My recommendations for five local acts this fall in
WE this week.
Last week, I looked ahead at the autumn concert scene and offered my five picks from the slew of visiting acts — tho ones not already sold out! — headed this way. But I cheated, see, because there’s a veritable treasure trove of local bands playing hometown shows this fall. Herewith, my picks for this season’s best home-grown talent. YVRocks, anyone?
THE PACK A.D.
This year’s Olio Festival features that crazy guy who made The Room and some of the best indie rock bands in Canada, but nothing has me as excited as seeing The Pack a.d. back in action. The East Van rock duo eviscerates exes of all sorts on their new album, Unpersons, a fiery mix of punk, blues and garage-rock sounds that takes aim right at the jugular. Olio Festival runs Sept. 22-25 at various venues. The Pack a.d. play Sept. 23 at No Limits (68 W. 5th), 12am. Free with $25 day pass from
OlioFestival.com.
PLEASURE CRUISE
Vancouver’s newest super group Pleasure Cruise is comprised of some of the city’s finest musicians: singer/songwriter Jody Glenham, drummer Dustin John Bromley, guitarist Quinn Omori and bassist Kyle Bourcier. The indie-pop band makes its debut as part of the Biltmore’s new monthly party night, Junior High. Sept. 29 at the Biltmore (391 Kingsway), 9pm. $5 cover at the door.
THE RUFFLED FEATHERS / THE BELLE GAME
The Belle Game were one of those sought-after festival revelations, a happy accident one hopes to stumble upon at a sprawling music fest. This double bill with The Ruffled Feathers essentially offers two-for-one chamber pop at one of the best venues in town. Tickets have yet to go on sale, so I don’t even know how much the show costs, and frankly I don’t care. Gimme some of that. Oct. 20 at the Railway. Info:
TheRailwayClub.com.
YUKON BLONDE
The easy-going indie rock band (pictured) has been hard at work putting the finishing touches on their new EP, Fire // Water, a hook-heavy, harmony rich, four-song ride under a sunny sky. Their music is the perfect blend of pop and personality. Nov. 10 at Biltmore (391 Kingsway), 8pm. $12 from Red Cat Records, Scratch, Highlife and
TicketWeb.ca.
INVASIVES / BEEKEEPER
Power punk is alive and well in the frenzied, fairly-named Invasives, a blistering, body-jerking band who have crafted a sound that surely incites crowd surfing. It’s a fitting double bill with post-pop band Beekeeper, whose cleverly controlled rock scarcely contains the blissful chaos at the heart of every song. Nov. 26 at the Media Club (690 Cambie), 8pm. Tickets TBA.
