Some concerts are fun, some are memorable, and some stay with you. Wednesday, September 30 at Club Soda was one of the last kind.
It was my first time at a heavy, psychedelic, ambient instrumental show like this. The two bands on the bill, both from Chicago and both among the best known in the genre, share some musical roots while sounding completely different.
At 8 p.m. sharp, the lights went down on a sold-out Club Soda and the night began.
Pelican
Trevor Shelley de Brauw: guitar
Laurent Schroeder-Lebec: guitar
Bryan Herweg: bass
Larry Herweg: drums
This was my first time seeing Pelican, and they won me over right away.
After several lineup changes over the years, this was a special version of the band: the original four members, back together.
They opened with songs from their latest album, Flickering Resonance, including “Gulch” and “Cascading Crescent.” The songs were melodic and full of atmosphere, but heavy enough to shake the room.
Before the next song, Laurent addressed the crowd: “Thank you for coming. For us, this is a little escape from what is happening in our country.” The room cheered. It was a simple thing to say, and it felt honest.
Then “Drought” started, and the crowd erupted. The song grew slowly from quiet, atmospheric passages into huge riffs. That is what I love about this music: it takes its time, builds tension, then hits you all at once. It went straight onto my playlist.
In every Pelican song, one of the guitars seems to be singing. At times I felt I could write lyrics over those rhythms. The music creates pictures without needing words.
“Ephemeral,” one of their older songs, was another highlight and a reminder of why Pelican have lasted more than 20 years. They have been coming to Montreal for much of that time, and you could feel it in the crowd. They closed with “Wandering Mind,” the final track on the new album.
Russian Circles
Mike Sullivan: guitar
Dave Turncrantz: drums
Brian Cook: bass, keyboards
I have followed this band for about five years, and they always bring surprises. This was my first time seeing them live.
They opened with “Seventh Seal” from their new album, Nine. No words, no introduction; they went straight into the music, and it was clear the night would be heavy.
I was glad I had earplugs, and I was not the only one.
“E2,” also from Nine, kept the energy high with its dark, driving sound and crushing guitar. “Conduit,” from 2022’s Gnosis, felt raw and powerful. Some of the guitar and drum parts reminded me of one of my all-time favourite bands, Hum.
Three musicians, and yet so much sound. I still do not understand how three people can make a room feel that full.
“Deficit” was more atmospheric and melodic, giving us room to breathe before the intensity returned.
“Harper Lewis,” from Station, was probably the ballad of the night: hypnotic and almost cinematic, building tension slowly before the heavier sections hit. Live, it was even more powerful. “Geneva” followed with its dark, driving rhythm, then “Eluvial” from Nine combined atmosphere, melody and weight.
Then came “Youngblood,” the song everyone was waiting for. The room changed immediately, and the song sounded massive.
As a drummer, I watch the drummer most of the night. I could not believe how such a small kit could produce such a big sound. Chapeau to Dave Turncrantz.
They continued with “Empath,” the lead single from Nine, and closed with “Gnosis.”
One more thing: this was only the second concert I have been to where I could count the phones filming the show. Good to see.
Music brings people together.
Review – Andres Pedroza
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