Entire Cities, Kingston, Grad Club, 29 April 2007

June 2, 2007

Entire Cities, Kingston, Grad Club, 29 April 2007

photos courtesy of Bramptonboi, taken at Wavelength 349, Sneaky Dee’s Toronto, 4 Feb. 2007

I worry for Entire Cities, I really do. They stopped by Kingston’s greatest venue at the end of a small tour, and the stresses of the road were taking their toll. Given that they are going to be in high demand all over the place since their ep “Centralia” is fantastic, they may just come apart at the seams under the pressures of touring. But, even if that’s the case, it’s going to be a helluva party while it lasts.

Naturally, I am kidding (kinda) but they were a bit wacky when they blew threw town at the end of April – “unhinged” was the word that I used at the time. “Great” was another word that I freely threw around. Frontman Simon Borer said after the show that they were incredibly professional for the previous three shows and then all hell broke loose as they rolled into the Limestone City and I think Ottawa got stiffed in the deal, because as much of a complete trainwreck the performance could have been (with the drummer leaving the stage at one point to use the facilities, bandmates harassing each other onstage midsong, and random interjections of, i kid you not, Rage Against the Machine) it turned out to be a wonderful, funny, raucous set. Certainly way more fun than I expected from my Sunday night.

Entire Cities alternate between loud and rough and sweet and melodic; tender and charming and powerful and potty-mouthed. They make extremely beautiful songs which sit cheek-by-jowl with rockers that practically force you to stomp your feet and shout along with them. I imagine that the ten-person strong line-up can’t help but fuel their sound – both in its lushness and in its unbridled passion bordering on chaos (wait! their weren’t 10 people on the Grad Club stage [heh. for those of you who have seen the GC stage you would know that 10 people couldn’t have fit on the stage anyway], and wtf, you have a saw-player and you didn’t bring her along?! Now I feel ripped off. Sorry, I digress). How many bands do you know that can pull of flute solos? Not many and Entire Cities pull it off with skill and style. I am really digging their ep as much as their live set and if you have any sense or taste you will too.

They are coming back into town twice in the near future, playing the Grad Club on June 7th and again on June 23rd as part of the Skeleton Park Music Fest. For a bunch of kids from Toronto they sure seem to like Eastern Ontario – they are playing both Kingston and Ottawa twice along with a couple dates Out East. For the Ottawa shows, I refer you to my man in the NCR, Matthew of I{Heart} Music fame, who is bringing you the goods in form of an all-ages show at The Gallery at Ecclesiaux on the 8th featuring EC along with Nich Worby (Kingston, represent!), Eastbrough and Woodpidgeon. Full dates, from their myspace, look like this:

7 June, The Grad Club, Kingston
8 June, Cafe Dekcuf, [The Gallery at Ecclesiaux???], Ottawa
9 June, The Dakota Tavern NXNE Showcase, Toronto
12 June, Gus’ Pub, Halifax
14 June, Brennan’s Pub Charlottetown
23 June, Skeleton Park Festival, Kingston
28 June, The Tiger Bar, Toronto
23 August, I Heart Music Festival – Black Sheep Tavern, Ottawa
20 September, KAZOO @ The E-Bar, Guelph

Be sure to check them out if you have the chance. For the Kingston show they are playing with Nich Worby, The Dukes of the Archipelago, There Were Valleys. Judging on my previous experience I have no doubt its going to be another wonderful, drunken spectacle featuring some extraordinarily talented, and highly raucous, musicians. Not something you want to miss.

Entire Cities, Kingston, Grad Club, 29 April 2007

1. Turbines
2. Sunshine
3. no uncertain terms (talk)
4. Marshall’s Five Lost Years
5. I saw your mom giving the devil’s horns (talk)
6. Dancing With My Brother
7. even my tuner’s rebelling (talk)
8. track 8 (title?) [update: this song is called “Hat on the Bed”]
9. is that a John Cougar Mellencamp song (talk)
10. track 10 (title)
11. can we play a nice one for these nice people? (talk)
12. Coffee
13. assuming we’re allowed back in the city (talk)
14. Waiting (2000 Years)
15. sorry, i’m a little edgy tonight, I can’t imagine why (talk)
16. track 16 (title?)
17. i can’t see what they’re doing back there (talk)
18. track 18 (title?)
19. this is a dirty song (talk)
20. In Spite of Ourselves (John Prine cover)

You can get your hands on Entire Cities’ ep “Centralia” at their shows and I can only imagine that they would be more than happy to sell you one if you contact them through their myspace page.

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