Owen Pallett walks onto the stage, and takes off his leather boots. He sits down to a grand piano and nods to the conductor. Strong, staccato bows stroke on violins, heralding the opening notes of “The Arctic Circle,” the first track off of Pallett’s 2006 album, He Poos Clouds. It’s odd to be at a Final Fantasy show where he, not his songs, are the raison d’être for the show. You don’t go to see a Final Fantasy show to hear perfect reproductions of album cuts. You go to see him transform songs that have pianos, choruses and synths,
Halifax Pop Explosion
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HPX Friday: The loudest show in the smallest venue and chaos around town
Dead Wife, ECT, Grand Trine and more take on a basement.
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Hpx Night Four: Ohbijou
Ohbijou’s Casey Mecija belts out to the rafters of St. Matt’s. Lit by scattered lamps and mini-lights draped about the stage, Ohbijou at St. Matthew’s Church were a perfect remedy for chilly night. Leading lady Casey Mecija’s voice absolutely filled the church. The downside to this was the silence of an enrapt crowd, which made […]
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Hpx Night Three: By Divine Right
His birth certificate may say Jose Contreras is 40-years-old, but it doesn’t know rock gods never age. Tell me about your new album. What are the plans for that? It’s coming out in a couple weeks on Hand Drawn Dracula, which is such a cool label. It’s just so wonderful how it worked out because […]
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HPX Saturday preview: The Pack A.D. takes over the world
Interview with Vancouver’s The Pack A.D. on cornfields, The Phantom of the Opera, and Magic: The Gathering
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HPX Thursday: Weather, plaid, and a lotta noise
The Weather Station, Slow Down Molasses and The Paint Movement provided the quiet; Dead Wife, Grand Trine and Nadja provided the loud. A well-rounded night.
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Hpx Night Three: Part Trois
Julie Fader and her album “Outside In”, which I strongly recommend you check out. Back at The Seahorse, I had an awkward run in with Julie Fader. If you didn’t read it in this week’s Coast, I reviewed her debut album Outside In. Putting her hand on my shoulder, Fader sadly asked me, “Did you […]
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Hpx Night Three: Part deux
Hot Panda prefer Halifax donairs to Edmonton, because there’s more meat and less pita. I tried to see Brian Borcherdt at the Paragon. WRONG. I didn’t realize Mr. Borcherdt wasn’t playing their until Jenocide came on stage. So, sorry bloglings, I’m afraid I can’t report on his set, but I imagine it was like that […]
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HPX Night Three: Part One
The Magnificent Sevens After a quick three hour power nap yesterday afternoon I made my way on Old Blue to the Company House to see Winnipeg rollicking roots band, The Magnificent Sevens. It was a nice change from the more aggressive acts, and a great chance to relax before the other venues opened up. I […]
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Video: Think About Life
To speak in a morning-after, too-tired cliche: the only bad thing about Think About Life was that the set was too short. The Montreal band, and our cover stars, didn’t disappoint, as the uninhibited masses grooved, hand-clapped and crowd-surfed, showing off their most tight-sweatered, moustached, charmingly awkward moves. Dynamic singer Martin Cesar, a swoon-worthy, undiscovered […]
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HPX Night Two: Part one
Said the Whale I left Old Blue locked up last night, as I was sticking to the Argyle area. So, while there were no broken bones on night two there were some broken hearts. First on tap was the lovely Hannah Georgas and darling Said the Whale at The Toothy Moose. There was a great […]
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Hpx Night Two: Part deux
D-Sisive readies to give you a great big bear hug. He’s such a sweetie. A great moment during Valleys mesmerizing show at The Seahorse (The worst moment? The extreme heat of that dungeon. Coast photog Riley Smith looked like he was going to pass out) was my friend Shane asking, “Mike! Tell me who you […]