Rococode

After Hot Panda, you seriously cannot leave because Rococode is coming up next. The indie pop duo has a song for everyone, whether you're a freak on the dancefloor or a head-nodding hipster. With both a male and female voice in their music, their harmonies are near-perfect together - ET Canada

Finally, Rococode brought a rich, textured sound brought to you by three keyboards, guitars and drums. Their music teetered between dark electronic music and guitar pop, but it was always fun to watch. Laura Smith was the main vocalist and never kept still, while Andrew Braun looked positively blissed out as he pounded away at the keys or occasionally took over vocal duties himself. Their single “Banks” came second-last in the set and showed off the true power they’re capable of, and overall the set ended on a bit of a rock and roll note.

Quebec and British Columbia really knocked it out of the park, and with one night to go, here’s hoping the next acts I see can do the same. - Grey Owl Point

It wasn’t long before the new year began that the debut disc from Vancouver’s Rococode arrived in my mailbox. For those of you keeping up, you might remember Rococode from back in October. The band is the result of the coming together of Andrew Braun and Laura Smith, she of Said The Whale and he of various Manitoba-based projects like Record Of The Week Club and Demetra. Flanked by Tegan and Sara vets Shaun Huberts and Johnny Andrews and armed with Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond in the producer’s chair, the project reads like a namedrop project of Canada’s indie elite on paper. Fortunately, Guns, Sex & Glory more than lives up to its promise. It breaks in the door from the start, knocking you down with its heavy hooks, bewitching you with charismatic charm.

It’s a record that’s equal parts grace, sweetness, and brazen attitude. It’s surprisingly self-assured for a band as young as this one, no doubt in part to Guldemond’s production, whose fingerprints are felt all over the record. From the “ay-yi-yi-yi” gang vocals on “Empire” to the interlocking boy/girl harmonies on “Ghost II,” traces of Mother Mother are embedded deeply in these tracks, but are inspired enough to silence any cries of one party having ripped off another. More than anything, this is a success for Rococode, who prove themselves to be versatile and open, integrating genre-spanning ideas across the album that make it exciting to move from track to track.

Guns, Sexy & Glory hits the streets on February 7th via Head In The Sand. Until then, you can grab a 7? single of album standouts Weapon and Empire over at the band’s Bandcamp page. - Soft Signal

by Adrian Mack

Remember Coast 800? Outside of college radio, in the early '90s, Coast was giving listeners in Vancouver their only broadcast outlet for alternative and independent music. It was all over by '93, when a small but loyal audience lost the one commercial radio station that also enthusiastically spiked its playlist with local bands.

The problem with that, at the time, was the iffy quality of the music. For every track Coast played from the legendary Circle C album, you were obliged to suffer through six from Rymes with Orange and another by Econoline Crush.

In 2011 we have not one but two healthy radio stations giving heavy air time to Vancouver's independent musicians, one of which -- Peak FM -- mounts a massive (and very generous) battle of the bands competition every year. You might quibble with the playlists, but you can't argue that the music hasn't improved. The last decade has been a golden age for modern, fairly grown-up pop in the Tegan and Sara, Said the Whale, Hannah Georgas, Mother, Mother mold.

Oh, and look at that! They're breeding. Guns Sex & Glory is the debut album by Rococode, a group comprised of Tegan and Sara's rhythm section (Johnny Andrews and Shaun Huberts), a former keyboard player from Said the Whale (Laura Smith), and Hannah Georgas's sideman, Andrew Braun.

Mother Mother's Ryan Guldemond produced the bright, often outstanding disc, presumably injecting some of his own anxious energy into a project that flips from tight and twisty electro-noir on "Death of a Payphone" to the sumptuous, slightly operatic pop of tracks like "TINA" and "Concentrate on Me" -- the latter of which is reprised, towering melody intact, two-thirds of the album later on acoustic guitar.

Guns Sex & Glory is released on Feb. 7. Until then, you get the two tracks Rococode made available a few months ago, either of which plays up the band's heat-seeking pop side, along with the dual vocal leads of Smith and Braun. "Empire" especially announces itself as the kind of song whose future on all your electronic devices is assured, whether you want it or not, and especially if you're a Metric fan.

Mind you, the band heard on the album is far more ambitious than either "Weapon" or "Empire" suggest, with Rococode demonstrating a seriously impressive knack for finding the sweet spot inside angular, almost cheerfully psychotic exercises like "Blood." If there's a complaint, it's that there's a happy-vanilla quality to the proceedings, regardless of subject-matter (which might be necrophila, for all I know). And it's a characteristic shared by all the bands that converge here in one way or another -- like the brilliant Said the Whale, who all smile too much, or the equally impressive Mother, Mother, who I wish didn't look so healthy.

On the other hand, many years ago I heard the song "Marvin" by Rymes with Orange, and because of that, part of me is dead forever. Smiles and nice complexions aside, I'm still very grateful for what we've got. - The Tyee

Rifflandia kicks off this weekend in Victoria. With 7 venues offering shows all at the same time, we thought we'd plan your Rifflandia experience. Check out our picks for the Top 10 acts playing the festival, and our weekend guide.

More after the jump....

