Burning Bright

The Roy Thomson Hall patio hosts a series of free concerts throughout the summer. I haven't gone to many this year but on Thursday, I saw Montreal singer Kandle. She had disappeared for a while. Apparently, there were some issues with her former record label. Whether or not that informed her music, the songs from her upcoming album had an edge with sharp and biting lyrics. The straight-up rock-and-roll numbers came from her older material.

Kandle has a more than passing resemblance to superstar Taylor Swift. So watching her belt out songs of rage and despair sometimes feel uncanny, like you've stepped into an alternate universe. There were fans and friends in the crowd. But a lot of the audience had just stopped by after work, and more than a few seemed astonished by her performance.