Hipster Don't Lie

Upstairs at Rancho Relaxo on College St., a number of dance-pop bands were putting on a show Saturday night. Santah from Chicago made their Canadian debut at the early 9:45 slot. Their older songs had the typical indie sound and didn't make much of an impression. But numbers from their new EP had a groovy R&B feel driven by bass, drum, and synth. Combined with more prominent harmony from siblings Stanton and Vivian McConnell, songs like Springfield and Northcoast were a fun start to the evening.

Unfortunately, local band The Black Fever didn't fare as well. This trio also played tunes with a dance feel, but they didn't have enough layers to their music to give it some volume. Furthermore, the bare instrumentation didn't help the singer's thin reedy voice.

Savoir Adore from Brooklyn had much more success. The adobe-style dive had filled up with fans of this band. With backing tracks, and a propulsive drummer and bass guitarist, the crowd was dancing to the singing duo of Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro. They traded lyrics and harmonies on such numbers as Dreamers and Loveliest Creature. There were even choreographic arm movements from the entire band on 2 songs. If only this tiny venue had strobes and lights to complement their catchy music. By the time the guitars were harmonizing on closer Regalia, people were chanting for an encore.