David Vertesi @ Wise Hall -- April 12, 2024

A few weeks ago, David Vertesi released his fourth album Fictionalized. And to celebrate, took to the Wise Hall for an album release show.

The evening started with Alex Badger coming out on stage alone, just an acoustic guitar accompanying her lovely voice for the first couple songs. She was soon joined by JP Maurice to back her up, as they played the recent single “Gum”, which he produced. Alex teased a few more songs that would be out soon, including the upbeat “Sunshine”, and finished off with a very heartfelt song that I didn’t catch the name of, but will definitely be keeping an ear out for in the future.

Next up was a solo set from Jordana, for what was only her second time in Vancouver. Armed with an electric guitar, she played a stripped down set of bedroom pop, with bubbly energy between songs. From taking impromptu polls for the next song (electing to play both anyway), to getting into backstories (without naming her crush whom the song was written about), and introducing a brand new tune, everything matched her energy, with the highlight being her self-described ‘rock song’, “Play Fair”.
She wrapped up the set with a couple covers, really letting loose on vocals for a jazzy version of “Say a Little Prayer” before channelling her inner Karen Carpenter with “Yesterday Once More” by The Carpenters.

Not long after that, the lights dimmed and David Vertesi walked over to the sofa on stage, flicked on the lamp on the side table, and started off with “One Day We Woke Up And The World Was Gone”, the ominous opening track from the new album. The other members of the band slowly joined him, Johnny Andrews on drums, Jonathan Anderson on guitar, and Benjamin Millman on keys, as they went into “Who Am I Now”, playing the album front-to-back.

David’s deep voice and smooth songs were made even more warm and cosy by the stage turned into a makeshift living room, Vertesi even wearing slippers as he played most of the set from the couch, admitting that’s where the songs were written during the height of the pandemic. Though he did pop up to the front of the stage for the maudlin “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”.

Throughout the night he also invited some guests to the sofa, all who featured on the album; Sam Lynch providing vocals on “My Parents”, Jordan Klassen’s voice intertwining with his on “One In A Million”, and the inimitable Jill Barber for “Mind Reader”.

As Fictionalized came to a close, he called for everyone who was on stage before to return – including Jordana and Alex Badger – for the final song, a cover of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros’ “That’s What’s Up”. But even with the album wrapped, Vertesi wasn’t quite done. Not bothering with the whole encore fakeout, he had everyone in the room, both on-stage and in the audience, sing along to “Waste” from his previous album Life Ghouls for a fun & cathartic closer.

As I recently said, it’s always fun to hear an album played in full, especially when Vertesi was able to get (almost) all of the guest stars to join him. But even aside from all the familiar faces on stage, you couldn’t go five feet in the Wise Hall without running into another musician, music-adjacent person, or longtime fan. Which is not only a testament to David Vertesi’s music, but his role in the local music community. From the many bands he’s been a part of, to producing, and even co-founding events like the Mural Festival, Vertesi is no doubt one of the hardest workers in town, and everyone was at the Wise to celebrate.

setlist
One Day We Woke Up And The World Was Gone
Who Am I Now
Age Of Celebrity
My Parents (ft. Sam Lynch)
Fictionalized
One In A Million (ft. Jordan Klassen)
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Mind Reader (ft. Jill Barber)
Note To Self
That’s What’s Up (ft. everyone) [Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros cover]
Waste (ft. everyone)

Haley Blais (and friends) @ The Wise Hall -- April 14, 2023

Ever since Haley Blais released her debut album Below the Salt a few years ago, I've been wanting to catch her live, but aside from a pandemic-era livestream from the Fox and a quick set at Constellation last year, I hadn't really got the chance. So I was happy to fix that this past Friday, with a show at the Wise Hall. It was a rare seated show for that venue, but during her set Blas quipped “I refuse to believe we can enjoy anything standing up” and I can't disagree with that.

Unfortunately I ran late and missed the opener, Troll Dolly, arriving shortly before Haley Blais took the stage with her backing band, comprised of a few familiar faces; Sam Lynch, Lindsay Sjoberg, Graham Serl, and Alex Maunders.

They started off the set with the chilled out “Rob the Original”, and weaved into a few more from her current catalogue, including “Survivor's Guilt” -- with the first guest of the evening, star of the video Jake Pascoe coming out to dance & accompany on the vibraslap -- and “Firestarter”, my favourite from her debut album, a song that starts slow and soft, building to a crescendo with Blais' voice sending chills and giving goosebumps.
Throughout the night we were also teased with a number of new songs from an upcoming album, like the groovy “Matchmaker” and “Cabin”, a more rocking number that once again showed off Haley's vocal range.

Leading up to the show, Blais had promised ‘special guests’, and delivered when she ceded the mic to her friends and peers, to put the spotlight on them. Mid-way through, Lindsey took centre stage with other members of Babe Corner out for the title track off their recently released album Crybaby; Maunders played a track from his solo project; and Dan Mangan surprised everyone with “Just Know It”, all backed by Blais on vocals.
Then near the end of the set, Blais brought out Jonathan Anderson and David Vertesi to play on one of her new songs “Reset Button”, before Vertesi went into into one of his songs, “My Parents House”, and finally Sam Lynch performed a beautiful new song that I didn't catch the name of.

After a good hour and a half, they brought the set to a big finish with a singalong to “Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town”, Blais conducting the crowd to chant the lyrics as the song wrapped up. But the sold out hall wanted one more song, and Haley indulged, coming out alone to start an older track “Small Foreign Faction”, before the rest of the band joined her and everyone let loose to cap off the night.

