Cold War Kids - Live at The Commodore Ballroom

 

Cold War Kids are one of those timeless bands that I could never get tired of listening to. Over the last ten years they've maintained their unique style with Nathan Willet's recognizable voice, bad ass guitar riffs, beautiful piano, catchy choruses and relate-able lyrics making them one the best loved, longest standing indie rock bands out there. They played a sold out show at The Commodore Ballroom, one of Vancouver's most beautiful venues with its winding staircase, wood ballroom floor and huge windows that overlook the Granville Street night-life. I was lucky to have my boyfriend at my side for this show and, although we were not too impressed with the opening band, we had so much fun when Cold War Kids took the stage singing and swaying and jumping and dancing. Their newer songs were awesome live, but their old stuff was still my favourite. We Used to Vacation and Hospital Beds were highlights but I completely lost it when they played "Hang me up to dry" which has always been my favorite. 

St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Live at The Rickshaw Theatre

St. Paul is a seven piece timeless soul/blues/rock band from Alabama. Their set at the Calgary Folk Fest last summer blew me away and left me wanting more. Last week they played an extended set at the sold out Rickshaw Theatre that left my boyfriend and I grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the night. The lead singer, Paul Janeway who sang in a church choir in his youth has an amazing powerful voice and is so energetic and entertaining that you can't help but love him. Janeway's vocals are backed by an incredibly strong brass section, tight drums and wicked guitar riffs. They kicked off the show with some of their most upbeat songs like Sugar Dyed which got the crowd dancing, and peppered their slower soulful songs with lots of upbeat covers. They even played a soulful cover of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" which was pretty different but worked. My favourite moment of the show was probably the beautiful "Broken Bones & Pocket Change", or maybe when the crowd lost it when they broke out with "Call Me" during their encore. Sam said it best after the show, "best blues band I've ever seen".

I would also like to mention the opener Sean Rowe who had some amazing guitar skills and could somehow make his acoustic guitar sound like bass and electric guitar. 

Current Obsession: George Ezra

Today is Friday the 13th and I smell like skunk because a raccoon and a skunk got in a fight underneath my house this morning, but I'm still having a better day than George Ezra in his video for "Blame it on me".

George Ezra is a 21 year old English singer-songwriter who kind of sounds like a mix of Bastille/ Mumford&Sons/Hozier. His debut album "Wanted on Voyage" is pretty incredible. Here's one more:

Current Obsession: Operators

Who put the ancient cold in your bones?

Who you gonna love when you make it home?

There is this trend in music lately that I've been loving where electronic music is accompanied with analog drums and live vocals. Operators is Dan Boeckner's latest project, and fits that bill. (Dan Boeckner's other projects include Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits). They opened for Future Islands last year and have a five song EP out right now. This one is my favourite from the EP and I will be eagerly awaiting their first album.

Current Obsession: Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me

Too late to go out

Too young to stay in

I haven't posted for a while due to a little mishap involving mint tea and my laptop, but by some miracle I am back in business for now! 

Now back to the music. Honestly I was a little late to jump on the Alvvays train. When I first listened to Alvvays I thought they sounded too much like Best Coast (who I am not crazy about) and that was that. But, as their debut album gained more and more hype over the year and I learned the lead singer is non other than the daughter of the late John Rankin of The Rankin Family, I figured this is one band I might need to listen to again. Upon doing so, I discovered the song Archie, Marry Me. I don't know if it's the way the song reminds me of carefree summer days, or the catchy chorus that makes me want to sing along with my arm in the air or what, but I am just HOOKED. Every morning on my way to school I listen to this one on repeat, and I still can't seem to get enough of it. Just an awesome song.