Glittering Prizes an homage to Dan Tooley sprinkled hellish three piece drowned pop cluster, together we’re Volcano minus the original bassist, tonight were something else. The opportunity presented itself at Duffy’s on Bloor St. with two other Toronto independents Trans Elders and the headliner We’re For Barton.
Glittering Prizes - J.Knight and Maki, C.hobs (photographer)
Lazily up first swizzling brew we lumbered toward the stage for a night of drone synth layers of guitar and birthed vocals of heartfelt obscurity. A wave lapped the shore of particled tables to organ synth before rolling into folk pop number that J.Knight spewed and strummed catatonically to. Switching mics and instruments TSBT songs got thrown into the set building and listing as the Tavern lit up to a massive black man (apparently still high on crack) swaying and bobbing maniacally with a wild look in his eye. Beside him the drummer Trans Elders dancing with his own wild look. It was hard to focus on my playing at this point.
A creepy Scott Walker soaring love stomp took stage next as Trans Elders colidded mono synth chirped wildly through candlelit cavern, embelished by spatial digital delays and a bassist who plunked and jumped heavily going bananas inside. Sonically intoxicated by the track in the middle (can’t remember the name) heads began to move around me, the band entranced on some instrumental trip as the room all bonded in unison. Coaxing an encore that never happened a semi-circle of chairs groupie girls chirped in dissapointment as the band packed gear bowing apologetically out.
We're For Barton
The headliner We’re for Barton hovered and swabbed the stage with electrics at 12am deliberate calm and drone, besides the sound issue off the top they held court shooting glances at each other and maurading quietly through vocals somehow inaudibly unearthed and reconciled by our sound guy as they pushed forward to better quality. Their presence was a strange conversation between the two singers, high-heeled princess and man with hat, lobbying noble cause for the greater good of repitition and Yo La houour. I was hauntingly reminded of the 90′s with a weight, a galloping hope that some day and perhaps already happening in front of our caustic eyes Toronto’s music scene is alive and frothing.
The sound guy a legeond in his own right spat verses and muttered compliments over a cigerette outside, apparently experienceing a resurgance of relevancy with new toronto Bands coming through the ol’ Tavern. And rightfully so. New management and a minor facelift means a head turn on Bloor St. People are looking for something to dig up that’s new and on the fringe of safety. We found it.
Thanks to the rest of Glittering Prizes, Jon our Drummer (who played in two bands) and Jer who ripped six pedals through an SG, Trans Elders and We’re For Barton it made for one fucking great night.
