Monday, May 26, 2014

To not sleep, perchance to dream

For some reason I got it into my head that school started at noon on Monday (actual start time: 8 a.m.), so I popped over to Pressed to catch touring trio The Courtneys and a couple of local bands, The Yips and Dreamphone.

It's been a little while since I saw Dreamphone, who are fronted by Les Allumettes' Jordanna.

Dreamphone at Pressed

Pressed has undergone a few renovations since the last time I saw a show there. I imagine it won't be long before someone from the Funboy Clubhouse is "stagediving" off that rail ...

Dreamphone at Pressed

Bassy action!

Dreamphone at Pressed

Percussive action!

Dreamphone at Pressed

The shouty bit!

Dreamphone at Pressed

Dreamy action!

Dreamphone at Pressed

Phonic action!

Dreamphone at Pressed

More drumming!

Dreamphone at Pressed

Barred action!

Dreamphone at Pressed

Now on to some out-of-focus phots of The Yips, who as usual had the audience shaking about. Things were a bit less sweaty than their Mugshots sets I've caught, but it was still getting mighty humid.

The Yips at Pressed

Fisheyed action!

The Yips at Pressed

Kerri lunges!

The Yips at Pressed

Faceoff action!

The Yips at Pressed

Jon hits!

The Yips at Pressed

And if you want to see more blurry Yips snaps there's always my Flickr photostream. The Courtneys finished the evening off. The Vancouver trio are back in Canada after a loop through the U.S.A. accompanying Tegan & Sara. They're playing Montreal (again) on Thursday, then make a stop in T.O. before heading stateside again. They say they like the Flying Nun sound, and who am I to disagree? Here's singing drummer Jen Twynn Payne, showing some Slayer love.

The Courtneys at Pressed

Cloesup action with Courtney Loove (possibly not her real name)!

The Courtneys at Pressed

A grainy Sydney Koke handles bass and banter.

The Courtneys at Pressed

Singalong action!

The Courtneys at Pressed

Sydney sings!

The Courtneys at Pressed

Jen hits!

The Courtneys at Pressed

A pretty good return on a bit too much lost sleep.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Stop and pop

I took another trip to the House of Targ Friday night to check out Amalgamation's finale show ("for a long time"), check out newish local outfit Sweet Alps (whose sound fits in well with Amalgamation's prog-edged indie rock) and Montreal power-poppers Dany Laj & The Looks, and spend most of my laundry quarters playing pinball.

Sweet Alps started things off. Here's bassist Colleen McKeracher, guitarist and singer Nicholas O'Gorman, drummer Sean Paterson and guitarist Jamie Bogue.

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Nicholas sings!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Jamie frets!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Sean hits!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Singalong action!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

More guitar!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Colleen sings!

Sweet Alps at House of Targ

Amalgamation have said they're calling it a day; I've caught them a few times since January 2010, when they were the sole mainly electric act among a bunch of acoustic acts.

Amalgamation at House of Targ

More guitar!

Amalgamation at House of Targ

Percussive action!

Amalgamation at House of Targ

Bass action!

Amalgamation at House of Targ

Even more guitar!

Amalgamation at House of Targ

The whole lot!

Amalgamation at House of Targ

Dany Laj & The Looks take their playbook straight from the 1970s school of power-pop, with nods to Dwight Twilley, Bob Segarini and others. Laj has a very steady rhythm section in his Looks as well, Jeanette Doling and Lewis Handford.

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Singalong action!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Lewis hits!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Jeanette sings!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Extra Dany!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Bonus Jeanette!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Even more Dany!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Feedback action!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Faceoff action!

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

The end! For me, anyway - my new schedule  gets me up at 5:30 a.m., so 1:30 was running a little late for me ...

Dany Laj & The Looks at House of Targ

Also, they stop running buses down Bank St. before midnight ... what the heck is up with that?

Monday, May 12, 2014

Night owl no more

My new school schedule is kind of a show-killer. I have to be out of bed at 5:30 a.m. so I can get on my way to school at 7 (I'm a slow riser) on three of my school days, and unfortunately those three days fall after nights when cool shows are coming to town. However, since I bought my Kvelertak ticket prior to finding out my new schedule and am an irredeemable miser I forced myself to stay up to the late, late hour of 11:30 p.m. to catch some Norwegian hard rock, along with some local flavours of music.

When I walked into Mavericks local punkers four-stroke were warming up the crowd. Here's Mr. Smith and Kris!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Who is that masked man?

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Guitar action from Joshua!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Drumming action with Brad!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Extra mystery!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Bonus Brad!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Four-fold action!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Surprise it's Ken!

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Extra Smith.

Four-Stroke at Mavericks

Dead Air Republic were next on stage. This was my first time viewing and hearing; they're apparently fans of Motorhead, G'n'R, QOTSA and other hard rock combos. Singer Marc Bourgon certainly has a good radio-ready voice. I'm not sure they'll be pleased to hear I thought they sounded a bit like late-era Stone Temple Pilots .... here's bassist Ben Barnes and guitarist Richard Bent.

Dear Air Republic

Gripping action!

Dear Air Republic

David Maltais is the bands other axeman. The ocean of Orange behind him is actually Kvelertak's gear.

Dear Air Republic

Percussive action with Mike Derstroff.

Dear Air Republic

More Marc!

Dear Air Republic

David sings!

Dear Air Republic

Bonus Ben!

Dear Air Republic

Loviatar really tore up the stage for their own short set. Look, I actually managed to take a picture of J.P. Sadek where he doesn't look hammered!

Loviatar at Mavericks

Bond'n'Shane.

Loviatar at Mavericks

Fretful action with Justin!

Loviatar at Mavericks

Extra Shane!

Loviatar at Mavericks

More Bond!

Loviatar at Mavericks

Justin sings!

Loviatar at Mavericks

More J.P.!

Loviatar at Mavericks

Blue Justin!

Loviatar at Mavericks

After a few minutes respite, the hour of Kvelertak had arrived! And, um, they really like owls, I guess.

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Guitar action with Vidar Landa!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Kjetil Germundrod, and part of bassist Marvin Nygaard's leg!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

More guitar! That's Bjarte Lund Rolland at right and Maciek Ofstad at left.

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Erlend Hjelvik works the crowd!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Extra Vidar and more of Marvin!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Hair-shaking action!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Guitar-lifting action!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Singalong action!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Rhythm section action!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

Marvin sings!

Kvelertak at Mavericks

The end ....

Kvelertak at Mavericks

For me, anyway - I had to split for home and bed.