Article and Images by Tara McDermott, The Portrait Witch
It’s Saturday night at Capitol Music Club (aka The Cap) where they are celebrating their 9th anniversary with a series of concerts. I’m pretty excited to check out the venue as it’s my first time here. I wasn’t sure what to expect but let me tell you, I dig the vibe. It’s a pretty nice place with friendly staff, and, I’m told, excellent food (I’ll have to come back for that.) The light and sound were well cared for during the show so I’ll forgive the hanging speakers being in my way. Actually, the light and sound contributed so much to my enjoyment of both watching the musical performances and capturing the images you see here, that I forgot to take notes! So bear with me as I briefly recap the night.
The headliner for the night, Said The Whale, made the trek from British Columbia to join in on the anniversary festivities. I had the pleasure of chatting with Tyler Bancroft, one of the band’s two lead singers, a while back and I was looking forward to seeing them live. I have to say that after watching their highly entertaining music videos, I expected a bit more of an entertaining stage performance. Don’t get me wrong, they sounded great, but overall, the show was what you’d expect for a pub show. Ben Worcester, also a lead singer, was the most expressive performer during the show. I found myself keeping an eye on him to see what he would do next. Keyboardist, Jaycelyn Brown, deserves mega kudos, however, for not only bringing wonderful energy to the show but doing so while growing a human. Congratulations!
There were quite a few Said The Whale fans in attendance. As I wove my way through the crowd with my camera, many people were singing along to songs like “99 to the Moon” and, their most peppy song, “I Love You.” And, if that wasn’t enough evidence that they were loved, then the roar of the crowd calling for an encore sealed it. Despite delivering a decent show for their fans, I feel the openers had a stronger presence.
Homegrown talent, The Great Fuss, brought with them their high energy. In my opinion, they stole the show. They kept the audience engaged with a dynamic and upbeat set. The enjoyment the members had for performing together was more than evident and that enthusiasm shone through their music. Audience members reflected that energy back by filling the dance floor with people swaying to songs like “Terror in the Land!” and “Hairbrain” which were mixed in with a few fantastic covers. A few of their original songs have since been added to my main playlist!
Part of their magic is that they are multi-talented and supportive. Lead singer, Pete Oldrige, moved from vocals to drums, to guitar effortlessly. Each person on the stage had a moment to shine and the variety in the set kept things fresh. I’m typically a metalhead but I sure enjoyed watching Gord Mosher play the saxophone.
And the talent doesn’t stop at music, their groovy T-shirts were designed by their very own keyboardist, Kayanna Wirtz of Prince Alberts’s Lemon Yellow Art Studio. My only complaint about The Great Fuss was that they didn’t have any more of their groovy T-shirts left in my size. Darn. I guess I’ll have to make it to another show to score one! If you haven’t been out to see one of their shows yet, I hear they have a free concert at Capitol Music Club tonight! You better check them out!