Wooden Shjips – La Sala Rossa – 08.11.11
Montreal’s own The High Dials were the first up for the night. Their rock ballads were filled to the brim with great basslines and reverbing guitar riffs to make for dashing power-pop songs. The jangly, guitar-led songs were accompanied by drumming so intensely thunderous, that the drummer’s eyes were rolling back. Their setlist spanned across their material ranging back from the early beginnings of their seven-year career, ’til recent works, and varied in style from indie-pop to heavier, 70′s inspired rock. They had an astoundingly big sound, and sounded like they should be playing in a stadium at this point. One of the better bands I have seen in a long time!
Birds of Avalon were next in line to play, although there was a delay in the sound system, which extended the sound check period by a bit. Eventually, the delay effects were well adjusted. However, the sound check ended up being like a movie-spoiler I had been warned was going to happen, so the raw vocals had already been exposed to me and had been ingrained into my mind. They provided great spacey rock jams thanks to the distorted guitars, with a sweet, progressive feel. Each song featured great guitar solos, layered over a fast-paced band to complete their 80′s metal feel.
After The High Dials’ set, it was finally time for Wooden Shjips to play, and everyone was ready for them. There was no delay with these guys; they just got straight to the pedal-fueled-guitar point. Their psychedelic and drone-influenced tunes were much more intense live, and the amped-up volume really hit the audience like an arrow straight to the heart. The drumming patterns and easy-going chord changes, provided by the golden synth made it so easy to loose oneself in the minimalistic nature of their sound. The muffled and distant vocals really proved for an ethereal sound, and made a delightful contrast to the shattering guitars. Although they were great to watch, their music is way too contagiously energetic for one to be standing still and listening to it; it is more suited for a participative crowd, to join in on something really epic. -Amelia Robitaille
The High Dials
Birds of Avalon
Wooden Shjips
-Photography by Michael Colatruglio
