www.attherockshow.com - Concert Photography and Reviews from Toronto, Barrie, Southern ON: July 2009

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club 07.24.2009

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

I've seen a lot of Arkells over the last few weeks. It is quite something to see a band play in different venues and types of shows. A festival at Wiarton, headlining a show at The Sound Academy and now playing at a packed small sweaty club show.

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Originally I had not planned on making it to this show having just seen the band at The Sound Academy and having plans to see/review the Hey Rosetta! show at Harboufront Centre. However, when I found out HR! would be playing early I made a last minute decision to boot it back up to Barrie to see them again. Hey what could I do... they were playing a club show in what I guess I'm now considering to be my hometown. Secondly, with the rate of popularity that Arkells have been seeing I thought perhaps it may be rare to see them playing a small club like this in the Toronto area.

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

It was definitely the right decision. Arkells stepped up to the stage and proceeded to give the Barrie audience what at this moment I can call the club show of the year. The band played played songs off of "Jackson Square" the new "Country Boy" and two covers Smokey's "Tears of Clown" and the Boss' "Dancing in the Dark".

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Frontman Max Kerman shared a funny story about being seranted in the washroom a few minutes before taking the stage. Seems somebody was singing the lyrics to "John Lennon". If you don't know the song by now check it out on their myspace page: Arkells @ Myspace and you'll get the joke.

Arkells @ The Mansion Night Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The club was packed, hot and sweaty. Seriously one of the warmest shows I've been to ever. The music was great and crowd was loud and energetic. One of the best shows in Barrie in a long long time.

Hey Rosetta! @ Harbourfront Centre 07.24.2009

Hey Rosetta! @ Harbourfront Centre
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

I was really glad to see that Hey Rosetta! made it onto he short list for the Polaris Prize this year. So it was quite a treat to be able to catch them at a free show at Harbourfront Centre. I admit before the show started I was worried there weren't too many people at the Sirius Stage for the show. Not too fear by the time the band got started into "There's An Arc" there was already a good size crowd on their feet enjoying the show.

Hey Rosetta! @ Harbourfront Centre
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Hey Rosetta! went on to play some of my favourite tracks off the album including, "I've Been Asleep for a long, long time", "Red Heart" on which I felt the strings really sounded great this night, "Holy S**t What A Relief", and "New Goodbye"

Hey Rosetta! @ Harbourfront Centre
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

As a big fan of the band it would have been nicer to hear more from them perhaps a lengthier show like the one they played at Lee's Palace a few months ago. In any case they are always fun to watch.

The show was recorded by the CBC and can be found and heard on the CBC radio 3 website so go check it out!
Band Website: www.heyrosetta.com

Hey Rosetta! @ Harbourfront Centre
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The Dead Weather @ Kool Haus 07.22.2009

The Dead Weather @ Kool Haus
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The Dead Weather @ Kool Haus
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

So what do you do when you are Jack White have had great success with both your bands The White Stripes & The Raconteurs and have the need for a little something extra... hey start up a new super-group. Jack White's latest offering The Dead Weather which includes Alison Mosshart of the Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age and fellow Raconteur Jack Lawrence strolled in to Toronto for the second time in just over a month much to the delight of their adoring fans at the Kool Haus.

The Dead Weather played songs of of their newly released (July 14) album "Horehound" a set of dirty punchy blues inspired rock that was more than well received by the Kool Haus crowd. Jack White has taken a step back in his latest venture content to mainly play drums allowing Fertita's guitar to hypnotize the crowd while Alison Mosshart's vocals literally picked us all up and dragged us to the devil.

The Dead Weather @ Kool Haus
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

There was a distinctive crowd roar when Jack stepped out from behind the drums to play guitar and vocals on a duet with Mosshart. It is surprising to think that The Dead Weather came about in just a few short weeks. I guess This speaks to the immense talent brought together in a super-group.

The band played in a wash of blue light with flashing white strobes and hardly any front lighting. Although it did make the photography more difficult than usual it did have a very cool effect often leaving Jack in silhoutte which emphasized his approach to his latest venture. Letting the rest of the band shine.

The Dead Weather @ Kool Haus
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Opening up for The Dead Weather was New Jersey band Screaming Females. Unfortunately I missed most of this set, but what little I did see of this band blew me away. I will most definitely be keeping an eye out for the next time they roll into town.

