Categories : Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov |
Braids lead singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston fought through a case of bronchitis, and the band as a whole fought through consistent sound problems, to put on a heck of a show on Wednesday night at Calgary’s Grand Theatre. Standell-Preson walked out on stage and sheepishly apologized into the microphone, without a trace of a voice, and then proceeded to rise to the occasion through the band’s 45-minute set of swirling, soaring art rock. Her only falter was during the band’s encore, which triggered an uproar of support from her hometown crowd.
Unfortunately, the only people in the house that didn’t rise to the occasion were the sound engineers. The set was being recorded by CBC Radio, so the band did the best they could to communicate through hand gestures, although a clearly frustrated Standell-Preston did have to stop mid-song at one point for a stern, “turn my vocals down!”
Aside from the sound problems – which the crowd would’ve hardly noticed anyway – Braids performed far beyond the expectations of a band so young, and with a star so rapidly ascending. They have an unassuming stage presence, but the music really speaks for itself. It’s a band that sound well beyond their years.
