Grimes

After opening for Arcade Fire on the big stage at Metropolis the night before (quite the questionable pairing), Montreal's own weird pop pixie Claire Boucher -- better known as Grimes -- charmed a far smaller crowd at the Arbutus Records showcase with her ethereal vocals and eccentric jams. Unlike her set opening for Arcade Fire, whose audience seemed generally stiff and disinterested in her unorthodox brand of electro pop, the crowd at Mission Santa Cruz was down and dancing it out to songs from her recent split EP, Darkbloom, as well as from her previous full-length, Halfaxa. The fluidity and accuracy of Grimes' live performance has vastly improved over the past year: there were far fewer hiccups in handling her equipment and setting off loops on queue than in previous performances, undoubtedly thanks to more professional performing experience on her touring spot with Lykke Li last winter.