AWmusic

First Piper Davis. She is great. Simply that. Her music sounds sort of retro, kind of like something you might have heard when punk was new and Blondie was just breaking new ground. Not that Davis sounds like Blondie, not at all but she has the same sensibilities, the ability to write music that is so damn catchy that you have to get up and dance. Davis’s voice is a nice change from the popular female vocals which are either Feist-like or Beyonce-like. She, on the other hand, has a voice that is at once full of soul yet wouldn’t be out of place on a B-52’s song. Her music is a combination of electro beats and blue-eyed soul that is really quite addicting. She has been compared to Santigold but I think I like Davis’s vocals better. Her band consists of Abra Rissi (background vocals and electro beats), Adrian Fillion (bringing the funk), and Luke Cyca (drums). The Drake wasn’t full, maybe half, but the crowd responded well to Davis and was up dancing enthusiastically to her last song. I would definitely go see her again. I challenge anyone to go to her show and not get up and dance or at the very least tap your toes. You can listen to her on her MySpace and find out about her on her website.
Piper Davis – Like A Stone

Off to the El Mo to see Foxfire Forest, Songs From A Room and Burning Brides. I had heard all the hype about Burning Brides so was interested to hear them. I got there in time to catch the last half of Foxfire Forests set and was really impressed. I thought they delivered a nice, tight, funky set that I regret not seeing from the start. They describe their music as “punk vs disco” and I think that is pretty accurate. I hated disco but I’m finding that some bands are quite gifted at meshing it with more contemporary genres and making damn fine music. Foxfire Forest were another band that it is almost impossible to stand still to, they had crowd jumping about with enthusiasm and cheering and clapping at the end of each tune. They are a large band, nine members, but there was nothing chaotic about their music, not even finely orchestrated chaos like you hear with Broken Social Scene or Arcade Fire, not that this band resembles either other than they have a lot of members. There is not a note out of place or a fake jam anywhere, the music is written, and played, very well with each member knowing exactly what they are doing. Loved this band and look forward to seeing them again. Do visit them on MySpace.

Ok. Now onto Songs From A Room. Sigh. They started off well enough with a song that had a Soundgarden-ish sound to it. This soon dissolved into a set that had no real originality. Songs From A Room just sounded like another Queens Of The Stone Age and their ilk. Not that the crowd cared. The El Mo wasn’t packed but the crowd that was there really seemed to enjoy what Songs From A Room was giving them. They had some song that had nice changes from chorus to verse but not enough uniqueness to make it interesting. Lead singer Brayden Jones knew how to deliver a high-energy show and his voice was great for the kind of music they played. His voice, and the bands talent, was probably what kept me listening a lot longer than I would have under normal circumstances. They had a lot of stage presence and you could feel their energy right to the back of the room, even though you couldn’t really see them. Songs From A Room is probably a band I wouldn’t go out of my way to see again but if they were playing with someone I liked I would stick around for their set. As always, to listen to them visit them on MySpace.

The Burning Brides had been getting a fair bit of hype before their NXNE appearance and I think they benefited from being on just before Auf Der Maur because the El Mo was packed by the end of their set. They are nothing if not loud and full of attitude. You really can’t ignore them. The crowd was throwing themselves around before the first song ended. They really know how to please a crowd and delivered a high energy and entertaining set. However, it was a set full of stuff I’ve heard before and done better. If you like hard rock with a touch of early Elvis Costello then you will like this band. For me, I don’t think I would see them again. Just not my kind of music, although I can appreciate the passion and enthusiasm they bring to their songs. If you missed them last night, you still have a chance to catch them as they will be playing tonight at Lee’s Palace with Dillinger Four, Hostage Life and TRIGGERFINGER. And be sure to check them out on MySpace and their website.

I had every intention of stayed at the El Mo to see Melissa Auf Der Maur but it was so crowded and I was so hot I needed a break. I walked down to the Rivoli to see Hannah Georgas. She is another of Canada’s wonderful crop of female singers who are making interesting and unique music. Not unlike Feist, Regina Spektor or even Jenn Grant, Georgas offers a vocal delivery that is always a joy to listen to. Where I find that Jenn Grant can sound a bit harsh at times, Georgas’ voice is always pleasant and charming. Her songwriting is really what pulls her above the crowded genre that is folk/rock for it is at times whimsical and melancholic but never uninteresting. Let’s Talk is a song about liking a person but being too shy to say anything so instead she confesses to “…winning a spelling bee/When I was only in grade three” and “….we’re all getting older/And it’s time to figure out why/Our hearts are growing colder”. She’s just trying to figure out why love is so hard, I guess. It’s just one of many enchanting songs that she performed last night. The Rivoli was crowded but not full and the crowd really was entranced by Georgas. She has a very seductive quality about her and I don’t mean in a sexual way but she just has this ability to pull you in and make you like her. She made every song an intimate telling of her personal beliefs and feelings, she was in a word, believable. I will definitely be looking out for her to play Toronto again. You can find tour dates and stuff on her MySpace page.
Hannah Georgas – All I Need

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Tags: concert, NXNE