Ah, Montreal springs. One minute, it’s warm, and everything is melting from winter, and you almost get sidelined by a legion of bicycles on the main road. The next, we get a squall–a violent storm that brings wet snow and the all-too-familiar dampness. Fortunately, it quickly heats up within Turbo Haus on Saturday night during electro-pop live shows featuring FIAMMA, Storylike, Franki, and Hot House–ladies on stage slaying in every sense of the word.
FIAMMA I Amir Bakarov
FIAMMA from Ottawa and Montreal starts the show with her dreamy bedroom pop, clearly an artist still finding her groove, featuring backing tracks that get a bit heavy and industrial with the production but, at times, fall off into obscurity. She can definitely sing, as found in the track “wish you were here,” but should choose to punctuate those euphoric poppy moments live with some vocal backing tracks or something with more flourish to stand out.
The next artist, Storylike, opts for an electro set but with moments of grungey shoegaze pop. Her voice is mesmerizing at times, and later in her set, she hits some fuzzed-out chords on the guitar. For the most part, the set is enjoyable, as Storylike chooses to start with the dancy vibe and end with the sombre grunge guitar vibe. It’s an interesting choice ’cause you can tell people came here to dance the snow away.
Storylike I Amir Bakarov
Franki is happy to oblige. She takes the stage, now backed up by Vanessa Barron (aka DJ Wiltbarn) and bassist Julia Mela (of Gondola), for the live show–which we saw the debut of a Taverne Tour. I’m glad this lineup has been glued together. Even though Franki can command a stage alone, her band adds so much more to the hyperpop dance party. We get little moments of DJ live mixes, backing vocals and triangle dings from Barron. Mela holds down the groove with a few irresistible bass lines, and Franki dances around the stage singing songs from her All the Things I Try to Say EP. We also hear a new song she calls “Drugsmusic,” with some nostalgic ’90s-era British electro invasion beats and vocals. Franki delivers it all, as always.
Franki I Amir Bakarov
To end the night is Hot House, a duo that comes out blazing, self-glamourizing and chanting that “all the boys and girls want to party in the hot hot house.” The backing tracks from Taylor Fergusson feel euro-electro sleaze, heavy on the bass as Kk, a blondeshell who wears leather booty shorts, sings about sex, money, power and weirdly enough, Jesus. Halfway through the set, Hot House is joined by some backup dancers Angel Buell and Spencer Dorsey, who brings some synchronized dances to the chaos. They grind and twist on the floro with Kk and the big moment is during the track “I’m Expensive,” as they lift Kk into the air and spin her around Midsommar style. A few beers in, the vibes are flowing as Hot House ends the night on a sweaty note.
Hot House I Amir Bakarov
