Art d'Ecco @ Fox Cabaret -- June 12, 2025

June 13, 2025 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

Earlier this year, Art d’Ecco dropped his latest album, Serene Demon, and since I (regretfully) missed the release show in Vancouver back in January, I was glad to catch him on his current tour as he hit the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately I got there after opener Dour, arriving not long before Art d’Ecco and his Demon Band hit the stage, all clad in black jackets (only half of which were leather), which included Evan Miller on guitar, Olivier Leclerc on bass, Malcolm Holt on drums, Hayden C on keys, and Kyler Young on saxophone.

They started off the set with the lead track on the album, the seductive “True Believer” then the sax-laden disco groove of “Tree Of Life”, and from there weaving through his catalogue of glam-pop tunes. Highlights included the dark, anthemic “TV God”, going back to his tresspasser album for “Who Is It Now?”, and the catchiest song about not joining a sex cult, “Palm Slave”.

Art stopped to chat with the audience a few times through the set, but mostly let his charisma do the talking. He strut and danced around stage with an effortless swagger, almost never still for more than a moment.

The set flew by as it seemed like no time at all before he closed out with a one-two punch of bangers; “Head Rush” and the band going all out for “Dark Days (Revisited)”. But of course he was back out for more, first with a cover of “Live It Up” by The Isley Brothers, and wrapping up the set with a “Midlife Crisis”.

It had been a minute since the last time I saw Art d’Ecco live (six years ago at Constellation festival!) so I was glad to have caught him at the Fox last night for a fun show!

setlist
True Believer
Tree Of Life
Only Ones
TV God
Survival Of The Fittest
I Feel Alive
Who Is It Now?
Sad Light Disco
Palm Slave
Head Rush
Dark Days (Revisited)
(encore)
Live It Up [The Isley Brothers cover]
Midlife Crisis

PHOTOS: Shred Kelly @ Fox Cabaret - May 09, 2025

May 15, 2025 by Christine McAvoy in Live Music Photography, Weekly Photo Roundup

Shred Kelly
Fox Cabaret
May 09, 2025

See Kirk’s review by clicking here.

Photos by Christine McAvoy

Shred Kelly @ Fox Cabaret -- May 09, 2025

May 10, 2025 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

For the past month, Fernie’s Shred Kelly has been all throughout the Pacific Northwest and BC on their One Day One Night Tour, along with Babes in Canyon. Last night they returned to Vancouver for a show at their “favourite venue in the city”, the Fox Cabaret.

I got there part way through the opening set from Seattle’s Babes in Canyon, catching the last few songs from Nathan Hamer and Amanda Ebert. The duo had an electo-folk sound, layering their sound with loops on songs like their recent single “The New Loud” and “High Tide”, which capped off their set. Even just the few songs I caught of them, they had a good dynamic and were a perfect fit to tour with Shred Kelly.

Thanks to the show’s curfew, it wasn’t long before the members of Shred Kelly took the stage; Sage McBride (keyboard) sharing vocals with Tim Newton (banjo & guitar) backed by Ty West (guitar) & Ryan Mildenberger (drums), joined by guest Jessie Robertson on bass. They started off with the slow burn of “Rowed Away” as the set built in intensity, exploding in a huge breakdown in “The Bear” and then the stormy “Tornado Alley”, an older favourite off their first album, Goodbye July.

From there the set spanned their career, from Tim’s fingers a blur over the banjo for “Didn’t Know” to the darker “Stuck Between”, where Sage’s vocals erupted off stage. Other highlights included “Roman Candle Eyes”, written for Tim & Sage’s daughter, and the haunting “Ghost Inside My Head”, before the set came to a chaotic finish with “Sing to the Night”.

But they still had time for one more, inviting Babes in Canyon back on stage to sing backups on their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”, the room singing along to the classic. I’ve long said that if there has to be an encore, it should involve fun covers and/or inviting guests (like the opening band) on stage for a collab, so this was a perfect encore for me.

From the first time I saw them, Shred Kelly has had an infectious energy when playing live; the fun they’re having playing radiates off stage throughout everyone dancing, clapping, and stomping along in any room. Last night was no different, with an incredibly fun show from the band.

setlist
Rowed Away
Archipelago
Jupiter (Any Other Way)
The Bear
Tornado Alley
Roman Candle Eyes
Lost Without You
Take Me Home
Stuck Between
Didn’t Know
Another Place
Ghost Inside My Head
Sing to the Night
(encore)
Dreams [Fleetwood Mac cover]

Sam Lynch @ Fox Cabaret -- December 04, 2024

December 05, 2024 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

Almost exactly a year ago, I saw Sam Lynch opening a show at the Hollywood Theatre for Hannah Georgas. I had seen her a few times before, but that night she previewed some new songs she had been working on for an upcoming album that really caught my ear. I made a mental note to keep a look out for it, and flash forward a year, Outline is in the world and Sam was celebrating with a show at the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately due to a busy evening, I missed opener Talel McBriar, arriving shortly before Sam Lynch took the stage. She was joined by some familiar Vancouver faces; Lilli Carr (guitar), Sean Wharton (keys), Joshua Contant-Perdue (drums), and Alex Maunders (bass), with Sam Davidson (clarinet) joining them later in the set.

Lynch talked about celebrating the new album, but also remembering the past and looking to the future, so the set started with some older tracks, kicking off with “Good Year” and a few others from her previous album Little Disappearance. Her indie-folk sound and captivating vocals driving songs like “Off the Rails”, and after a few, the band took a break for Sam to play a brand new tune on her own.

Then it was time to spotlight the new album, Outline, starting with “All the Life”. Sam’s emotions poured out on songs like the haunting “Hurt” and my favourite of the album, “Doing My Best”, which built to an ending that featured Lynch letting loose on vocals. Performing the album front to back, other highlights included the breathless “Getaway Car” and heartwrenching “Piece of You”, which lead into the final song of the album, “Moth” building to an intense finish.

The main set wrapped up with the simmering intensity of “Keeping Time” before Sam was quickly pulled back for one more. Joined only by the album’s co-producer Sean Wharton, she introduced the final song as one of his, a gorgeous tune that had their voices intertwining beautifully.

Throughout the show, Sam Lynch was very clearly grateful for the crowd — who were very attentive the whole show — and confessed that this was her first time headlining ever*. And after that show, it certainly won’t be the last.

(*in a full circle moment for me, the first time I saw her play was at the Fox!)

setlist
Good Year
Darkest Places
Off the Rails
Garden
[new song]
All the Life
Hurt
Doing My Best
Intermission
Getaway Car
Teeth
Piece of You
Moth
Keeping Time
(encore)
[Sean Wharton song]