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    As per the title of this piece, this show was very much long-awaited for me. Anyone who knows me knows I am quite the Palomine superfan, but I’ve also been a huge fan of Steeple for at least a year now. Their first EP was actually recommended to me by a friend, so I knew a handful of songs already. Steeple has been performing semi-often in Montreal, yet I hadn’t managed to see them until now (embarrassing!!!). Let’s just say I was not surprised by the incredible show that they put on. 

    It is worth mentioning that this show took place at the most beautiful venue, maybe ever. I’d never been to L’Esco before, though I had heard great things. I immediately understood the hype as soon as I got there. It was spacious, with fantastic lighting and decorations, and the stage was massive. Normally, I don’t go to a show without my camera, but of cours,e this had to be the show I decided against it. I was so jealous of every photographer there, as this venue was perfect for concert photography. I could actually see the drum kit and the drummer, which is a rare find nowadays. I will definitely be returning to this venue soon, camera in hand. I can only imagine how good it felt to play on the stage, with all the lights and space to move around.  Every band that graced the stage used the space well, yet Palomine definitely needed it the most. 

    I've already written about Palomine, since they were at Lilith Fair in January, but this show was something special. First of all, they were headlining at L’Esco, which is arguably a huge deal for anyone, and secondly, they have yet ANOTHER new member, a cellist, who is already in two bands in Montreal. At this rate, the Montreal music scene is becoming something akin to the Royal family tree. However, I am not complaining. This new addition puts Palomine at six members, which had the stage pretty full. I am always impressed with this band’s sound; they’d already been experimenting with the banjo, but the cello was definitely the cherry on top. They also did an encore this time, which I’ve never witnessed from them, and I have seen Palomine four times now. Lastly, they announced they’re finally recording some songs in the studio, which is majorly exciting, especially for people with all-new music radio shows…. So all in all, big night for Palomine and Palomine fans alike.

    I’d never seen Plus! before, but I was expecting a good show. They recently did a Toronto show with Palomine, so with this in mind, I anticipated a very solid set. Much like every band that performed, Plus! was extremely well-practiced, and their energy was great. During their set, I made the astute observation that someone in this band (maybe all of them?) has to be the top listener of The Strokes since the resemblance was uncanny. I do get down to The Strokes, though, so this wasn’t a negative thing at all. Another great example of the constant Montreal band crossover is that the guitarist of this band is also a member of Palomine. Insanity. But overall, great set, great band, great time.

Of the three bands performing, Steeple was definitely the one I was anticipating the most. Not to diss Plus! or Palomine, they are both amazing bands as I have said – do not get me wrong. However, Steeple had a unique continuity to their set. Every song fit together effortlessly, with creative rhythms and riffs that had me positively delighted. As a four-piece, their sound was astoundingly full, and you would never know there were only four people onstage. Especially since the singer was not playing an instrument, each musician had to be exceptional, which they were. I will say the drummer was maybe the most essential asset; this guy was locked IN. I was giddy for the entirety of their set, and I kept turning to my friends to scream about how good it was. The guitarist was also so impressive and clearly knew his instrument very well. It did help that Steeple’s music is kind of my favourite genre ever: indie bordering on math-rock with some screaming here and there. A single guitarist in a band of this genre is surprising, but Steeple did it expertly. I honestly could not recommend them enough. They are definitely one of the most creative and practiced bands I’ve seen recently, and I will be looking to see them again soon.

I will for sure be returning to Esco as soon as possible, seeking out a night as good as this one. Keep an eye out for new Palomine music and check out Steeple’s EP!

As I neared Studio TD on Saturday night, slightly dejected by the temperature being minus twenty with the windchill (and reaping the consequence of my mediocre layering), I was met with a glowing sign which displayed “Sudan Archives se soir a 18:00h”. Underneath, a line wrapping around the block of people bundled up, like me, trying to shield themselves from the absurd temperature. However, there was a distinct anticipation and excitement radiating from the groups who waited in line to enter the venue. I was in the right place tonight. The 30% of my mood that told me it was too cold to be outside rapidly shifted as I realized I was in for a ridiculously fun, entertaining, and energetic show. My expectations were, of course, met (no surprise there), though her set far exceeded every single assumption I had made about what a dance music concert could be. 

