Beads were flying on SAIT’s campus last night, as two great local bands and one very bendy group of dancers brought a little of that N’awlins party vibe to Calgary, organized by TVT Global Passport. Everyone in attendance got a free string of beads at the door, with more available for purchase – the beadiest person at the end of the night was the winner. Faces were painted, costumes judged, and funds raised for TVT students to take to Peru.
First up was Heigh River (yes, it sounds a bit like High River), a five-top of very energetic musicians who quickly got the crowd’s attention. The pace was fast, the songs were upbeat and technically impressive, and the joy that these guys brought to the stage was infectious. They bounced around, popping up on speakers like inquisitive housecats, loudly declaring their love for early 90’s hip-hop, and generally just rocking out like it was the best night of their lives. With a sound like a West-coast Canadian band (minus any sort of celtic feel), Heigh River could be Calgary’s answer to Bend Sinister, with grins as big as the Barenaked Ladies. You can see more of Heigh River on their YouTube page.
The intermission featured the impressive and crowd-pleasing stunts of High Strung, who danced, writhed and did a tremendous number of splits to the good favour of the audience, who hooted to every new bend. The finale included some ladder work, and a conga line with hats extended for a bit more fund raising.
The night ended with a literal bang, as local powerhouse Septembryo took to the stage, and quickly filled the floor with adoring, dancing fans. Pounding, crisp beats backed songs that were refreshingly original but achingly familiar, creating instant nostalgia. A new Our Lady Peace with their own harder, distinct style, they wowed the crowd with new hits and even a fun rendition of “When The Night Feels My Song” by Bedouin Soundclash. You can catch them next at The Hub at Mount Royal, when they open for the King Dylan CD Release show. If you buy your tickets online, you can also snag a really sharp Septembryo t-shirt in the deal. You can hear more from the band on iTunes, where their Dreambuilder EP is available.
