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The last time I found myself at the Cabaret du Mile End, I was watching a devoted-but-small crowd politely enjoy Jolie Holland, and wondered if it was a place the talented go to not get enough appreciation. Not so; a sizeable crowd had turned up for the first-ever Montreal performance by Wild Beasts, a UK quartet (with the occasional extra percussive work courtesy of a shifty extra figure) who have issued three increasingly great records over the last four years. When bands make their first leap across the pond, it tends to be a bit of a crapshoot, but Wild Beasts seem to have waited just long enough to build up a faithful and decently-sized following. Good on 'em.

First up, though, was Toronto five-piece Still Life Still, who appeared to have a few buddies in the audience. Had I caught the very same set eight or nine years ago, their brand of uptempo indie-pop might well have seemed impressive. Now, though, they come across as a fiercely typical Arts & Crafts act - even moreso than, say, Immaculate Machine. That means treble-heavy arrangements, multiple guitars (often where one, more creative player would suffice), aw-shucks vocals with simple harmonies, and some mild rhythmic variation for the sake of friskiness. Credit's due to drummer Aaron Romaniuk, whose tricky parts seemed to emerge from a more interesting act, but there wasn't a moment of their 40-odd minute set that felt individual to the band. The music disappeared moments after exhibition, never to leave the slightest impression.

After a tortuously long wait (roughly 80 minutes or so), Wild Beasts finally emerged to a surprisingly amped crowd. They opened with Smother's one-two opening punch of "Lion's Share" and "Bed of Nails." It had escaped my attention that they have not one, but two vocalists, both of whom were remarkably assured - Hayden Thorpe's warbly tenor and Tom Fleming's more forceful, slightly lower register sounded great both together and apart. The latter got a stunning showcase in the form of terse Smother highlight "Deeper." After the hurried, too-dense approach Still Life Still took to arrangements, Wild Beasts' sense of spaciousness and invention was a welcome tonic. With minimal, though amusing, stage banter (including some confusion between the terms "poutine" and "putain"), they continued to power through a colorful 11-song set, with the obvious highlights being "We Still Got the Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues" (the Two Dancers single introduced as "Leonard Cohen doing disco") and surprise Limbo, Panto cut "The Devil's Crayon," which both upped the energy level and pointed out just how much their sound has evolved over a few short years.

After a short break, the boys (and sometimes girl, on aforementioned added percussion) returned for a stellar three-song encore, including Fleming's awesome, and slightly shocking, falsetto-driven turn on "All the King's Men" and a suitably epic closing take on "End Come Too Soon," complete with thoroughly convincing false ending. Having clearly become seasoned pros in their homeland, they're welcome back anytime.

-Simon H hosts Sucker Blues on Wednesdays from 4-5pm

Read by Joshua Nemeroff

Produced by Erica Bridgeman

Segment by Shaun Malley

Stories written by Shaun Malley, Tara Brockwell and Joshua Nemeroff

image courtesy of 2020 radio

 CJLO is proud to be turning three years old on October 15th, 2011. We've been bringing the best in local and underground music to the AM dial since 2008 and we want to thank all of our volunteers and listeners for helping CJLO become the award winning radio station that we are today.

If you'd like to wish CJLO a happy birthday, record and send an mp3 to program@cjlo.com and we'll play them on-air.

Happy Birthday CJLO! Bonne fete!

Name: Robin Fisher

What is your DJ alias? & what are its origins?: Cartoongal.  My show is about the graphic arts, cartoons are a graphic art. The main mandate of my show is to make the graphic arts accessible to all people.  I like to say, "let me be your guide, let me be your cartoongal." (You know, like your gal Friday.)

Show: The Onomatopoeia Show

Genre: "All graphic arts, all the time."  Talk radio with music.

How long have you been at CJLO?: 3 years.

What is the best thing about working at CJLO?: The sense of community and the opportunity to reach an extremely wide audience with very little censorship.

Describe your show as a potential life partner. What are its qualities? Omg! My boyfriend is extremely dreamy! He has such great taste in music, soooooooo much variety. One time he made me a mix tape of all tunes from WWII. Another time he played underground Japanese bands all night. And he reads Everything! Like one week he's scouring a book on fashion illustration and then like today, he wouldn't stop talking about this book called "Who censored Roger Rabbit?"  Did you know that was a book and a cartoon/live action movie? Sometimes he brings his friends.  Artists, animators, writers, he knows tons of interesting people. He loves talking about Female comicbook artists, kids books, one time he ranted about how various action figures are modern sculpture.  He totally loves cartoons and graffiti........sigh, I could listen to him even on a Sunday.  He's just So enthusiastic, he's contagious. It never fails, whatever he's talking about, you want to read it, he makes it sound so appealing and fun.

Two reasons why you do your show?:
A. I consider myself a comic book activist and am compelled to make the world realize that there are comics out there for everyone.  That the simple amalgamation of art and literature, elevates the art form to more than anyone could ever imagine.
B. I listen to a lot of music and read a lot of things.  I can't stop sharing and am freakishly enthusiastic about the good non mainstream stuff.  Which makes me an ideal radio show host for a show about the graphic arts at a university radio station.

If you weren't doing your show, in what other ways would you express yourself?: Through writing articles about comic books, etc. Possibly with twitter or a website.

What was the biggest turning point in your musical journey?: Jeepers, I don't think I've ever had a musical journey.  How about what got me started in radio?  Doing an hour long Canadian Content show at Lake State University (Sault Ste Marie, USA) circa 1994/95.  Musically I've always listened to things that are not the mainstream and I relish the chance to play music people might not have heard before.  So I strive to find the best of the non mainstream.

Fill in the blanks
If I could travel back in time and bring back anyone, I would bring back Jim Henson. Because he created a new art form (The marriage of marionettes and puppets = Muppets) and because he made generations of millions and trillions of people, all over the world, happy.

Name your 2 favorite albums of all time: While I love music, my show is about comics.  My favourite comic of all time is Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children.  Currently, I'm in love with "Mouseguard" by David Petersen and "King City" by Brandon Graham

What is the one piece of technology you cannot live without?:  The combustion engine.

Describe yourself in 3 words: enthusiastic, educator & open-minded.