Having Jenn Grant and Justin Rutledge on the same bill is like being offered sex and chocolate in the same sitting (or rather, the same "laying). Both musicians are delicious in themselves, but together, they made for a concert fit for heaven. Folk rock heaven. Hallelujah!
Local opener Jody Glenham took the stage first, belting out songs from her upcoming album, Focus Pull, and sounding like a spunkier Fiona Apple. Next up was the always-hilarious Grant who wooed the crowd in an instant. Grants crowd banter was a hoot, and her silky voice was beyond captivating.
The jam-packed Biltmore Cabaret sang along to "Dreamer, and when she wasnt performing, it was so silent you could hear the distant flush of toilets. Grants songs were a mix of old (from Orchestra For The Moon) and new. At one point, she even the mentioned Vancouver being a "cupcake town. But really, there was really nothing sweeter in the room than her, and the ogling hipster boys could attest to that.
When Justin Rutledge took the stage, he dove head first into "The Wire, a song off of his April release, Man Descending. Rather than engaging with the audience like Grant, it seemed as though there was a deeper, internal conversation mulling about in Rutledges head. The shy, plaid-shirted Torontonian didnt "really know what to say, so he stuck to playing more songs like "Greenwich Time and "Alberta Breeze.
But bashfulness or not, Rutledge managed to keep all eyes ablaze, especially when it came to the concert-closer "Dont Be So Mean Jellybean. Rutledge ventured out into the middle of the crowd, stood on a chair and encouraged a giant sing-along. By the look in everyones eyes, Id say he won over their hearts and had them begging for more.
Local opener Jody Glenham took the stage first, belting out songs from her upcoming album, Focus Pull, and sounding like a spunkier Fiona Apple. Next up was the always-hilarious Grant who wooed the crowd in an instant. Grants crowd banter was a hoot, and her silky voice was beyond captivating.
The jam-packed Biltmore Cabaret sang along to "Dreamer, and when she wasnt performing, it was so silent you could hear the distant flush of toilets. Grants songs were a mix of old (from Orchestra For The Moon) and new. At one point, she even the mentioned Vancouver being a "cupcake town. But really, there was really nothing sweeter in the room than her, and the ogling hipster boys could attest to that.
When Justin Rutledge took the stage, he dove head first into "The Wire, a song off of his April release, Man Descending. Rather than engaging with the audience like Grant, it seemed as though there was a deeper, internal conversation mulling about in Rutledges head. The shy, plaid-shirted Torontonian didnt "really know what to say, so he stuck to playing more songs like "Greenwich Time and "Alberta Breeze.
But bashfulness or not, Rutledge managed to keep all eyes ablaze, especially when it came to the concert-closer "Dont Be So Mean Jellybean. Rutledge ventured out into the middle of the crowd, stood on a chair and encouraged a giant sing-along. By the look in everyones eyes, Id say he won over their hearts and had them begging for more.
