Midnight Runners - There's No You In Us

http://www.reverbnation.com/midnightrunners

A couple weeks ago Midnight Runners played the Friday Night Rock headlining slot at Joe's Apartment in Vancouver. The band features four friends of mine from high school who have been playing together, on and off, since those days. Rhejis Wicks is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player, Joel Harrison plays lead guitar, Andy Lee is on bass and Jesse Harder on drums. Their music is a solid mix of alternative rock and bluesy R&B. And in terms of alternative rock they definitely lean towards the "legit" alt rock bands such as Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Matthew Good Band while straying from the "popular, shitty" modern rock that used to dominate airwaves such as Nickelback and Papa Roach.

Earlier this year in June I saw Midnight Runners play another headlining gig at The Roxy in Vancouver. However that was on a random Tuesday night and the crowd, other than friends and family, was basically what you'd expect for a weeknight. The band was great, it just wasn't an ideal environment for them. This time on a Friday night there were more people there who had probably never heard of the band and were just out for a night at the bar. And I bet that many of them were pleasantly surprised with the great rock show that they witnessed.

About 45 minutes before their set, drummer Jesse told me that he was really nervous because the house drum kit sucked. The kit he's used to has a large variety of different drum types and apparently this kit was lacking much of that variety. He was now forced to simplify his rhythm and had to improvise some of the beats so the rest of the guys could follow along. Knowing next to nothing about drums and drumming I simply wished him good luck and told him he'd do fine... I hope.

The set started with ferocity as they played one of my favourites, "Neck Tie Noose", early on. The track is very hard rocking with an almost punkish vibe as Rhejis sings of the dirty tricks and trades of businessmen and politicians with a howl of bitter disgust. Until about midway through the set I had completely forgotten the conversation I had earlier with Jesse about the shitty drums. He sounded great as usual and I don't think anyone in the audience had a clue about what he was dealing with. Up next came the only cover of the night, "Everything Is Automatic" by the Matthew Good Band. This was a brilliant choice as it really showcased Rhejis' vocals and Joel nailed the guitar parts. Then they played another one of my favourites and today's song, "There's No You In Us". This song featured spot on, bluesy guitar from Joel that culminated in a stunning solo.

Towards the end of the set quite the crowd had gathered on the floor with everyone watching and listening very intently. A group of younger girls on one side were even trying to out dance and out rock an older couple across from them. I love to see shit like that and I'm sure the band dug it as well. Finally at about the 40 minute mark came the set closer "Misery River". This was a great song that I had not heard before with some great guitar soloing. It ended with the whole band chugging along to a climatic burst. The crowd really loved this one and gave Midnight Runners a much deserved ovation for an awesome show.

In my last review of the Roxy show I criticized Rhejis for his awkward comments and cheap jokes made in between songs. This time around he did no such thing, opting for the basic "How's it goin' guys?" and "Thanks to the venue/opening band" stuff. This was fine and much better than before but I'd still like to challenge him to do something more. A great story or really funny joke at a show can be an amazing, unforgettable moment for the audience. I will refer to Macklemore who I saw at Squamish Fest this summer. He was someone that I wasn't super stoked on going into the show but his charisma and brilliant story telling had me and the 10,000+ in the crowd hanging onto his every word and made us like and respect him that much more.

Midnight Runners will be playing at the newly renovated Mirage Night Club in Surrey next Friday, December 6th. Tickets are usually only $10-15 and are worth every nickel! (That sounds weird a pennies no longer exist lol). Be sure to check these guys out live as well as online at their Reverb Nation page listed above which features songs to listen to and download, cool pics, and other info.

EpiclyUnreal is no more! It was a name that I quickly came up with 2 years ago and never really liked. I have been trying to come up with something better for a while now and finally stumbled upon Some Strange Storm which is a lyric from one of my favourite songs by my all-time favourite band. More changes and betterness to come!

