POP Montreal 2015: Commander Clark @ Empire Exchange

Presented by POP Montreal and Oh Hi

Commander Clark doesn't play it cool. He first popped up on our radar during POP Montreal 2014 when he was invited up on stage to co-host Psi Factor and the Cougar's Str8 Talk interview with Ty Segall and Mikey Heppner. He gushed, he over-shared, he played a Ty Segall song on kazoo. So like, who was this guy with a comic book persona who wasn't afraid to dork out in front of a room full of strangers? Naturally, we had to find out.

Commander Clark Group played a few plum shows all over POP; we caught them for a Friday afternoon show at Empire Exchange amid racks of vintage dresses and coats. Hiding behind a curtain of hair, rocking violently, and beating up an acoustic guitar, the Commander took us through a series of intensely personal songs. In between he said hi to folks he knew in the crowd and talked about feeling like he was beginning to make it in this town, how he didn't know everyone's name, but that people seemed to know his. All the kind of chatter that makes you want to ask if he's aware that what he's saying is OUT LOUD. But the Commander doesn't play it cool. He relayed the story of working long hours in the weeks prior to the festival putting up posters around town. He said he was so exhausted and sad that he "just wanted to walk out into traffic". One gets the sense that this is not hyperbole on the Commander's part: he seems always so close to the edge, his skin so dangerously thin that you're actually scared for him. Of course it's this kamikaze vulnerability that makes him such a compelling performer to watch. The Commander just never, never plays it cool.

I'm pleased to see Commander Clark not just making a name for himself in town, but also that he seems to have found a community in the Oh Hi collective. Artists looking out for each other and promoting each other's work is just the best thing.

As we walked away from the store after the show, the venue technician passed by on his way for a coffee and overheard us mention Commander Clark's name. He turned around and without hesitation said, "that's a special, special guy". Damn straight.

--Sue Snyder is the tall chick in the front row blocking your view of the band. She's also a belly dancer making unusual dances with her cosmic twin under the name Cult of Yes. Finder her on the Twitter @Susie_Qc.