For a band who has been around as long as Blood Red Shoes, there probably can’t be many “firsts” these days. But in the lead-up to tonight’s show, their Facebook page issues a “low-ticket warning” and speculates that tonight at Bar l’Escogriffe may be their first sold-out show in Canada. And so it proves to be upon arrival at the venue; no tickets left! Not bad for their first time here in almost 11 years!
Hailing from Rochester, NY, Lyell is charged with warming up the packed crowd tonight; not that anyone needs warming up in the inferno that is Bar l’Escogriffe in the summer! It’s her first time playing in Montreal, and it’s a memorable debut. Hair flails as she prowls around the stage, with a heavy rock sound that almost borders on nu-metal (in a good way). A delicate cover of Mr. Brightside is a welcome change of pace that elicits a huge singalong around the room and warms up my vocal cords nicely for what’s to come.
This year marks 15 years since the UK duo Blood Red Shoes released their breakthrough debut record, Box of Secrets, and tonight’s set draws fairly equally from all six of their studio albums, showcasing the evolution of their sound across their discography. Elijah opens the set, with drummer/singer Steven Ansell beating away at an electronic drum pad embedded within his regular kit, and sets a suitably moody tone in conjunction with the smoke machine and the dim basement lighting of the room. Sucker follows a similar trajectory, as does Morbid Fascination, from their most recent Ghosts On Tape record, which closes out the main set in a similar sultry manner.
The transitions to their earlier garage-rock sound are a stark contrast. “It’s Getting Boring by the Sea” blows away the sultry vibe two songs in and sounds just as amazing as it did back in 2008. I still always think of the 2010 movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World when I hear it! Guitarist/singer Laura-Mary Carter kicks up the distortion on “Murder Me” to make the notes sound almost like piano keys, while “On The Hook” makes extensive use of her wah-wah distortion pedal; it’s incredible to see how her guitar work has diversified since that debut too.
After all these years, the band certainly knows how to whip up a crowd. Midway through “This is Not for You” and “Red River,” Steven jumps up onto his drum kit and bangs his sticks together to incite a riot before dropping back down onto his stool to pummel the outro. The crowd responds in turn, and by the time we reach “I Wish I Was Someone Better,” the floor section is bouncing around despite the heat (your Reviewer included). The encore closes out with the moody “Colours Fade,” and the pit still jumps around regardless. It doesn’t go unnoticed; Steven remarks during the encore: “You were by far the best crowd of the tour!” It’s an epic 75 minutes and a fitting celebration of their first-ever sold-out Canadian show.
Just don’t leave it 11 years next time, OK, guys?!
Setlist:
- Elijah
- It’s Getting Boring by the Sea
- Cold
- Light It Up
- Don’t Ask
- Lost Kids
- Sucker
- This Is Not for You
- Murder Me
- Black Distractions
- An Animal
- Red River
- Je me perds
- I Wish I Was Someone Better
- Morbid Fascination
Encore:
- On the Hook
- Colours Fade
Review & Lyell photo – Simon Williams
Blood Red Shoes Photos – Steve Gerrard
