Lovely Killbots, Whale Tooth, Make Your Exit and Amos The Transparent @ The Horseshoe

The last time that I experienced a Whale Tooth / Amos combo, the result was a show that was way too irresistible for words. So to say that I was looking forward to last week's show at The Horseshoe was an understatement to say the least. And of course, the show did not disappoint.

Getting things started off nicely was a little duo called The Lovely Killbots. Besides having a name that is all kinds of way cool, the sound coming out of this tiny band was rather astonishing. The band is comprised of Lauralee on piano and vocals, and Ryan on the drums. While the setup would suggest a simple and rudimentary sound, the fact is that this duo is anything but. Individually, each member is incredibly talented at their respective instruments, and when you add to that several levels of imagination and originality, you're met with a force that is really quite impressive. They specialize in a very dramatic style of indie pop that blends nicely with some jazzy overtones and slight leanings to cabaret pop.

The Lovely Killbots are playing NXNE at Rancho Relaxo on June 20th.
Photos: The Lovely Killbots at The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: The Lovely Killbots

The performance put on by Whale Tooth was an absolute triumph. I really enjoyed the last time that I saw them, but this time around they catapulted themselves into my top ten local bands for sure. Elise LeGrow is an amazing frontwoman, exuding all of the style, charisma and a good clean sense of fun that makes her impossible to ignore when she's bopping around on that stage. The fact that her sultry vocal croon is currently unmatched within this genre of dancey feel good pop music means that their performances are always going to be unique enough to stand out from the crowd. Guitarist and vocalist Norm Maschke proved himself, once again, to be the perfect accompaniment for Elise and the band played with vigorous enthusiasm. If you get the chance to check them out when they play NXNE this year, they come highly recommended.

Whale Tooth are playing NXNE at The Boat on June 18th.
Photos: Whale Tooth at The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Whale Tooth

The fact that this was most likely a very well thought out bill became ever more apparent once Make Your Exit hit the stage, simply because their performance convinced me that this evening was showcasing some of the best acts that the local scene has to offer. I've heard a bit of the local buzz surrounding the band, but have not personally taken the time to examine their music as I should. It's very hard to keep up, y'know? Still, Make Your Exit wowed me from the get-go, as they showcased a sound that was not unlike the many collective type bands that our country has grown synonymous with. They actually reminded me quite a bit of one of my other current local faves, namely The Paint Movement. Both bands are very celebratory in feel, as they try to straddle that fine line between jammy-ness and over blown pretentiousness. Thankfully, neither band cross over that line, and Make Your Exit are an example of art-mospheric jazz tinged brass rock culminating in a soaring climax that is hard to follow.

Make Your Exit are playing an NXNE Showcase at Clinton's on June 19th.
Photos: Make Your Exit @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Make Your Exit

To be honest, it's getting harder to think of new things to say about Amos The Transparent. The fact that this is my 4th time seeing them this year should tell you that I like them a little bit. And the fact that they trek down to our city so often all the way from Ottawa, is evidence of the fact that they love coming to Toronto. And with the reception that they've been receiving lately, who can blame them? After the rambunctious shouts of applause that accompanied set opener Lemons, frontman Jonathan Chandler stated with a hearty guffaw, "We're not in Ottawa anymore!" While I've got to believe that his claim of our capital's lack of enthusiasm for AoT has got to be exaggerated a bit (especially since I know personally of at least one Ottawan that sings the praises of Amos regularly), it really does show that Toronto's love for this great band is worthy of mention. As usual, the audience sang enthusiastically to almost every song that was played, and understandably, the band fed off of that zeal nicely. I'm looking forward to checking them out yet again, hopefully at this year's NXNE: i (heart) music showcase at The Drake on June 18th.

Photos: Amos The Transparent @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Amos The Transparent