How on earth do you choose between Interpol, Car Seat Headrest, and Aussie upstarts Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever? That’s the decision facing every Montreal gig-goer this Wednesday night. On account of them being from Australia, and therefore most at-risk of not being back in a long time, I choose Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Their debut album Hope Downs is unquestionably in my top 10 of the year, and they’re playing the most intimate venue of the three, so the decision is made. I can’t lie though; with such an array of options tonight, I worry how many will have made the same choice.
On arriving at Le Ministère, though, it’s surprisingly packed. According to the lady at the door, there were 80 advance tickets sold, plus “a ton of walk-ins.” A pretty incredible turnout, and especially so considering they have almost no commercial airplay here, and it’s their first ever show here in Montreal.
And what a first show it is too. After a 70s disco-funk number heralds their arrival on stage at exactly 9pm, drummer Marcel Tussie beckons the crowd to the front of the stage to get closer, which they readily do. The Hammer kicks off the show at breakneck speed, and it rarely lets up throughout the 65-minute set. Guitarists Fran Keaney and Tom Russo share vocal duties on the set opener as well as the thunderous, churning Clean Slate which follows, before third guitarist Joe White joins in for the epic Talking Straight. After the killer hooks of Wither With You, the band proclaim their love for our city before Fran jokes “I expected it to take 20 minutes to climb Mount Royal…it took a lot longer!”
Last years The French Press EP gets its first representation of the night in the form of Julie’s Place and Sick Bug, the latter opening with a retro Don’t-Fear-The-Reaper-esque riff, with drums that thump across much more pronounced in a live setting. Exclusive Grave nods more toward Peter Frampton in its guitar distortion.
Bellerine opens with an extended intro between drums and roving bassist Joe Russo, before that unique guitar hook kicks in that initially seems to not quite fit, almost a beat behind…until suddenly it does. Time In Common is just as exquisitely crafted, as all 3 guitarists alternate who plays the killer lead riff throughout. After once more proclaiming how great it is to be in Montreal for the first time (“we always wanted to come here!”), the dark smokey jam-out of Mainland leads into Fountain Of Good Fortune, before the hypnotic bassline of French Press wraps up the main set, culminating in a massive outro.
After being promptly cheered back to the stage by all assembled, Colours Run and Wide Eyes make up the encore, before the show ends for good just after 10pm. The band promptly gather at the Merch table to meet all who stick around, which ends up being quite a lot. A massively talented and affable bunch thoroughly deserving of all the success they get, here’s hoping this is the first of many visits to Montreal for Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever.
Setlist:
The Hammer
Clean Slate
Talking Straight
Wither With You
Sister’s Jeans
Julie’s Place
Sick Bug
An Air Conditioned Man
Exclusive Grave
Bellarine
Time in Common
Mainland
Fountain Of Good Fortune
French Press
Encore:
Colours Run
Wide Eyes
Review & photos – Simon Williams
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