Rifflandia: The Big Shots
These are the “names” at this year’s festival… a great mash of bands, styles & faces.
Beach House
Baltimore duo that made a splash with their eponymous debut in 2006, Beach House project a beautifully stark sound, one that often consists of little more than voice, organ & drum loop. Nevertheless, there is an elegant, icy world of melancholia lurking in & around Victoria Legrand’s specter of a voice. Sparse arrangements waltz around Legrand’s mournful takes on love, longing & the lackthereof, often recalling Nico or Mazzy Star.
Buck 65
The man with the plan; Buck 65 aka Rich Terfry has plotted an impressive course from basement indie-hip-hop rumblings in his native Halifax all the way to the leftfield art-hop of his recent catalog. Anyone who has managed to catch Buck live will attest; he is a true performer. Versatility is part of the package — rapper, thinker, poet, pragmatist & sometimes dancer (!) — Buck 65 is amazing live. You will smile, you will nod your head & you will want to hug him.
Basia Bulat
Basia Bulat’s folky singer-songwriter appeal was a no brainer for any who caught the whimsy & sweet melodies of Oh, My Darling. Bulat wields a beautiful voice, one that communicates songs of sincerity well, with folky-orchestral arrangements that compliment her earnest stories. For fans of traditional folk AND indie rock!
Brendan Canning (of Broken Social Scene) & K-OS DJ SETS!!!
Your guess is as good as our as to what these guys will be spinning when they get on the wheels of steel at Rifflandia, but hell, we’re interested.
Champion
Montrealer Champion started off as a one-man house DJ thingy with the occasional riff sample in there… “No Heaven” was a pretty big hit a couple years back. Now Champion is a full blown live experience; think MSRTKRFT with 3 dudes playing guitars live. New album out September 15. Can you say dance party? Yes you can.
Final Fantasy
Owen Pallett blew everyone away at last year’s Rifflandia & it’s a treat to get to see this one-man show return again this year. After 2 nifty EP releases this year (Plays To Please & Spectrum 14th Century), Pallett will bring his avant-classical-pop musings to Alix Goolden Hall, hopefully with some new tracks from his forthcoming Heartland LP.
Holy Fuck
These Toronto dudes are like a modern day Canadian Kraftwerk (minus the minimalism, after several beers, dressed up in hoodies & plaid). Their debut on XL last year turned many heads, especially in the UK, where the group enjoyed a lengthy stint of wild shows. Live, they use no laptops, which uncommon for electronic groups of their type. Instead, they opt for the “Fisher Price” approach, stringing pedals, Casio synths, tape loops & other gizmos together with duct tape (literally) & just going for it. Driving, uptempo bleeps & beats, dance music that comes to life on stage.
Most Serene Republic
Ambitious chamber indie pop abounds with this Toronto sextet. Sounding not to far off their label-mates Stars & Broken Social Scene, MSR fill the sonic space with melodies sweet & sublime, drawing from classic indie-rock whilst also tapping the dense multi-layered hues of shoegaze. Immaculate production value enhances the intricate arreangements of the songs these peeps write, live, they should be quite the spectacle.
Mother Mother
Intelligent, witty folk-rock streams from these Canadian West Coast natives who’ve made quite an impression over the last couple of years, blowing away audiences all over with their high energy live show & amazing vocal harmonies. The group’s most recent effort, Oh My ♥, balances quirky lyrical themes & arrangements with massive hooks, keeping many who might wander coming back for more.
Pink Mountaintops
The faithful sister group of Vancouver psych-rock juggernauts Black Mountain, Pink Mountaintops are led by Stephen McBean. Riding the critical acclaim of their recently released Outside Love, these guys are a nice highlight for this year’s festival. Pink Mtops tunes range from minimal little boogies to paired down acoustic strummers all the way to Outside Love‘s sometimes grandiose gospel-influenced rock. Good times.
Tegan & Sara
Folk rockin sisters Tegan + Sara have come a long way from their humble Calgary beginnings. Last year’s The Con (produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie) spawned a couple of memorable singles, most notably the insanely catchy “Back In Your Head”. Don’t miss their peerformance at Victoria’s sweetest venue, Alix Goolden Hall.