Top 10 Playlist

Listen

Braids
These 2011 Polaris Short listers gave one of the best performances at this week's gala.
Broken Social Scene
Their second to last show before the supergroup takes an indefinite hiatus.
Bonjay
Made The New York Times for their SxSW street performance.
Young Rival
We expect big things for the band when their documentary is released in 2012.
Suuns
The Montreal rockers we one of the most played bands on Radio 3 in 2010.
The Pack A.D.
Their new album Unpersons has us salivating.
Hollerado
Hot sauce, nacho parties, and dates with your mayor. Good times guaranteed!
Library Voices
The Regina band is back in Vancouver with a great new album, Summer of Lust.
Michael Rault
His album Ma-Me-O is a ode to "Rock n' Soul." Expect a flood of imitators.
Rococode
The Vancouver pop-rockers are championed by Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother, who produced their debut album "Guns, Sex, and Glory."

Weekend Guide after the jump:

Friday:
1:30: Dinosaur Bones (Royal Athletic Park)
2:40: The Cave Singers (Royal Athletic Park)
4:00: Ra Ra Riot (Royal Athletic Park)
4:45: The Besnard Lakes (Royal Athletic Park)
5:25: Mother Mother (Royal Athletic Park)
6:30: Jakarta (Royal Athletic Park)
7:10: Broken Social Scene (Royal Athletic Park)
9:30: Rococode (Metro Theatre)
10:30: Michael Rault (Phillips Brewery)
11:30: Malajube (Metro Theatre)
12:30: Matthew Barber (Wood Hall)

Saturday:
1:30: Vince Vaccaro (Royal Athletic Park)
2:40: Jets Overhead (Royal Athletic Park)
3:20: Library Voices (Royal Athletic Park)
4:45: Hollerado (Royal Athletic Park)
8:30: Beekeeper (Victoria Events Centre)
9:30: Olkena (Metro Theatre)
10:30: Suuns (Metro Theatre)
11:30: Bonjay (Metro Theatre)
12:30 : The Pack A.D (Metro Theatre)

Sunday:
1:30 Kuba Oms (Royal Athletic Park)
5:25 Daniel Wesley (Royal Athletic Park)
7:10: De La Soul (Royal Athletic Park) - CBC Radio 3

By Andrea WarnerSled Island is brought to you by copious quantities of beer and BBQ. But the five-day Calgary festival is more than just gluttony and vice -- it's a veritable smorgasbord for the senses, offering up over 200 bands at 30 venues for as motley an assortment of music lovers you're likely to ever see within a five-kilometre radius. And while the international acts -- the Dandy Warhols, the Raveonettes, Of Montreal, Buzzcocks -- got the prime placement, it was the homegrown talent that stole the spotlight. Well, mostly.

Justin Townes Earle earned his headliner status at Republik on Wednesday night, but second-billed Jenn Grant of Halifax made for a confident, sassy lead-in. Grant has added some rock edge to her traditionally folk pop sound, bewitching the crowd so completely that a muscle-head jock ditched his loud crowd of idiot friends to stand solo, transfixed.

Collectively, Thursday night's set at the Gateway proved to be Canada's strongest showing. Vancouver's Rococode were the loudest act of the night, but there was nothing sloppy about the sound: it was tightly orchestrated, pure pop rock. Regina's Library Voices continued to threaten the Hold Steady's grip on the title of North America's bar band, with a particularly memorable closing number, a charming sing-along version of John Lennon's "Oh, Yoko." But the real discovery was Saskatoon's Slow Down, Molasses, a seven-piece indie folk band that surprised and soothed in equal measure, from trombone solos to a totally shredded mandolin.

Former Vancouverite Adaline, who now calls Toronto home, showed off her powerful indie-pop pipes at the Palomino on Friday to a mixed crowd of festivalgoers and bar regulars looking for a little TGIF release. Mode Moderne, also from Vancouver, followed with an entertaining set that owed its existence to the back catalogues of the Cure and No Order. Later that night, hometown hero Rae Spoon took the stage at the Marquee Room, his clear voice floating beautifully atop a variety of pop, folk and dance club grooves. He also previewed the new album he's currently recording in Calgary with "London Destroyer," one part thumping goth, one part sweet electronica.

Saturday's main stage at Olympic Plaza proved a curious comedown from the rest of the fest, despite a few great moments. Seattle's Minus the Bear offered instantly forgettable indie rock, while Danish indie pop band the Raveonettes continued to put on listless live shows despite some great songs. The Dandy Warhols picked up the pace, playing crowd favourites and previewing a new song, "Wild Flag," featuring pummelled drums and plenty of guitar flourishes. New York's Twin Shadow busted out their new wave grooves with sunny energy, and Calgary's other indie icon, Chad VanGaalen, brought it all home, working his eclectic repertoire of folk, pop, and rock gems. - Exclaim!

By Alex HudsonVancouver's Rococode feature no shortage of Canadian indie talent: singer/keyboardist Laura Smith is a former member of Said the Whale, while Johnny Andrews and Shaun Huberts make up Tegan and Sara's live rhythm section. Having spent the year gigging regularly, the group are now getting ready to release their debut album. Entitled Guns, Sex and Glory, it's due out February 7, 2012.

The LP was produced by Mother Mother's Ryan Guldemond, along with the band's own Andrew Braun, and mixed by John Congleton (Modest Mouse, St. Vincent, Black Mountain). A press release promises that the tunes will be "equal parts arty and accessible, sexy and sweet, badass and beautiful."

