Anna Calvi @ Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, June 2, 2011

 

Anna Calvi is good.  She's got a wonderful voice and is a terrific guitar player.  Her guitar playing definitely stood out and I was very impressed, but ... I wasn't blown away by her set.  I'm not sure why but I think it's to do with her 'image' ... it all seems a bit fake, like she's trying to be something she's not.  It's a shame because she's very talented and her performances should be special.

Stornoway @ Media Club, Vancouver, June 1, 2011

I really enjoyed the set when I saw them in December so I was pretty happy when Stornoway announced another Vancouver show.  They were better the second time around.  Maybe it was the crowd (most seemed pretty happy about a Canucks win), maybe it was me, but I love this band.  I have no idea why they're not more popular.  They've got everything ... a charming and adorably awkward frontman, great musicians and terrific songs.  Why some bands play stadiums and other bands play tiny clubs is something I will never understand, but as long as the bands I like keep touring and making money, I won't complain too much.  And besides, who wants to see a show in a stadium anyway?

Wolf Parade @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, May 30, 2011

Wolf Parade announced late in 2010 that they were going on 'hiatus' and that their final show was going to be at Sasquatch.  I was very tempted to go to Sasquatch as a result but I thought the rest of the lineup was pretty weak and it turns out it was the right decision since not only were Wolf Parade playing at the same time as Sharon Van Etten (!?!) they announced the Vancouver show for the Monday after they played Sasquatch.  And although festivals are great, the band only played for 45 minutes at Sasquatch ... the Commodore set included two encores and went almost 2 hours.  It must be quite strange for a band to know they're playing songs together for the final time and they seemed a bit nervous early on but after a few songs, they hit their stride and well, I hope it's only a hiatus and not a breakup because Wolf Parade are one of my favourite bands and they're as good as any band I've ever seen live.  I couldn't ask for anything more if it was the final time I get to see them but I really really hope it isn't.

Thao & Mirah @ Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, May 12, 2011

 

I like Thao so when the show was announced, I bought a ticket without hearing the album thinking that I wouldn't be disappointed.  I was right and in fact, I like Thao & Mirah more than Thao With The Get Down Stay Down (and you know, better band name too).   Their voices go very well together and the album is one of my favourite releases of the year so far.  I was a little disappointed that they didn't play their cover of 'Love Is A Battlefield' but I can't really complain, they put on a great show.

Sleepy Vikings @ Crowbar, Tampa, April 30, 2011

When I first heard of Sleepy Vikings in June 2010, I figured my chances of ever getting to see them live were pretty slim.  Now, less than a year later and I've seen them play 5 times.  And how, you ask, did I end up flying across North America to Tampa for the weekend specifically to catch their hometown CD release show?  Well, I got home from SXSW and pretty much just listened to 'They Will Find You Here' for about a month.  I mean, I really really like this band.   I like them more each time I hear the album or get to see them live.  The SXSW shows were great but it was a real treat to see them play in front of a vocal and adoring audience.  The only way it could have been better was if they'd played their wonderful cover of Broken Social Scene's 'Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Teenage Girl',  but alas, perhaps next time?    Their set was awesome and it was fantastic to get to see them play an encore.  I'm just hoping they'll start to play some shows closer to home because if not, my bank account might start to suffer since I'm not sure how long I can wait before I need to see them again.