21172
Picasa

Duchess Says and Solids played BV-presented M for Montreal showcase (pics)

photos by Maximillian G. San Juan / M for Montreal; words by Bill Pearis

Duchess Says @ Cabaret Underworld, 11/22/2013
IMAGE
IMAGE

M for Montreal and Brooklyn Vegan have partnered for shows/parties at CMJ, SXSW, The Great Escape and more, but this was the first year we actually presented a show at M for Montreal. The fest, now in its eighth year, happened over the weekend and our show (co-presented with CMJ) happened at the grungy Cabaret Underworld on Friday (11/22) with an all-Montreal line-up of We are Wolves, Duchess Says and Solids.

I’ve seen electropunks Duchess Says a number of times over the years, though mostly with US crowds in half-filled rooms where mischievous dynamo singer Annie-Claude heads into to the crowd to mess with people who don’t know what to expect. This show, everyone at the way-sold-out Underworld knew what to expect and were ready to pay Annie-Claude’s insanity in kind. This was easily one of the most sweaty, bonkers shows for me in recent memory (mind you I don’t go to that many shows with bonkers potential anymore). I don’t think there was any point where someone wasn’t aloft. Except for when Annie-Claude had everyone hunch down on the floor and she covered the crowd with a giant piece of blue paper.

Openers Solids, newly signed to Fat Possum, had the crowd going too, providing their own light show in the form of two painter lights — one hanging over the band, the other over the crowd. Both were swatted at and swinging for most of the set. They get compared to Japandroids a lot — similar two-piece setup — but Solids lean a little more indie rock. They’re also little less intense, but just as loud and I thought their set was pretty terrific.

After the intensity of Duchess Says’ set, I fought my way to the back of Underworld and never made it back up close for We Are Wolves set — which was a little theatrical, with masks and props to go along with their gothy, synth leanings. But the crowd was into it.

You can read recaps of M for Montreal day 1 HERE and day 2 HERE, plus check out a few photos from Mac DeMarco’s closing-night set HERE. More pics of Duchess Says and Solids (none of We Are Wolves, unfortunately) below…

Solids

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

Duchess Says

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE

IMAGE