Missy Elliott - Sock It 2 Me (Kaytranada Remix)

So after an excellent show by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth at Fortune Sound Club last Saturday we decided to stick around for DJ sets by Jerome LOL, Groundislava, and headliner Kaytranada. Two shows for the price of one is always awesome, especially when I would have paid and seen each separately! While about half the crowd was leaving we grabbed more beers and went back to the dace floor where they were playing an excellent mix of classic hip-hop by the likes of Souls of Mischief ("93 'til Infinity") and Eric B. & Rakim ("Don't Sweat the Technique"). Then before we knew it a crowd had appeared on the stage and helming the turntables was L.A.'s Jerome LOL. I had never heard of him before but my buddy told me he was dope and dope he sure was. He played a set of house music with serious hip-hop influences, including a great remix of A$AP Ferg's "Shabba". The overall vibe was very tribal, making for some fresh grooves and a sound that I look forward to following. Click the link below for his soundcloud page:

https://soundcloud.com/jeromelol             or               http://www.jeromelol.com/songs

Up next was Groundislava, also hailing from L.A. and also who I had not heard of before. I wasn't digging his set as much as Jerome LOL, but the big guy worked the crowd well and played a solid mix of house and pop remixes. Though I certainly could have done without his Miley Cyrus "We Can't Stop" remix lol.

Finally it was time for the main man, Montreal's Kaytranada. A friend of mine introduced me to his stuff a few months ago. That stuff is a mix of hip-hop and R&B remixes from TLC and Erykah Badu to K-OS and Danny Brown. He has gained a large following recently and one can certainly see why. His chilled out remixes provided the perfect ending to a great night of hip-hop. Near the end of his set Kaytranada played his remix of Danny Brown's "Lie4" that really got the crowd going. He then ended with my personal favourite and today's song, Missy Elliott's "Sock It 2 Me". His remix is bloody brilliant, slowing down the original, upping the bass and emphasizing the horns so they sound like the horses of the apocalypse riding toward the earth and its impending doom. He also eliminated Da Brat's shitty verse which was an excellent call. He continued to play this track while some nerd from the club stood right next to him, glaring at him to stop so that No Fun City could become quiet and peaceful again. Kaytranada went on for a few minutes to the delight of the audience. The image of his goofy smile and determination to continue, coupled with the dork glowering and standing over him while he plays the dooming "Sock It 2 Me" beat was something I will forever remember. As usual, the institution won and the house lights went back on as Kaytranada announced the address of the after party.

Coming from Montreal, Kaytranada must have certainly been shocked at the lameness of the curfew hours in this city. Especially considering that it was daylight savings and was technically only 1:30am. For a supposed world class city we sure do not know how to party with all bars closing by 3 and the SkyTrain ending service at 1am! Oh well, the city definitely is much better and prettier during daylight hours.

Some thoughts...

- Arcade Fire's new album is fucking incredible. This band continues to amaze me with each new album by completely changing their sound and style while keeping the same obvious Arcade Fire sound. There's only one other band on earth that has been able to do the same, albeit an entire decade longer, and that is Radiohead.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andy Samberg's new police officer sitcom is hilarious and a must watch for any fan of the guy.
- Remembrance Day is almost here. Be sure to buy a poppy and where it proudly while remembering the sacrifices of those in our armed forces so that we can live like we do today.
- And a big FUCK YOU to the government/health insurance people. My grandfather served in the Royal Canadian Navy for 40 years, working as the head chef on a supply ship. He is now enduring some serious health issues and is receiving no financial help because his (along with the entire crew's) "service" is not considered "active duty". Give me a fucking break!!! That is a disgusting way to treat the men and women who risked their lives for us. I want to strangle the dipshit cocksucking cunt who came up with this!

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - The Basement

This past Saturday the legendary hip-hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth performed at Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver. They were touring behind the 20th anniversary of their classic 1992 album Mecca & The Soul Brother, playing the album in its entirety. Now these throwback/reunion shows can go one of two ways: the artist(s) simply show up to play their biggest hit songs in a lazy, just-give-me-my-paycheque-now sort of way, even making the crowd sing most of the songs. Or they can step up there and leave it all on the stage, making the audience wonder why they ever stopped making music together and put on an amazing show. Last Saturday Pete & C.L. definitely chose to do the latter. 

