THE SHINING PARTY with ABSOLUTELY FREE and ALX at the Overlook Hotel, Friday, September 7. Rating: NNN
What better use for a cursed venue than to play the part of a haunted bar? After standing in line in the dark alley behind Sneaky Dee’s, we were ushered up a dark staircase into what appeared to be a spooky abandoned nightclub, frozen in time, complete with an actor playing Jack Torrance. The venue most recently known as the Rochester, which went out of business after less than a year, was perfect for a Shining-themed party thrown by the Young Lions Music Club.
It definitely wasn’t your typical TIFF after-party, though the performances seemed secondary to the theme, and the makeshift sound system didn’t do anyone any favours. ALX – essentially Allie Hughes exploring her electronic side – brought some drama, and dressing like the film’s frightening twin girls was a nice touch. It still feels, though, like we’ve caught Hughes in an awkward period of transition. Absolutely Free – DD/MM/YYYY with one less member – have been honing their art-damaged psychedelic punk, but even an unofficial TIFF party seemed a little too fancy for them.
