In-store: Amos the Transparent / The Coast / Dinosaur Bones

Amos the Transparent / The Coast / Dinosaur Bones

Sunrise Records. Thursday, June 18, 2009.

Getting away from work earlier than expected, I headed downtown with plenty of time before the NxNE showcases started, so I decided to take in some action at the Sunrise Records just off Yonge and Dundas. There was a small, low stage set up, just enough room for a drummer plus two people up front. Walked in just as Dinosaur Bones were getting ready to play, and that tiny stage meant that Dave Wickland (keybs) and Branko Scekic (bass) were relegated to the floor alongside, but the rudimentary P.A. and monitors had a bit of a democratizing effect, pushing Wickland's Roland up in the mix a bit. The band played a solid half-hour, including a good new song, "Highwire Act".

Listen to a track from this set here.

After stepping outside for some fresh air, headed back in to find a smaller crowd waiting for The Coast to finish setting up. The band seemed a bit out of their element with the in-store setup — perhaps they hadn't brought all their usual gear along, or weren't anticipating the stripped-down system, but there was a faint awkwardness at hand, such as a power cord from a pedal stretched taut in the middle of the stage, creating a bit of a tripping hazard. I got the impression they weren't entirely satisfied with their sound and performance, although I found it generally satisfactory. Although these local lads have been hotly tipped in some quarters, I'd garnished a (probably unfair) impression that they were filed under retro angophilia, which doesn't normally cause me to rush out of my way to see a band. From what I heard live, I wouldn't categorize them so narrowly. With a textured two-guitar sound, The Coast's songs weren't in-your-face hooky, but had plenty of crinkly bits around the edges to keep one engaged. They also tried out some new material, including one with Luke Melchiorre moving from bass to keyb to give a different sound to the bottom end. If this was what they sounded like when playing within in-store constraints then I would imagine the full show would be good stuff.

Ottawa's Amos the Transparent are a band that gets large bloggy love in this town. Despite their many local appearances, I'd only caught them once — spring '08, opening for Basia Bulat — and came away feeling rather neutral. So no reason not to stick around and see if I was more struck the second time 'round. The band decided to tackle the limitations of the in-store environment in a different way, going with a acoustic, sit-down performance. This seemed to push the band out of their comfort zone a little, as the arrangements were a little off-the-cuff, but it gave the proceedings an unforced, enjoyably casual air — "we're playing at The Drake tonight," Jonathan Chandler said, pushing their later showcase appearance, "and it sounds nothing like this". The band was also playing to a small crowd, although it looked like everyone present was filming/taking photos with elaborate cameras, ready to add to the online cavalcade of Amos-love. The songs were all enjoyable and had lots of room for vocal interplay between Jonathan Chandler and Kate Cooke — and for variety a nice one from Mark Hyne. Although this might not be typical of the band's sound, it was a nice chance to witness the band's genial personalities in a relaxed atmosphere. Put me in a good frame of mind to begin the "night" part of the night in a series of dark, dank bars.

Listen to a track from this set here.