Top 10 Shows of 2013

2013 was quite a busy year, but an awesome one as well. I saw lots of shows and had a lot of fun. However, it wasn't exactly an easy year. There were many big changes that I needed to adjust to, such as a new job, the death of a friend and the birth of my nephew. Despite this, I made it my mission to take advantage of life, and do what makes me happy.

Thus, just like every other blog, I've compiled a list of my most memorable shows of the year. Here are my top 10 shows of 2013:

10) Nine Inch Nails @ Bell Centre
This show makes my top 10 because I didn't think I would ever have the opportunity to see NIN again. The tour was in support of the group's latest album "Hesitation Marks". The album is really good, although some die-hard NIN fans are not too thrilled about it. The show included a lot of new material, which many fans did not like. However, the show was impressive both visually and sonically. Although I really enjoyed the show, it was nowhere near as good as the first time I saw NIN play in Ottawa in support of "Year Zero" (at least I think it was around that time).

9) Plants and Animals @ Ritual
Although I had seen the group a few times, I was particularly excited about this show, which was in support of their third album "The End of That". In addition, I had only seen the band play outdoor venues so this was quite different. The show was great and the venue was packed. There was really great energy in the room. I also really enjoyed the setlist, which features a great mix of new and older material. To top it all off, I had the opportunity to interview drummer Matthew Woodley before the show for Couch Assassin. This was a great opportunity for me, so I was over the moon! In case you missed it, check out my interview here.

8) Ben Caplan @ Mavericks
If you haven't heard of Ben Caplan yet, then you are missing out! I had heard great things about this musician from Halifax, and unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to his show at Raw Sugar Cafe last year. So when he came back to Ottawa to play Mavericks in February, I didn't want to miss my opportunity. Caplan isn't just a great songwriter, he is an all-out entertainer! His voice is out of this world (and so is his beard)! Caplan is also quite charming and loves to interact with the audience. Take my word for it: You will never forget a Ben Caplan show!

7) Heathers @ Cafe Dekcuf
I decided to go check out Heathers' live show because of the poster. Yep. I saw the poster, and thought to myself: I'd probably like that. And did I ever! Their music is catchy... I was hooked after the first song! These Irish twins are impressive musicians, singers and lyricists. Not only are they beautiful and talented, they are so nice! Next time they play a show near you, don't miss them!

6) Rush @ Ottawa Bluesfest
The show at this year's Bluesfest that I was most exciting about seeing was Rush. And they did not disappoint! The sound, the lights, the visuals... Everything was big and over the top! They did play mostly material from their latest record "Clockwork Angels". I wasn't familiar with the group's new material but it was a great introduction. To me, Rush is the ultimate musical representation of Canadiana, so seeing them live was great! Also, I've loved them ever since I started watching Trailer Park Boys (haha). The only con to the overall experience was the really, REALLY drunk middle-aged men in attendance that were loud, rowdy and annoying.

5) Feist @ Arts & Craft Field Trip
My summer began on a high note with the Arts & Craft Field Trip concert in Toronto. Although there were tons of artists/groups that I was excited to check out, the one that stood out the most for me was Feist. I've been a fan of hers for years, but I had never seen her perform live solo. I did see her perform with Broken Social Scene a long, long time ago but that didn't really count for me. There were thousands of people in attendance, and I could barely see the stage. Still, Feist took over the stage and put on quite a show! The energy was fantastic, and the setlist was great, including a good mix of songs from all of her albums (all of which are superb). I really enjoyed how every song was altered and sounded completely different than the original. Although there were so many people around, I felt like I was in my own little world and that Feist was performing just for me. Unforgettable!

4) Avett Brothers @ Ottawa Folkest
There was a few artists that I wanted to check out at Folkfest, although the lineup wasn't stellar, in my opinion. A friend of mine asked me to check out the Avett Brothers. I had never heard of the group but I rarely decline an invitation to go check out a band, especially one that I don't know. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! First, I assumed that the Avett Brothers were a rock group from the '60s or '70s. That couldn't be farther from the truth. These young, bearded Southern rockers blend many musical genres, including country, bluegrass, folk and rock. I have never in my life seen a live show with so much energy. It was surreal! You could tell that everyone in attendance was having a blast. The only downside to an amazing like show like this: listening to the Avett Brothers on CD is not nearly as good. I can safely say that I am now a fan of the Avett Brothers.