The lights dimmed, and the crowd quieted in a way that I have never witnessed at a show. Soft nature sounds–--a bird chirping, insects chattering, wind blowing—began to play, and a green panel of lights, which stretched across the back wall of the stage, breathed on and off slowly revealing and concealing a circular platform in the middle of the stage (which an audience member would later be invited to dance on during the song “A BUG’S LIFE”). In the light, the audience could see wires hanging off the equipment onstage, her keyboard, drummachine, and a computer that looked like a decorative piece, used to pay homage to the Y2K retrofuturist aesthetic; later revealed to be a functional part of her setup. Finally, she emerged onstage, slithering like a snake with a look of awe, wonder, and confusion on her face. She was fully in character, and she didn’t waver from it for the entire show. Through her theatrics, she invited the audience to visually experience, revel, and live in the world she’s created in her latest album, THE BPM. A world that perfectly marries nature and modern technology, expressed through her character, who embodies a sort of crossroads between warrior, alien, goddess, and humanoid android.  

She wore white contacts and a green bodycon outfit, with a brown harness that held her bow and violin, which struck me as a nod to Zelda. She was playful with how she shared her ethos with the audience, namely, using a sound bite of a sword slice each time she pulled her bow from its carrier, solidifying the fierce “warrior” vibe she portrayed. She began the set with the track “DEAD,” which is not only the first track of the record but effectively, through the lyrics, bittersweet melody, and high BPM, drew us into her world. As the beat swelled, the crowd began to shout, holler, and most importantly, dance. Her stage presence was captivating. She knew exactly how to move and control the audience despite not speaking much between her songs—save for when she charmingly exclaimed, “I HOPE Y’ALL ARE TURNING UP TONIGHT CAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY!”--- She was able to create an atmosphere where people felt free to dance, clap, and shout, which seems to be a difficult feat nowadays. I think it was this very lack of interruption that made the audience fully surrender to her performance.

Her violin clung to her body, almost becoming another appendage to aid in her storytelling, and she used it with an ease that made you forget that it is one of the most challenging instruments to master. It was amazing to see a performer rely on their intuition on stage; it showcased her deep understanding of and trust in her artistic vision and led to some very cool modified versions of songs I’ve come to know and love. Most notably for me, “COMPUTER LOVE”. 

My heart fluttered when she played the song “NBPQ (Topless)” off her sophomore album Natural Brown Prom Queen, mostly because that album pretty much ruled my entire year in 2022. She didn’t play many songs from this album, only a few that aligned with the journey she was taking us on. The show was pure fun, with profound intent. The final words she spoke to the audience were, “The BMP is power,” which is the sort of motto for this tour. BPM not only refers to a beating heart, but in the context of this album, which is chock-full of fast dance tracks, is a reminder of what it means to be alive. A reminder that we can hone our power through enjoying ourselves; feeling, laughing, dancing, and embracing the community found through experiencing these human things. As I left the venue, I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face; my prior distaste for the cold weather didn’t bother me anymore. 

Zoe is the host of Something For the Mood, on air Wednesdays 2-3 pm

SPEWING SWEAT TILL THERE’S NOTHING LEFT

Crushed beer cans floating through the mud-filled floor testified to the post-punk madness that defined Shame’s show at Montreal’s Club Soda. Strangers doing front-flips from the stage into the crowd matched the energy the South London band brought on stage for the tour, celebrating the release of their fourth studio album - Cutthroat. A real circus, Shame’s frontman, Charlie Steen, was the ringmaster of the Saint-Laurent venue on that snowy Wednesday evening. 

The Montreal-based band, Ribbon Skirt, led spectators into a world of their own - one crafted by the post-punk chords and lyrics of the duo Tashiina Buswa and Billy Riley. The echoes of Ribbon Skirt’s sounds did not merely reverberate off the venue’s walls, but were felt deep within. Their album Bite Down, released in April 2025, saw immense success for the band, earning them a nomination for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize. Having been on tour throughout the United States and Canada, there is a certain degree of solace to be found in Ribbon Skirt’s performance in front of its hometown supporters. The community to be found amongst the crowd of adoring listeners, if but for a brief moment, was a gift the band bestowed on us all that evening. 