You can preview the sound by listening to the songs "Empire" and "Weapon" below. These two tracks have been pressed on a seven-inch single that is available now. Listen to the punchy, atmospheric songs below.

Rococode are currently top 20 finalists in the PEAK Performance Project. Look for them to tour in October. In the meantime, see a small selection of British Columbia tour dates below.

Tour dates:

8/18 Vancouver, BC - The Electric Owl
8/19 Kelowna, BC - Habitat
9/23 Victoria, BC - Metro Theatre (Rifflandia)
- Exclaim!

. - The Vancouver Sun

Well, this is officially our first post and blog launch! Welcome. We are pretty stoked that we get to start off with such a sweet concert. Last night was the second of two sold out Mother Mother shows in Vancouver. The first show was an all ages one, though we opted out of that one because of the awesomeness that is the Commodore Ballroom and also to attempt to avoid all the baby hipsters who would be flocking out to see the show. Though sadly we did miss Brasstronaut who I have been hoping to see for some time now (though they will be playing Live at Squamish). Instead local musicians Rococode were opening for Mother Mother.



Rococode may very well be one of our favourite new artists of 2011 so far. We had the pleasure of seeing their show at the Waldorf several weeks ago for the Lab Magazine launch, and I was thoroughly impressed. They label themselves as an unfamiliar band made up of familiar faces. Their upcoming EP is produced by Andrew Braun and Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother). Andrew Braun and Laura Smith make up the core of the band along with Shaun Huberts and Johnny Andrews of Tegan and Sara. They also seem to have a revolving roster of guitarists. Last night the fantastic Ted Gowans of Tegan and Sara was playing guitar for them. They played the catchy and familiar Empire very early on in their set followed by the hauntingly beautiful Dreams, which is one of the few songs I have managed to acquire of theirs. Near the end of their set they played Weapon, which is available as a free download if you sign up for their mailing list. Their entire set was super fun and catchy and they seemed to win over the audience with their incredible talent. I must say I wished their was more banter between songs, though they did tastefully dismiss a fan asking if they were named after the Arcade Fire's song Rococo. Overall they did an amazing job, and I continue to get more and more pumped about their upcoming EP each time I see them.

- The Vancouver Music Review

Those of us that packed the Commodore for Thursday night’s sold-out Mother Mother show bore witness to a number of exceptional sightings. These included:

* (Mother Mother keyboardist) Jasmin’s bedazzled sequin get-up – that girl was like a bouncy, sparkly, [disco] ball of energy
* An incredibly aggressive and tightly packed crowd that filled the dance floor – not for the claustrophobic or faint of heart.
* Front man Ryan’s signature hairstyle that almost seems to defy gravity
* The daring, oh-so-young girls who rushed the stage near the end of the night, only to be immediately pursued by security. One even tried to escape her dreaded fate by surfing her way through the crowd, which probably seemed like a much better idea than it actually was. No doubt she was hurting when Friday morning rolled around…

And while all of this could easily stand on its own to go down as another great show at the Commodore, there was another major highlight for all of us music enthusiasts: an introduction to the up-and-coming Vancouver band, Rococode.

Opening up the night, Rococode vocalists Andrew Braun and Laura Smith captivated the crowd with sweet harmonies that proved their voices were just as in sync as their hairstyles (shown below). This new ensemble wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to us Vancouverites, however. Rounding out the band were Johnny Andrews and Shaun Huberts, who you might recognize as Tegan and Sara’s drummer and bassist, respectively.

Our favourite song from Rococode’s set was Empire, which we couldn’t help but share with you on this almost-sunny Music Monday. So why not pour yourself a nice big glass of Malbec, kick back, and let Laura’s hypnotic voice float you away… - Bottled Sound

Those of us that packed the Commodore for Thursday night’s sold-out Mother Mother show bore witness to a number of exceptional sightings. These included:

* (Mother Mother keyboardist) Jasmin’s bedazzled sequin get-up – that girl was like a bouncy, sparkly, [disco] ball of energy
* An incredibly aggressive and tightly packed crowd that filled the dance floor – not for the claustrophobic or faint of heart.
* Front man Ryan’s signature hairstyle that almost seems to defy gravity
* The daring, oh-so-young girls who rushed the stage near the end of the night, only to be immediately pursued by security. One even tried to escape her dreaded fate by surfing her way through the crowd, which probably seemed like a much better idea than it actually was. No doubt she was hurting when Friday morning rolled around…

And while all of this could easily stand on its own to go down as another great show at the Commodore, there was another major highlight for all of us music enthusiasts: an introduction to the up-and-coming Vancouver band, Rococode.

Opening up the night, Rococode vocalists Andrew Braun and Laura Smith captivated the crowd with sweet harmonies that proved their voices were just as in sync as their hairstyles (shown below). This new ensemble wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to us Vancouverites, however. Rounding out the band were Johnny Andrews and Shaun Huberts, who you might recognize as Tegan and Sara’s drummer and bassist, respectively.

