A Place on Earth

On Saturday I was at The Tranzac for a low-key show. The smaller front room often has a DIY aesthetic, not least because like tonight there wasn't even anybody doing the sound mix. It was up to each performer to fix it for themselves. Also, it was usually friends and family who attend these cozy sets.

Kelly McMichael did a solo set of her Renders material including several new songs with feminist themes (She's Bad Ass). She was a deft hand on the guitar, but I liked that she incorporated looping, triggered samples, and some backing tracks to fill out the sound. McMichael has quite an ear for 80s-inspired pop (and matching Belinda Carlisle vocals) but given her time with defunct synth-pop outfit Rouge, it wasn't a complete surprise.

I haven't heard much from Claire Whitehead since she stopped playing with parodic band Blimp Rock. This guitarist has decided to try her hand at songwriting and formed Carew. Her new music reminded me of The Weather Station in its observation of everyday life. But the lyrics were more conventional, especially the rhymes.