3) Megadeth @ Heavy MTL
In August, I went to the Heavy MTL festival for the very first time. I was quite excited to check out all of the bands that were on the bill. The biggest surprise of the festival was the band that I had been avoiding for years: Megadeth. My partner has been listening to Megadeth since we've started dating, and since then, I've flat out refused to give them a chance... mostly because I'm not a fan of frontman Dave Mustaine. While at Heavy MTL, I decided to finally shut up and give them a chance. Wow! I never expected to actually enjoy their show... but I did! The energy at this show was insane, and seeing all the hardcore fans of all ages sing all of the words to all of the songs was really touching. I never in a million years imagined that I would enjoy this show. Since then, I can now say that I like listening to Megadeth and would love to see them live again.

2) Alt-J @ Osheaga
This past summer, I headed to Montreal to catch the first day of Osheaga. There were many shows that I was excited to check out, but none more than Alt-J. I had been obsessing over their album "An Awesome Wave" for months, and I couldn't wait to see them live. They did not disappoint! Although they only played for 45 minutes, the show was great. The band sounded great, and had lots of energy on stage. I was standing really close to the front of the stage, which was fun being in the mist of the crowd. The highlight of the show was definitely when they played "Blood Flood", my favourite song of the album.

1) Woodkid @ Metropolis
Hands down, the best show I went to in 2013. Seriously. It's hard to describe the experience of that show... On July 1st, the Metropolis was sold out. Woodkid played a show as part of the Montreal Jazz Festival. I've seen many shows at this venue, including metal shows, and no show ever came close to the intensity of this show. The Metropolis was literally shaking. At times, I was legitimately scared that the venue would collapse. The crowd was so intense... which is a bit odd, considering the type of majestic, epic sound of Woodkid. However, that evening was just that... epic! His album "The Golden Age" had officially been released earlier that year, and it is absolutely sublime. Yoann Lemoine was joined on stage by various musicians, including a brass ensemble and two drummers. In the background, a giant screen showed videos and images during the performance. This added an amazing visual element to the performance, and definitely made it more grandiose. There was lots of talk surrounding this show, and with good reason. You gotta experience it to believe it! Woodkid's performance exceeded all of my expectations and that show is definitely my top show of the year.

 

Friday @ Osheaga 2013

On Friday, I traveled to Montreal to check out the great lineup of day 1 of Osheaga.

Just like last year, I decided to attend only one day of the 3 day festival. Luckily for me, 99% of the acts I wanted to see were playing on Friday. Safe to say, I was absolutely thrilled.

My day started off chilling at la Scène des arbres while Ponctuation was playing. The band, comprised of two brothers from Quebec City, put on a good performance. Their style was very White Stripes meets DFA 1979, grunge style.

Afterwards I walked back to la Scène de la montagne to see Daughter. To be honest, I only heard their music the day before Osheaga. I had heard of the band previously and I was thinking to myself that I would probably like their music. And I was right. The British indie folk band, fronted by Elena Tonra, sounded absolutely divine. Tonra was charming and very humble. You could tell she was overwhelmed by the love from the crowd; she couldn't stop smiling! I would love to hear them play in a smaller, more intimate setting, where you can really absorb the sound. The crowd was way too loud for music so soft and moody.

Up next was Ben Howard. Although I wasn't facing la Scène de la rivière during the set, I did watch from the giant screens. The English singer/songwriter sounded great. He played material from his debut album "Every Kingdom", released in 2011, including this hit single "Only Love". Although the sound was great, it was the same situation as Daughter's performance: the music was too mellow and chill, and the crowd was too loud. It definitely took away from the show.

Finally, the moment I was waiting for: Alt-J. I've been anticipating this show for months, and obsessively listening to their album "An Awesome Wave". They started their set with "Interlude" followed by "Tessellate". They played most songs from their album. The band sounded fantastic! The crowd was very enthusiastic, and the energy was absolutely amazing (especially since I was near the stage). The show was as good as I expected and I was extremely happy.

Right after, it was time for Two Door Cinema Club. The crowd was very energetic, and most people were dancing up a storm. A really fun show with a really good setlist. The band played a good mix of songs from both their debut album "Tourist History" and their latest release "Beacon". I was very pleased with their set and I danced my little heart out.

Two Door Cinema Club. Image - Patrick Beaudry

Then it was time for the lovely Ellie Goulding to take the stage. She began her set with the song "Don't Say a Word". As soon as her show started, the sound was off. There was a loud crackling that you could hear through the speaker. It was beyond annoying. Near the end of her set, the issue was finally resolved. Goulding played a good mix of tracks from both her albums, including "Animal", "Under the Sheets", "Explosions", "My Blood", "Figure 8" and "I Need Your Love". She also played her latest single "Burn", which will be featured in a re-released "Halcyon" album. Her performance ended with "Anything Could Happen" and "Lights". When she spoke to the crowd, it sounded like Goulding had lost her voice. I believe this may have affected her performance. Overall, it was good, but not great.

