Psych Fest. Ponctuation | Milk Lines | Crosss | Birds of Paradise

Show: Psych Fest. Ponctuation + Milk Lines + Crosss + Birds of Paradise
Venue: Divan Orange
Date: Thursday, September 10th, 2015

My niece Sandrine joined me that evening. Brought her camera, took a few pictures. I love her and am so happy she'll be joining me once in a while with camera. A little hiccup yesterday though. Her fully charged battery ran out after the first set. It happens.

Birds of Paradise. photo Sandrine Cadieux

Birds of Paradise. photo Sandrine Cadieux

Birds of Paradise. photo Sandrine Cadieux

Birds of Paradise. Took a look at a clip of theirs beforehand ("Ghost of a Lover"). Not my type of music, didn't expect to enjoy the performance. Turns out it's the first time I really listen to Roy Vucino's voice that evening. Quite beautiful. A lot of character.

Crosss

Second set, Crosss. They're good but I've said this before, the music is odd. I like it a little bit more every time I see them. Still, it's going to take a while.

Milk Lines

Third set, Milk Lines. Love them. King Khan & BBQ Show posted their music on Facebook, been a fan ever since. Emily Clarke, who's voice is perfect for that sound, was not as pitchy as she can be sometimes. And I believe Jeff Clark sang on a few more songs than he usually does. Good!
They're releasing an album soon. Y était temps.

Last up, Ponctuation. First heard of them in an AV Club article. They were playing M pour Montréal. They are good performers. Only, last night the crowd wasn't doing much. Just listening. I kinda got bored. Drank my last beer at the bar. Sorry guys.

Ponctuation

As I was heading home on Rachel street, ran into a very drunk girl trying to walk on the sidewalk. She was barefoot, holding the shoes by the laces. Kept dropping them also. I figured she needed someone to walk with. A tourist from Sweden, her Airbnb wasn't too far. The ten block conversation was on how awful men were. The day before, a guy approached her and told her something despicable. It got to her, enraged her. She wouldn't tell me what it was. Mysteries.

Sometimes I hate men. But really, I love them. Sometimes I write nonsense. Don't go taking me seriously. All of you are much better musicians than I ever will be.

Just saying.

xx China

Crosss | New Fries | Phern

Show: Crosss + New Fries + Phern
Venue: Bar le Ritz PDB
Date: Friday July, 24th, 2015

Of course I was exhausted that evening. Nothing new. Am bothered more easily when in need of sleep. Was riding the metro and a large guy stood directly in front of me. His sweaty back to my face with barely any space in between. I was bothered. Decided it would be smart of me to purchase some coffee once outside. Arrive there around 9:30pm ish. The crowd consists of a dozen people and Phern is doing the sound check. It happens.

Phern
photo: Véronique Côté

They start. They are the reason I'm there. Not that I don't like Crosss but I've seen them twice already. Don't know anything about New Fries. My friend V and I both agree, Phern is good. I've previously mentioned I don't like pitchiness, but sometimes it adds to the music. What is the Velvet Underground without that out of pitch sound right? It worked in this case. I would describe their sound as uncomfortable nonchalant pop music. In a good way.





Next is New Fries. A band from Toronto. Where Phern gives us a good discomfort with pitchiness, New Fries gives us some good discomfort with changing beats.





The singer Anni Spadafora exudes coolness and the bass played by Tim Fagan adds something interesting to the mix. At some point the drummer Jenny Gitman let out a scream. The band understood what was going on. They looked at her, started over.

Drummer Jenny Gitman
photo: Véronique Côté

By the end of the set, Anni Spadafora had decided to continuously play one note on her guitar. Lost interest then. Tim Fagan whispered something in Jenny Gitman's ear. Everything changed. The drummer concluded the song. The set was over.

Singer+guitarist Anni Spadafora
photo: Véronique Côté

The final set. Crosss. The music is odd. To be more precise, I find that the singer Andy March emanates, with his voice, the weirdness inside him. The drummer Kris Bowering plays as if he's angry, gets it all out through his instrument. The bass player had some problem with the wires. Took a few minutes before Andy March resolved the problem. From then on (should I say this?), it looked like she was making love to her bass.

Drummer Kris Bowering
photo: Véronique Côté

The show ended. Most were leaving. V and I talked nonsense while she drank her last beer. Kept telling me I was high maintenance. I don't get it. I think she might be kidding. We buy merch. I would've loved something from Phern but you don't always get what you want. V bought the most beautiful Crosss t-shirt and their vinyl which, apparently, is hard to find. The cover of that vinyl is quite gorgeous.

Cover done by Drew Taylor

I walk back home eager to wake up the next morning and write this post. I haven't written on my blog in two weeks. I feel a bit rusted through. I realize now, life is not great without it. See you at the next event.

xx China

Tyvek (and Gashrat) at the Vitrola

Show: Tyvek + Gashrat + Les Temps Liquides + Crosss + Cheap Wig
Venue: Vitrola, Montreal
Date: Friday, April 10th, 2015

WTF man. Five bands set to perform in one evening? When it was Tyvek's turn I was half asleep. Organized by Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival, I really do believe they booked too many bands in one night. Would've been happy had it been only Tyvek, Gashrat and Crosss.

A blurry picture

I absolutely love Gashrat! But I'll start from the beginning. First band : Cheap Wig. Ok music. A bit repetitive. Girl's voice acceptable except when she screams. Often she left the stage to join the crowd. That is always nice. Not my kind of music. My friend JP's opinion on the first set? Doesn't like the singer.

Cheap Wig

Second band. Crosss. Singer has interesting voice. Good music. I've seen them before live. Didn't appreciate them the first time but now they're kind of growing on me. There were some technical problems though. Mic didn't work well. Drummer is cute but had a t-shirt with a drawing of a persian cat and "Child Abuse" written below. I have a persian cat. Didn't like his t-shirt. My friend V's opinion on the second set? The songs are too repetitive.

Crosss

My cat Princess

Third Band. Les Temps Liquides. No. Just no. Didn't like it. Friends JP, V and M didn't like it either.

Fourth Band. Gashrat. LOOOOOVE them. There are only a few Montreal bands that I happily follow. I will not miss an opportunity to see them again in concert.

A girl band. All of them play different instruments and you'll see them switching from one song to the other. Authentic and original sound. I can't say anything bad about them. Didn't think to ask what my friends thought of Gashrat.

Gashrat

While waiting for Tyvek to step on stage, kind of fell asleep on my chair. The guru I drank earlier just didn't do the thing. I believe they started playing around 1:30 in the morning. Tyvek is good. I like the singer's voice. Not the first time I see them in concert. Not the last.



That's pretty much all I can say because I left after only a few songs. My bed was needed (and Princess was waiting for me).