Photos: Bad/Good
On August 8th, we were lucky to see a show that we’d been anticipating for the past few months. Miserable, Death Bells and Fearing toured their way up the West Coast and found themselves at The Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver. What followed was a night of amazing music and rad people and I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out and who was a part of making this show happen <3
PASSIVE were the only local band on the bill, and they delivered an impressive opening set. They are hard to describe – part art punk, part doom, part black metal – I’ve seen them play on bills with a wide range of bands and fit on each one. This two-piece creates something special that is able to tear you open and dive into your soul and then stitch you back up afterwards. They’re also doing rad things with Remington Gallery in Vancouver so keep an eye out for that if you live in Vancouver and love underground music. Also, listen to their music.
This was Fearing’s second show in Vancouver, and you could tell. I’m sorry to say it, but Vancouver isn’t that forthcoming when it comes to first timers. Instead of being excited to see someone new and discover new music, many people make lame excuses when they haven’t heard enough buzz about a band before. So Fearing had one of the best crowds of the night, and well-deserved, because there’s something mesmerizing about the music they create. Tonight they had some technical difficulties that cut their set short, but what they were able to deliver was sonic treasure.
These guys are going to be huge. We’ve been listening to their 2017 debut full length Standing At The Edge Of The World at least 3-4 times a week since it came out. The Australian band moved to Los Angeles right before the tour started, and if any city is going to see them get the recognition they deserve for their addictive, melancholic yet happy post-punk it’s the City of Angels. I went into their live show knowing they had a lot to live up to for me personally, and I was far from disappointed. It was a breath of fresh air to finally be able to feel some of my favorite songs of the past year. Keep an eye on these ones…
Ahh, Miserable. Your music can indeed make me tap into the darker, more depressed places in my heart and mind, but it’s also able to take me out of them. Miserable is the project of King Woman’s Kristina Esfandiari, so if you love her gorgeous, gloomy ululations in that project then Miserable gives you a taste of those with more rock n roll influence. Experiencing Miserable this night was a gift that those in the audience felt grateful for. It was everything I wanted to feel and more.
