Eye Weekly CMW Showcase at the Gladstone
| March 14, 2009 | Posted by caroline under arts and literature, Uncategorized |
I was moved to write about my Canadian Music Week experiences while reading Sarah Liss’ CBC blogs on the Eye Weekly showcase. I attended this Canadian Music Week 2009 show at the Gladstone Wednesday night, and was equally impressed with the turnout.
Foxfire, Toronto Band
I agree there was a lack of cohesion between Foxfire’s lead singers and their music. As individual elements of instrumentals and vox, they all were great, but there was something amiss with the pairing of Rankin and Krapivinsky. He seems better off joining Danko Jones’ team. That being said, Krapivinsky’s compelling stage presence was hugely understated in this blog (and I understand because you can’t go into detail about evvverything all the time). She was dazzling to watch, not to mention listen to. Her sound was a cross-breed of Heart and Fleetwood Mac, though Foxfire’s music itself traversed funk, rock and alternative.
The powerhouse voices onstage this night all had some serious depth and range, including those of Alanna Stuart (Everything All the Time) and Vanessa Fischer (Lionness)
Lionness, Toronto
Truth be told, I found Lionness a bit of a disappointment. Scratch that, they really didn’t come through at all. Maybe my hopes were really high after listening to their MySpace day in day out, 3 times a day–the same song, “You’re My Heart”, over and over again. It’s a really edgy, adrenaline-raising song, and you come to expect a lot from that sound. About three songs into the Lionness set, I began to understand why they only have two of their songs on their MySpace–albeit four remixed versions of “You’re My Heart” and one version of “Haunted Magick”–All their songs sound the same. It’s a sad but true fact, and something I can’t accept in a band. And yes, every single song sounds AWESOME–because they are all the same. But that doesn’t mean the show as a whole, from Lionness, was great. Fischer’s voice is being misused here, as it is massive, dark and sinister, even, and I’d love to hear more of it.
This band is getting a lot of hype around Toronto, as the offshoot of controller.controller band members Jeff Scheven and Ronnie Morris. But I wonder, is it their musical pedigree that is drawing such references and suggestions of them being Toronto’s best punk metal crew? I’ll admit that they had a strong stage presence, utilizing black electro-metal allure and character to the fullest. That kept me watching for a bit. But, I left ten minutes before the end of their set. I didn’t even stay for my beloved “You’re My Heart” (which I haven’t been able to listen to since this show) So, before they release an album, I just want them to know one thing—please please add something to your music, synths, maybe a church organ (it would still fit the metal criteria!!) ..otherwise, it drones on and on in one monotone pounding. And then I wonder if I was just standing too close to the stage or Lionness just ain’t that good live or if the levels were off and I couldn’t hear the specifics of the bass….what could it be…
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Betty
http://desktopmemory.info