Blog — Page 236 of 277

Pixies

Hordern Pavilion

Sydney, AU

March 7, 2017

The Pixies have always appeared to be an odd band to me, which admittedly was part of the appeal: The pop sensibility, lack of political ideology, counterintuitive songwriting structure, stoic rhythms, quirky hooks and Black Francis’ rollercoaster vocal exercises paired with a faible for surrealism was what formed the basis of the zany character, unpredictability, charm and unorthodox personality of the band.

A band that has created a lane for a myriad of epigones.

With the lion’s share of the predominantly older audience tonight, the Pixies’ oeuvre would be tied to memories growing up and reliving their youth – and they reveled in it – whereas younger attendants would have probably only heard of them because of the haunting lament “Where is my mind”, which concluded the movie Fight Club and came out more than five years after the Pixies had officially called it quits the first time around.

No matter which camp you count yourself to, the 2017 incarnation proved that the Pixies remain a unique band that presented itself in fine form. Devoid of histrionics, laconic, understated and taciturn in presentation, bathed in shadows and smoke they did not waste time with banter and instead focused on their craft, i.e. steamrolling, serenading and seducing the nearly sold out venue.

Paz Lenchantin has taken the place of the former and founder member Kim Deal and has established herself as a well-calibrated, soft-voiced counterpart to both Francis’ barks, howls and screams and Joey Santiago’s schrecklich schöne dissonant riffage.

It can be argued if their newer, more recent emissions hold up compared to their classic, vintage tunes but it does not hold the band from presenting them early on in their set.  It can also be argued that a more polished and mature incarnation of a band whose laurels rest on manic energy goes at the expense of diluting the DNA fans love them for, however, the set had moments where older and rawer qualities shone through, which made for a solid and powerful performance.

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Photos by KAVV

Last week when a friend, and occasional love interest, suggested we check out the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for one of our is this a date or is this not a date meet ups, I felt my stomach drop a little bit. To me the symphony has always seemed hopelessly adult. It was the cultural equivalent of knowing how to talk about wine or owning an expensive rug. The symphony was something for other people. People who had jobs with dental plans or would one day be able to afford a house. When I expressed my hesitation, the friend let me know about the program the TSO has running this season.

Owen Pallett, the indie rock musician behind the ethereal string music of Final Fantasy, has curated the New Creations Festival, bringing together the best in new music to team up with the Symphony to make new work. The festival also highlights new compositions by younger artists. That weekend the TSO was teaming up with indigenous throat singer Tanya Tagaq, who first caught my attention for her collaborations with hardcore punk band Fucked Up. Initially listening to Tagaq’s work – a style I was completely unfamiliar with – required a bit of time to get my head around, but the raw emotionality of her music eventually won me over. I was curious to see how that rawness transferred to a setting where people wear suits and dresses and tickets can cost more than a day’s wage.

One of the cool things that the New Creations Festival has set up is a number of ten-dollar tickets. The tickets allow people with out the same disposable income as your average symphony event a chance to check out the work, and that cheap price is crucial for people with trepidations about checking out a performance. While I entered Roy Thompson Hall that night with ta lot of prejudices, I was genuinely stoked that the company was making an effort to be inclusive of both new creators and new audiences. It’s a scheme that I wish a lot of other arts companies would copy.

Tagaq was the third act that night. For the duration of her performance she improvised overtop of the TSO in a combinations of sounds unlike anything else I had ever heard. The composition entitled Qiksaaktuq played with the highs and lows of the singers range. For her part Tagaq was able to fill the pace between the lightness and curiousity of the ocrestra with sounds that went from deeply guttural to impossibly high notes It was a beautiful evening and not at all what I was expecting, or had thought of when someone says the word symphony.


The New Creations Festival continues this week and next.

Graham Isador is a writer living in Toronto. @presgang

Photo credit:  Credit: Jag Gundu.

T2 Trainspotting
Now at cinemas

Making a great movie is difficult. Standing out against the myriad of mediocre big budget offerings is no mean feat. Stars need to align. Lightening is to be caught in a bottle. Once accomplished, the sequel needs to be even more original while lacking the advantage of introducing the characters and their relationships. Everybody knows Spud, Sick Boy, Renton, Tommy and Begbie. Focus is on the story and most films narratives just do not lend themselves well to a sequel or prequel. The budget for the sequel might be higher but it also buys time all the rope one needs to hang oneself with.

It’s been 21 first years since the black comedy drama Trainspotting, based around a couple of heroin addicts from Edinborough made a global impact. An impact of the scale that made one question if art was imitating life or the other way around, with its stylishly nihilist heroin chic becoming part of mid-90ies DNA of pop culture. Returning for a sequel was always a daunting task.

T 2 is respectful of its original incarnation. It’s the reunification of Director Danny Boyle and Ewan Mc Gregor, with whom after Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and Shallow Grave, he fell out with, as Gregor was supposed to be the lead in Boyle’s The Beach, which was eventually given to Leonardo diCaprio.

