Cheap cans of PBR, free pizza and jangly, messy garage rock — these are the cornerstones to a fulfilling and redemptive lifestyle.
Clearly, the Biltmore is aware of this logic. They put on a night that had believers of said lifestyle showing up much earlier than you'd assume. But it wasn't just the free 'za that brought the crowd out. Vancouver favourites Student Teacher rewarded those who showed up early with a compact set that fused tinges of goth rock with a palpable optimistic edge.
Loud and driving as they may have been, their underlying emphasis on purveying subtle melodies, à la early Velvet Underground, is how the five-piece will ultimately make a name for themselves. Granted, the omnipresent floating pepperoni pie on the video backdrop didn't hurt matters either.
And what of Omaha's Box Elders, the very personification of simplistic, sunny garage noise that Goner Records prides itself on? Well, they held up their end of the bargain quite well too. Not only did brothers Clayton and Jeremiah McIntyre sing each of their short, carefree tracks in unison, but they each sported double-necked guitars and basses. Their harmonies were pleasing both on the eyes and the ears. They spared no expense when it came to energy, appearing rather childlike throughout the set. Perhaps Vancouver's normally stoic crowd had won them over.
Though it might have been an "early show" two questions overhead while leaving the Biltmore summed up the night: "So who the hell were those guys anyway?" and "Who's hungry? Let's grab some more pizza and listen to this new record I just picked up."
Clearly, the Biltmore is aware of this logic. They put on a night that had believers of said lifestyle showing up much earlier than you'd assume. But it wasn't just the free 'za that brought the crowd out. Vancouver favourites Student Teacher rewarded those who showed up early with a compact set that fused tinges of goth rock with a palpable optimistic edge.
Loud and driving as they may have been, their underlying emphasis on purveying subtle melodies, à la early Velvet Underground, is how the five-piece will ultimately make a name for themselves. Granted, the omnipresent floating pepperoni pie on the video backdrop didn't hurt matters either.
And what of Omaha's Box Elders, the very personification of simplistic, sunny garage noise that Goner Records prides itself on? Well, they held up their end of the bargain quite well too. Not only did brothers Clayton and Jeremiah McIntyre sing each of their short, carefree tracks in unison, but they each sported double-necked guitars and basses. Their harmonies were pleasing both on the eyes and the ears. They spared no expense when it came to energy, appearing rather childlike throughout the set. Perhaps Vancouver's normally stoic crowd had won them over.
Though it might have been an "early show" two questions overhead while leaving the Biltmore summed up the night: "So who the hell were those guys anyway?" and "Who's hungry? Let's grab some more pizza and listen to this new record I just picked up."