For nearly ninety minutes, we belonged to Shame. Bodies floated above the crowd’s fingers, moving effortlessly to and fro in the crowded venue. Like particles in constant motion, our every movement was guided by the command from the sounds emanating from the stage. Charlie Steen was our post-punk preacher, and us his faithful servants. The perpetual colliding of the crowd became a dance of its own. Total lack of control meant a complete surrendering of oneself to the other concertgoers and to Shame. As the night went on, we slowly became one, morphing into a creature of its own. A cocktail of sweat and existential dread -- the blood of Shame -- seeped through our every fibre. 

The debauchery on stage and within the crowd continued to gain momentum, culminating in Charlie Steen jumping without hesitation into the eye of the storm. We were given the body of Shame and savoured every second of that brief encounter between the band and the masses. Our souls were well fed. Perhaps some did not even realize they were starving until they had a taste of pure post-punk pandemonium. 

Before releasing us back into the Montreal winter, Shame delivered a final song. From their debut album Songs of Praise, the ballad-like track "Angie" ended the night on a nostalgic note. Otherwise characterized by loud sounds and intense energy, the encore led a path towards introspective melancholy. The chaos from the night continued to ruminate in "Angie", as bodies kept moving above the crowd. 

As the venue slowly emptied, echoes of "Angie" continued to wander through every inch of the room. Bracing for the cold journey back home, the sounds of Shame would assuredly guide our every footstep.

On Thursday, January 15th, I braved the elements and made my way to La Sotterenea for a show headlined by one of my favourite Canadian bands, Burs. I initially saw them in the Fall of 2024 and was very excited to catch them again following the release of their new album, Significance, Otherness. I would soon find out, upon stepping onto the metro to Laurier, that they were stranded in the snow all the way back in Toronto, and would not be making it to Montreal for their set. However, any disappointment I might have experienced on my way to the show was short-lived, and the concert by Montreal’s Joey Bird, Kelly Elizabeth, and Frown Line now ranks among one of my favourites I’ve seen locally.

The opening slot was filled by Montreal-based singer-songwriter Austin Pigott, who goes by the stage name Joey Bird. “I’m shy, and I’m nervous,” the singer admitted to the crowd between songs. A last-minute addition to the night’s lineup following Burs’ cancellation, Bird performed a solo set on voice and electric guitar. This opener was an excellent way to set the tone for the rest of the night, with a slightly timid, but never underwhelming brand of singer-songwriter folk. The combination of electric guitar and voice can be challenging, with the guitar sometimes taking over and drowning out softer voices like Bird’s, but the performance did not suffer from this at all. Bird more than stood up to the slightly distorted guitar, and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It had all the good qualities of a basement show at a party, and the songs were quite lovely. Halfway through this first performance, my friend pointed out that our view of Bird was framed between the heads of two lovers in front of us.

The night’s second act was Kelly Elizabeth, who captivated the audience with her introspective and tender brand of folk. The set began quietly with minimal instrumentation, and I was struck immediately by the singer’s voice, a low, almost conversational whisper reminiscent of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval.

Later, when the drums and a slightly distorted lead guitar kicked in, there remained throughout the performance a kind of gentle quality to Kelly Elizabeth’s voice and stage presence. Admittedly, her voice was sometimes drowned out by the full band accompanying her, but never without reason. The instrumentation boasted creative chord progressions and a real ability to build tension while mostly maintaining the softness that made the songs so compelling in the first place. On a few songs, the singer performed solo on her acoustic guitar. For the most part, however, every instrument was carefully and progressively incorporated, everything in its own time. 

At this point in the night, I was beginning to worry that I was getting too cozy to fully appreciate the performances I was hearing. The lights were dim, the music had been, up until then, quite soothing, the weather outside was quiet and snowy, and the couch I was sitting on was very comfortable. I was terribly and unmistakably sleepy. I did not have to worry long, however -  only until Montreal rock quartet Frown Line walked onto the stage. The energy in the room shifted quite a bit, going from lovely and reverberant to the boisterousness one has come to expect from a performance at La Sotterenea. It was impossible not to get my second wind from Frown Line. The songs were an exciting balancing act between upbeat, complex guitar solos (sometimes with fun, twangy pedals!) and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Annika Devlin’s crystal clear voice. The band’s stage presence was both understated and playful, with two of the performers bursting out laughing in the middle of a song while still staying perfectly on beat. I was also especially struck by Frown Line’s creative use of rests in their songs, which gave their music an almost math-rock quality at times. That being said, Frown Line is quintessential Montreal indie rock, and it felt good to end the night in familiar territory, with such a beautifully performed set.