Other Voices

As noted previously, Wednesday's Silver Dollar Room line-up was unusual in its diversity. So the Friday night show at The Drake Underground with both performers being Filipino and women was a rare booking. The crowd was also diverse, closer to the official multicultural percentages touted by Toronto, as opposed to a typical evening out on the town. Funny how that works.

Opener Char Aragoza has spent the last few years occasionally supporting local acts like Maylee Todd, usually as a back-up dancer. I guess the performing bug has bit her too. Her set had a chill vibe, almost Lana Del Rey-esque, with multiple guitar and vocal loops on numbers like Astral Traveller and Rooftop Baby. I liked that even with her youth, she is already exploring more interesting guitar techniques. She'll want to get more comfortable on stage and not bury herself in her pedals.

It was quite a large crowd for a musician with a single album. But it wasn't just friends and family here for Casey Mecija. I suspect many were also fans of defunct band Ohbijou. And why not, several ex-members were here tonight in her backing band along with some new faces (Johnny Spencer, Kieran Adams). Mecija was also "retiring" the album, although it was barely 1 year old, so we got to hear it front to back.

To be honest, Psychic Materials didn't grab me when I streamed it. But it was more visceral and immediate when she played it tonight. The dreamy, repeating lyrical fragments now floated above a solid foundation of synth, bass, and drums. This was more immersive music, and along with video projections, and made for an interesting set.