#musicbc

On a cold March evening in Vancouver, 4 beloved venues heated up for a night of local talent. From the prestigious Fox Cabaret to the intimate winery La Fabrique St-George, people gathered from all corners of the city to taste a flight of 18 talented local bands in 30-minute increments.

While I wish I could’ve cloned myself and attended all 18 often overlapping shows, I was still able to discover a handful of music I didn’t know existed until that very night, which is something uniquely special. Every artist brought something new to the table that had locals hook line and sinker. Here’s a rundown of each show I was able to attend.

FOX CABARET – Parlour Panther, Haleluya Hailu

The night all started at the historic Fox Cabaret in Mount Pleasant, the former porn theater-turned-venue. Known as the hottest venue in the city (according to the MC, in temperature not vibes!) the space was surprisingly chilly. But the spirits were high as guests piled in ready for the first band to hit the stage.

Four-piece Parlour Panther opened the night, engaging the crowd with dreamy indie pop tunes. Lead vocalists and instrumentalists Frankie and Lee have been making music for a decade now, and this was evident as their chemistry filled the entire room. They promoted their new single “BLOOM,” a bass-heavy but light indie pop tune about self-change. Just observing from the floor, you could feel the intense love reverberating amongst the band members; this is what they enjoyed the most. They were the best choice to kick off the night on a positive note.

Following this was the quick-witted and feisty singer/songwriter Haleluya Hailu. Hailu, her drummer and guitarist all walked on stage wearing brightly coloured construction vests, with the singer waiving a light saber-esque red wand around the stage.

“We're here to construct sounds for you!” she joked.

The singer has a distinct R&B flavor with a trilly powerful voice that launches her music into new dimensions.

Hailu showcased singles such as the floaty “pinball,” and crowd favourite “MANIC PIXIE PACIFIST.” Using the infamous trope, the singer wants you to know she is a force to be reckoned with.

Boldly, she quips at the crowd to boo her. She gave out her next song “Useless” to all Vancouverites, defining her relationship with the crowd as one of love-hate (but mostly love, we can only hope).

RED GATE - POSH COAT, LEO D.E. JOHNSON, SLIGHTEST CLUE

Next to open its doors was Vancouver’s beloved DIY music and arts hall Red Gate Arts Society. Upon arrival, the venue felt like a closed down fire hall. But once inside, it opens a dimension where all music and art is free to thrive–it’s like a breath of fresh air from the larger shinier venues that have been popping up lately. From the holes in the ceiling, to the cartoon eye stickers placed on the speakers, this venue is brimming with charm.

We were just in time to hear Posh Coat's final song. The trio, hailing from nearby Victoria, has so much potential to be a superstar band, describing themselves as “a cold front of Arctic Monkeys from the north.” It is astounding they currently only have 3 singles out at the moment, but their standout talent and energy is evident. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Following Posh Coat, powerhouse singer/songwriter Leo D.E. Johnson took to the stage, absolutely blowing everything out of the water. Simply accompanied by an electric guitar and a drummer, Johnson’s voice evoked such a primal appreciation for how transcendent music can be. Blending soul with rock n’ roll, the non-binary artist expresses intense lyricism involving identity and belonging, allowing his voice to be all-encompassing. 

He performed my personal favourite track “Beneficiary,” a 7-minute ballad featuring growling rock vocals in the chorus combined with softer soulful verses; this perfectly showcases Johnson’s versatility as a vocalist and lyricist. To me, Johnson is the most promising and talented new Vancouver singer and songwriter we have.

To complete my personal Red Gate sandwich of performances, 4-piece band Slightest Clue was up next. What piqued my interest was the background of each band member, and how they shouldn’t work: “a stage actor, a hook-obsessed recovering choir girl, an electrical engineer, and a guitarist who played for (and left) ten other bands before deciding this was the one for him.” Their biggest draw is how they really shouldn’t work as a band but somehow do, in a post-punk garage kind of way.

The Vancouver misfits were eager to play songs off their latest EP Carousel, chock full of drippy post-punk hooks and word-vomit ramblings between verses. Lively bassist and vocalist Hannah Kruse asks the crowd “have you ever had a crush like, really really bad? ‘Cause I have,” before launching into the heavy garage guitar obsessive single “Why Can’t I Call You.” 

Another highlight was the “Carousel” single, featuring a back and forth vocal war between Kruse and lead vocalist Malcom McLaren accompanied by screaming guitar solos. Despite their mismatched union, the band is quick to show that they work in such a unique way that draws any post-punk indie rock fan in (seriously, I can’t stop listening to their music, even days after their show!).

La Fabrique St-George - JADE LE MAC, CARA BATEMAN

The final venue to open its doors for the evening shows was the smallest and most intimate of all the venues: winery La Fabrique St-George. A small queue of people formed a line outside, as the venue was at full capacity for a short burst of time, showing just how much Vancouverites were flocking for the local talent. Eventually, as people trickled in and out, we were let into the narrow hall. Unlike the grandeur of the Fox Cabaret, or the boldly artsy halls of Red Gate, La Fabrique held a more sacred and somber tone. Concert-goers sat cross-legged on large colourful pillows  in front of a small stage, or around long tables drinking wine.

Jade Le Mac was next, perhaps the most popular and youngest of all the artists in the festival. Armed simply with her powerful steady voice and an accompanying guitarist, it’s easy to see why Le Mac is so renowned among teenagers and young adults; she is the voice of youthful angst. Her lyricism and bubbly personality leads me to believe she is Vancouver’s own Olivia Rodrigo.

It’s clear she’s passionate about everything she writes, sharing stories and background about each song before launching into it. For the short set, the singer jumped between albums “Constellations” and “Confessions,” showcasing just how versatile she can be in sound: from the starry-eyed softness of single “Constellations” to the pounding anthemic “You’re Not A God.” Le Mac has the spark to launch further into superstardom.

To round out the night, the final artist to hit the winery stage was the charismatic and compelling Cara Bateman. Described by her friend as a “35-year-old teenager,” the artist walked out in pink sunglasses, cowboy earrings, and a silver glitter top. What makes Bateman stand out the most is her ability to genre-jump: using a primarily singer/songwriter base she can flawlessly transition from country to punk.

The risk-taking singer launched into her latest single “Time To Be A Bitch,” an electric-guitar heavy anthem about setting boundaries and self-defining. But later, she seamlessly transitioned to the moody and jazzy “I Wrote This for You.” Each song was stripped down with piano and guitar accompaniment to match the low-key tone of La Fabrique.

To me, these two artists with their stripped down sets were the perfect way to end the night. Of course, many were headed to the late-night bonus shows at the Cobalt featuring more local artists such as NIKKAELA and PEAK. While I ended my night at the winery, I’m sure the aftershow was just as much fun as the entire evening.

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