Afterwards, it was Vampire Weekend's turn. The band started their show with "Diane Young", their first single off their latest album "Modern Vampires in the City". Honestly, it's pretty much the only song that I really wanted to hear. I also ventured to la Scène verte to meet some friends and chill out for a bit. I wasn't bummed about missing most of Vampire Weekend's set seeing as they will be playing at the Ottawa Folkfest.

I walked back to la Scène de la montagne right on time to see Phoenix. Their performance really wowed me. I was expecting a good show, but I did not expect that. It sounded like I was listening a CD; it sounded that good! The band started with "Entertainment", the first single off their latest album "Bankrupt!". They played a lot of songs from their hit album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", including "Lasso", "Armistice", "Lisztomania" and "1901". Singer Thomas Mars was absolutely insane! He kept throwing himself in the audience (nearly). Near the end of the set, he actually wandered into the giant crowd with his microphone. The show ended with Mars swimming his way back from the audience to the stage. It was pretty spectacular. Overall, great show, great energy. Very entertaining! By far the biggest surprise of the day for me.

Thomas Mars of Phoenix. Image - Patrick Beaudry

My evening ended with a visit to la Scène verte to check out Beach House. I don't know much about the group, except a friend of mine told me that I might really enjoy their music. And I did! The duo plays "dream pop", which makes a lot of sense. The sound is very synth-inspired and is definitely chill, ambiance music (in my opinion).  La Scène verte was the perfect venue for this performance. The weather, the night sky, the crowd and the music... It was just perfect. I decided to leave after the performance, because it was seriously the perfect way to end the perfect day.

Overall, Friday at this year's Osheaga was absolutely amazing. All the bands put on great performance and I could not have asked for a better day of music.

Countdown to Osheaga: Phoenix

Osheaga starts TOMORROW! Holy crap...

Who I'm excited to see: Phoenix.

First of all, I'm surprised I haven't seen Phoenix live yet. My best friends recommended this band to me a few years back. She also told me that they are fantastic live, so I'm really looking forward to their show.

The French band just released their sixth studio album, "Bankrupt!" earlier this year and it has been getting good reviews. From what I've heard of the album, it's great (still waiting to get my hands on it).

Their previous album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", released back in 2009, definitely put the band on the radar and received a lot of accolades. It even won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album in 2010.

Check out the video for the song "Entertainment", the first single off their latest album "Bankrupt!". I can't wait to hear this live. Enjoy!

Countdown to Osheaga: Alt-J

Two more days until Osheaga. That's right, people. Brace yourselves...

Who I'm REALLY excited to see: Alt-J.

If you have not yet checked out this group, do it now! I am not kidding... This British band has been making waves since their debut album was released last year, and rightly so. "An Awesome Wave" is a phenomenal album. I'm just sad I wanted so long to get my hands on it.

After one listen, I was hooked. Completely hooked. There isn't one track on the album that I don't like. Yeah it's THAT good...

I have a hard time figuring out exactly what style of music Alt-J is... Pop? Electronic? Trip Hop? Who knows... All I know is that it sounds great. This is the band that I am most looking forward to checking out at Osheaga on Friday.

Check out the video below for Breezeblocks, which is a great video and an even better song! Enjoy!

Countdown to Osheaga: Ellie Goulding

Who's ready for Osheaga? Only 3 days left!

Who I'm excited to see: Ellie Goulding.

I was looking forward to seeing her live in Montreal last January. Unfortunately, something happened suddenly that prevented me from going to the show.

I've been listening to Goulding's latest album "Halcyon" non stop for months. Lately, I've been listening to it a lot while I go running. It's the perfect blend of pop and electronic music. Also, this girl's vocals are fantastic!

Although I've heard that Goulding's live performances are either hit or miss, I'm still excited to see her set at Osheaga.

Check out Goulding's cover of Alt-J's "Tessellate". The song is stunning and so is the video. Enjoy!

Countdown to Osheaga: Two Door Cinema Club

The countdown is on! I'll be heading out to Osheaga in 4 days and I am really excited!

Because the lineup was not as good as I anticipated, I decided to only buy a day pass for Friday, seeing as 99% of the bands I wanted to see are playing on that day.

