Well…the show started with a bang. Whether the bang was from opener Foxy Shazam’s sudden first song or the doors being blown off the travelling (freak show) circus tent, I’m not sure. What I do know is that you should lock your doors and hide under your bed. Seriously.
It’s not that I didn’t like opening band Foxy Shazam, they’re just insane. They’re good performers but their music is just…meh. The entire time they were on stage I felt like I was watching a Baz Luhrmann movie about a travelling circus. Lead singer Eric Sean Nally, sporting rubber gloves, started the night off by saying, “if the lord picked this building up and turned it sideways, I’d hold onto that pole right over there…” and then…BANG. Madness ensued.
The stage was alive with the blur of shaggy hair. Although they were slightly frightening, they were definetly an energetic bunch. Keyboardist Schuyler Vaughn White was doing some sort of freaky-eyed gorilla jig while trumpet master Alex Nauth was proudly showing off the rip down the ass of his jeans (thankfuly he was wearing boxers – it would have been so, so unfortunate had he not been).
I think the best part of Foxy Shazam’s set were the one-liners Eric sprouted before or after each song. Some of the best were:
“Keep the flowers, the only way to my heart is with an axe,”
“I need love and Christmas presents,” and his sign off at the end of the set,
“Sometimes I wish I had a mirror on stage so that I could look at myself when I sing.”
After the crowd had some time to get over the opening act escapade, The Sounds hit the stage, sans leading lady, playing a short one minute, rock ballad. Out of nowhere a petite little firebolt clad in those faux leather looking tights, hot hot heels, a retro bomber jacket, Mr.T chains, and Charlie’s Angels wind-blown hair, took the stage for what ended up being a rockin’ concert.
Lead singer Maja Ivarsson is incredible. Think Emily Haines from Metric meets Martina Sorbara from Dragonette, wearing a white t-shirt, drenched with Absolut Vodka. The woman has spunk, and let me tell you, she cusses more than a sailor. She also made sure to chain smoke on stage, climb all over whatever was on stage while in platform heels, and crowd surf. I’m pretty sure she also grinded up on one bouncer (happiest moment of his life) and made out with another (dont hold me to that, there were a lot of people in front of me). During “Night after Night” she asked everyone to sing along while waving their cellphones and lighters: I’ve never seen people whip out their phones so quickly. She had the crowed wrapped around her pinky.
The rest of the band was also pretty rad. The guitar riffs during “4 Songs and a Fight” were awesome and the bass during “Tony the Beat” was ridiculous.
Best songs of the night for me were “No One Sleeps”, “4 Songs and a Fight”, “Beatbox”, “Painted by Numbers”, “Tony the Beat”, and ”Hope You’re Happy Now”.
Foxy Shazam’s Vancouver Set List:
Introducing
Wannabe Angel
Killin’ It
Bye Bye Symphony
Yes Yes Yes
Evil Thoughts
Rocketeer
Axe!!!
The Sounds’ Vancouver Set List:
Crossing the Rubicon
Queen of Apology
Seven Days a Week
No One Sleeps
Hurt You
Midnight Sun
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Night after Night
4 Songs and a Fight
My Lover
Beatbox
Dorchester Hotel
Painted by Numbers
Living in America
Ego
Encore:
Tony the Beat
Song with a Mission
Hope You’re Happy Now
Definitely check them out if they’re in your city, because as Maja kept saying, “You ain’t seen nothing yet bitches!”
Gallery: Foxy Shazam in Vancouver
Gallery: The Sounds in Vancouver
