Things started for me at the Rickshaw for Royal Strays. Barely caught Hausplants! Heard good things afterwards, but with Bob and I commuting in from the island, we had only just got in the room and gotten our merch sorted and they were done. No photographs, no memories; sorry! Then it was saying hi to Ani as she made a quick dip into the crowd to hug friends.
I had actually picked up two of Lene Lovich's most famous albums as homework, and had intended at some point to see her set. But it soon developed that I wasn't going to be able to stay: not only did I want to reward my work as a writer by seeing two of my favourite local bands, the Tranzmitors and Night Court, but I also am doing some non-local press for the latter band and wanted to get fresh photographs. Rather than trying to cram Lovich into my head, I simply gave the albums to Bob and left him to see her...
But I'm so glad I got to see Royal Strays' first concert ever. Ani Kyd Wolf was in peak form, returning to a Vancouver stage after a ten year absence, doing a darkly folky, but sultry and sensual, highly unique alt-lounge act, I guess you could call it, with two members of Sons of Freedom, Don Binns and Don Short. I'd interviewed the three for the Straight, and am gratified to see my article in the number three slot on their website today.
Ani's voice was gorgeous and her movements captivating. I'd last seen her (Lou Reed tribute nights aside) belting out grungy punk, sharing the Rickshaw stage with Jello Biafra and a reconstituted version of her band Fuel Injected .45; I've heard her do other things, as well, but I have not seen these things presented live; I've actually spent more time, I think, seeing Ani in social contexts, or interviewing her, than I have on seeing her perform (!). Royal Strays makes music that requires a fair bit more vulnerability and nuance than your average punk song, or even your above-average punk song, so I actually wasn't entirely sure, especially given her long hiatus, what to expect. Ani quickly confirmed that she is astonishing, an under-sung Vancouver powerhouse who I hope will play here more often. She's also a very nice person! She had fun passing down printouts of lyrics into the audience as she finished a song, but I didn't notice her consulting any of them while she performed...
Don Binns wore the most hats of the band members, shifting effortlessly from acoustic guitar to keyboards to bass. I think I'm accurate to say that the vision for Royal Strays began with him, but quickly became a collective venture. That was the impression I received from talking to them, anyhow. I shot a clip of "Sinister Campfire," a song the title for which came from the band remarking that the music sounded like a sinister campfire song. It kinda does! That was the one that most reminds me of the Swans' The Burning World. Ani could totally own a song off that album, if they were to cover one, but they hardly need the material, as their new album is great. Hope Royal Strays plays again soon!
I suspect I may have been the only person in the Rickshaw on Saturday who left before the headliner. Seeing Bob's photographs makes me question the wisdom of that -- especially the hooded figure Ms. Lovich cut at the start of her set, full-on Bene Gesserit in its impact. I mean, I've seen the Tranzmitors and Night Court a dozen times each, and I will doubtlessly see them again, but I've never seen anything quite like this:
Tranzmitors did a killer set, as always, of which I shot two songs. One of the very best (and best-dressed!) bands in Vancouver, whom I first saw in 2007, back when they had a keyboard (!). It is mildly weird that our city should be home to a Mod revival survival of this caliber, but why ask questions when you can DANCE?
Maybe that is why I have not done them justice yet, interview-wise, but they do have a new album in the works for next year, so there will be chances! Much of their set was off that upcoming album, I gather. I only knew "Teen Man" and "Dancing in the Front Row" as older tunes, in fact -- the set's closers. Much that they played was completely unfamiliar to me, but still, of course, catchy as all get-out.
Night Court was equally terrific, if harder to pin down; people who strive to put bands into genre-boxes will find them a bit of a challenge. The Straight thing I did (#7 today) looped in Guided by Voices and Fugazi and... I dunno what Circus Lupus sounds like, but I bet Night Court doesn't sound like them either, much. They master the art of being wholly unique while seeming totally familiar, and it was a real treat to see Jiffy liberated (mostly!) from bass duties, so he could make maximum use of both hands. He should injure himself more often!
I jest. but it was great -- he is a terrific frontman; a lot more of his character comes through when he is not slinging an instrument, is freer to move around and gesture. It was like the show where Art Bergmann was forbidden by his band to play guitar, and we could see how expressive his hands could be. It might have pissed Art off, but it was a rare experience for his fans!
My best photo of the night was probably this one of Dave-O, though:
It was over all too soon. I chatted with Adam and Talesha, who had both come to the show, then met up with Bob at the bus stop. He told of how he chatted with a couple from California who had followed Lovich up here, and of how she had been very friendly and approachable, signing things for fans, even though she had no merch to speak of.
Me, I got my Nervous Birds scribbled on. Whether I made a duff call or not, I'll never know, but I sure did enjoy my night; it was one of those great nights of local music that sustains me, makes me want more -- the first gigs I've really enjoyed in awhile, having overextended myself a bit recently. It really does help that I interviewed the artists, too, and that they're such nice people.... and part of such rich scene that we have in this city. Nights like this, you can almost forget how totally fuckin' apocalyptic our times seem for a few hours..
...Almost. Jiffy wore an uber-political t-shirt (that's a Tesla truck on fire); there was a striking bit of political graffiti (a sticker, actually) in the bathroom, reading "Charlie Had It Coming"; and I could not resist the newest Night Court t-shirt design, which I guess is only "political" in the broadest possible sense. But now I have two Night Court t-shirts with X-ray themes, and signed copies of everything they've put out on vinyl (I do not have their cassettes and I gave my Nervous Birds CD to Bob).
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