But no quiet

Vancouver's Peace are a band it's impossible not to like ... because after all, you have to be a total bastard to walk around saying "I hate Peace!" Also in its favour are the declamatory post punk the band has honed to a sharp point. Despite a recent interview with White Lung's Mish Way where they claimed to "only play bad shows," this one was quite good.

On our right, guitar men Daniel Geddes and Michael Willock.



At left, the mighty rhythm section of Connor Mayer and drummer Geoff Dembicki.



Shadowy action!



Daniel sings!



Guitar action!



Drumming action!



To heck with it, I'll provide my own extra lighting!



More guitar!



More bending!



The shouty bit!



Peaceful action!



More Geoff!



Behind the back action!



Their album My Face is swell, too.

• Show reminder: Paper Beat Scissors and Dave Norris and Local Ivan perform at Raw Sugar Cafe; French shoegazers Zero Absolu play The Rainbow.

Crosss purposes

Here's what I now about Cross. They like Black Sabbath, are very fuzzy, hail from Montreal and Halifax, they have a track on the much-recommended Khyber Compilation and there are three of them. They played quite a good set with Peace at Capital Rehearsal Studio April 9 - far more interesting than the pictures would suggest.

It's not easy when you've only got one green bulb to work with ...



All thecool kids play Hagstrom these days ... though I think it's the first bass I've seen in some time.



Drumming action!



Upside down guitar action!



Green fuzz action!



Shadowy drumming action!



Shadowy bass action!



Happy drumming action!



Fretful action!



On the plus side, you can eat off the Capital Rehearsal Studio's floors.



That's a handsome bandolier.



There was also an exciting finish I completely failed to capture.

• Show reminder: If you were at the Peace/Cross show, you probably want to be at Cafe DeKcuf to see Long Long Long, Total Crush and Dream Friends; you can bang your head at The Rainbow to Kill It Opous and Arch Spire.

Good practice

For a while now Capital Rehearsal Studios has dwelled beneath a bank St. building that also houses a bunch of Department of Foreign Affairs offices; operator Luke Nuclear has shot videas for White Wires and Peach Kelli Pop there, and many bands that have appeared on the blog use it as a practice space. It also turns out to be an adequate venue for bands looking to book a last-minute show - just what Vancouver's Peace and Halifax/Montreal trio Crosss were looking for last night.

Crosss like fuzz and pedal tones. It's a raw, lo-fi garage sound with a heady buzz.


Cross at Capital Rehearsal Studio, April 9, 2011

Peace have been described as Mark E. Smith meets The Modern Lovers, and unlike most such crossbreed comparisons, it's actually quite apt. Fortunately the band is blessed with the right vocalist and rhythm section to pull it off.


Peace at Capital Rehearsal Studio, April 9, 2011

Good show, although the pictures turned out kind of dull ...

• Show reminder: Adaptive Reaction, Orphan Grinder and Knives and Forks for Freedom perform at Cafe Dekcuf; The Fourth Annual Community Record Show is at St. Anthony's Hall starting at 11 a.m.