Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Song: Secret Life

Recorded at Artscape Gibraltar Point (Wavelength 678: Camp Wavelength – Day 2), August 29, 2015.

Moon King - Secret Life

You can read my general notes on Camp Wavelength here. When Maddy Wilde gets a chance to take a lead vocal, the sudden changeover from Daniel Woodhead's gusto often leaves her a little lost in the mix. Quite pleasing, then, to hear her coming through clearly here on the title track from the band's recent album. Woodhead, meanwhile, climbed around the stage as much as ever but still found time to give his customary T.O. shout-outs and even to convince the crowd to quiet down for for a few seconds to listen to the island around them.

[Moon King will be opening for Youth Lagoon at The Opera House on Sunday, October 25th.]

Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Songs: Impossible + Roswell

Recorded at Smiling Buddha, April 14, 2015.

Moon King - Impossible

Moon King - Roswell

With Dan Lee warming up the crowd with his Lee Paradise project (to say nothing of Alex Low rocking the room between sets from the DJ booth) this night was, in one sense, not so far removed from going to see HUT playing all-ages shows in dark basements. But looked at another way, we've all come a long way since then. Although the pair of Obsession EP's essentially added up to an album, the brand new Secret Life gets the nod as the first "official" Moon King full-length. It also shows the continuing development of Daniel Woodhead's musical craft, integrating textured lushness with spiky energy in increasingly natural ways. The shared vocals with Maddy Wilde accentuate the dreamy sensibility and this band continues to sound better at slower tempos. Getting ready to take the new album on tour and represent T.O. to the world, the crew was already in fine form.

Recording: Alex Low/Daniel Moon King/Dan Lee

Artist: Alex Low/Daniel Moon King/Dan Lee

Song: Sabotage [Beastie Boys cover]

Recorded at Comfort Zone ("DEATH TO T.O. IV: A Halloween Covers Show"), October 30, 2014.

Alex Low/Daniel Moon King/Dan Lee - Sabotage

Once again Dan Burke and Elliott Jones celebrated Hallowe'en by turning the Silver Dollar and Comfort Zone into a giant, non-stop musical frenzy, with nearly twenty bands doing mini cover sets. The bands — several of which were constructed just for the occasion — all took the task seriously, putting a lot of work not only into the music but also costumes and all the little things to enhance their tributes. The only downside of the night was that with so many bands on the bill, it was impossible to stage-manage a consistently efficient staggering between the stages, so that it didn't take long for bands upstairs and downstairs to be playing simultaneously, forcing the crowd to make hard decisions on who to see and who to miss. Otherwise, it was a fabulously fun rock'n'roll marathon of a night.

In a night filled with intense crowd reactions, this might have had the most joyful thrum to erupt in front of the stage, with the audience bouncing up and down, singing along and ultimately moshing as the trio tackled Beasties' straight-up hip-hop tracks before strapping on their instruments for this rockin' finale.

Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Songs: Almost Blue + Hexe^*

Recorded at The Drake Underground, December 12, 2013.

Moon King - Almost Blue

Moon King - Hexe

Full review to follow. After spending most of the year on the road, Moon King returned home for Christmas — but not surprisingly, with their work ethic, they'll be heading off to an isolated cabin first to record some new songs. A handful of those got an airing at this welcome-back show, and it sounds like they extend the layered sophistication found on the two Obsession E.P.'s.

^* This new song was listed as such on the setlist. It could be a partial or temporary title.

Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Song: Crucified

Recorded at The Drake Underground, April 10, 2013.

Moon King - Crucified

Full review to follow. Celebrating the release of the second Obsession EP, Moon King played a hometown set before heading off on an extended jaunt on the road. The band is getting more comfortable with the more measured, layered songs like this one, but that doesn't mean they didn't finish the set with a raucous party vibe.

Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Song: Icarus^*

Recorded at Double Double Land, August 24, 2012.

Moon King - Icarus

Full review to follow. Celebrating the release of the Obsession I 12", this was a night to really take stock of how much this project has progressed. From the start, Daniel Woodhead and Maddy Wilde were creating some infectious fun on stage, but the development from the duo to the earlier band alignment to the current four-piece (backed by Steven Foster and Sexy Merlin, who each took an opening set on the night) is something exciting to consider. This was the sort of gig where gear kept getting unplugged and cymbals flying off, so it was no surprise that it ended in the dark with the power getting blown. What was surprising was how the crowd and band joined together for a blackout singalong on "I Found a Body" to finish the night off.

^* At the time of this show, this song was listed on the setlist as "Dutch".

Recording: Hut

Artist: Hut

Song: On the Way to Finch Station

Recorded at Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts & Culture (DAPS All-Ages 6), February 12, 2011.

Hut - On the Way to Finch Station

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: Moon King

Artist: Moon King

Song: Sleeping in My Car

Recorded at ALL CAPS! Island Festival (Artscape Gibraltar Point), August 13, 2011.

Moon King - Sleeping in My Car

My preliminary notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: Hut

Artist: Hut

Song: On Parole

Recorded at The Garrison (Wavelength 512), December 26, 2010.

Hut - On Parole

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: Hut

Artist: Hut

Song: Droppers

Recorded at Korova Milkbar, November 24, 2010.

Hut - Droppers

My notes from this set can be found here.

Recording: Spiral Beach

Artist: Spiral Beach

Song: Unknown^*

Recorded at Whippersnapper Gallery, NxNE Festival, June 19, 2009.

Spiral Beach - Unknown>

My notes from this gig can be found here.

^* Do you know the title of this track? Please leave a comment!