Dan Moxon @ Green Auto -- March 03, 2023

March 04, 2023 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows

A few months ago, Bend Sinister’s Dan Moxon released his second solo album, All My Friends, and was finally able to have the release party this weekend, at Green Auto. I hadn't been to the space before, but it was a nice intimate room in East Van, filling a niche that feels a little lacking in this city right now.

I caught the tail end of Zoey Leven, arriving right as they started a cover of the Supergrass song “Alright”. She ended the set with a couple newer songs, including the fuzzy and upbeat -- in tone, if not lyrics -- “I Feel Like A Loser”. I think this was the second time recently I only saw their last few songs while opening for someone, and it made me want to make sure I was there for the full set next time.

It wasn’t long after before Dan Moxon took the stage, backed by Alana Pearce on drums, Sydney Tough on bass and Luke Vincent on saxaphone, as well as a small strings section of a violin & cello for the first and last few songs from the album.

Starting with the haunting “Stuck On Midnight”, Dan played through All My Friends in full. His fingers flying over the keys and voice filling the room with songs like “All My Friends Are Dead”, an upbeat lament about losing touch with people; the soulful “Cross The Line”, which featured Bend Sinister drummer Nick Petro making a cameo for a very special percussion part (cracking open a beer can); the jaunty, 70’s-tinged “Real Good Guy”; and “Know It All”, a song that Dan joked was “too ragtime” to go viral on tiktok.

The album closed with “Film”, before Dan wound the evening down with a couple songs from his previous album, Lounge Singer. The contemplative “Where You Going To Sleep Tonight” went into “Morning After”, which built to a rollicking finish, and finally, “New Year’s Day” to end off the night.

Whether it’s a bombastic show with Bend Sinister, or a (relatively) subdued solo set, Dan Moxon is always fun to watch live. Combined with the first (and hopefully not last) show at Green Auto, made for a real fun night.

setlist
Stuck On Midnight
The Storm We Know
I Am Not Alone
All My Friends Are Dead
Love Life
Cross The Line
Real Good Guy
Know It All
Keep The Love Alive
Go Easy Now
Film
Where You Gonna Sleep Tonight
Morning After
New Year's Day

Skye Wallace @ Fox Cabaret -- November 09, 2022

November 10, 2022 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows

Skye Wallace made her long-awaited return to Vancouver last night, on the heels of her latest album, Terribly Good. In the midst of a cross-Canada tour, the Toronto singer came back to the city that was once her home, with a stop at the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately I missed the first opener, Nonarchy, arriving to the venue part way through Zoey Leven's set. I caught the last bit of her breezy, indie-pop sound on songs like “Closer” and “Gatekeeper”, an upbeat, jangly tune off their 2019 debut EP, Messy. The few songs I heard definitely made me want to keep an ear out for more in the future.

Not long after, Skye Wallace took the stage joined by her band; Devon Lougheed (guitar), Gina Kennedy (keys), Jenna Strautman (bass), and Chris Dimas (drums). She kicked off the hour-long set with a couple of older tunes, the darker "There is a Wall" and the raucous "Mean Song 2" before launching into new material off Terribly Good.

Highlights included "Everything is Fine", the self-convincing anthemic answer when asked how you’re doing; the gritty "Tooth and Nail", which slipped into a fun cover of The Watchmen's 90s hit "Stereo"; and "Keeper", a bittersweet number which she admitted was almost her first love song... until they broke up some time between writing and recording the song.

Part way through the night, Devon and Chris took a break while Skye introduced a song written about Angelina Napolitano, "Swing Batter". With just her playing electric guitar and Geena & Jenna on backing vocals, the song’s intensity, combined with Skye's incredibly powerful voice, sent chills & goosebumps throughout the room.

The set came to a close with the raw "Tear A Piece (Bite Me)" before finishing off with another cover, Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time". But after a moment the band was out for one last song, a favourite of Skye's dad (who was in attendance) "Reaper", an absolute banger which saw Skye hop off the stage and onto the floor to shred on guitar, while a portion of the crowd lost it in a mosh pit (which Skye had half-jokingly requested earlier in the evening).

As Skye Wallace mentioned a couple times during the show, she was incredibly excited to be back onstage, especially back in Vancouver, and especially at the Fox. But even if she hadn’t said anything, that excitement and energy was radiating off stage and through the crowd, for a great night of dark-folk-rock.

setlist
There is a Wall
Mean Song 2
Truth Be Told
The Doubt
Everything is Fine
Phantom Limb
Swing Batter
Keeper
You Left
Coal In Your Window
Tooth and Nail [w/ Stereo by The Watchmen]
Tear A Piece (Bite Me)
If I Could Turn Back Time [Cher cover]
(encore)
Reaper