September 30, 2010
3 Minots
construction and destruction, Rebahak Higgs, She Keeps Bees and Polipe
Dear POP Montreal Volunteer Diary, It was a really hard night. I only had two drink tickets (this is not a complaint, repeat, this is not a complaint), heard one amazing band I didn’t know and spent the end of my night watching a performance by Holy Fuck. Please help me over come my fear of stairs. Love with what’s left of my heart, Cassie.
Okay, ha, seriously, it was a great night at 3 Minots and I don’t have a volunteer diary (not one you can read anyway. God, I have to keep my secrets locked up tight, without photo evidence thankfully). I’m working the door for 3 Minot throughout the festival, which is such a nice change of scenery from my usual drunken, show watching activities (I actual managed to remember everything this time).
This is a super chill job for two reasons (okay maybe three because the POP Montreal coordinators are pretty awesome). One, you get to sit and enjoy the show without any real interference (it was a pretty quiet night) and two, you get to meet everybody that walks in and the bands give you free buttons (I’m bringing buttons back and there’s nothing you can do about it). Enough about the buttons and door-filled activities, let’s get to the goods here.
Last night’s line-up at 3 Minots included two fellow Nova Scotian bands, Rebekah Higgs (formerly the front lady of Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees), construction and destruction, Philly natives She Keeps Bees and French-funk band Polipe.
While I feel like I should be biased to these Scotian bands (and Polipe because the drummer was pretty cute), I really can’t find it in me to do that after hearing She Keeps Bees. She Keeps Bees blew everyone away. First off, they weren’t even in the printed schedule (they were in the online line-up); press people that showed up were confused. Show goers were confused. And, well, me? I’m always confused (jokes! I’m usually okay…on the weekdays).
Anyway, when She Keeps Bees came on stage the first impression was, well, Jessica Larrabee (vocals and guitar) is probably the most hilariously-charming-outspoken unheard-of female artist we’d seen in awhile. The unexpected is always the best, but, the unexpected that came from the deep, emotional part of this band’s soul…unreal (have you been to Louisiana? Naw, me neither, but that’s what She Keeps Bees sounds like, if they were a State). She Keeps Bees will make your mouth drop. The incredible vocalist Jessica Larrabee and her love/ band mate Andy Laplant are hypnotic to watch and hear. Their charismatic, soulful and dark sound makes you feel like your heart is aching and you can’t wait for it to break just so you can be reincarnated as one of the bees they keep. I’m pretty sure their set made the rain disappear and the show goers reappear. Let me convince you of this statement.
After the show, everyone that was there bought their CD, asked them to sign it and quickly grabbed any merchandise that was left over (shit, right? Yea that good). The band made it a priority to make everyone in that venue feel comfortable (but not the on-your-couch-chip-eating type of comfortable, c’mon, it’s a show). Jessica’s chit-chatting while on stage made you feel like She Keeps Bees were your childhood friends that couldn’t wait to play a set in your basement for your birthday. Honestly, you`d be saying this to yourself, “You need to come to my birthday party.”
We need to be friends. You are one of the most original people I have ever met. Who are you and what planet did you come from?” (I’m sure air fare to that planet is way beyond my budget). Still not convinced, go to their MySpace right now.
Also during their set, Jessica performed a couple some Acapulco songs (this woman makes me wish I didn’t shave my legs so I could feel the hair standing up). Most notable is Ribbon, which can be found on their MySpace and their CD Nests (you already have this opened in a new window by now, right? If not, stop reading, open it and then listen while you continue to read). Other mentionable songs (other than them all, please) Get Gone, Strike and Gimmie.
If you’re a lyric-nut job like me and enjoy suspicious, yet encouraging lyrics you’re really gonna like this band. Listen really carefully to the songs, there are some pretty sweet phrases and you can hear these phrases very prominently because recording job is fantastic (and home-based…wonderful). I love the catchy lines in their songs. I am trying to decide which one is my favourite, but I can’t…maybe, “get your dirty socks off my floor / you better be gone, gone, gone when I get home,” from the song Get Gone or “you like the way it is / the world must owe you something,” from Strike.
Alright, I’m playing favourites and am fully aware of this. I really can’t help it, I try to be an equal-band-loving-person, but that’s not reality and not everyone likes Subway (Seriously, ever notice how whenever you leave that place you smell like it for hours after…witchcraft!). I’m also leaning more towards She Keeps Bees because Jessica is an absolutely stunning person. I think we can all agree we like bands more when we like the people in them (and not just Perez Hilton style aka. superficial qualities).
Okay. Cool. Check out She Keeps Bees (and the other bands)…and don’t forget to keep on POPin’ around the city and enjoy tonight’s shows.
