Teon Gibbs, one to keep an eye on
With a West Coast rap sound and palpable tenacity, Teon Gibbs commanded our attention from his vantage point on the stage at Café Cléopâtre. Despite bringing incredible energy to his performance—both in his vocals and his dramatic movement as he coiled around his mic—there was a sense of ease and relaxation in everything he did. Gibbs was supported by his usual keyboard player, Cameron James, who skillfully led the live instrumentation that complimented the pre-recorded beat so perfectly. For this show, Gibbs and James were also joined by Alex Bingham and Ben Robertson (of Winona Forever), delivering an analog energy that brought Gibss’ incredible lyricism to life. The energy and confidence of this young artist make him one to keep an eye on in the Vancouver scene and beyond.
Joseph Sarenhes, Grammy potential
The most apparent thing about Joseph Sarenhes’ set at Café Cléopâtre was his hunger and drive. Within a single song, it was infinitely clear that this Quebec City-based rapper was ready to bring the heat. He bounced around stage, supported by dual DJs who provided the beats, jumping between slow-danceable R&B, party rap tracks, djembe solos, West African proto-hip-hop beats, and impassioned, aggressive rap addressing Canada’s atrocities to Indigenous Peoples. He danced like he was playing for a stadium, delivering confidence from a seemingly bottomless reservoir as he fired the energy up ever higher. Between his vital commentary, exceptional charisma, and good old-fashioned bangers, it might be just like Joseph Sarenhes said before departing the stage: “See you at the Grammys.”
Choses Sauvages, nothing short of a local sensation
I should preface my impressions of Choses Sauvages’ show at Foufounes Électriques by saying that I had never listened to a single song of theirs prior. In fact, I had no idea what genre they even played, and based on the grungy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque venue that they were playing in, I was ready for a heavy, grungy type gig. What I got instead was nothing short of a sensation. For those who are also ignorant of this Montreal treasure, Choses Sauvages is a whacked-out funk rock group akin to nothing I have ever seen before. At this particular show, they had seven members on stage, including two drummers and a veritable fleet of guitars and synthesizers.
Lead singer Félix Bélisle commanded an intense, frantic kind of attention from his elevated stage, with a crazed look in his eye that went beautifully with his smudged circles of dark eyeshadow. And by just a song or two in, the fully-packed floor and mezzanine of Foufounes slingshotted into life, with chaotic but truly joyful moshpits erupting at every turn. I bounced, danced, and dodged splashing beer. I marveled as I saw crowd surfer after crowd surfer, propelled along this surface of thrashing bodies like semi-deflated pontoon boats powered by pure, uncut funk. People literally climbing the walls. Lost shoes and hats held high like lighthouses in a tempest.
Watching the band, it was clear to see that each member was up there having the time of their life—huge grins stayed concretely on their faces as they watched the frenzy of their own creation. Bélisle thrashed about on the mic, wrapping the cord around his neck, dancing like a maniac, but never once faltering on the rock-solid instrumentation from the rest of his band. Some frontmen hit their cues—Bélisle pounces. More than once, he hopped into the crowd, whether to have us kneel in honour of an audience member’s birthday, or opening the pit and joining the fray for a climactic musical moment. When I thought he couldn’t possibly do anything more, he turned his back to us, hit a high note, and did a trust fall right into the audience, letting them pass him around the room before returning him to the stage, singing the whole time. Choses Sauvages is nothing short of a phenomenon, and one act that you should not miss under any circumstances.
Teon Gibbs & Joseph Sarenhes Photos by: Camille Gladu Drouin
Chose Sauvages Photos by: Stephan Boissonneault
