Sleigh Bells brings a disjointed set to Tattoo

Part of the fun of North by Northeast (NXNE) is the secret headliners. The programming for Red Bull Sound Select’s showcases at Queen West venue Tattoo is impressive, boasting big acts such as A$AP Ferg, Future Islands, Ark Analog, and Shi Wisdom. They’ve also included four nights of secret headliners to top off an already stacked lineup of genre-defying artists. Wednesday’s not-so-secret headliner — as the word was spread around for most of Wednesday afternoon — was Sleigh Bells.

The venue was pretty busy by the time Autre Ne Veut (stage name of Arthur Ashin) started off the set with the shimmering “Play by Play.” Right off the bat, Ashin had the crowd moving to his brand of emotionally-charged avant-pop. He performed with an equally talented drummer and back-up singer who, at times, was the centre of attention with larger-than-life vocals. Together, the two of them finished off the set with a roaring rendition of “Counting,” setting the tone perfectly for Sleigh Bells’ 1 am set.

Sleigh Bells brought a full-blown stadium-worthy performance complete with a live drummer, fog machine, and impressive light show. The band swung between songs off their older albums and tracks from their new album Bitter Rivals — the difference in sound was somewhat jarring for the audience, and the band had to work to keep the energy in the room up. Sleigh Bells’ set proves that Tattoo is going to be one of the key locations this festival for big acts in a small space. If you want to see some of their other “secret” headliners, make sure to get there early, as it will likely be packed.

— Sofia Luu
 
 
NXNE all-ages edition: The Smiling Buddha

The Smiling Buddha is definitely one of the smaller venues at NXNE. On Wednesday night it hosted some smaller, lesser-known bands and the much-hyped Greys. First, I caught Teen Tits Wild Wives — their attempt at creative antics was overdone and messy, and their addition of a trumpet to a noise rock group seemed an interesting idea at first, but it ended up fading into the background. In general, I wanted to like them, but as the performance went on, I was left exhausted and looking forward to the next act.

Mexican Slang was up next, a band that has gotten some buzz ahead of their upcoming EP with Buzz Records. In general, the lead singer reminded me of Cherie Currie with her platinum blonde hair and energy, but she was certainly edgier. The band embraced their sound but had room to grow, leaving me interested to see what they will do next.

It finally came time for Greys — an AUX-recommended NXNE band, meaning the place was packed by the time they came on stage. There was a distinct divide between the “moshers” and the people who wanted to sit back and watch the show. Greys deserves the hype they’re receiving. They have a polished, fresh sound and an energetic stage presence. I would definitely keep an eye out for them and check out their new album.

— Ayla Shiblaq
 
 

Hands & Teeth, Dearly Beloved, and The Cliks play to a modest crowd

One of the great aspects of NXNE is that, while there are many opportunities to see huge headliners, there are just as many intimate, small venue shows to attend without the hassle of large line-ups. The other side of this is that seeing great bands play to nearly empty venues can be a bummer. Wrongbar’s audience Wednesday night was sparse in numbers and in energy. The standout of the night was Hands & Teeth, whose chemistry and clear excitement motivated a fairly timid crowd to large rounds of applause and cheers early on in their set.

Hands & Teeth performed with the fervour of a stadium show. Frontwoman Natasha Pasternak’s stage presence rivals indie pop darling Emily Haines, and Hands & Teeth’s catchy pop harmonies are similar to Mother Mother. In their excitement, the band managed to break two mic stands, which had more to do with the venue’s ill-preparedness than with the band members’ strength.

Dearly Beloved drew an attentive audience decked out in leather. The set started off rocky because of some technical difficulties, leaving the lead guitarist visibly and vocally cranky. Once the band started over, the noise level and energy in the air roused the audience. In true hardcore fashion, lead vocalist Niva Chow got into the crowd’s faces. Chow’s bandleader and bassist, Rob Higgins, even went so far as to jump up onto a bench for a song and sing directly into one unsuspecting seated audience member’s face. While her mic kept cutting in and out throughout the set, Chow powered through and barely stopped for a breath of air.

To round off the night, Toronto-based indie rockers The Cliks performed with passion. Frontman Lucas Silveira has the vibe of a punk rocker with the tone of a blues singer. A few songs in, they covered Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River.” The parse audience, having died down after Dearly Beloved, engaged with the excellent cover and settled in for a varied but simple set. While The Cliks are well-known for being the first band led by a transgender frontman to be signed to a major label, they are also distinguished for Silveira’s emotionally driven and moving vocals which are laid on thick in a blues style and crisply punctuated to create a pop-like texture that kept the audience captivated and swinging.

— India McAllister
 

NXNE in review: Thursday, Friday