The Scène TD was packed to the edges of the plaza, the crowd that forms when a band has been away long enough for the reunion to feel like more of a celestial event. It’s been eight years since The Barr Brothers released a full-length album — eight years in which life pulled them in new directions, personally and professionally. Then they released Let It Hiss, an electrified comeback, a ‘thank you’ to all of Montreal late last year. You could feel all of that weight in the air, and then Brad Barr opened his mouth, and it all dissolved in smoke.
I arrived during The Barr Brothers’ fourth song in their set, “Naturally,” featuring Leif Vollebekk slaying on the axe alongside Brad Barr. The band had a string section, harp, bass, drums, and Brad switching between a legion of guitars. A row of incandescent bulbs hung from the sky over the band.
Next was “Moonbeam,” another track from the Let It Hiss comeback, and none other than Klô Pelgag herself came out to duet it with Brad, while he played keyboard. “Let It Hiss” itself — the title track — landed with a different quality at full volume, Brad’s guitar gone full garage-snarl, Andrew’s drum groove moving your whole body. The title track is built on a gritty R&B foundation and driven by slinky guitar work and infectious grooves, propelled by an energetic rhythm section. It’s an infectious track live. We then get “Baseball” as Brad rips some slide guitar on an ancient Gibson acoustic and Andrew leads the rhythmic shuffle. A Technicolour baseball game is on screen, adding to the surrealism. The tricks don’t stop, as the brothers sing “Burn Card,” utilizing a red string draped over Brad’s guitar (to make it sound like a violin) and the sweet duo voices of the Barr Brothers. I always knew Andrew could sing, but my god, his voice is much more beautiful up close.
The last song of the night was an old one, “Beggar in the Morning” from the Barr Brothers’ debut back in 2011. Brad’s son, who can’t be more than eight years old, came and sang backup while jamming on some maracas. It was a family afair, and for that hour and a half, we and all of Montreal were Barr Brothers.
Photos by Victoria Diaz Lamich
