MARNIE STERN, NO JOY and the RAINCOATS at Wrongbar, Friday, September 23. Rating: NNN
Ana Da Silva and Gina Birch, who formed the Raincoats in London, England, way back in 1977, rocked an early Wrongbar crowd with all their late-70s post-punk weirdness.
Birch has a sultry delivery that enhances her badass lyrics, which are as much about wanting babies as equal rights.
Da Silva brings a more sullen edge and toy-like instruments that slowed the show when batteries couldn’t be found for one of them. Probably the least tight band in existence, their warmth, grace, experience and originality (not to mention violinist Anne Wood’s fiery stage moves) had the room completely charmed.
Montreal’s No Joy were tight but never ventured to connect with the audience. Their Ghost Blonde album was a highlight of last year, but their songwriting chops and melodic vocals couldn’t cut through Laura Lloyd and Jasmine White-Glutz’s MBVesque waves of loud effects-driven guitar noise.
Ever-smiling New Yorker Marnie Stern bravely took the stage despite her drummer getting held back at the border. Her fret-tapping guitar lines impressed as always (especially when she looped them!) and her singing style is terrifically intense.
Still, without those pulverizing rhythms many songs fell flat.
