Those who braved the first snowfall of winter and made their way to Pat’s Pub treated themselves to three groups that each put their spin on some good ol’ fashion punk rock. The Wild Ones kicked off the night and won over the crowd with their girl-group charm. Sporting matching gold dresses, tattoos and Marianne Faithfull hairdos, the Wild Ones proved you can look good and rock out without sacrificing one for the other. California surf and ‘60s rock/pop influences seeped their way into the Santa Cruz band’s sound, but the Wild Ones have a punk rock edge to them.
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The Tranzmitors
with Manic Attracts, and The Wild Ones.
January 14 @ Pat’s Pub.
by Angela Yen
Vincent Parker
RESPECANIZE part one (Independent)
by Kamil Krawczyk
This album is dirty. Proverbially dirty, of course – Vincent Parker’s newest release is oozing with style, substance, and sheer electronic filth. RESPECANIZE part one is a haunting and volatile journey through some perverted ethereal synthetic machine, twisting and churning the ears of any listener into a fuzzy, discordant mess.
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Blouse
with Mode Moderne, and Student Teacher.
January 13 @ The Waldorf Hotel.
by Dorothy Neufeld
Blouse | photo by Steve Louie
Student Teacher’s knack for folding distorted, heavy guitars drenched in reverb was noticeable at their opening set at the Waldorf Hotel. The band’s penchant for underground echoes was apparent in “Left For Dead”, a ten-minute dirge blending solid drums and gritty guitars. Needless to say, the set felt as if it should have been performed in a basement, as the room didn’t lend itself to the band’s thick rumble and fuzz. Despite this, a cover of Black Tambourine’s “Throw Aggi Off the Bridge” was without a doubt one of the highlights of the night.
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Loom
Epyllion (Independent)
by Andrew Reeves
Loom is Toronto-based cutie-pie Brooke Manning. Epyllion is her first album, recorded at infamous Canadian musical polymath Dale Morningstar’s Gas Station Studios. Manning’s hushed, lullaby vocals glow in an alluring state of tension between blissful peace and restless, unnameable longing. Read More
Are You That DJ?
Discorder asks Tim Fernandes
by Hanna Fazio
Tim Fernandes | photo by Josefa Cameron
Are you that DJ? It turns out 23-year-old UBC student Tim Fernandes (a.k.a. Autonomy) is, as proved when he took the title in last November’s Are You That DJ Competition. The event occurs annually during CiTR’s Fundrive and gives up-and-coming UBC students a platform to show off their skills at the Pit Pub in the SUB.
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Bel Riose
with Man Your Horse & The Barcelona Chair.
January 11 @ The Biltmore Cabaret.
by Fraser Dobbs
I get the feeling from talking to Vancouver natives that the Barcelona Chair don’t exactly maintain a consistent lineup—the last time I’d seen them was as a four-piece, so it was an initial disappointment to learn that their violinist had moved back to Hamilton, ON. I was skeptical that their brand of mathy post-rock could survive as a trio, but I was blown away by the sounds that persevered. Their guitarist can seriously shred, and the rhythmic convulsions of his body as he played was like a weird conductor’s dance. Read More
Chains of Love
“Breaking My Heart” / “In Between”
(Dine Alone)
by Slavko Bucifal
Chains of Love, the brainchild of local producer Felix Fung, is a five-piece of talented musicians that celebrate the soul singers of the ’70s with a modern garage feel. Following last spring’s “You Got It” / “Black Hearts” single, the band has given us another two-song EP that continues their tradition of crafting super catchy melodies. Read More
Synthcake
with Thee AHs, and The Laser Love Cats Cult.
January 14 @ The Zoo Zhop.
by Mel Zee
Thee AHs | photo by Audrey Alexandrescu
By the time the Laser Love Cats Cult burst into their first song, at least 30 people were already crowded into the cozy, dark room of Vancouver’s favourite d.i.y. venue, the Zoo Zhop. The five-piece have roaring guitar solos and sweetie pie lyrics (including one song where lead singer, Peter Volbek, professes his love the way only an awkward poet could: “If I was a vampire, I’d suck all your blood”). Read More »