July 23, 2013 – Tuesday nights in Halifax are usually pretty low key when deciding what live show to take in. On July 23 at The Carleton on Argyle Street, July Talk changed that with a sold out show that was opened by a very funny yet talented guitarist Adam Baldwin.
Baldwin’s short set was made up of his powerful original material, stories about his new 13 month old boy, and how time spent on the road with July Talk helped him to deal with the sudden passing of fellow Matt Mays guitar player, Jay Smith. If I remember correctly, one of his final comments was “These guys are not shitheads” just before he finished his set. Friends of ours had given high praise for Toronto’s July Talk, so we ventured out on a rainy Tuesday night to see for ourselves.
Most times we are very familiar with the bands that we cover, but in the case of July Talk we made a point of avoiding any exposure to their material prior to catching them live at The Carleton. This may seem strange but we wanted to save the experience for their live show to see if all the hype was justified.
July Talk is fronted by the very talented female vocalist Leah Fay and guitar player/vocalist Peter Dreimanis. These two individuals are one of the most dynamic and playful teams that we have seen on stage in recent times. The pair display exceptional stage personas; Fay seemed quite intent on teasing and tormenting Dreimanis at critical points in the show, rubbing her hands across his face while concentrating on a lead guitar part. During one of these moments Dreimanis gently bit Fay’s fingers; to which Fay simply replied “You’re Bad”. Obviously this interaction makes July Talk even more appealing.
The Carleton is a relatively small venue that is often used for acoustic shows that rely on a seated environment. This is so the audience members have a clear view of the performer that is on stage. With an act like July Talk, a seated, quiet show, just wouldn’t work. The sad part is that once the show starts, people are instantly drawn to the area directly in front of the stage blocking the view for people seated for the show.
Fay took full advantage of the situation using her stage persona to effortlessly control the audience, getting those at the front of the stage to sit for periods of time to allow an unobstructed view of the stage. She would then prompt those up front back to their feet allowing them to release their energy bouncing and swaying to the groove the band created.
Setlist:
- Rationed
- Sex Song
- Let Her Know
- Don’t Call Home
- Garden
- Guns & Ammo
- Brother
- Summer Dress
- Someone
- Paper Gir
- Encore: My Neck
When July Talk finished their set of high energy rock music, the crowd was buzzing with joy after experiencing a completely satisfying show. Both Dreimanis and Fay made themselves available right after the show at their merchandise stand. They mingled with audience members while signing anything item one could provide for them. It seems that the pre-show hype was accurate as we enjoyed the entire set from start to finish. We would go back to see this band at the drop of a hat and we think that you should too. In our opinion, July Talk could very well be the next big thing in Canadian music.
Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