Holy shit can C.L. ever rap and work a crowd! The 45 year old was spitting rhymes like it was '92 and moving up, down and all around the stage, including standing on the front pillars for some intensely focused rapping. Today's young rappers can certainly learn a thing or two from the grizzled vet. And Pete was steady as ever in the back working the DJ booth like he's done countless times in the past. He came up to spit a couple verses and get the crowd going but his best moment came two thirds through the show when C.L. left the stage for a much deserved break and Rock did a mini DJ set of the classics. He spun and remixed tracks by the likes of Al Green, Dennis Edwards and the Bee Gees and the crowd was certainly digging it.

As for the rest of the set, highlights included the funky "For Pete's Sake", the sexy and smooth "Lots of Lovin'", the politically charged banger "Straighten It Out" which samples Ernie Hines' 1972 classic "Our Generation" and, of course, the final encore of the duo's most beloved track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)". The crowd went wild when Pete played the opening sax bit from the track and C.L. got the crowd singing along to it. Then they launched fully into the song with C.L rapping with a ferocity that echoed the original. At the end of it all both guys hugged in front of the crowd and genuinely looked stoked to be there at this stage of their careers. It truly was amazing to see these guys get the respect they deserve while returning that same respect to their fans.

"The Basement" is one of my favourite tracks from Mecca & The Soul Brother. The beat is fucking ridiculously good with the short jazz horn breaks melding into the longer ones at the "chorus". The song is also only one of two tracks on the album to feature other rappers. Grap Luva, Heavy D, Rob-O and Deda all provide slick verses, making it an incredible crew cut. If you have never heard Pete & C.L. then I strongly recommend you educate yourself on classic, lyrical hip-hop and cop this album now. This was an early show and we decided to stick around for the DJ show with sets by Jerome LOL, Groundislava, and headliner Kaytranada. Review coming soon!

J. Cole - Get Free ColeWorld (feat. Major Lazer)

Trip Part 4: Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. After enjoying the incredibly clean financial capital of Southern Asia it was time to head somewhere cheaper, dirtier and, hopefully, more fun. Singapore was great but its absurd (by Asian standards) alcohol prices and lack of beaches and party atmosphere was less than desired. 

As this was our first true third world country, and the fact that my friend and I are dumbasses, we got off to a hilariously embarrassing start before we even exited the Denpasar, Bali airport. Of course we didn't prepare our $25 USD to pay for the one month VISA and had to go to an ATM. And, of course, there were none to be found anywhere near the immigration area. After finally tracking one down and withdrawing an exorbitant amount of Rupah (Indonesian currency where $1 CAN/USD is equivalent to roughly 10,000 Rp) we paid for our VISAs in the local currency and went on our way to grab our backpacks. When we finally arrived at the luggage claim our bags were on the floor next to it being watched by two Indonesian dudes with uniforms on. The two guys each picked up our bags and called their two buddies over to carry our smaller, side bags. They then led us about 20 feet to the final security bag check and another 20 feet to the currency exchange where we got rid of our last few Singapore Dollars. I had already taken my side bag back and at this point wanted my big bag back too. As I was doing this my friend in front of me was already negotiating payment for these guys! Sure enough they wanted something from me too so I reluctantly obliged and gave them each small bills that I had just received from the exchange. They weren't having any of this and told me I had to give them what my friend had already given the other two and pointed at the correct bills in my wallet (at this point the ladies behind the currency counter chimed in too, agreeing with the bag dudes). These were the only other bill types I had and I gave them each one. We each gave each guy a 100,000 Rp bill... something we soon later realized was the equivalent of $10 USD each! The whole thing happened so fast and they seemed legit with their uniforms and all. We got totally fleeced, two nice Canadians with freshly filled wallets and no sense of reality in the third world. We felt quite stupid for a while after that but now laugh at it looking back. That $20 means very little to me now but I'm sure the two dudes got a much needed bonus pay day and probably laughed their asses off at the stupid white guys for the rest of the day!

