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Frost Children is a musical duo currently based in New York City. The act consists of siblings Angel and Lulu Prost, who both have solo music, but their collaborative efforts have brought them the most success. The siblings produce genre-bending music, with their newest album, Hearth Room, released in November of 2023. Hearth Room is a stark contrast to their prior work, demonstrating the duo's diversity and alternative indie sound. Their other 2023 album, SPEED RUN, features hyperpop, glitchcore, and techno tracks. Frost Children have stated that Skrillex and Alex G are some of their musical influences, showing the wide range of audiences to which their music may appeal. The opening two tracks on SPEED RUN contain an incredible transition between them, and I highly recommend listening with headphones. On February 6th, at La Sotterenea, Frost Children performed in Montreal.

Frost Children’s Double Headed Tour incorporates songs from both albums, giving spectators a concert that feels like two. Starting with songs from Hearth Room, Lulu, and Angel go offstage and change costumes, preparing everyone mentally for SPEED RUN. While they do that, a projector shows pictures of adorable dogs with the words “LETS F*CKING GO” repeated over and over. With their iconic songs from both albums and a couple of other classics, their show leaves the audience feeling extremely satisfied with the performance.

Frost Children's on-stage charisma and energy are evident in every song they perform. The crowd’s engagement was unlike any other concert I have been to. During one of their songs, the duo asked for two audience volunteers to play instruments alongside Angel, Lulu, and their drummer Eden Pacheco. In another song, “Fox Bop,” an audience member was brought on stage and sang alongside the duo, while everyone was dancing and having fun. Even on a Sunday night, Frost Children was able to entice everyone in the audience to accompany them on an emotional journey. Songs from Hearth Room, such as “Marigold” and “Oats From a Mug,” brought both tears and laughter. Songs from SPEED RUN such as “SERPENT” and “LET IT BE” generated an atmosphere of bouncing off the walls with dance. 

After seeing Frost Children as an opener for George Clanton in 2023, it was awesome to see how they formatted their show, and I highly recommend listening to their albums! They also have a remix of the song “Even It Out” by Fever Ray which is one of my favourite songs of all time.

Naia Ballman is the co-host of inside, a genre-defying music expo on air Wednesdays 10-11 pm 

On day two Taverne Tour 2024, Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood was packed with concerts to attend. With acts like TEKE::TEKE, Yves Jarvis, Family Man, Janette King, and more running February 9th, the city’s music fans were out and about Friday night catching a myriad of shows. 

CJLO staff were out on the town for the second day of the festival, seeing just some of the shows Taverne Tour had to offer.  

Among the varied lineup of Taverne Tour that can go from hardcore to hip hop, the festival offers intimate performances for folk fans as well. If you happened to be browsing for records at the Plateau’s Aux 33 Tours on Friday night, you were lucky enough to stumble upon a free concert by Yves Jarvis put on by the festival. 

As the lights went down towards the back of the store, we could see a very humble setup from the eclectic performer. Just him, a classical guitar, 

and a little food stand where we could see the artist donning slippers on his tapping feet. Jarvis, known for his atmospheric and dense production, offered a different interpretation of his songs, perhaps as they were originally written, and gave us an insight to his skill as a writer and player. The frequent changes and lack of formal structure in his playing gave nods to influence from the great complex folk artists such as Joni Mitchell. One of the most fascinating moments was his performance of “Bootstrap Jubilee,” a prominent single and a fan favourite. Again, by removing the production elements of the track the audience was reintroduced to a song they thought they knew, but now understand much greater. Much like a meaningful conversation with a friend. 

Such a unique experience and a treat for longtime fans, Yves Jarvis’ performance was a true demonstration of artistry and authentic expression done simply with a voice and a guitar.

