The Balconies

Fresh from a whirlwind showcase down at Austin's SXSW festival, gritty pop rockers the Balconies showed absolutely no let-up in hitting the CMW stage. Explosive frontwoman Jacquie Neville powered the trio through a stomping set of chugging rock rhythms buoyed by driving bass and the guitar licks' classic melodies, along with flashes of slinky sex appeal. The crew maintained a tight pace throughout, working comfortably in unison as they traded vocals and swapped moments in the spotlight, varying their generally high-energy output with hypnotic grooves like that felt in the toned-down "The Slo." But it was Neville's own near-indescribable guitar strumming theatrics that held centre stage, with the singer attacking lines and solos in a convulsive fury that proved even more impressive than her already intriguing phrasings. And it's this passionate display that always makes the Balconies a joy to watch.