Hooded Fang

Like a quirky collection of B-sides, the mostly fantastic Live Near Bellwoods afternoon sessions have given bands an off-the-beaten-path chance to stretch their legs, banter with fans and workshop new tracks. Regardless of the atypical setup and truncated running times, most acts have embraced the opportunity, playfully spicing up arrangements and tweaking their tunes. Conversely, local orch-pop stars, Hooded Fang, dashed off a super-brisk slate of four ostensibly obligatory, muscle-memory songs. Of course, the usually buoyant outfit's inherently charming canon -- full of "ba bah's," twee-ish sentiments and uplifting keys -- still made for a vaguely compelling set, even without their hearts in it.