a captive audience.

i gladly forwent a bed, sleep, and my city to see The Velvet Teen open for Say Hi along with the A-Sides in Montreal. the venue was the smallest and coolest i’ve ever been to. walls of stone and arched ceilings did little for acoustics, but were aesthetically beautiful. the A-Sides were a good start to the show. they began mellow but melodic and finished in an admirable rhythm.

second on the bill were my heroes and reason for the road trip, The Velvet Teen. a short and limited set due to lack of instruments and time, they still managed to out perform any expectations i had. Judah Naglers vocals are the most distinct and haunting i have ever heard. i will not give up hope of one day hearing Chimera Obscurant live, but for this concert, the boys played primarily tracks of Cum Laude.

if you don’t know who The Velvet Teen are, learn. if you do, good. with three brilliant lp’s along with a four equally genius ep's. the band has bled constant maturity on every release. their sound has evolved laterally, shifting album to album, growing artistically but keeping a familiar voice. i adore.

Say Hi were enjoyable, but their place in my heart is significantly smaller than the one i have set aside for Judah. after the show we talked with him and Matt (also a member of Polar Bears) about the downfall of the music industry, California-isms, and the pro’s of vinyl. we helped the band load their gear, and went to an indie bar on St. Denis for drinks and more conversation.

i can sleep anytime. giving it up for a night of live music and discourse with personal heroes and a great friend was a good call. listen friends. listen and love...

The Velvet Teen - Milo 7
The Velvet Teen - Gyzmkid
Say Hi - Sweet Sweet Heartkiller