Arkells, Still LIfe Still, Ruby Coast @ Sound Academy July 17,2009

Arkells @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

I've been listening to "Jackson Square" quite a bit lately. A mishap with my ipod connection has restricted me to listening to CDs in the car once again and I can't seem to get this one out of my CD player. I've also had the opportunity of watching Arkells play live a couple times in the last couple of weeks. Once in Wiarton and now this show at Sound Academy for Bookie's Big Blast. I can't seem to get enough of them. They get better every time I see them.

Arkells @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Ok seriously enough gushing... I was glad to see Arkells play a full set including every song on "Jackson Square". This allowed them to play some of the songs they didn't play at the Wiarton show "I'm Not The Sun" and "The Choir" along with a well rocked out cover of Smokey Robinson's "Tears Of A Clown".

Arkells have had a great year making the long list for the Polaris Prize and their live show has matured greatly since the first time I saw them play at last years Virgin Festival. Many of their songs are so well suited for live shows with lots of opportunity to sing or clap along. Audience participation is almost mandatory as front man Max Kerman challenges the crowd during "Oh The Boss Is Coming" asking if they've ever really worked a day in their lives. Great show, can't wait to see more.

Check out Arkells at their new site. Have a listen they've got some really cool acoustic and live versions of their songs. Oh and if you are from Barrie they are playing this Friday @ The Mansion Night Club!

Arkells @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Still Life Still:

Still Life Still @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Still Life Still @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

This is the third time I've seen Still Life Still play live and it was by far my favourite. The band sounded great and seemed to be very well received by the Sound Academy audience. I'm a big fan of their "Pastel" EP and I expect a big year from them after their full length release on the "Arts & Crafts" Label. According to their schedule on myspace they're off to do a few shows out west and are back in September for a couple of gigs @ Lee's. Still Life Still on myspace.

Still Life Still @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Ruby Coast:

Ruby Coast @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

I was really glad to see Ruby Coast on the bill for this show. I've been wanting to see them for a while now. They've got a sound that reminds me of a fun blend of Los Campesinos, Tokyo Police Club and Born Ruffians. They were very impressive and I'll be glad to see them again soon. Ruby Coast will be playing a few shows in mid August including one @ Phoenix Concert Theatre on Aug 11. Ruby Coast on myspace.

Ruby Coast @ Sound Academy
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Jet @ The Mod Club

Jet @ The Mod Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

Unfortunately I hadn't seen Jet live since their Live 8 performance in Barrie just about four years ago. At the time they were still feeling the success of their release "Get Born". The set was short but they really gave the crowd a good kick in the but to help infuse some much needed rock n roll into the lineup. I was glad to get a chance to get to see them again. The fact that it was a club show at the Mod Club made it even sweeter. What can you say about Jet. You don't say much you just listen and have fun and rock out a bit.

Jet @ The Mod Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

This time around the Aussie rockers were in Toronto before the upcoming release of their third studio album "Shaka Rock". Jet played through their set including the latest songs "K.I.A", "She's A Genius". The band seemed to be having a really good time that night. Hey you should feel good on your birthday. Even more so when you have a crowd in front of you. Yep,Front man Nic Cester was celebrating his 30th that night with the mod club crowd and was quite amusing as he kept reminding the crowd. Jet continued to play other favourites "Put your money where your mouth is","Are you gonna be my girl", and finished of with electrifying "Cold Hard Bitch". The crowd was very responsive to the bands energy and Nic got a celebratory drink from a fan on stage. A shout out from drummer Chris Cester also went out to three fans who snuck in at sound check. Overall good fun.

Jet @ The Mod Club
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The Artist Life @ The Foxx Lounge

The Artist Life @ The Foxx Lounge, Barrie, ON
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The Artist Life @ The Foxx Lounge, Barrie, ON
Originally uploaded by vasquezr

The Artist Life made their way to Barrie, ON for a show @ the Foxx Lounge. Any music fan in the Barrie area can tell you there has been quite a drought in the way of live rock shows so it was a treat to have them in town. The Artist life comprised of Ian Blackwood (vocals/guitar), Dean Richards(guitar/vocals), Chuck Leach(bass/vocals), Jake Parsonson (drums) are touring in support of their latest EP "Let's Start a Riot" released late last year through "Underground Operations" label.

The band played a short but quite energetic set including the title track "Let's Start a Riot", "The Last Time" and "Sleep So Sound". They took full command of the stage right from the start with their pop-punk sound and played a great set worthy of a much larger venue and bigger crowd.

The Artist Life will be playing a show in Toronto @ The Reverb, The Cutting Edge festival in Kitchener, and then a few dates out east. I know I'll be trying to make it out to one of the local shows. Can't wait for their full length release.
The Artist Life Myspace Page. Download their first EP "Living" for free @ http://www.theartistlife.com