The Unicorns

ArtsFestivalsMusic

POP Montreal was just bananas this year. There was so much to see: parties and weird late nights out with the camera. I am only now, after nearly 5 days, keeping anything like normal hours.

The week started off with a party over at POP central— place was packed when I rolled up on the late side of 7. There were bare lights strung above everyone’s heads downstairs, which made it all a little overt. I headed upstairs where the sub 60 bass was coming from. On the top landing it was dark and I turned the corner right into the last tune of the Young Paris set. I was feeling it, so I stuck around at the jam for a minute afterword and talked about RUN NDG t-shirts with some random guy.

I’d gotten the press lanyard by then, and Flynt Flossy was playing later. Had to go connect with my people for the show, right!? (Read a review of the Turquoise Jeep showcase.)

On Thursday night, I went and checked out that LOC-NAR set at Casa del Popolo. I took Chose Bottine with me — his niece (Tess) plays keys in various projects including LOC-NAR. Now having done a preview of the band already based on my interpretations of their recordings, I was very interested in checking out their set. I was intrigued by the lo-fi style and the strange time signatures. Secondly, this band had a bit of a buzz. Lotsa cool people involved.

The place was packed so I cut hard for the front row so I could photo the group, kind of hard to get balanced for a shot, though! I found Chose Bottine again and just sunk into listening as a musician. The band is really tight, and I don’t mean tight in 4/4 time either. Tonally and energetically this band moves from pop to metallic in a single composition very fluidly. I was also struck by how progressive the tunes were. Nothing dull about how these guys proceed.

Chose Bottine and I were quite impressed. Go check out LOC-NAR live.

Woke up for school feeling like that translucent piece of egg in the pan—

Went downtown Friday night to catch Yoni Wolf. Got totally sidetracked by a few tribespeople and ended up somewhere else. I arrived extremely late and somewhat unbalanced! La Vitrola was bumping with that strange Why? hip hop flavour. No one is as weird on the mic as Yoni Wolf. You got to check him out if you’re unaware. Werd.

The week was wild, the parties were lush and surreal. And I for one sacrificed a few brain cells. But yo! What a job, and what a magical time with my friends covering these acts from Montreal and abroad. The Unicorns closed the week and they get their own article. Shabang!

Photo by Susan Moss courtesy of POP Montreal.

The Unicorns
ArtsFestivalsMusic

Like how much more epic of a close could POP Montreal come to? I myself had been up for 40 straight hours and was dressed to the nines, Ray Bans way past dark, you feel me!? I went downtown early with my best friend and chilled out in the ConU ghetto. Epic clouds at sunset. We were excited, plus it’s one of her favorite bands of all time. The girl had a super rare Unicorns shirt on— I felt a great sense of accomplishment just getting there and being awake!

So we got to Metropolis half way through the Light Fires set. I’ve written about Light Fires before— she’s dressed in drag and she kicks ass. Totally at peace up on the stage with nothing but high-hipped cut-offs, a halter top, pumps and her ipod. Light Fires makes really catchy beats and her stage presence is palpable, her witty quips and sex appeal on heavy display. We went and stood right beside the backstage exit, which is about 20 feet back from the stage. I was not getting in that pit, would have died. Between sets, Light Fires came out and I stopped her to say that the show was banging. Such a nice person. Do check out her jams.

Light FiresThe Unicorns, man! They came out in all their glory, still good looking and still tight as a cornrow. They had this cheesy loop of 90s screen savers being projected behind them. I’ve since had a conversation where someone said they weren’t feeling the backdrop, but I feel like it was in keeping with the band’s sardonic aesthetic.

There were a lot of people in the place at the start of their set. Because the band is “from” Montreal, and because they hadn’t played here in more than 10 years, the crowd was full of anticipation and even a thread of anxiety. Like, what if this band I’ve kept on a pedestal all these years shits the bed right now?

The sheets stayed good though. Everyone in this three piece sings and everyone excluding the drummer plays bass, keys, guitar. I love seeing a band of multi-instrumentalists, the trading off between songs, just the ability to own more than one instrument on stage is something for which I have a great respect. In no way did they disappoint. Although the set wasn’t long, it was full of bangers from the Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? album.

Nothing misplaced sonically. There is this observation, though— I could tell that they had rehearsed the shit out of this performance, they knew exactly what they were about. But I also felt a kind of rigidity to their renderings of the tracks, that waver of variation or improvisation wasn’t really coming through and that’s because they probably don’t jam every week, right!?

We were thoroughly impressed. The end was cool in that they did three encores that were one chord strums then a walk off stage. Just when the crowd was getting antsy, they took the stage with I was born a Unicorn. My friend turned back smiling and I knew that we were having a moment. That’s what it’s about. Yeah, the band was good, and generally the shows I cover are sharp and enjoyable. It’s all about living the magic, touching that feeling of being infinite intimately?

So, yeah— it got mystical, perhaps fittingly. We did make it to our respective homes, and God knows I needed serious nutrition and sleep— just so you know I’d do it all again if I could. That’s my take. Keep it flavourful, till next time. Peace.

Photos by Susan Moss courtesy of POP Montreal.

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I cannot impart to you how dope this band is. If you don’t have these guys in your rotation you need to get them in it right now. The Unicorns are a Montreal trio, well they came from out west; but recorded and lived here during the height of their buzz. It’s Nick Diamonds, Alden Ginger and drummer J’aime Tambeur. These dudes put out one of the best tricky lo-fi indie pop albums you ever heard:

They disbanded after a super stressful tour in 2004. But the impression left by their releases is far reaching— these guys are one of the sickest underground groups to ever come out of MTL, and honestly probably Canada.

After the break-up some members went on with different projects. One of these is Islands. Another gem of an act. I can’t say enough about the musicianship of the players in these bands:

These guys in The Unicorns are on some next level shit: wild syncopated drums that are rusty and ragged or quiet as smoke, always a new variation.

This progressive tendency plays out in every composition, and that’s why every tune is fresh as hell. The tracks move but are sad and plaintive and pretty. It’s worth mentioning, too, that all the band members can sing and write. I’m not exactly sure on the band’s process, but whoever’s behind the words has some sharp pen game.

So, yeah! They got back together quite recently and are slated to play this year’s POP festival! Like Wha?— I’m so going to that. Sep. 21, 8:30 at Metropolis. Check me there if you’re D…