Next we had to make our way to the hostel via taxi. If you've driven or been driven in the third world before then you must certainly know that for the first time it is RIDICULOUSLY FUCKING SCARY!!! There are basically no rules to the road in southern Bali (this goes for almost everywhere I traveled in SE Asia) as taxis, motorbikes, shoddily built service and work trucks, and passenger vehicles all battle for space on the ever congested roads. Passing anything and everything is a delicate, dangerous skill that few have mastered yet all attempt. Our taxi driver passed through chaotic roundabouts, unnecessarily changed lanes way too many times (in fact he mostly created his own lane in the middle of the two!) and narrowly avoided three other vehicles, including a motor bike that decided to cut in between us and the vehicle in front of us that we were passing. This was an insane experience and we were incredibly relieved once we had arrived safely at our destination.

Our destination was the Big Pineapple Hostel in Sanur. This place had it all: an incredibly nice and helpful owner/host, a big screen TV with hundreds of movies and TV shows, a pool that you could see the TV from, full kitchen with a large table, air conditioning, wi-fi, and, most importantly, dozens of other travelers looking to make friends and have a good time. This made the hostel one of the best that we stayed at on the trip, if not the best. The large table near the kitchen was the epicentre of some excellent drinking games before crews were assembled to go out partying in nearby Kuta (more about that in part 5) and made meeting others very easy. I made several great friends that I have kept in touch with and hopefully will continue to.

The city of Sanur was very laid back and featured many empty bars, a few resorts, dirty streets, bumpy, hole-filled sidewalks, countless feral dogs and lots of ex-pats. The beach was nothing spectacular but still had warm water and lots of sun; a great place to relax and cure a hangover. A highlight of the area was definitely the Linga Longa Bar which hosted an all-you-can-eat pig cookout every Sunday. The meal was amazing and featured wonderful live music as well; so good that we stayed an extra night to go again. Eventually I became more accustomed to the chaotic, dirty lifestyle of Southern Bali, immersing myself in the culture and delicious cuisine. Check below for some pics of the area.

Today's song "Get Free ColeWorld" uses the sublime beat and chorus from Major Lazer's "Get Free" and features J. Cole spitting some slick rhymes over it along with a spoken word 2Pac outro. I chose this song for its laid back island vibe, a vibe and mood that perfectly encapsulates Southern Bali. After the hustle bustle of the first two cities (Taipei and Singapore) it felt great to just relax and stay at a great place for more than a week. If you're not a fan of hip-hop be sure to check out the original version of "Get Free" by Major Lazer and featuring Amber of Dirty Projectors singing the hook.

Some pictures...

Outside Big Pineapple

View from the beach in Sanur

The best bar in town, the Linga Longa Bar. Two pretty cool dudes to rep the place!

Mmmm Pig

Tommy James & The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion

The greatest television show ever is down to its final episode and oh boy is it gonna be good! Over six enthralling seasons (technically 5 as that season was split into two 8-episode parts) we saw the transformation of Walter H. White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer, from normal family man to drug kingpin. As the title goes, Walt "Broke Bad" as he continually did more and more bad things in order to keep up with his new lifestyle; a lifestyle that he only ever started because he thought it was a way to earn a lot of money in a short period of time that he could leave to his family before the big C claimed him. I've set up the main premise and will not go any further as most of you know the whole story. And for those of you who do not I strongly suggest you start watching, like yesterday.

