Concert Review: Three Bands. One Night.

Our Rodeo Rocker reviews Rich Aucoin, Lioness, and Everything All The Time.

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

It was Saturday night, and I’d just finished an incredibly “efficient” business meeting at the Filmores Hotel, followed by chicken curry poutine, followed by a cab straight to the Horseshoe Tavern. Needless to say, the night was starting off well. I waited in the front section of the bar for my friend and photographer Rob Fournier, and watched as the first act took the stage. Once he arrived, we approached the girls guarding the entrance into the back of the bar. Clearly, security was tight for this event.

Unfortunately, these confused girls seemed to think I was full of shit when I told them that I should be on the list, and weren’t helpful in the slightest. After the confusion settled and we were granted access, I mentioned how “I’m really looking forward to this show”. The smug reply I got was “it’s already started”. No shit. It’s ironic that the promotion company for the night was called ‘No Shame’, because if it were my company, I’d be ashamed by the way they initially interacted with us.

I opened with that little story for a reason. An unexpected damper on what had been, immediately before, a lovely evening can dramatically affect how you perceive a show. Let this be a lesson to any organizer: someone who is there to review your show won’t limit him or herself to reviewing just the bands. That being said, the show as a whole was great, so kudos to No Shame for putting together a great line up. I think that anyone who came specifically for one band, most likely enjoyed the others. And thank God Rich Aucoin was on first to help get rid of all that initial tension.

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

The band came out tightly clad in all white, with the exception of a fluorescent pink hat that Rich was wearing with an upturned brim. The music was captivating, and very tight. It’s sort of a mixture of the sounds of Daft Punk, Justice, Arcade Fire, and Talking Heads. To describe it as a whole, one thing’s for certain: there’s a touch of magic in it. Rich Aucoin’s song writing skills are exceptional; not only does he possess tremendous talent in this respect, but he’s also a brilliant musician and performer. Over the years, I’ve seen so many bands play and I can honestly say that Rich interacts with his audience better than most musicians out there. Part of this draws from how melodic and catchy his music is. His on stage visuals and projections encourage the audience to sing along to his memorable lines and he often leaves the stage and joins the audiences in group huddles. It’s an incredibly joyful experience.

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

We were dancing, surrounded by confetti, balloons and smiling faces, and I think everyone there felt like happy little children. Well, drunken ones at least. I thought deep and hard about something I could say about the group’s performance that they could have improved upon. And at the end of the set it finally hit me: the bassist’s pants could have been tighter.  Go check these guys out before you have to pay $30 for a ticket, because they’re on to something really great.
Rich Aucoin – Rating: 5/5

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

The next band was called Lioness. In contrast to Rich Aucoin’s group, they hit the stage dressed in all black, minus the colourful red accent of the lead singer’s boots. All the players were extremely talented and their music had a great groove. Drummer, Jeff Scheven, beat the shit out of the drums and the singer, Vanessa Fischer, was incredible. It was worth it to see them just to hear her show off those pipes. Ronnie Morris’s tone on bass guitar was also a major highlight for me. That bass was raunchy as hell, like a dog dragging its butt on the pavement. I thought they were awesome, but the songs seemed to bleed into one another. Their tunes were mostly restricted to very simple and generally minor dominated chord progressions. And basically my memory of the experience, even right after their performance, was more of the whole, rather than of any specific song.  I would definitely recommend going to see them play, but if they’re hoping to connect with an even larger audience then they’ll have to expand and develop their sound beyond their current boundaries.
Lioness – Rating: 3.5/5

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

Everything All The Time gave me goosebumps during their first song and at several other moments throughout their set. For some reason, I feel like less of a man admitting that, but it’s true. This phenomenon rarely ever happens to me at concerts. Surprised, I looked around the room to see how their music was affecting everyone else and somehow everybody around me seemed as if they’d immediately become friends. It’s a beautiful thing when a guy can look across the room and exchange smiles and glances with complete strangers without being considered some kind of pervert. The lead singer, Alanna Stuart, was mesmerizing, and her voice held the audience in awe while the complex melodies and rhythms continued to force the audience to dance until they began to sweat. It was a wonderful contradiction. If you ever get the chance to see them I highly suggest that you do. I’ll definitely be at their next concert in Toronto. These guys are going to be big.
Everything All The Time – Rating: 5/5

Courtesy of Rob Fournier

– Ross Gower, of the Poisonous Glass.