While there is an undercurrent of regret and fear, T 2 is an epic, choppy yet at the same time also sadder, slower tour de force – a tour de force that is at times a bit longwinded, tinged with sentimental nostalgia and both aurally and visually self-referential throughout, yet one that has its surprises and twists with the comic flaws and antics of the main protagonists still intact and being a main ingredient.

It is solidly based on the foundation of its forerunner, which would make it hard to enjoy for anybody not familiar with the original, yet manages to not tarnish the legacy, which is largely due to Boyle’s chops as a great filmmaker: T 2 lives from the way the story is told more than from the story itself.

The movie got older with its audience, with them being able to relate to the mid-life crisis Renton is going through. There are numerous rhythmic parallels drawn by Boyle between Renton’s life behind the façade of having it together and his life 21 years ago, for which, again, familiarity with the original is an absolute necessity.

It can be a balance act to stay true to the spirit of an original while acknowledging the changes over two decades. Boyle acknowledges to some extent, yet deliberately chooses to not comment on current developments in the United Kingdom, which feels a tad like a missed opportunity.

T2 is a reprise.

Boyle manages to encapsulate the futility of endeavouring to relive an idealized version of the past while the sobering reflection of eroding ambition and aging starts to sink in. A faithful elaboration of the original, recommendable for anyone who likes the original. Choose acceptance.

The Menzingers
Mr. Smalls Funhouse
Pittsburgh, PA
February 28, 2017

The first time I saw the Menzingers play in Pittsburgh was at this club that doubled as a concert venue and a nightclub. I remember it so clearly because it was the first and only punk show I attended that had air conditioning. I was there, shivering a bit, and these four gangly, grungy dudes walk on stage and that was it, I was hooked--a forever fan. The amount of energy and conviction the Menzingers possessed that night gave them the title in my mind for many years after as the best current live performing punk band.

Flash forward some 6-7 years later and the Menzingers were back in Pittsburgh kicking off their tour for their newest release After The Party. They opened their set up with their new hit "Lookers", not a bad move on their part considering that song was released first before the entire album. Not to mention it's one of the catchiest songs on the entire album. These boys might not be as grungy looking as they did before, but I'm not complaining here. The Menzingers are one of those punk bands that have managed to become better versions of themselves while still remaining true to their roots; they essentially have become the adults we all want to be.

That being said, the Menzingers are like any smart band and played to their strengths during their set. Yes it's a tour for their newest album so we all except those new songs to be played, however that doesn't mean you can abandon the old songs that crowds will expect as well. About four songs in they played "The Obituaries" and you could hear the entire crowd singing along. I remember looking around at the crowd and feeling this stupid sense of purpose. You know, that feeling when you realize you're not alone in the world and in that moment you are in the same mindset as all the people around you. It's a great feeling and why a lot of people enjoy shows so much.

Before playing "Thick as Thieves" guitarist/singer Greg Barnett shared with the crowd that Pittsburgh was one of the first stops the band played when they toured for On The Impossible Past. He remembered being nervous to play the new songs, wondering if people would like them, and he admitted he felt the same way this night about After The Party and it felt really reassuring to hear people singing along. It was a touching moment because usually stage banter is full of terrible or just plain awkward jokes, but it was an honest, raw moment that captured who the Menzingers are as a band and who Barnett is as a songwriter.

Halfway through their set they played the classic "Time Tables", a signature song about heartbreak and youth that we all know and love. "After the Party" was also a standout song for me because prior to the show it wasn't a song I payed much attention to, but hearing it live added conviction to it. "Midwestern States" and "Tellin' Lies" are sure to become classic Menzingers' hits, they are hands down two of the catchiest and musically pleasing songs both on the record and live.

They solidly ended their encore with "Casey" and "In Remission"; two of their strongest songs about the ups and downs of relationships that really hit at the heartstrings of your youth. The Menzingers did manage to still engage the audience and create undeniable energy after years of performing, but I will say there was a different air about them this time around. Maybe it's the fact that I'm in my late 20s now and I'm not the angsty youth I once was. Maybe it's the fact that the band itself is maturing. Maybe it's both. I'm not mad at those facts either, because after all, where are we gonna go now that our twenties are over?

Marshmello
Enmore Theatre
Sydney, AU
March 2, 2017

This was the first ever-Australian show for the man with the LED enhanced marshmellow mask and boy, did he get a reception: 
The Mellogang (yup, that’s how his followers refer to themselves) got all amped up chanting football songs in anticipation of the man in white entering the stage.

Sydney’s Enmore Theatre was filled close to capacity and once he unleashed his synth-laced trap melodies, upbeat breakdowns and rollercoaster drops, the dance floor started pumping and did not let up.

With ample singalongs and crowd participation, it felt more like a rock show than the more passive and receptive outcome one would expect from a DJ holding court.

It is not hard to see how Marshmello’s distinctive blend of EDM has positioned him firmly among the other helmeted spearheads of the genre as he powers and mashes both current and evergreen pop and hip hop hits to his own saccharine confection that the pre-dominantly Asian Kawaii loving audience could not get enough of.

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Photos by @ryanhadji