Art d'Ecco @ Fox Cabaret -- June 12, 2025

Earlier this year, Art d’Ecco dropped his latest album, Serene Demon, and since I (regretfully) missed the release show in Vancouver back in January, I was glad to catch him on his current tour as he hit the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately I got there after opener Dour, arriving not long before Art d’Ecco and his Demon Band hit the stage, all clad in black jackets (only half of which were leather), which included Evan Miller on guitar, Olivier Leclerc on bass, Malcolm Holt on drums, Hayden C on keys, and Kyler Young on saxophone.

They started off the set with the lead track on the album, the seductive “True Believer” then the sax-laden disco groove of “Tree Of Life”, and from there weaving through his catalogue of glam-pop tunes. Highlights included the dark, anthemic “TV God”, going back to his tresspasser album for “Who Is It Now?”, and the catchiest song about not joining a sex cult, “Palm Slave”.

Art stopped to chat with the audience a few times through the set, but mostly let his charisma do the talking. He strut and danced around stage with an effortless swagger, almost never still for more than a moment.

The set flew by as it seemed like no time at all before he closed out with a one-two punch of bangers; “Head Rush” and the band going all out for “Dark Days (Revisited)”. But of course he was back out for more, first with a cover of “Live It Up” by The Isley Brothers, and wrapping up the set with a “Midlife Crisis”.

It had been a minute since the last time I saw Art d’Ecco live (six years ago at Constellation festival!) so I was glad to have caught him at the Fox last night for a fun show!

setlist
True Believer
Tree Of Life
Only Ones
TV God
Survival Of The Fittest
I Feel Alive
Who Is It Now?
Sad Light Disco
Palm Slave
Head Rush
Dark Days (Revisited)
(encore)
Live It Up [The Isley Brothers cover]
Midlife Crisis

PHOTOS: The Darcys, The Blue Stones @ Vogue Theatre - June 06, 2025

The Darcys, The Blue Stones
Vogue Theatre
June 06, 2025

Photos by Christine McAvoy

Rilo Kiley @ Commodore Ballroom -- May 21, 2025

Whenever the question of ‘bands you wish you could have seen live’ comes up, my immediate answer was always Rilo Kiley. Not only had I missed seeing them before they broke up, I’ve also somehow never seen any of Jenny Lewis’ solo projects (to my shame). So when the Los Angeles group announced their reunion last year for the Sometimes When You’re On You’re Really Fucking On tour, which included a show at the Commodore Ballroom, I was just a little excited.

Unfortunately due to prior commitments, I missed the opener Morgan Nagler, arriving to the sold out Commodore not long before Rilo Kiley hit the stage. Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel were joined by Harrison Whitford as they kicked off the set to raucous ovation with “The Execution of All Things” and from there spanned all of their albums.

From “Wires and Waves” off their debut Take Offs and Landings, to “Spectacular Views” building to a chaotic finish, and the slinky slow jam “The Moneymaker” from Under the Blacklight, their infectious indie rock full of intricate narratives blasted through the room. Jenny’s voice soared on “I Never”, while Blake took over lead vocals on “Ripchord”, as the band rocked out on songs like “It’s a Hit” (featuring guest trumpet from Orenda Fink) and the heartbreakingly beautiful “Does He Love You?”, Jenny accepted flowers from the front of the stage before the song erupted into a grand finish.

Collectively waiting for this moment for fifteen years, the crowd was locked in all night. People wildly cheered when recognising a song from a single note, I saw lots of hugging & crying around me, with tons of singing along as well; the best example being “With Arms Outstretched” as Lewis handed over the chorus to the audience. I could almost believe them when they gave the standard “this crowd is the best of the tour so far!”

After more singing to “A Better Son/Daughter” — which included the tour’s namesake lyrics — the room somehow came more unglued for “Portions for Foxes”. A favourite of mine (and many others judging by the volume of the punctuating “come here!” in the song) it was incredible to finally see live, as chills crept across my arms and a smile across my face.

That finished off the main set, but with the lights down and interstitial music playing, the band was back soon enough, starting off the encore with the heart wrenching “A Man/Me/Then Jim” once again featuring Fink on trumpet. Morgan Nadler made a quick cameo to provide some dance instructions to “The Frug”, and finally the band sent everyone home with “Pictures of Success”.

