The concept of a “last-minute gig” is an exciting one; it usually takes a well-established band with a solid local fan base to pull it off though. Arcade Fire managed it in 2013 during the promotion of Reflektor with a 200-capacity show at Salsathèque downtown, announcing the show on the same day, but of course, we’re talking Arcade Fire here; no surprises that was packed. Trying the same stunt for your first show ever in a foreign city, with only a couple of single releases to your name, and no album: that’s a brave soul indeed. And when that soul is barely 17 years old, you know this is a show you have to investigate…
Local singer-songwriter Ariane Zita takes to the stage first at Le Savoy De Metropolis tonight (the tiny room upstairs at Metropolis, if you’ve never heard of it). Stage setup is minimal, just her and an organ, but she succeeds in creating a very haunting, atmospheric sound, somewhere along the lines of Tori Amos or the more stripped-down Feist moments. The intensity of the ballads played contrasts amusingly with the sounds of the African music party going on in the main room of Metropolis that leak through the walls between songs, as well as the funny, jovial nature of Ariane herself. She jokes about naming one song, Tough Love, in English, whilst singing the entire song in French, and then describing her album “Oui Mais Non,” as “aussi une contradiction, mais voila!” A very accomplished 20-minute set in all.
“My name is Declan McKenna, and I’m gonna play some songs.” It’s an unassuming introduction from an unassuming guy as he takes to the stage, dressed unassumingly in jeans and a T-shirt. Tonights show was only announced earlier that week; according to Declan after the show, he was already in Toronto, so why not? Hailing from Hertfordshire, England, and only 17 years old, he’s been making waves on the Alternative Radio channels over here for the past few months, to such an extent that a sizeable crowd has assembled here tonight at relatively short notice to take in his first visit to Montreal. Declan remarks at the size of the crowd at one point, saying he was wondering if anyone was going to turn up tonight. Speaking with him afterwards, he mentions how only 10 advance tickets were sold, so to see somewhere between 40 and 50 in attendance was a pleasant surprise indeed.
The set begins with Brew, a mellow electric guitar strum-along that smoulders along, making the place feel like a deep-south Blues club for a few brief moments. As Declan strums the last note, he steps on a pedal and a metronomic beat kicks in, over which Declan introduces new single Paracetamol. He floats between his effects console, his keyboard, and his guitar for the duration of the song, changing up the beats and really developing and building the song as it goes, taking it in various directions, and definitely giving it much more life in this live setting than on record. It’s really quite incredible that a 17-year-old is doing this; it must take some musicians years to hone these kinds of skills. Declan really ups the ante on his next single Bethlehem, creating the song entirely from scratch, beginning with a rhythmic handclap, playing it on a loop, adding backing vocals, looping that in too, then beats, and so on, until a song is in full swing, flicking various facets of the song on and off with the tap of a pedal to take it into the verses, chorus, etc.
Next song Why Do You Feel So Down follows a similar pattern, but with additional intricate guitar effects thrown in, and is equally well crafted. Basic, a recent B-side, switches back to the stripped down vibe the show opened with, and Declan’s Kooks-like vocals are never more apparent than here.
Breakthrough single Brazil criticizes the awarding of the soccer World Cup to Brazil without addressing the underlying poverty rampant throughout the country; not what most 17-year-olds are concerned about, but again, highlights what an extraordinary talent Declan has. With heavy rotation in alternative radio, it’s surely the reason most are here tonight, and, as it kicks in, sees Declan intricately layer various harmonies into the song intro, and again sounding much more expansive than on record. Following that, the set ends, with no encore, after only 30 minutes; a little disappointing considering how well the show was going, but later explained primarily down to the fact that his gigs are usually backed by a full band, which couldn’t be here tonight (but will be next time around). Nevertheless, if tonight’s showcase was an appetizer for what Declan McKenna can do in a live setting, Montreal had better be ready for the Main Course when he comes back!
Set list:
Brew
Paracetamol
Bethlehem
Why Do You Feel So Down
Basic
Brazil
Review & photos – Simon Williams
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