- Lisa: Music Director and host of The Last Stop
 

Day two of Taverne Tour featured a co-presentation from Montreal music magazine Also Cool at venue Casa del Popolo. I was only able to catch one act during this performance, but in the end, I’m glad that one happened to be local electro-pop music producer Lola 1:2. As she walked onto the stage, you could sense her nervous excitement. Admitting to being a bit anxious about the show, Lola 1:2 was immediately endearing, as she set up her laptop on a stool, hair partially covering her face. She manually picked every track she played off of her computer, singing along with a wired mic, and dancing across Casa’s small stage. While playing her songs, Lola 1:2 had a strong command of the audience, with her dreamy vocals and danceable pop tunes, which played as a funny counter to her more shy presence in the silences between tracks. Yet, the audience was right in her grasp, as a few groups of younger attendees stood right at the lip of the stage, dancing feverishly to every song. After what was supposed to be her final song, the audience clapped and yelled for an encore, atypical for a festival set, and Lola 1:2 obliged, playing her track “Always I dare.” 

While only having one song released to the public, it was apparent from this Taverne Tour showing that Lola 1:2 made a lot of new fans that night at Casa del Popolo. 

- Aviva: Magazine Editor and host of The Alley

Day two of Taverne Tour fell on a suspiciously warm February night. Even if it was blizzarding, nothing would stop me from heading to La Sala Rossa to see Feeling Figures, DANA, and Sweeping Promises. I wasn’t the only one thinking this, as I was heading into the venue, you could see Saint-Laurent was buzzing from Taverne Tour shows taking place all over.

By the time I got to Sala, Feeling Figures were already a few songs into their set and the venue was packed. Feeling Figures had released their debut record Migration Magic on both K Records and Perennial Records just a few months prior, and judging by how they performed on this night, they were at the top of their game. The sound in Sala that night was fantastic, and both lead singers Zakary Slax and Kay Moon’s vocals were clear and strong in the mix. The band plowed through songs such as “Don’t Ever Let Me Know” and “Pour Un Instant,” the audience firmly in their grasp. By the time their set was done, everyone in the crowd wanted more, this reviewer included. 

In order to satiate our thirst for more raucous tunes, Columbus, Ohio’s DANA came out just in time. Right out the gate, the crowd was enamoured by their blend of psych-tinged fast noisy punk. Two things made this band instantly memorable: lead singer Madeline Jackson’s mesmerizing stage presence, and her use of everybody’s favourite early 19th century electronic instrument, the theremin. Never have I seen a theremin used in a punk context quite like this. As the band fell into one of their many noise jams, Jackson made their theremin wail to an inch of its life. By the end of their set, I was exhausted from the intensity, but after two great sets, I was ready to rally for the headliner.

I’ve been a fan of Sweeping Promises since 2020, when they dropped their fantastic debut record, Hunger for a Way Out. They have since followed this up with 2023’s Good Living is Coming For You, and I wondered how these songs would sound live. Would this three-piece match the tightness and intensity found on their two records? Spoiler alert: yes, of course they did, and more. Most impressively, lead singer Lira Mondal’s vocals were spot on, never missing a note, and sounding like an exact duplicate to the album’s recordings. Guitarist Caulfield Schnug’s guitar work was impressive, filling the space and driving the set forward, keeping the audience on our toes. Sweeping Promises played for almost an hour, going through most of their catalogue. Despite the set length, the near-capacity crowd at Sala was begging for more, demanding an encore. Exhausted, but thoroughly satisfied from a full night of pure rock bliss, I used that as my cue to leave.

- Allison: Station Manager and host of Transistor Sister

Taverne Tour was back last week with dozens of concerts happening across several Plateau Mont-Royal venues. From February 8th-10th, venues Casa del Popolo, L’Escogriffe, La Sala Rossa, Quai des Brumes, and more hosted a packed line-up of Canadian and international artists, including: Ducks Ltd., Janette King, Laurence-Anne, Population II, SUUNS, Safia Nolin, and many more. 

On Thursday, CJLO staff attended a few of the shows Taverne Tour had to offer.

Over at Casa del Popolo, the theme of the night was audience participation and floor gymnastics with R. Flex and HAWA B. At 8:30PM, Toronto electro-R&B artist R. Flex took the stage as the room started slowly filling up with audience members trickling in from the seated bar side of the venue. By the third song in, the singer began to truly open up, shedding the apprehension they initially seemed to have. The rest of the set was a sexy, high energy, party of a show, with R. Flex practically spending more time within the crowd than on the stage itself. For the track “Inhale” the singer slinked down into the crowd, falling to their knees, and finally belting while lying on their back. Through the rest of their set, R. Flex would sing right into the faces of concert-goers, and twerk to some of their more catchy club bangers. R. Flex’s set was full of highly-danceable tracks performed by an artist who truly knows how to command an audience, even in the sometimes-claustrophobic space of Casa del Popolo.

