Elfin Saddle + Extra Life – Green Room – Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
The night started out slow, Nick Kuepfer working his way through moody instrumental pieces, with a dash of song thrown in now and again for good measure. Backed on both ends of the sound spectrum by violin and cello, Kuepfer and his guitar provided a wistful, laid-back start to the evening. Although the audience was sparse, everyone present seemed to be listening intently.
Extra Life was up next, amping up both the energy and the volume. Their first song came as a jolt after the more subdued set by Nick Kuepfer. Charlie Looker’s operatic voice and theatrical lyrics were in stark contrast to the band’s metal and jazz inspired melodies. The musicians all seemed in prime form. The whole set was incredibly tight, each sound sharp and precise. Nick Podgurski proved to be quite flexible on the drums, at one point even using his hands as replacement drumsticks. The contradicting quirky lyrics and catchy melodies featured in songs such as “The Refrain” were accented by Looker’s unornamented singing. This was, however, the only song to follow a straightforward rhythm, the rest peppered with sibilance whenever there was a risk of consistency. The overall sound may have been better suited to a larger, more energetic audience, however the energy brought to the stage by the band, and the silent concentration of the crowd, allowed the whole set to go over well.
Last to take the stage were Elfin Saddle, the bright, mystical trio made up of Emi Honda, Jordan Mckenzie and Nathan Gage. Rather than three musicians joining their sounds together, the band seemed to form one solid entity, with Honda and Mckenzie trading instruments now and again and Gage remaining solidly consistent at the contrabass (excluding a short dalliance with the tuba). Honda’s playful girlish voice was complimented by Mckenzie’s deeper, more woody tones. Their whole sound, in fact, seemed to revolve around these two poles, the earthy and the ethereal. The band played both older material, including “Roof Song” and “Her Hall”, as well as new pieces. Each song transitioned into the next, creating a seamless blend of sound. The whole process seemed totally organic, the band’s creative use of their instruments (Mckenzie tapped his way through several songs with bell’s attached to his foot) and the blending of Honda’s classical Japanese verse with Mckenzie’s folksy lyrics creating a unique experience. And when the band finally said farewell, I can honestly say I was sad to see them go. Unfortunately, our photographer’s camera quit on us halfway through Extra Life’s set, so sadly we only have photos from the first two acts. – Kyla Gilbert
Extra Life
Nick Kuepfer
Photography by Amelia Robitaille
