WAVELENGTH 13: SUNDAY CELEBRATES TEN YEARS OF DEBUTS, SURPRISES, AND MUSIC
If the closing night of Wavelength 13 was any indication, it’s been a good 10 years for
the Toronto series. Their last night on Sunday, Feb. 17th was both a spectacle, a(n almost)
debut/much anticipated return, and even a surprise.
I unfortunately only caught the end of Legato Vipers, who brought with them The
Harlettes, a team of burlesque dancers. It was certainly the most breast I’ve seen at a
show this year. No, I didn’t get photos of it – so you’ll just have to trust me on this (or
use Google, because thankfully other photographers have you covered there.)
The strange, fun party continued care of Henri Fabergé and the Adorables. The
Toronto band is a collective. Its lead, Henry Fletcher, takes his European character very
seriously – haircut, mustache, lederhosen, high-heeled clogs, et al.
It’s off-the-wall, eccentric pop designed to entertain – a point Fabergé called out to the
audience as he told the crowd, “I noticed a lot of you aren’t dancing. We’re going to
change that.” He then proceeded to jump off stage and start a mosh. The Adorables were
also noteworthy, amongst them Canadian musicians Maylee Todd and Laura Barrett who
are worth seeing in their own right. In a supergroup? Magnifique.
The Magic also brought help with them. The last time I saw the Guelph-based project,
it had just been the Gordon brothers. For Wavelength, they had a much more complete
show – and it changed their dynamic entirely, giving life to the project.
I hadn’t liked them when it was just Evan, Geordie, and pre-recorded backing music, but
their Sunday show at The Garrison changed my mind. Understandably, it’s hard to see
them in their full lineup – the other members of the band appear on the record, but are
committed to other projects. Synth-player and vocalist Sylvie Smith (best known for her
work in Evening Hymns) was particularly impressive, especially on the upbeat “Call Me
Up.”
Speaking of other projects… One of the main draws of the night was Cookie Duster. In
the wake of Broken Social Scene’s hiatus, guitarist Brendan Canning revived the late 90s
project. In 2012, the Toronto band released album When Flying Was Easy. But the five-
piece didn’t tour the album. So, Wavelength swooped in and got the “debut” of the band.
Okay, not entirely true – apparently it was their third show (and the first in a long while,)
but the audience seemed to know they were seeing something special. As far as quote-
unquote “debut” shows go, it was pretty good. They’re at their best with guitar solos, but
would benefit from some fine-tuning. The songs themselves play well live and, fingers
crossed, they’ll keep the whole “playing live” thing going. At least for a little while.
Unannounced special guests Dusted had the privilege of closing out Wavelength 13.
The duo – made up of guitarist Brian Borcherdt and drummer/keyboardist Leon Taheny
– sound like a stripped-down version of The Shins, mostly owing to the quality of
Borcherdt’s voice. Borcherdt (perhaps best known for his work with the very different
Holy Fuck) managed to bust his guitar three songs into the set but thankfully managed to
find a powder blue replacement somewhere backstage.
While much of the audience left following Cookie Duster, those that stayed for Dusted
received a strong reminder of why Wavelength is an event Toronto music fans need to
go to. You never know what you’ll get from the mixed lineup, but there’s always such a
strong showing from the Canadian indie scene. Until next year, Wavelength.
Photos & Review: Sarah Rix
Category: Photo Updates
