Unchained Melodies

At Concord and College, between Dovercourt and Ossington, can be found a Portuguese community centre in the basement of a nondescript building. As one migh imagine, it held appeal only for locals. Recently, it was converted into a pub/dance club called The Cave. But it still haven't caught the attention of most people. The owner has been trying to book trendier acts to boost its profile.

So it was with some bemusement that the few regulars on hand Saturday night watched as an invasion, albeit small, of bearded hipsters and their eclectically dressed ladies descended onto the venue to watch a trio of electronic synth acts. The below-street-level stuccoed door didn't inspire much confidence but the inside was bright and reasonably spacious. It was much cleaner than more venerable venues in this city. The caves of Lascaux and stalactites painted walls were pure cheese, but perhaps it can be appreciated ironically by the younger crowd.

First up was Miss Elizabeth, a just formed trio playing sustained synth chords over canned drum beats. The singer relied on wailing falsetto and reverb. Not much fun. Second was Triple Gangers,  an 80s inspired trio. With a more partisan crowd, they gave a livelier performance than their showing at the Drake with The Lovely Killbots. A fun standout this time was a belated but raunchy song about the Christmas season.

The main act was Light Fires, a collaboration between Obijou drummer James Bunton and Regina the gentle lady. She wasn't so gentle though, getting the crowd to dance to such songs as Let's Get Divorced. Regina is the alter-ego of Gentleman Reg, in a blond wig and tight outfit, channelling post Kabbalah "Hung Up" Madonna. But instead of 80s aerobics/dance with yoga moves, Regina replaced the tantric hip thrusts with the other 80s staple: enthusiastic karate gestures. Her experience allowed her to make full use of the tiny stage: wild arm swings, microphone stand flipping, even a bar chair got used. It was no doubt quite different than what happened here in the old days. The underpowered sound system prevented the music, especially the bass and dance beats, from getting truly primal.