Leading up to the show, I had no idea who or what the “and friends” would entail, so the format of the show was a very pleasant surprise, and made for one of the most unique and collaborative shows I've seen in some time. It's rare that you see someone use almost a third of their set to let others shine, and the talent on the stage had the sold out hall rapt all evening. The crowd was (mostly) silent in all the right places, hanging on everyone — especially Haley Blais' — every note.

setlist
Rob the Original
Survivor's Guilt
Matchmaker
Be Your Own Muse
Firestarter
Crybaby (Babe Corner)
This Time (Maunders)
Just Know It (Dan Mangan)
[New song?]
Body
Reset Button
My Parents House (David Vertesi)
[New Song] (Sam Lynch)
Cabin
Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town
[encore]
Small Foreign Faction

Weekly Photo Roundup - May 11, 2016 ft. Leisure Club, David Vertesi, Said The Whale

Weekly Photo Roundup for the week preceding May 11, 2016

Hope you got the chance to check out the sold out evening with Said The Whale this past week. We laughed, we cried, we sang along. Check out Kirk's review for a full recap.

Also, big thanks to Converse and the Rubber Tracks program for the free Leisure Club show at El Kartel. If you missed it, you can see them again on May 28th at the Media Club with Van Damsel.

Check out the concert calendar for what is coming up this week!

Photos by Christine McAvoy

An Evening with Said the Whale @ Fox Cabaret -- 05/07/16

Said the Whale are doing things a bit backwards. Instead of releasing a new album and then touring, the Vancouver band is road testing their new material on a cross country tour. Billed as "An Evening With Said the Whale" the shows consist of two separate sets; one with deep cuts and brand new material, and after an intermission, a "regular" set from the band.

They were joined by David Vertesi, pulling double duty filling in on bass and also opening the show with his own "sad dad cruise ship" songs. Which is both the name of this new album and the genre he proudly claims as his own. Vertesi was on stage alone, just his smooth baritone and heartfelt songs off both his albums, like the endearing "Gentlemen Say" and "Loud Talker" (which, sadly, seemed like instructions to some people at the back of the venue). David chatted with the crowd between songs, joking that we were here for the birth of the next big genre (the aforementioned 'Sad Dad Cruise Ship') and urging people to pick up his album at the merch table with his "pay what you can" model. 
Vertesi also pulled out a cover that has become a staple to his sets, earnestly introducing it as a song that meant a lot to him growing up, "Say You'll Be There" by Spice Girls. Every time I've seen him play the cover, it gets a nice reaction and a singalong, and this night was no different. He ended the short set with "Mountainside" one of the catchiest songs about a doomed relationship you'll hear, promising he'd see us sooner than we think. 

Not long after, the theme from Rick and Morty blared (to the delight of at least two people) as Said The Whale emerged for the first of their two sets, energized by the sold out, hometown crowd in the intimate venue. They launched straight in to "We Are 1980" off '012's Little Mountain before diving back for older songs and deep cuts; "Plans for the Future" and "Live off Lamb" from Howe Sound/Taking Abalonia, and especially "False Creek Change" being particularly poignant on this 30th anniversary of Expo '86, with Ben Worcester admitting he almost teared up while singing that song since it doesn't really have the same meaning or get the same reaction as their played it across the country. 
Halfway through the set they shifted into some brand new songs, talking a little about each. "Fucks To Give" -- a "mini rock opera" as Tyler Bancroft explained, about unrequited love -- was a stand out, as well as a song I didn't catch the name of dedicated to a friend they had lost. The newer songs seemed a bit heavier and denser, both in sound and thematically, which culminated with the final song of the first set. Tyler introduced "Miscarriage" opening up about his own personal experiences with the subject, with the song starting off a slower heartwrencher, that shifted to an almost prog-influenced finale. An intense song, and easily one of the best songs they played that night. 

After an intermission, they were back for set number two, the darker and synthy "Resolutions" kicking it off. This set was a much more "traditional" Said the Whale set, as they still pulled from all their albums, but this time hit more of the singles and fan favourites, with upbeat and rollicking songs like "The Light is You" and "Emerald Lake, AB". Another highlight was the emotion-dripping "Love is Art/Sleep Through Fire", a favourite of mine and, if the reaction was any indication, many others in the room as Tyler and Ben harmonized on a note they held for a preposterously long time. 
They broke out hit singles like "I Love You" and "Camilo (The Magician)" close to the end of the set before finishing off with "Goodnight Moon", another favourite, the lullaby building to a joyful ending and Tyler rocking out as hard as one can on a ukulele. 

Of course, no one believed they were really done as they came back for a few more, including one last personal favourites, "My Government Heart" as Tyler spat out the lyrics through grit teeth. And after Ben fielded an impromptu Q&A from the (probably drunk) dudes at the side of the stage, they ended with one last tearjerker, getting nearly the entire room first silent, and then singing along to "Curse of the Current" letting everyone into the spring night. 

It's been a while since I have last seen Said the Whale doing a "proper venue" show, a couple years at least, and it was great to see them on top of their game. Plus, the new music sounded strong and I look forward to hearing it recorded. 

Setlists:

David Vertesi
Soft Skin
Gentlemen Say
Loud Talker
Waterways
Say You'll Be There
^[Spice Girls cover]
Mountainside

Said The Whale
(set two)
Resolutions
Out On The Shield
On The Ropes
BC Orienteering
Narrows
The Light Is You
Emerald Lake, AB
Loveless
Love is Art/Sleep Through Fire
Black Day In December
I Could Smoke
I Love You
The Reason
Camilo (The Magician)
Goodnight Moon
(encore)
Mother
My Government Heart
Curse of the Currents

Said the Whale
(set one)
We Are 1980
Plans For The Future
Live Off Lamb
O Alexandra
Big Sky, MT
False Creek Change
Step Into The Darkness
Fucks To Give
Out Of My Skin
[new song]
[new song]
Miscarriage