Top gear

Victoria B.C.'s Immaculate Machine impressed me with their recent Mint album Ones and Zeros. Since singer Kathryn Calder is also part of the New Pornographers massive nowadays, there's a temptation to think of them as that band's little sister group. In this case the younger child listened to more new wave and less power pop than its elder. The Machine's songs have a highly developed melodic sense, but their performance is a bit brasher, a lot less concerned with rough edges, and isn't trying for a "wall of sound." With only a keyboard, guitar and drums, they hardly could. They have some family here in Ottawa (at least, Brock does) and apparently spent the day in a game of street hockey before heading over to the club.

Kathryn Calder, noted niece.



Guitarist and singer Brooke Gallupe.



Shirtless drummer extraordinaire Luke Kozlowski.



Singalong action!



Tambourine action!



That keyboarding can be mighty tiring.



Some mild kicking, swooping and swaying, clapping, and so on.









And what the heck, another shirtless drumming shot.



They played a good set, and finished off with a two-song encore which included a cover of Good Vibrations.

• Show reminder: Sharp Like Knives, Windom Earle and Bangkok perform at End Hits; Ohbijou, Kat Buns & Forest City Lovers and Night Danger play at Irene's Pub; the Burt Neilson Band and Peter Elkas perform at Mavericks.