Our favourite song from Rococode’s set was Empire, which we couldn’t help but share with you on this almost-sunny Music Monday. So why not pour yourself a nice big glass of Malbec, kick back, and let Laura’s hypnotic voice float you away… - Bottled Sound

After hearing phenomenal things about The Liptonians live show, and with the album growing on me the more I listen to it, I was ridiculously excited to see them for the first time last night. Especially with Rococode opening. And I'll get to that in a moment, but first, a bit of a rant...
This was the second time I have seen a show at Joe's Apartment, and I'm starting to form an opinion on the place. The sound is decent enough, but what really bugged me was the TVs. It was cool before the bands were playing, when Indiana Jones was on, but then they didn't turn the movie/screens off when the music starts. And then when they switch to dumb comedies after Indy? It's hard to keep focused on the bands when there is slapstick comedy and nudity and Borat happening on screens right next to the stage, right next to performers heads sometimes. It actually seems a little disrespectful to the bands.
But I digress, on to said bands.

Starting off the night was Jean-Paul De Roover. He took the stage alone but was soon joined by himself, with liberal use of looping. At first I thought it would get a bit much, but used more than just the guitar, adding elements like synth and even some vocal work as well. It's always cool to see people looping that masterful, so it was a fun set to watch, and his songs were pretty catchy. While I wasn't necessarily blown away, I wouldn't mind seeing him again next time he's through town.

Next up was Rococode, and I was a little surprised to see the full band, as I was under the impression it was an acoustic set (see above poster). But I was in no way disappointed; I've seen them a few times in the last few months, and am continually impressed. There was a bit more banter and chatting in between songs than previous sets, but they were still content to let most of their songs do the talking, including the incredibly infectious "Empire" -- which always gets stuck in my head -- the haunting "Dreams" and the first single from the upcoming album, "Weapon", which is already getting some radio play. They brought the set to an end with a song I didn't catch the name up, but came to a bombastic finish, for a great ending to the set. I am definitely looking forward to the new album with each time I see them live.

And finally, it was time for The Liptonians. The first thing I noticed was no actual horn section, but they had it covered with canned horns. The second thing was all the hype about them being a fantastic live band was completely true. They played a sort of condensed version of their album, started off with their lead single "You Know I Did" before going into two of my other favourite songs on the album, one being the raucous "Growing Old In The City", a fantastic song live, which included a garbage can lid being played. The combination of the band's great chemistry, nailing the harmonies, and stage presence, getting the crowd to clap along for "Perfect Swimmers", helped them command the stage from beginning to end.
The set came to a close with the beautiful "Lesage" and the album closer, "Let's March back Into The Sea", as they played right up to the curfew with no encore.
Which leads me to my only complaint, other than the lack of live horns, which would be that the set was way too short! They only played for about half an hour before getting cut off by the curfew so the shiny shirts could take over the place. I can only hope that sooner rather than later (and at a better venue) they will march back into Vancouver.
- 3am Revelations

"Vancouver's new buzz band Rococode"


BreakOut West 2010 Big Success

By Stuart Derdeyn Sun, Oct 24 2010 COMMENTS(0) Hear Candy


Kelowna: There certainly was an element of Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down" on the streets of downtown Kelowna. After three fun-filled nights of non-stop music making, all that remained was bleary eyed roadies huffing gear out of venues such as Habitat, discarded and trampled download cards and vomit-stained sidewalks. The Breakout West party portion of this year's Western Canadian Music Awards was over.

Earlier in the morning, members of Winnipeg's Royal Canoe were discussing the trip home in a few hours.

They weren't the only act in the process of packing up and heading home either. Wassabi Collective were readying for the ride to Nelson, B.C., and so on. It's a hard reality of being a Western Canadian artist that nowhere is close to anywhere else. A significant portion of North America is located within the boundaries of the participating provinces and territories at the WCMAs. But the bands and the industry players make the trip because it's worth it to them. Doubtless, many are thinking about how long the haul to next year's party in Whitehorse, YT, is going to be.

If the Yukon planning committee can come up with an event as fun as Kelowna's - bring it on. Bang for the budget-wise, Breakout West was a fan's wet dream. Yes, later in the evening, it did get hard to get into all of the participating venues. So some strategic planning was needed if you had someone you really wanted to see later on, it might mean watching a few acts you didn't know. Not exactly sufferring when the pay off of seeing Corb Lund perform in the Streaming Cafe (maybe 80-100 max) was getting introduced to the extremely talented Dojo Workhorse and Jen Lane before his set.

Trends observed included the following:

- Forget the classic power trio or quartet, bigger bands are where it's at. From Regina's Library Voices to Royal Canoe and so on, the body count is on the rise. Is it the Arcade Fire's influence? Or is it just a lot more fun to pack the stage with more musicians for a better performance vibe.

- Keyboards are everywhere. Violent Kin, Vancouver's new buzz band Rococode, We Are the City and others are all repping the keys over more guitars. A lot of the gear used is vintage too. Old Fender Rhodes pianos, early Moogs and more graced stages. EBay is busy apparently.

- Singing is in again. THANK GOODNESS! Chiming multi-part harmonies, clear and in key lead singers and nary a whining lo-fi off-key pain in the arse to be heard. Even Winnipeg hip hoppers the Lytics surprised the audience at Gotcha when they nailed pitch perfect old school soul R&B four part lead vocals in a few songs. "We've been known to sing a little in the past," said one member. "Maybe even in church." Hallelujah! I was getting so sick of 'character' indie rock singers.

