I've mentioned it before, but one thing that is really cool about the Vancouver music scene is how close and friendly everyone is. Last night's show at the Little Mountain Gallery was filled with other musicians and CBC Radio 3 people, not just there to support friends, but also enjoy some good music.

The first act up was The Old Familiar, and unfortunately we missed his set, getting in just in time for Jody Glenham. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I hadn't seen her live before (not counting a night at Guilt & Co. or a Jon Bon ~~Jovi~~ Jody song at Biltmore karaoke night). The first thing that struck me was her voice; she had a great range, soft and smoky when needed, but a few times during the set she stepped back from the mic and just let loose, which was impressive. It was just her & keyboard on stage, and maybe the small venue helped, but she seemed to have a knack to make things intimate, and kind of felt like each song should have been shared in a smoky bar over a glass of whiskey.

Next up was Tariq, who I also hadn't seen, on his own at least (only with Brasstronaut). He was joined by some familiar faces on stage; Colin Cowan (from Analog Bell Service), Jody Glenham and Shane Nelkin (from The Awkward Stage). He has a bit more of a folky, acoustic sound to him; a bit softer, but not without an edge. One song that really struck me was "Front Row Seat", a love song via concert seating. There was also some great banter and joking around, as all the members are pretty funny in their own right. Finally, for the "encore", they came into the crowd for one last song (even Cowan's stand up bass), which was a really cool thing to see, as they were all (obviously) unamplified.

Corny as it may sound, it's shows like this that make me so glad to be witnessing what Vancouver (and even the rest of BC) has to offer, music-wise, right now. Seeing people supporting each other on and off stage, it creates a real sense of community, as opposed to just a bunch of bands who happen to be in the same city.