Up next was local Montreal artist HAWA B. With accompaniment on keys and saxophone by Felix Petit, Hawa B put on a soulful genre-bending show. Hawa B has a knack for connecting with an audience, as her French banter was witty and confident, poking fun at an audience member for sneaking out to the bathroom and playing with Petit by getting him to repeated tap a pre-set on his keyboard that said “HAWA B” in an echoey, distorted voice. During the set, Hawa B brought up local rapper Greg Beaudin to perform “Brokest Rapper You Know”. Beaudin, HAWA B, and Petit all had great chemistry, dancing across the stage with each other. Later, HAWA B also came down into the crowd, toting the stool she had been crooning on to instead dance with, flipping her nearly-floor length braids. HAWA B’s full voice, beautifully-layered jazzy instrumentals, and quietly confident stage presence made this show a necessary go-to for this Taverne Tour. 

- Aviva: Magazine Editor and host of The Alley

It takes a lot to get me out of the house in February. Truly the darkest, cruellest month, ideal for hunkering down and catching up on your endless YouTube ‘Watch Later’ queue. However, there are a few things that will drag me out of the house with minimal kicking and screaming, and that’s a rad mixed-genre punk show, like the one put on by Taverne Tour on their opening night. All the punks gathered at La Sotterenea to bear witness to the stacked lineup of Dirty Milk, Jetsam, and Glowing Orb. 

Starting off the night were post-punk weirdos Dirty Milk. This band shares members with a few other local acts (Child Actress, Family Man), and after seeing their name around town, I was excited to check them out. They did not disappoint; right out the gate, they commanded the crowd’s attention with their offbeat stage presence and angular riffs. Lead singer Lukas Beneteau-Forgues’s voice matched perfectly with the disco-influenced post-punk tracks, coming straight from the school of Mothersbaugh. I was most impressed with the rhythm section, as bassist Joshua Linnen’s infectious energy on stage kept us all on our toes, and drummer Bryan Thomas kept perfect time alongside the bizarre riffage. After a good twenty minutes of dancey punk jams, they ended their set with an improved noise and sound effect jam, prompting more than one ‘what the fuck?’s being uttered from the crowd. This was a highlight for me. Keep your freak flag waving proudly, folks.

Following this set were Montreal’s powerviolence heroes Jetsam. Full disclosure: I’m obsessed with this band. I can’t come from a neutral place as a reviewer should. Not only does this band master the hardcore tinged powerviolence sound, but they take it further, incorporating surprising switch ups, spoken word pieces, and moments of pure catharsis. This night’s set was no exception. Lead singer Jack Solar held the crowd’s attention as they blazed through their set, often jumping from the stage and joining those of us on the floor. Bassist Neon Dubé’s was electrifying, leading me to often wonder, how can just one bass hold such a heavy, full tone? It was masterful work. In the middle of their set, Jack stopped the music to discuss trans rights in this country, stating the fascists in this country are leading a genocide of trans folks, not unlike the genocide we’re seeing in other parts of the world, namely Palestine. They spoke with such passion, the audience couldn’t help but be hypnotized. Political powerviolence with a purpose, for the people. I don’t think anything could be better.

It was a hard set to follow, and hardcore punks Glowing Orb did a good job of keeping the energy in the room up. Before the set, my friend hyped this band up as best he could, saying “They have an actual orb!” Well folks, it’s true: there was an orb, though smaller than expected, but it was indeed glowing a menacing red. Menacing is how I would describe this set, as they worked through tracks from their latest release Subterranean Prison with an aggressive flair. Their lead singer, often throwing himself on the floor, screamed and thrashed, inspiring a surprisingly raucous mosh pit. However the set felt quick, I guess not surprising for a hardcore band, and before we knew it, this eclectic and exciting start to Taverne Tour came to a close as we shuffled onto Saint-Laurent for a much-needed post-gig dart.

- Allison: Station Manager and host of Transistor Sister