- Chant along choruses. Apparently, all the geeks who didn't get their glee club yearnings out in school are now obsessed with writing songs that have choruses that mimic UK soccer yobs drunken shouting in unison. Haven't done that much collective 'oi, oi, oi'ing' since the punk days.

- Live music, for all the whining in every city about lack of venues, is alive and well.

Particularly in B.C., which is pretty ironic given the way in which the Provincial government has laid one right in the 'nads of the arts community. While cities like Kelowna or Vancouver may be aware of the benefits of arts and culture on the quality of life in their communities, the folks in Victoria feel that its something we can do without. Seeing various shout outs to the people behind the 2010 Cultural Olympiad at the Music Industry Awards Ceremony made me grind my teeth too. Here are people who did an amazing job bringing a real sense of Canadian cultural identity and uniquely provincial perspectives to the world and the host province says 'meh.'

It must be hard on tireless supporters of the music scene in the province like Music BC's Bob D'Eith to keep advocating for funding, venues and so on. I know I seethe with disgust when I consider that the millions of taxpayer's money wasted on the Basi/Virk scolding, er, grounding - whatever that pitiful legal fiasco deserves to be called - could've financed careers and brought cash and culture into communities across the province. Of course, the elected officials know what their priorities are and whatever.

Here's hoping that they don't keep up their efforts and the public lobbies hard to get funding levels restored or improved for the arts in British Columbia. In the interim - and it won't be a pretty one - support your local music scene in all of its genres. Really. If you don't wanna rock, why not swing into some jazz, boogie at a bhangra show or contemplate the first rate artistry of a classical performance. It's all out there for the taking right in your community.

Look for my awa - The Province

I first heard of Eva through a friend of mine that directed me toward her blog. Eva documented her battle with cystic fibrosis with such heart and such grace that the world fell in love with her. Eva touched so many people and brought such energy and determination to the fight against CF that support has proliferated since her courageous battle came to an end last March. I attended a benefit concert on Feb.13th that was in honour of Eva. Many of the bands that performed had a personal connection with Eva which made the event extra moving.

When I arrived, Steph Macpherson was taking the stage. She is a very clever songwriter. One of my favorite feelings is when an emotion or sentiment that I have been unable to express through words or images is packaged up in an eloquent and poetic gift by a musician. I have felt this a couple times while listening to Steph.

Rococode took the stage next. As their website explains, “Rococode is an unfamiliar band made up of familiar faces”. I always love seeing Laura Smith live so it was a treat to watch the latest collaboration. They totally rocked the house. Live performances do not always guarantee that the bands will “put on a show”. Some bands just stand on stage and play their music, not really justifying the fact that people payed to WATCH them as well as listen. Well, Rococode are true performers. Their love for their art was very evident. Rococode is a must see when they come to your town. I adore shooting bands that give ‘er.

I caught a little bit of Sunday Buckets just as I was leaving. They certainly had the crowd going. Tons of energy and a super fun way to end the evening. - Keri Coles

The West Coast Pop concert series kicked off in fine fashion last night at the Red Room, where it will be running every Saturday for the next 13 weeks. Future acts include 41st & Home, Kyprios, The Dudes, Treelines, and the show I am most looking forward to thus far: We Are The City with Aidan Knight and Analog Bell Service. There will also be more shows announced soon (like, next week soon).

As for the first show... I am not going to lie, I am still disappointed that Young Galaxy had to drop out, but Bend Sinister is always a good time, and the other band I really wanted to see was still on the bill.

That band? Rococode. I had seen this new project from Laura Smith and Andrew Braun in December at the Biltmore (and acoustic at Sitka) and was really impressed, so I was definitely looking forward to seeing them again. Despite being a brand new band, they are not unfamiliar with playing together, which helped them sound incredibly tight. Braun and Smith shared vocals -- and for at least one song, keys -- for some insanely catchy power-pop songs, and even though the crowd was a bit thin due to an early start, they soon drew everyone's attention and filled the dance floor area. I have no doubt they won over more than a few fans, and I especially can't wait until they have some recorded material out; one of their songs, "Empire", was still stuck in my head all morning.

Next up was The Racoons who, after a bit of a false start, got right into it. They were a bit harder rocking, and at times reminded me a little of The Constantines, in both sound and especially vocals. Their songs were good, if lacking a little in variety, and they had a pretty good stage presence as well. I did have some issues with the sound, though. The other two sets sounded fine, but for some reason, the bass was really overpowering; especially at the start of the set. That aside, I did enjoy their set; I wasn't overwhelmed by it, but I liked it well enough and would be interested in seeing them again.

And rounding out the night was Bend Sinister. They are always incredibly fun to watch live, and last night was no exception. Even being the first show with the new bass player, they were firing on all cylinders, with intense energy from the whole band, especially Dan Moxon. Sprinkled throughout their set were some new songs, as they teased a new release at some point. They were definitely "Bend Sinister songs", lively and enthusiastic, and one of which was introduced as "an ode to Hall & Oats". Among the older songs, "CT" and "Dr. Lee" were both highlights, being incredibly frantic, and the pairing of "Don't Let Us Bring You Down" leading into "Things Will Get Better" was pretty great.
At the end, they broke out a Billy Joel cover (I think "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)") before an intense ending with another new song (I think) and, refreshingly, just left the stage, all done with no encore. I think I've ranted before about how I think the encore break is a waste of time, now that everyone expects it, so it's always nice to see a band just use their full time without it.

