Dear Library Voices... OR An Excersise in Sweatiness, Part Deux

I'll just start by saying this:

I have only seen Library Voices perform twice. The first time made it into not only my top five concerts of the year, but my top five of all time. The second time (this time)... well, let's just say the title of this post doesn't even mention the headlining band...

 

Its happened to me a few times before, but when the headliners are the ever-impeccable Yukon Blonde, its really saying something to be more excited about the openers... but what can I say? LV are just that good!

 

The show kicked off with Great Bloomers. Hailing from Toronto, Great Bloomers are a straight up rock act who really seem to have their shit together despite looking so young. Their sound was solid, their performance energetic and infectious. They had Stage Presence, that's for sure. From the mop-top lead singer, to the dashing guitarist and keyboard player, Mr Luxurious Hair (I promised my friend Heather I would call him that), not to mention the impeccable bassist and drummer, these gents know how to put on a show. On some songs they reminded me of Harlan Pepper- young looking but old-sounding in the best possible way, on others they were reminiscent of early Rolling Stones...

Great Bloomers

I was especially impressed by their performance as a complete picture- their songs were catchy and appropriately rock-oriented, their enthusiasm and dedication to the performance was clearly evident, and they sounded great. Plus they were entertaining. Perhaps most impressively in my books they managed to distract me from my looking-forward-to-LV-ness on several occasions! A great opening act I look forward to seeing again in the future.

Mr Luxurious Hair himself

Then.
Library Voices.

I'm not sure I can properly express my super excitedness as they set up their gear (gotta love when bands don't have roadies) though I'll make an attempt. Like when you're at the top of a roller coaster, about to go over the first crest. You're looking forward to it, but you're also strangely nervous, like maybe it won't be as fun as you remember or maybe something will go wrong and everyone will die... except more like maybe a crappy sound mix or something will make it suck. Either way, a mix of excitement and nervousness that was shortly rewarded with yet another excellent performance.

They opened up with two numbers off of their latest album (Summer of Lust) and plowed through four or five numbers without saying so much as a word beyond "We're Library Voices!" --The lack of early-set banter was strangely a bit of a relief, as I was hoping they would cram in as many songs as possible into their non-headlining set. And cram 'em in they did. From Generation Hand Clap to Kundera on the Dance Floor, they played virtually non-stop for forty-five too-short minutes.

One of the (many) things I love about Library Voices is the enthusiasm they bring to the stage. Forget that they're fitting seven people into the same space most bands stuff only three or four, they would easily fill a concert-hall with their unerring energy. Their lyrics (though more impressively riddled with literary references, metaphor, and beauty than most novels) don't always paint the most cheerful of pictures, but you would never guess it from the looks of sheer joy on their faces as they perform. And that's not all. When lyricist Mike steps to the front of the stage to tell us about being embarrassed by his first Billy Joel album and how Kundera on the Dance Floor is their peanut butter sandwich, you can hear his love for the songs in every breath, every syllable. Each performance is like one long love-letter to music. And its infectious.

So. Into. It.

Watching a mic-less drummer or a bassist sing along at the top of their lungs never fails to make me smile. And dancing around until their shirts are soaked through? Come on! I realize I may be in the minority here, but I think sweatiness is a vital part of any successful live performance, and no one can sweat it up like Carl from Library Voices (well, no one but my friend Josh, but that's a whole 'nother story...).

Sweatiness is a measure of how into it they are, how invested, how much they are way more interested in having fun and making amazing music than playing it cool (all the things that make a great band a great LIVE band).  (I feel a 'sweatiness' post coming on... so I guess you can look forward to that...!) But regardless of whether you think its hot or gross, Carl's sweatiness is an outward expression of the extent of his energetic and enthusiastic singing. Which is a lot. A lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of sweat.

This is how/why is gets so sweaty...  The price of Awesome

There are a few bands (three to be precise) who I would gladly see live every single night of my life and Library Voices are one of them. Once might have been a fluke- twice is all the proof I need. I could go on and on about every one of my favourite moments, but instead I'll just leave you with the photographic evidence of two of them, and move on from there:

The part when Carl stood on the front bit & danced like a school boy

and

The obligatory jump-on-kick-drum finale

So after Library Voices we decided to move back a bit... y'know to not necessarily be two feet from the stage, and it was clearly evident that we were not alone. Like at the summer festivals of my youth, you could literally watch the change-over from LV to YB fans, with a steady stream of t-shirts moving back, and a steady stream of plaid moving forward. Its always struck me as odd when two bands touring together have such distinct fan bases, despite not actually belonging to different genres. Sure Library Voices is indie and Yukon Blonde is seventies rock, but I enjoy both bands as do many of my friends... the thing is, though, that everyone there, while clearly enjoying both bands, also clearly enjoyed one much more than the other.

Though it sounds disparaging, I would argue that it isn't--> I would also focus on the first part of that statement- "Everyone there clearly enjoyed both bands' (though I should really say all three bands, as Great Bloomers, in addition to being fantastic, also got a rousing round of applause at the close of their set...) Yukon Blonde is an incredibly solid live band. They capture the crowd. They inspire excessive amounts of man-love. They rock hard, and they sound clean (even at Mavericks, notorious for bad mixes).

They. Are. Smooth.

Its actually quite difficult to give a more accurate review than that! Seriously I just re wrote that paragraph like seven times and nothing suited as well as the above. So, strangely, I think I'll leave it there: Smooth, Rockin', Solid. Also Man-love. Good.

So great Bloomers were a great new discovery, Yukon Blonde put on a great show as always and, Library Voices has officially made it into my top three of Bands I Love Seeing Live... all in all quite a satisfactory evening!