grown over the years and this was probably the best set I’ve seen her play.

And finally, Royal rounded out the night. She took the stage in a sequined red gown, complete with black elbow gloves (for the first song, anyway), and a backing band clad in black. Their look complimented the smokey and moody sound, as she began with "Kings & Queens" off the album.
With an incredible captivating stage presence, she focused on Heart of Shadows, including the dreamy "Black Beauty" and “Reminiscence”, a song that demands to be listened to in a dimly-lit bar with a glass of whiskey. And maybe also in black and white, somehow.
After a fun, jazzy cover of "It's My Party" half the band took a moment while she did some acoustic songs; a few older ones "Wild" and "City Lights", along with another cover, "California Dreaming". Her incredibly powerful voice probably being heard as far back as the street outside the venue.
The band returned as she finished off the set with some heavy emotional songs, an incredibly intense song called "The Hunter" and finished with the haunting "Rebel", inviting Chersea and Rowed up on stage to take a bow and thank everyone for coming.

I’m not quite sure how it happened, but somehow I haven’t been to see any live music this year, so even though we’re already a month in, two strong locals talents were a great was to musically kick off 2019 (for me, anyway). Their sounds both contrasted and complimented each other nicely, and I look forward to hearing more from both in the future.

Chersea setlist
Murphy's Law
Comfort You
I Can't Be You
Chromance
The Wolf
Chimera
Tongue Tied
Man Like You [Patrick Watson cover]
Crop Circles
No Waste Of Time

Royal setlist
Kings & Queens
Black Beauty
Reminisce
It's My Party [Lesley Gore cover]
Wild
City Lights
California Dreaming [The Mamas & The Papas cover]
The Hunter
Vessel
Rebel