After a month-long run through the Great White North during its coldest months, Busty and the Bass brought their last stop of The Winter Mannequin Tour to the city where it all started for them. Just in time for spring weather to start rearing its beautiful head, summer grooves were well on their way to Studio TD.
Hometown boy Zach Zoya kicked off the night as the sole opener, and I was immediately hooked on his sound. Backed by a DJ, a guitarist, and a drummer, Zoya’s band brought groove and dance to a set that could have simply been performed with backing tracks alone. The band really brought the songs to the next level, though, and the crowd appreciated their contribution. Zoya looked incredibly comfortable fronting them on stage, addressing the crowd between songs in both English and French. He also encouraged the audience to sing along to his melodically intense choruses. It was all part of the fun, though, as Zoya was all smiles through his forty-minute set as he brought his unique blend of soulful hip-hop and R&B to a big venue that he sounded right at home in.
As Busty and the Bass subtly began their set, I grew concerned that a night full of music to move your body to wasn’t going to feature a single bass player. Two singers, two horn players, a drummer, and a guitarist made up the lineup for the first few songs. Thankfully, the six-piece came in clutch with the save, doing what any McGill music students would do and nonchalantly swapping instruments. Finally, we were given live bass, courtesy of Busty and, well, The Bass. Though backing tracks seamlessly blended with the real instruments on stage, these moves were a gentle reminder of how much musical talent went into crafting these danceable tunes.
Co-vocalist Jordan Brown wowed me with some impressive vocal passages in the few moments that the band stripped things down and let him shine. Alistair Blu also took moments away from his co-singing duties to show off his background in jazz, flawlessly playing impressive pieces on a nearby keyboard. All in all, jaw-dropping stuff that I didn’t expect to get from this band.
Busty and the Bass’ sound fit right in with this indescribable genre of music that I’ve been heavily getting into lately. Neo-soul meets R&B, with a splash of jazz and hip-hop influence. Until anyone corrects me, I’m calling it Skunk music, but whatever you call it, it was grooving, booty-shaking music at its core. Though most of the crowd was staying in their respective bubbles, everyone was having a good time with the friends they brought, shaking hips to fan favourites like “Out of Love” and “Up Top.”
On a personal note, this was a show that capped off such an incredible week for me. Reuniting with a couple of different hometown friends visiting me in Montreal at once and organizing the kickoff show for a monthly apartment show series I’m now hosting, there felt like no better way to celebrate than with these two acts, dancing like nobody’s watching on a Friday night.
Review – Mathieu Perrier
Photo from Ottawa by @pthibaultphoto
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