Skinny Monday: No Gold, Azeda Booth and Search Parties at the Biltmore

I love No Gold. I have a problem when I'm seeing them, though. I always get drunk and forget to take notes even though I know I'm planning on writing about it.

Anyhow No Gold headlined at Skinny Mondays at the Biltmore. The three-piece is always rad live. I've never seen them and not enjoyed myself even though their sound is a little loose. I'm told one of their bigger influences is Fela Kuti and it shows in the polyrhythmic jammy stuff they put out on the bass, guitar and drums set-up they have. Their music is a sunny day. I'd love to see them outside on a warm night at some point which I think would be the perfect venue for them. I spoke to Liam Butler (bass/vocals) after the set and they apparently have a 7" and an album in the works for release before the end of the summer.

Azeda Booth from Calgary played second. I was disappointed and annoyed. They reminded me of Why? musically, but without the talented frontman Yoni Wolf. So bad Why?. They had an IDM/trip-pop sound with a vocalist whose high voice and stage presence grated on my nerves.

What I was very pleasantly surprised by was Search Parties who I've seen a couple times before, but this night they were playing entirely new material and it was all great. The group seems bigger (both in members and musically) every time I see them, I think they've reached six members not counting the young ladies they had painting in front of their stage as part of the performance. Harlan Shore, the young front man for the band, seems constantly busy (he organizes Dancing in our Debt and the band seems to play constant shows). He was displaying a punk vocal style that hadn't showcased as well in previous more acoustic appearances. The kid can sing, but he can also scream with the best of them. Their new music was well-written with a feeling of epic grandiosity that reminded me of the stars of post-rock or U2. That sounds pretentious, but I don't mean their music sounded pretentious, just that it sounded... important. (I sound pretentious writing phrases like that.)

Search Parties are keeping busy playing shows on April 11, 17, 24 and May 2. Check their Myspace for details. No Gold are playing on April 16 and May 2. (details)

Photo of Harlan Shore from Search Parties courtesy of and by Steve Louie.