Canada is home to lots of great things like: universal health care, medical marijuana, and William Shatner. What you might not know is that they also have a score of talented and dynamic musicians, like Tokyo Police Club, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene, who add intriguing texture and depth to the indie music scene. Another such notable indie group is Caribou (formerly Manitoba), usually solely comprised of Daniel Snaith. However, when he sets out on tour, Snaith often pairs his one-man electronic voyage of sound with a few other similarly gifted and intense musicians. This time around, he has also included an opening band from Toronto whose sound is laced with an interesting blend of retro and newly inspired pop action.
Born Ruffians is a lovable trio of young guys who have an obvious desire to rock out. Though they had a few bumps to overcome before they could get their set underway, once they did, it was a definitely an experience. The guys were a little slow to start, their harmony was a bit off and the instrumentation seemed mismatched and off kilter. As the night progressed, the Ruffians evolved into a more cohesive sound that was really fun to watch and listen to. Born Ruffians is kind of like that favorite high school band you used to swoon over - especially because they were playing to such a sparse crowd. Their sound is very pop rock with lots of powerful and rapid drumbeats offset by singer Luke Lalonde’s melodic and unruffled vocals. When they are able to sync up, like they did with their performance of “Red Elephant,” the tunes are really ace. Born Ruffians will be releasing their first full-length record in February of 2008.
Daniel Snaith wears many hats. He is a skilled singer/songwriter whose gentle, but authoritative voice resonates throughout the depth of his poetic verse. Snaith’s formal education in mathematics intertwines with his creative side and together they produce a sound that is shoe gazing, steady, and whimsical. His live shows come adorned with a backdrop of psychedelic and entrancing colors that mingle hypnotically with the music. Unlike most stage configurations, the drums are the focal point of a Caribou gig. Two small drum sets are arranged at the front of the stage in order to showcase Snaith’s immeasurable prowess with percussions. He really does it all. The moments when he and drummer Brad Webber immersed themselves in drumbeats were breathtaking. The quartet maintained a clean and consistent rhythm throughout the show and really shined with performances of “Melody Day” and “She’s the One” off new album Andorra. Their performance, in some spots, felt almost reminiscent of the tenderness of 90’s alternative bands like Ride and The Ocean Blue. The marriage of roving lights and the twinkling, pounding lull of music made it easy for the audience to get swept into and lost among the harmonies. Caribou’s dense performance cast a powerful spell over the crowd and transformed what could have been just another live gig into a truly captivating experience.
-- Brigitte B. Zabak
Photo: John Van