In all, a damn good launch to what is sure to be an excellent concert series. - 3am Revelations

Posted by Jamie Cessford on Thursday, February 24, 2011 ·

On February 19th Matt and I had the privilege of attending the opening night of 100.5 FM The Peak’s West Coast Pop!, a concert series dedicated primarily to the dominant acts in the local independent music scene. Originally, Abbottsford dance-punks You Say Party! were slated to open the festivities (accompanied by the ethereal pop of Young Galaxy), but unfortunately, illness prevented this lineup from congregating at the Red Room.

The silver lining of this tragic cancellation was that Matt and I got to experience three bands that breached our realm of familiarity: Rococode, The Raccoons, and Vancouver staple, Bend Sinister.

While we had been loosely introduced to the latter two through an obvious MySpace search, Rococode was a total mystery. With no music online and an album loosely in the finishing stages, Matt and I were prepared to judge their live performance without prior speculation. Fortunately, Rococode stormed through their forty-minute set of precise, pointed, and energetic indie-rock with hardly a hitch, banking on a sharp female/male vocal dualism to carry their deceptively intricate writing style. Their immediate command over the stage and noticeably veteran comfort took hold over the rest of the people that were also unfamiliar with them (i.e. everyone that wasn’t in the band).

After the pleasant surprise that was Rococode, The Raccoons took the stage. Despite a false start due to an equipment malfunction, the group (which included a ghost bass player, apparently) managed to regain their footing. Without much hesitation they powered through their set of upbeat, effects/synth happy pop music. From the beginning of the set, the crowd began to populate a previously empty dance floor. It became obvious that much of the crowd was there for The Raccoons, (as I learned from the swift kick in the bum from a drunk Raccoonite who was unimpressed with my mid-set texting). Needless to say, I now understand the local affection for the Victoria synth-poppers.

Finally, at the pinnacle of the evening, Bend Sinister took the stage. Their brand of jangly, hyper-catchy piano pop-rock infected the crowd immediately. To be frank, everybody lost their collective shit. Rightfully so, as their excitable, zealous stage presence was enough to win over the most cynical naysayer. Understandably, the floor was wrought with dancing and a radiating positive atmosphere that perfectly capped the evening.

All in all, the first night of West Coast Pop! was a complete success. The Red Room was an appropriate host for the evening of warm independent music that exemplified much of the Vancouver scene.

Be sure to check out the next installment of West Coast Pop on February 26th when Wasabi Collective takes the stage, with support from The Midnight Hours and Cruel Young Heart. Doors at 7PM, tickets on sale now for $10.05 here.

Photos By: Matt Van Deventer - The Modline

Last year, I said: "the best way to describe what happened last night would be that it was like watching a huge group party of Rock Band. Except instead of your tone deaf, rhythm-less friends, it was actual, talented musicians. And instead of plastic instruments, it was the real thing". And while it's pretty lazy to just copy and paste that, I can't think of a better description of One Night Stand III. All year I've been talking about the magic of Vancouver's local scene, and the third instalment of this New Years Eve party was the culmination of that, with a dozen musicians from various bands coming together for a night of cover songs.
The band consisted of Adaline, Andrew Braun, Johnny Andrews & Laura Smith (Rococode), Brian Healy & Rob Tornroos (Elias), Dominique Fricot, Hannah Georgas, Jasmin Parkin (Mother Mother), Josh McNorton, Peter Carrutthers (Said The Whale), Robbie Driscoll (Hannah Georgas) as well as a surprise guest for a couple songs. They rotated on and off stage all night, except for Johnny Andrews, who was on the drums for every single song (but one), and played nearly three hours of music, across three sets.

The first started at 10 and consisted of:
Call Me (Blondie)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder)
Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
Someday (The Strokes)
My Moon My Man (Feist)
Love Fool (The Cardigans)
Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen)
All These Things That I've Done (The Killers)

One of my favourite covers of the night came early with "Just Like Heaven", a song I adore. At first I though Hannah was an odd choice to take vocals, but as soon as she opened her mouth, I was proven wrong (really, I should have known better). The set saw Hannah, Smith and Adaline taking a lot of the vocals, with both "My Moon, My Man" (Smith) and "Love Fool" (Adaline) also being great covers. After that Dominique Fricot -- who was actually too tall for the decorations -- came out for a pretty spot on Bono, and the set ended with the crowd chanting along to the chorus of "All These Things That I've Done". Though I have to admit, I was a little sad that The Killers got a much bigger reaction than The Cure.

Second Set:
Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)
Enjoy The Silence (Depeche Mode)
Pump It Up (Elvis Costello)
Breakdown (Tom Petty)
This Charming Man (The Smiths)
Rehab (Amy Winehouse)
Creep (Radiohead)
Where Is My Mind (The Pixies)

This set was a little slower in tone, but "Sledgehammer" was another great cover, and Robbie Driscoll stepped out from behind the bass to channel some Costello for his only song on vocals.
The set ended with a bit of Mother Mother, as not only Jasmine came out to sing, but there was a surprise appearance by Ryan Guldemond joining the group on stage. He brought the final set of 2010 to a close with one of his favourite songs, "Where Is My Mind". It was definitely another highlight of the night, and judging by the amount of singing (and ooo-ooooh-ing) along, I wasn't the only one of that opinion.

