What may be the best one-two punch combination going this year on the live concert circuit, alternative bands Metric and July Talk hit the Start.ca Performance Stage at London’s Budweiser Gardens for a stop on the Art of Doubt Tour this past Sunday (April 28).
Entering to their song 'Headsick' from their 2016 album, *Touch*, July Talk, featuring singers Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis, are a commanding force on stage with their silk and sandpaper voices complementing each other perfectly. Their quirky dance moves blend perfectly with the music and the stage show was incredibly atmospheric with a large moon projected on a huge screen behind them for the opening songs.
July Talk’s hour-long set was fairly divided, with both studio albums represented and a couple of new songs thrown in that may or may not make it to their yet-to-be-released new album. Their show was lively, entertaining and worthy of their own headlining show.
Metric came on stage to 'Dead Disco' from their first album amid a heavy stage fog, bright spotlights and lots of strobes. The show was a mixture of fan favourites along with several cuts off the new album including the title cut 'Art of Doubt'.
Emily Haines struts across the stage like she owns it and carries the mic stand like a boss.
Emily Haines struts across the stage like she owns it and carries the mic stand like a boss. Her vocal style is light sounding but has a strength to it live that matches her stage attitude. Guitarist James Shaw is a skilled musician who neglected his own guitar parts somewhat on the last couple of albums due to his producing duties, giving those albums a more synthesized sound. However, the new album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Meldal-Johnsen has worked with the likes of Beck and Nine Inch Nails, and this album resulted in a much harder edged vibe, returning the band to its earlier sound.
The stage show was a lighting wonder, with heavily choreographed colours, strobing spots and tons of stage fog. This is the second consecutive show at Bud Gardens that I have seen with a five-song encore this month. It was a great finish to a fantastic night.
This was a show to remember.
Entertaining the early crowd was Montreal’s Murray Lightburn with a soulful seven-song set from his debut album *Hear Me Out*, along with a couple of songs from The Dears, the band he fronts with his wife, Natalia Yanchak. While Lightburn’s set was well received, it wasn’t really indicative of the type of show people came to see.
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