Who I'm excited to see: Two Door Cinema Club.

I discovered Two Door Cinema Club about two years ago. My best friend was absolutely obsessed with the band, and she said I would probably enjoy it. She was right!

The indie rock from Ireland has a bit of a pop flavour to their sound. Their debut album "Tourist History" was released in 2010 followed by their second LP "Beacon", which was released last year. Although "Tourist History" is a great album, I am absolutely obsessed with "Beacon". I've been listening to it non stop for a few months now. The album is definitely worth checking out. I can't wait for their set at Osheaga!

Here's the video for my favourite song "Handshake", off the album "Beacon". Enjoy!

Broken Music Festival Dreams

Although I was semi-impressed with the Osheaga lineup, I decided that I will not be buying the full festival pass this summer as I had originally planned. There are a few artists that I would like to see. However, the price for a festival pass is a bit steep when you only want to check out a handful of bands.

Image: www.glidemagazine.com

However, this year's edition of Lollapalooza has a phenomenal lineup. Before tickets for Lollapalooza went on sale, my partner and I discussed a possible trip to Chicago to check out the renowned music festival. Unfortunately, it did not seem like a feasable idea for this year so my music festival dreams fell apart. In addition, festival passes and individual tickets all sold out soon after they went on sale. It was insane!

Yes, some of the headliners of Lollapalooza are the same as Osheaga. However, there are more bands that I genuinely want to see. Some of these include Nine Inch Nails, the Killers, Major Lazer, the Postal Service, Band of Horses, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, among others. I'm really sad that I will be missing this festival. To all those of you going: I am jealous beyond words!

But who knows? Maybe during the summer 2014, I will be traveling to Chicago. Fingers crossed!

2013 Osheaga Lineup Announced

After weeks of anticipation and speculation, the 2013 Osheaga lineup was announced this evening. And people are excited!

The acts that I am most excited to see include:

10) The Lumineers
9) Tegan and Sara
8) Jimmy Eat World
7) Ben Howard
6) Vampire Weekend
5) Alt-J
4) Two Door Cinema Club
3) Phoenix
2) Ellie Goulding
1) Mumford & Sons

I'm most excited to see Mumford & Sons. I was considering traveling to Simcoe (Ontario) to see them play the Northfolk County Festival. However, this show will be closer and (possibly) more convenient for me. The only downside to seeing Mumford & Sons play Osheaga as opposed to the Northfolk County Festival is that Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros are not scheduled to play.

Although there are a few acts that I'm excited to see, I am not overly impressed with the lineup. I was expecting more bigger acts. Last year, I only attended the last day of the festival. This year, I was planning on attending all three days of the festival. However, I am thinking that I might not get the full festival pass, after all. I might just stick with last year's plan and attend the one day where the most bands I want to see are playing.

What are you excited to see at this year's Osheaga?

Osheaga: A Look Back

After weeks of anticipation, Osheaga finally happened. Although I didn't make it for the first two days of the festival, Gaston and I hit the road early this past Sunday to take advantage of the amazing line-up of Osheaga's last day.

When we first arrived to Parc Jean Drapeau, we ventured to the edges of the earth (or what seemed like it) and headed to the Green Stage area before all the shows got started. At this point in the day, it was not raining. However, the forecast was calling for rain and thunderstorms all day.

After checking out the beginning of Peter Peter on the Green Stage, we walked to the Tree Stage to see Doe Paoro. Her sound reminded me of Fiona Apple, which I definitely like. The song lyrics didn't really speak to me personally. Her style definitely belonged at Osheaga, but her music was a bit too preachy for my taste.

As per my pal Elly's recommendation, I made sure to check out the Airplane Boys at the Green Stage. These guys (who were actually chilling on the bleachers right next to us while Peter Peter was playing) sure knew how to bring the enthusiasm. When their set started, the rain began to pour. Despite the rain, the boys put on a great show to the small crowd gathered at the stage. People were dancing and having a great time. The guys really seemed to enjoy interacting with the crowd between songs. It's just too bad that they were playing so early in the day and that not more people got the chance to see their set.

At the same time, at the Tree Stage next door, Zola Jesus was playing. We walked over to catch a bit of their set. Unfortunately at that point, it was raining heavily and the band was forced to end their set early, only 10 minutes into it. The crowd was not pleased and neither was Zola Jesus. After pleading with the security guard, she and her band walked off stage. She did manage to sneak in a quick acapella verse before getting escorted off the stage. I felt really awful... I think it's sad that Zola Jesus' set may have been the only one cut short because of the rain.