Third Set:
Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)
(I've Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes)
If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)
1901 (Phoenix)
Dog Days are Over (Florence & The Machine)
The Good Life (Weezer)
Bullet Proof (La Roux)
Loser (Beck)
Instant Karma (John Lennon)

And the first set of 2011 started with the customary slow dance, before continuing the dancing theme with a duet from Fricot and Adaline. Who, as far as I'm concerned, both stole the show throughout the night; especially after Adaline crushed "Dog Days Are Over" in another of the best renditions of the night.
Finally, after Hannah nailed "Loser", with the crowd joining in on the chorus, all the performers came back out on stage to cap off the night with "Instant Karma" -- I was expecting a Beatles song, I was close -- for another sing-a-long, and a fantastic way to both end the night and start the new year.

In all, it was an amazing night. While I think I liked last years setlists a bit better overall, the experience of the night, the friends and the atmosphere and everything, far outmatched it.
And since I started by shameless copy & pasting, I may as well paraphrase the end of last years post, too: "There is a saying or superstition, I guess, that says that whatever you're doing at midnight is what you'll be doing for the rest of the year. If that's the case, I can't wait for whatever this next year has in store." - 3am Revelations

Last year, I said: "the best way to describe what happened last night would be that it was like watching a huge group party of Rock Band. Except instead of your tone deaf, rhythm-less friends, it was actual, talented musicians. And instead of plastic instruments, it was the real thing". And while it's pretty lazy to just copy and paste that, I can't think of a better description of One Night Stand III. All year I've been talking about the magic of Vancouver's local scene, and the third instalment of this New Years Eve party was the culmination of that, with a dozen musicians from various bands coming together for a night of cover songs.
The band consisted of Adaline, Andrew Braun, Johnny Andrews & Laura Smith (Rococode), Brian Healy & Rob Tornroos (Elias), Dominique Fricot, Hannah Georgas, Jasmin Parkin (Mother Mother), Josh McNorton, Peter Carrutthers (Said The Whale), Robbie Driscoll (Hannah Georgas) as well as a surprise guest for a couple songs. They rotated on and off stage all night, except for Johnny Andrews, who was on the drums for every single song (but one), and played nearly three hours of music, across three sets.

The first started at 10 and consisted of:
Call Me (Blondie)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder)
Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
Someday (The Strokes)
My Moon My Man (Feist)
Love Fool (The Cardigans)
Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen)
All These Things That I've Done (The Killers)

One of my favourite covers of the night came early with "Just Like Heaven", a song I adore. At first I though Hannah was an odd choice to take vocals, but as soon as she opened her mouth, I was proven wrong (really, I should have known better). The set saw Hannah, Smith and Adaline taking a lot of the vocals, with both "My Moon, My Man" (Smith) and "Love Fool" (Adaline) also being great covers. After that Dominique Fricot -- who was actually too tall for the decorations -- came out for a pretty spot on Bono, and the set ended with the crowd chanting along to the chorus of "All These Things That I've Done". Though I have to admit, I was a little sad that The Killers got a much bigger reaction than The Cure.

Second Set:
Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)
Enjoy The Silence (Depeche Mode)
Pump It Up (Elvis Costello)
Breakdown (Tom Petty)
This Charming Man (The Smiths)
Rehab (Amy Winehouse)
Creep (Radiohead)
Where Is My Mind (The Pixies)

This set was a little slower in tone, but "Sledgehammer" was another great cover, and Robbie Driscoll stepped out from behind the bass to channel some Costello for his only song on vocals.
The set ended with a bit of Mother Mother, as not only Jasmine came out to sing, but there was a surprise appearance by Ryan Guldemond joining the group on stage. He brought the final set of 2010 to a close with one of his favourite songs, "Where Is My Mind". It was definitely another highlight of the night, and judging by the amount of singing (and ooo-ooooh-ing) along, I wasn't the only one of that opinion.

Third Set:
Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)
(I've Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes)
If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)
1901 (Phoenix)
Dog Days are Over (Florence & The Machine)
The Good Life (Weezer)
Bullet Proof (La Roux)
Loser (Beck)
Instant Karma (John Lennon)

And the first set of 2011 started with the customary slow dance, before continuing the dancing theme with a duet from Fricot and Adaline. Who, as far as I'm concerned, both stole the show throughout the night; especially after Adaline crushed "Dog Days Are Over" in another of the best renditions of the night.
Finally, after Hannah nailed "Loser", with the crowd joining in on the chorus, all the performers came back out on stage to cap off the night with "Instant Karma" -- I was expecting a Beatles song, I was close -- for another sing-a-long, and a fantastic way to both end the night and start the new year.

