Concert Reviews

It’s the eve of Libra season and there’s no better way to celebrate than by attending a Liana Flores concert, queen of Venusian themes: flowers, trees, dewdrops and rain, softness, friendship, romance as a way of life. 

Jessica Pratt shone on Wednesday, as she played to a sold-out show at Montréal’s historic La Tulipe. With a brilliantly unique voice which sounds as though she time travelled from the 1930s with its transatlantic quirks, Pratt has been a critical darling, bubbling under the mainstream in the indie folk scene for a while.

Lingering feelings of summer were high this past Saturday, after a hot, heartening night of music at Bar l’Escogriffe. After this perfectly orchestrated, totally satisfying lineup of Chanel Beads, Kassie Krut and Can’t Believe, Saint Denis was bustling with show-goers, riding on a high, as the recently applauded artists casually walked out onto the streets. This three-act bill took us on a deep exploration of a fresh melange of electronic, noise, pop music, and even elements of contemporary folk, with resonant and introspective lyrics carrying us through the night. It felt like we had been taken on a journey, all the while remaining grounded in the steamy, red-hued room. 

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.”

If anything can foretell how good a show will be, it's the empty stage of the Beanfield. Covered in a truly surprising amount of instruments for a five-man band, red light glistens off drums, bass, three guitars, and an array of keyboards and wind instruments.

On an unseasonably chilly and wet Saturday evening, a dedicated fan base turned out to the Okay Kaya show at the Fairmount Theatre. Damp umbrellas dotted the crowd that was composed of fans old and young, loud and quiet, yet all were, much like Okay Kaya herself, oozing cool fluidity. 

Matt Shultz's broken leg didn’t stop Cage the Elephant from rocking out. 

The American rock band stopped in Montreal on August 26th for their Neon Pill tour, dedicated to their sixth studio album which was released in May of this year.

There was a diverse mix of opening acts. Starting the night with Willow Avalon self-described through her music and merch as a “Southern belle raising hell”. Her set brought me closer to becoming a country music fan. She sang many unreleased songs, like “Homewrecker”, which I’ll definitely download once released.