Zola Jesus - Photo: Elodie Desrochers

Lucky enough, I was able to catch the last two songs from Dan Mangan. Since I will be seeing him live in September for the Ottawa Folk Festival, I wasn't completely heartbroken to have missed most if not all of his set. 

Up next, the most anticipated show of the day for yours truly: Passion Pit. I am a huge fan of their new album "Gossamer" and cannot stop listening to it or talking about it. Safe to say, I couldn't wait to hear the new material live. They kicked off their set with "Take a Walk" and the crowd was ready to take it all in. While they were playing, it was raining pretty hard. However, people were good sports and were dancing happily in the mud. Finally, as "I'll be Alright" starts playing, the rain stops and the sun comes out, right on cue. A beautiful moment for me at the festival... Angelakos' words ring so true! The group played some of the most popular songs, including "Moth's Wings", " the Reeling", "Sleephead" and "Little Secrets" from their album "Manners". They also played some new material, including the lovely "Constant Conversations", "Carried Away" and, much to my delight, "It's Not My Fault, I'm Happy", the song that I have been obsessing over for weeks now. In that moment, I could not have been happier. Overall, my favourite show at Osheaga!

Passion Pit  - Photo: Patrick Beaudry

After that amazing show, we ventured back to the other side of the park at the Green Stage to grab some food. Luckily, I was able to catch Austra on stage. They played "Lose it" and "the Choke", which are two songs that I really enjoy. There was a nice sized crowd gathered and there was a great vibe. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay for the whole set because I had to head back to the Mountain Stage.

Rushing to the Mountain stage was definitely worth it so I could check out Santigold. The rain was gone, the sun was beaming down and the dance party began! Santi White and her two bootilicious backup dancers put on a fantastic performance. During her song "Creator", she invited about twenty people from the crowd on stage to dance with her. It was high energy and so fun to watch! Her set list included "L.E.S. Artistes", "Lights Out", "Disparate Youth" and finished on a high note with "Big Mouth". Overall, an amazing dance party in the sun!

Santigold - Photo: Patrick Beaudry

After Santigold, I braved the crowd and rushed near the stage to secure a good spot for The Shins. Once they started, the dark clouds were fast approaching and it started to rain heavily during their first song. There was lightning in the skies and really strong winds but the show continued. I was becoming anxious that something bad was going to happen (also, I'm scared of thunderstorms). The crowd was soaked but remained enthusiastic.  When they started playing "Caring is Creepy", the crowd went nuts. The set list also included "Simple Song", "Phantom Limb", "Australia", "The Rifle's Spiral", "It's Only Life" and "New Slang". The weather eventually calmed down, and the show was good. However, there were a lot of idiots who were crowd surfing (crowd surfing at the Shins?!?) and they kept falling on their heads. It was distracting and stupid. Seriously, people! Despite this, I was thrilled that the group played the songs from the movie "Garden State".

As much as I tried rushing back to the Green Stage after The Shins, Bloc Party had already started their set. There was an insane crowd at the show. The energy was out of this world and tons of people were crowd surfing. They played some of their old hits, including "Banquet" and "Helicopter", as well as material for their new album coming out later this month. The band seemed thrilled to be performing, and so was the audience. My only complaint is the set was way too short.

Bloc Party - Photo: Tim Snow

My evening ended at the Green Stage with M83. Their set included lots of visual stimulation.There was a huge crowd gathered at the stage, which was surprising since the Black Keys were playing on the River Stage at the same time. However, seeing as there was a total of 40,000 people at the festival on Sunday, I guess no matter what stage you're at, there's going to be a ton of people. The group sounded fantastic and I was blown away by the female singer in the group. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of their set-up and their sound. However, after a long day, I decided to leave before the show ended in order to beat the crowd and get my butt on the subway.

My sneakers at the end of the night. Just a tad muddy...

Overall, my experience at Osheaga was great. My top 3 shows of day 3 were: 1) Passion Pit; 2) Bloc Party; and 3) Santigold. Unfortunately, there were some bands that I couldn't check out because scheduling conflicts (and my inability to be at more than one stage at once), including Metric and City and Colour. Although the crowd was a bit on the younger side, people in Montreal know how to appreciate good music and have a great time. I always enjoy myself when I go to shows in Montreal.

To be honest, it was a bit exhausting being outdoors and walking back and forth from stage to stage all day (especially in the mud). However, I feel blessed that I was able to see so many amazing shows in just one day. Despite the crazy weather and the mud, attending Osheaga was definitely worth it!