Going into a show like this, it’s easy to worry a little. Was I building this up in my head too much? Is this just a cash grab reunion? Questions like that. Thankfully, those were quickly answered with a show that felt simultaneously nostalgic and timeless, Rilo Kiley on top of their game and a crowd hungry for every note. I’m not sure if they have any more planned after the tour (beyond the greatest hits album they have out soon) but if it was just a one off and that was it, it was a hit.

setlist
The Execution of All Things
Wires and Waves
Spectacular Views
The Moneymaker
Dreamworld
I Never
Close Call
Paint’s Peeling
It's a Hit
Does He Love You?
Ripchord
Silver Lining
With Arms Outstretched
A Better Son/Daughter
Portions for Foxes
(encore)
A Man/Me/Then Jim
The Frug
Pictures of Success

PHOTOS: Shred Kelly @ Fox Cabaret - May 09, 2025

Shred Kelly
Fox Cabaret
May 09, 2025

See Kirk’s review by clicking here.

Photos by Christine McAvoy

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre -- May 11, 2025

If you’ve followed this blog & me for any amount of time, you will probably know that one of my all time favourite musicians is Nick Cave, especially with his band The Bad Seeds, and especially their live show. Not to be too cheesy, but seeing them live is less a concert and more an experience, so when Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds returned to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, on tour for their latest album Wild God, there was no chance I was going to miss it.

With no opening act, the show started as The Bad Seeds took the stage, including the four person ‘gospel choir’ (for lack of a better term), and started into “Frogs” from the new album. Nick Cave then strut out to grab the mic, and from there it was nearly three hours of intense, powerful emotions, spanning the band’s decades long career. Ranging from the bombastic title track “Wild God” to “O Children” which saw Warren Ellis let loose on violin (not for the last time that night) to older hits, “From Her to Eternity”, and even a couple of songs from his recent album with just Warren Ellis, like “Carnage”.

Cave also took a moment before each song for an introduction, often giving quick stories behind them, sometimes insights into the narrative — the character Bea from “Jubilee Street” popping up more than once — or even just prefacing it by calling it a “fucking amazing song” in the case of “Bright Horses”. When not behind the piano, he stalked the front of the stage, reaching to outstretched arms, singing at & to them, and even joking around a bit. When hit with a repeated request, he quipped “the more you yell that the less we’re likely to play it… but if you don’t yell it, we’ll never play it” and at one point stopping dead in his introduction to tell someone “I've seen your face on a dream”. During my fave off the new album, the stunning “Conversion” he even hopped off stage to wade through the crowd, among the seats, yelling to everyone “you’re beautiful!”

Late in the set, he broke out a couple perennial favourites, the sinister “Red Right Hand” followed with the frenetic “The Mercy Seat”, Ellis’ violin swirling to a chaotic ending, before capping the set off with “White Elephant”, a gorgeous singalong that saw the ‘choir’ come front and centre to shine.

But two hours of show wasn’t enough, as the audience was applauding wildly for more, and the band was happy to oblige; I’ve always been in awe of how much energy Cave & the Seeds have, pouring everything into each show. The encore included more classics, like “The Weeping Song”, a song in which to weep, and singer Janet Ramus taking lead on the murder ballad “Henry Lee”. After a version of “Shivers”, originally from Cave’s first band The Boys Next Door & in tribute to Rowland Howard, the Bad Seeds took their leave and Cave ended with one final song alone on the piano, a big favourite of mine, the heart wrenching “Into My Arms”, and the crowd softly singing along to the chorus.

Among the magnificent stage setup at the QE was a giant screen that would sometimes show members of the band, but occasionally display lyrics. During “Joy”, the title flashed large on screen, and I can’t think of a better one word encapsulation of the show.

setlist
Frogs
Wild God
Song of the Lake
O Children
Jubilee Street
From Her to Eternity
Long Dark Night
Cinnamon Horses
Tupelo
Conversion
Bright Horses
Joy
I Need You
Carnage
Final Rescue Attempt
Red Right Hand
The Mercy Seat
White Elephant
(encore)
Papa Won't Leave You, Henry
The Weeping Song
Henry Lee
Shivers
Into arms