Wintersleep w/Drug Rug @ The Horseshoe

Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite has been a tradition at The Legendary Horseshoe for as long as I can remember. Every Tuesday night, 4 indie bands play for free in the hopes of gaining a little bit of extra exposure. Sometimes there can be quite a crowd, depending on who's playing. Well, last Tuesday night was possibly the biggest crowd I'd ever seen there. The reason, of course was that the band on the bill was none other than Halifax's Wintersleep. They used this opportunity to host a free CD release party, which was clearly a good move since the 'Shoe was packed out to capacity! They are currently one of Canada's most beloved indie bands, although I have to admit that my knowledge on them was really quite minimal. I knew a couple of their songs, and before their show I sampled some of the tunes on their myspace page. Judging by the enthusiasm projected by those in attendance however, I was clearly in the minority that night. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic, and the band fed off that vibe to great success. Two of the most notable things were a) their rabid enthusiasm and 2) their enormous talent. One could not help but feel completely overwhelmed by their exuberance. They played a good mix of mostly newer songs, with a few older ones thrown in. Their sound gave off a bit of a jammy feel, without ever delving into pretentious guitar playing wankery. Overall, they were just a great rock band, playing tight and well constructed songs that are immediately accessible and easy to absorb. Oh, and they were deafeningly loud.

Wintersleep will be back in town soon at The Mod Club on November 16th.

Photos: Wintersleep @ The Horseshoe flickr
Myspace: Wintersleep
Videos: Sore / Faithful Guide

Right before Wintersleep was a band called Drug Rug from Massachusetts. Although I didn't arrive in time to catch their whole set, what I saw was really very quite good. They also were very energetic and captivating to watch. Their music reminded me quite a bit of many of the bands that were on the delightful Elephant 6 label back in the 90's. They play unabashed pop that sounds edgier on the live stage, thanks to Sarah's hyperactive and throat thrashing yelp. By their final song, I was sort of bummed that I didn't get there in time to catch the whole set, because I'm not sure how often they'll come around these here parts.

Photos: Drug Rug @ The Horseshoe (My camera was on the wrong setting which I didn't realize until it was too late, so embrace the blur my friends...) flickr
Myspace: Drug Rug
Video: Day I Die (live @ Pa's Lounge in Somerville, MA) youtube

Originally, I had every intention of staying for A Northern Chorus afterwards, since it's been probably 7 years or so since I'd seen them last, but I was tired and I wasn't sure if I could handle watching a mellower band after the Wintersleep powerhouse I had just experienced. But they are quite good and if you're feeling like chilling out in a majestic and anthemic sort of way, make sure you check them out as well. They come around quite often anyways. Next time is at The 'Shoe again on November 29th.

Myspace: A Northern Chorus