In all, it was an amazing night. While I think I liked last years setlists a bit better overall, the experience of the night, the friends and the atmosphere and everything, far outmatched it.
And since I started by shameless copy & pasting, I may as well paraphrase the end of last years post, too: "There is a saying or superstition, I guess, that says that whatever you're doing at midnight is what you'll be doing for the rest of the year. If that's the case, I can't wait for whatever this next year has in store." - 3am Revelations

Last night the Biltmore hosted the 5th annual Funderwear Benefit, to help raise money, and also socks & underwear, for the Salvation Army Harbour Light Vancouver. It was also a stellar lineup of local talent (if "local" includes the island), with a couple of the acts being responsible for two of my favourite albums this year.

Starting the night off was a new band with some familiar musicians, Rococode. The new project from Laura Smith and Andrew Braun also included Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother), Shaun Huberts and Johnny Andrews (both of Tegan & Sara) helping out. It was their first show in Vancouver, and I was quite impressed with what I heard. They had a really upbeat, indie-pop sound, that vaguely reminded me of Mother Mother, especially with Smith's strong voice. She and Braun shared vocal duties, as well as keys for a set of really catchy songs. They teased an album coming out early next year, and I am looking forward to checking it out, and seeing them play again.

Next was David Vertesi. When I first saw him live, I wrote "I would be really interested to hear them with a backing band", and each time I saw him since, it was more or less an acoustic set. Well, this time I got my wish. He was joined again by David Joseph on bass, but also had Cayne & Andy from We Are The City helping on keys & drums. As much as I liked his acoustic sets, I think I liked the full band a bit better; The core of the songs were still the same, none were radically different, but they were just much richer (as you would expect) and allowed Vertesi -- and the rest -- to rock out on a couple occasions. "Soft Skin" and "Broadcasting" especially benefited from the full band sound. He brought the set to an end with "Hearts Don't Break, People Do", which I think has become one of my favourite songs of the year. While I am sure that this incarnation of a band may not be seen again - with Andy & Cayne busy with their own upcoming EP -- I hope to be able to see Vertesi with a full band next time he plays.

Kathryn Calder, who I was very much looking forward to seeing, was up third. Last time I saw her performing her own material was at last years Mint Records X-Mas party, well before the album came out.
After being used to seeing her behind a keyboard for a few years now, it was a bit odd to see her playing a guitar, but she was back and forth between that and the keys throughout the set, and with her backing band -- which included a couple members of MeatDraw --she definitely captured the energy of the album. There was one new song, but the rest were from the album -- most of which were insanely upbeat and catchy, but she also brought the tempo down a couple times with some of her slower ones. "A Day Long Past It's Prime" and "So Easily" were on either end of the spectrum, and both were highlights of the set. I know she has been busy with her New Pornographers duties the last while, but hopefully she'll be touring on her own soon enough, and back here with another show of her ow.

And finally was MeatDraw, who I had also not seen live in some time. I had kind of forgotten how fun the band is to watch live, even with the occasionally dark lyrics hidden by the bombastically upbeat songs. The enthusiasm for being on stage definitely bled through, not just in their joking around between songs, but in their playing, too. Their almost folky pop sound was rounded out by a small, two person horn section -- and even a saw for a couple of songs. Despite it being well past midnight by the time they went on, they definitely had enough energy to spare, and had the remaining crowd into it. The only downside was that the set seemed to be a bit short, but they mentioned a few new songs thrown into the set, so I am hoping that means a new album soon, as well as a tour to go along with it. Like Calder, I don't want to have to wait another year before seeing them play again.

I should also mention that the night was presented by File Under: Music, who put out Cardiography and Are You My Mother?, Vertesi and Calder's albums -- the aforementioned favourites of the year. They also released a few albums for a guy you may have heard of... Dan Mangan? - 3am Revelations

Vancouver based group could be the next great Canadian synth duo

Returning from an exhausting 18 months of touring their debut LP Guns, Sex & Glory back in 2012, Vancouver-based indie synth duo Rococode felt no reason to slow down. Instead, they got right back to work to produce their best tunes yet for their brand new EP, Panic Attack.

After working with Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond on their previous album (of which he produced), Laura Smith and Andrew Braun took note of their fellow Vancouverites’ boy/girl back-and-forth vocals. This gave them a solid basis of their indie rock sound; mixing that in with their already shimmering synth textures, and pristine drum sampling akin to that of heavyweight hip-hop artists.

To draw from the same vein as many of their notable influences, this time around Rococode recruited producers from other synth/electro duos Phantogram (Caleb Shreve) and Tegan and Sara (Ted Gowans). Holed up in a B.C. studio deep within the woods, the group were able to forge hits like the eponymous single “Panic Attack” as naturally as their surroundings.

Panic Attack is only four songs long (plus a remix), but is a precursor to the entire LP, slated to be released this Februrary. Check out these Vancouver rising stars, and be sure to catch them in town on their next tour run. - Indie 88

Much like the song title may imply, Rococode, the electro-pop band from Vancouver BC are an absolute gem. "A Diamond" is the first song off their upcoming full-length album Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon that features thick synths, covered in warm strings and a steady march of drums. Over all of the shine, Laura sings about both the glamour and disgust of the human experience. Look out for their new album which comes out Friday, February 26.

"It's both a song about a personal journey through light and dark, thick and thin, as well as broader brushes with the darker sides of humanity like the diamond industry." explains Andrew Braun of Rococode. "Writing this song sparked the beginning of a new era of creativity for us. It was a big moment—Laura has a tattoo that goes with it." Listen to the song below: - Noisey