The Zolas @ The Vogue Theatre -- 11/26/21

About two months ago, I went to see some of my first live music of the year: The Zolas playing a free outdoor show in North Vancouver. Between the anxiety of too many people being there, everyone around me talking (loudly) non-stop, the mediocre sound, and the stage being, like, an inch off the ground limiting visibility, it was... not an ideal live music experience. So I was very glad to rectify that when they returned to The Vogue Theatre for a packed show (even if showing up a bit late meant you were in the very back of the balcony for the all-seated show).

Unfortunately I missed both openers, DWI (aka Dwight Abell from The Zolas in his solo project) and Vancovuer's own Schwey. But not long after I found an empty seat, the light dimmed and the instrumental "Reality Winner" rang through the theatre, as the band appeared on stage.

Starting with “Violence on the Planet” and the eponymously-inspired, britpop-esque “Yung DiCaprio” they focused on their latest album Come Back to Life. But of course hit some old favourites like “Ancient Mars”, with the crowd reacting so strongly that singer Zachary Gray got visibly flustered and emotional at the hometown response. Always full of energy onstage, Zach also chatted with the crowd between songs, clearly happy to be live & in person, and not resorting to walking tours via Google Maps, as he joked before the band launched into “Miles Away”.

Partway through the set they brought it down with a much calmer, acoustic version of “Strange Girl”, with Zach accompanied only by bassist Dwight and drummer Cody Hiles. Then those two took a break for a moment moment while a lone Zach fielded requests for some of the fan favourites, deep cuts, and ‘weird’ songs that they rarely played. After a cacophony of voices & song titles, Gray went into an acoustic medley that started with a song that I may have yelled from the back of the room, the eternally endearing “Cultured Man”, before segueing into other old favourites, “Marlaina Kamikaze”, “You're Too Cool”, and “Cold Moon”.

The full band returned as they kicked back into high energy with songs like “I Feel The Transition” and “Swooner”, before they brought the main set to a close with the heart-wrenching “Why Do I Wait (When I Know You've Got a Lover)”.
And of course, were back for one more, as Zach appeared in the aisle of the lower section of the Vogue for a big crowd singalong — with cell phone flashlights illuminating the room — to “Escape Artist”, a beautiful way to cap off the night, as the band took a bow centre stage.


(To see Christine’s Photo Recap click here.)

setlist
Reality Winner
Violence on This Planet
Yung Dicaprio
Molotov Girls
Ancient Mars
Freida on the Mountain
Miles Away
Energy Czar
Let It Scare You
Strange Girl
Cultured Man -> Marlaina Kamikaze -> You're Too Cool -> Cold Moon (medley)
PrEP
I Feel the Transition
Swooner
Why Do I Wait (When I Know You've Got a Lover)
[encore]
Escape Artist

The Weather Station @ Hollywood Theatre -- 11/12/21

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So, uh... it's been a while? While I've seen a few outdoor events recently -- and was in the real-life audience of a livestream show last October -- The Weather Station kicking off their Canadian tour in Vancouver was the first actual, indoor live music show since last year. And not just that, but in a brand new venue, on top of that. The Hollywood Theatre is a converted movie theatre (which still has screenings) with soft seats up front, and a more open section at the back to mill around; like a hybrid of the Rio Theatre and the Imperial, here in Vancouver. It was a nice venue and I look forward to seeing more shows there.

The evening started with Jasper Sloan Yip taking the stage alone, acoustic guitar in hand, to play a few songs off his latest double EP, Strange Calm / Blushing Autumn. He started with the dreamy "Gin Fizz", and after a couple songs shifted to take a seat behind the keys for the "piano portion" of the set. Jasper’s voiced filled the room with heartfelt songs like "Strange Calm", and “Blushing Autumn”, as even he confessed to closing his eyes and getting lost in the songs. He brought the short set to an end with the final song off the new pair of EPs, “Every Night, Beside You, I Lie Awake”.

Shortly after, the stage dimmed as the opening notes of "Wear The World" rang out, as the band members of The Weather Station slowly illuminated, and singer Tamara Lindeman rose from her crouched position up front.

Performing mainly off the latest album, Ignorance, the set had an ebbing flow, with soft songs slowly building in intensity, only to fall back to a haunting calm. Lindeman mainly let the songs speak for her, but did take a moment to thank everyone for coming, acknowledging it was likely a lot of people's first show back, musing how it's still a little weird to be around so many people, and joked about making her return in an "insane grass suit" (her words) which was just all fringe.

Highlights of the set included the older, crowd favourite “Thirty”, the breathless vocals of "Better Now" (a newer song, included on the deluxe edition of Ignorance), and the simmering, controlled chaos of "Robber".
They brought the main set to a close with "Parking Lot", but of course, Tamara was back moments later for the encore. She talked about how her advocacy for climate change has thrust her into unexpected spotlights, and then, accompanied only by keys, launched into a heartbreakingly beautiful new ballad about no longer finding the stars in the night sky as alluring as she once did. The rest of the band then returned to cap off the night with Lindeman’s voice ringing out for the gorgeous "Subdivisions", the final song off Ignorance and am excellent way to cap off the night.

For a “first show back”, you couldn’t ask for much more, and I am so glad to be taking in live music again, because let’s be honest… livestream shows just don’t measure up to the real thing.

Jasper Sloan Yip
setlist
Gin Fizz
Blushing Autumn
Halcyon Dream
Strange Calm
Anew
Every Night, Beside You, I Lie Awake

The Weather Station
setlist
Wear The World
Loss
Atlantic
You And I (On The Other Side Of The World)
Way It Is/Way It Could Be
Thirty
Better Now
Look
Separated
Heart
Tried To Tell You
Robber
Parking Lot
(Encore)
[New Song]
Subdivisions

Hotel Mira @ Biltmore Cabaret -- 02/29/20

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Two weeks after the release of their latest album Perfectionism, Hotel Mira returned to the Biltmore to play a sold out, hometown show.

Backlit by a square of colour-shifting lights, the band kicked off with the album's lead track, the eponymous "Perfectionism", starting with a high energy and barely looking back from there. Especially singer Charlie Kerr, who hardly stood still throughout the show; the personification of a ball of electricity, as he moved around the stage, up on the sides, and even into the crowd at a couple points.

The set spanned from tracks off the brand new album -- which had the crowd singing along despite only being out a couple weeks -- to older songs like "Bully For You" harkening back to the former iteration of the band, as JPNSGRLS. Highlights included the infectious chorus on "The Eyes On You", the raucous harmonies on "Jungle", as well as "Better On Your Own", featuring bassist Mike Noble and guitarist Colton Lauro hitting the falsetto backups performed by Vancouver duo Harlequin Gold on the album.

As the graphically personal "Speaking Off the Record" drew to a big, dark-80s-synth finale, they capped off the main set with another huge singalong to an old favourite "Southern Comforting", before coming back for the obvious encore. Starting soft with the heartfelt "A Song for Daisy", they then exploded into "Oh My God" and finally, ended the night with their current (hit) single, "This Could Be It For Me".

Hotel Mira seems to have a rocket strapped to them over the last few months, and if the barely-room-to-move crowd inside the Biltmore was any indication, that's the last they've seen of the venue. And with the performance they put on, it's well deserved.

setlist
Perfectionism
You Know Best
Better On Your Own
Arcade Heart
Circulation
Bully for You
3am Lullaby
Ladies and Gentlemen
Son-in-law
The Eyes On You
Jungle
Speaking Off the Record
Southern Comforting
(encore)
A Song for Daisy
Oh My God
This Could Be It For Me