What I really want to talk about is how this damn thing is gonna end. What we know: according to the two flash forwards that begin the fifth and sixth seasons Walt is now 52 (he celebrated his 50th birthday in the first season), he has left his safe haven in New Hampshire and is back in New Mexico, he has a huge ass gun, he is still coughing a lot, he returns to his former home in Albuquerque to find it boarded up, spraypainted with "Heisenberg" and teenagers using the empty pool as a skate park and, finally, he goes back to the electric outlet to get the ricin poison he left behind the panel months ago. So now two big questions come to the surface: a) who does he plan to use the gun on and b) what is he going to do with the ricin?

a) My gut tells me that he's going after Uncle Jack, Todd and their whole crew. This would explain the need for a huge ass gun and he already revealed to Saul that he wanted to get his revenge for them killing Hank and taking most of his money. I feel he will get Uncle Jack and his guys but not Todd. Todd, along with the neurotic Lydia, will be the main two characters to get away unscathed.

b) Now for that ricin. This one I truly have no real idea for but I'm gonna say that he wants to use it on Jesse. The two will meet in a final confrontation near the end of the episode/series and only one of them will walk away. I think/hope that Jesse kills Walt. It would be a fitting end to a spectacular series.

Now everything that I have just guessed can be tossed out the window. This is because, from what has happened so far this final season, whatever you think is going to happen, the complete opposite will actually happen. Enjoy!

"Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & The Shondells appears at the end of season five during a montage that shows Walt and Todd cooking up a storm while Lydia distributes it to the Czech Republic and a shitload of money is exchanged and counted. Check out the video below for the whole scene, a great piece of cinematography (something that Breaking Bad has come to redefine the necessity of for television shows) and camera trickery. The song itself is brilliant. From the backbeat bongos and pulsating organ to the lovely spanish guitar and James' magnificent singing this track has everything. It fits the show perfectly in talking about "crystal blue" and the Spanish guitar for the New Mexico setting (lot's of Spanish music appeared throughout the series). The song is from 1969 but sounds incredibly relevant and timeless.

Black Seeds - One By One

Here's another great track from the great show. This one comes from season two when Walt and Jesse are heading out to the middle of bumfuck nowhere in the New Mexico desert in the RV to cook. The song has a super laid back, good times vibe, which is fitting for this period of the show, before anything very dark occurs. Also the song is sung by Bret McKenzie who is one half of the comedy singing duo Flight of the Conchords. Pretty neat! The majority of the Breaking Bad soundtrack is amazing and features a wide variety of genres and music styles. Also the songs are typically unknown gems which is always great for discovery. Some guy has even created torrents of every single song that has appeared on the show so far so be sure to look for that on isohunt if you're interested.

Now we wait...

Washed Out - All I Know

Washed Out played a sold-out show at Fortune Sound Club this past Tuesday. Washed Out is a band created by Ernest Greene, from Athens, Georgia that specializes in the drowsy, distorted dance-pop that bloggers dubbed "chillwave". He started out making recordings in his bedroom at his parents' house and caught some major attention from those same noteworthy bloggers that began sharing his myspace music. Alongside peers such as Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, and local upstart Teen Daze, Washed Out has been at the forefront of this easy-listening and mellow yet danceable genre for the past 4 years.

Before I arrived at the venue I was trying to figure out how he would perform. Knowing that Greene does his own vocals I figured it would be pretty hard to sing and DJ at the same time, especially with the vocals being so distorted. It turned out that I was completely wrong as he performed with a full 5-piece band and played everything live. This turned out to be most excellent as they were able to make the songs much more upbeat and full of life while still sounding very similar to the solo-made recordings.

Washed Out played a great mix of their three most prominent records, 2010's excellent EP Life Of Leisure, 2011's major label debut Within And Without and this year's brilliant Paracosm. Opening with the first single from the latter album, "It All Feels Right" the band sounded incredible, the lights were wonderfully trippy and colourful, and Greene was great as a frontman, engaging with the crowd a lot and really letting loose on his vocals, something he has shied away from in the past due to shyness and thinking that he didn't have a good voice. Other highlights included an even more upbeat and rockin' "Get Up", an even more chilled out and subdued "Feel It All Around", and the sublime "Amor Fati" which was the set closer and my personal fave. The above song was played near the end of the set and sounded beautiful with the band nailing the intricate percussion and synth layerings. The entire crowd was digging it, bobbing along to the catchy chorus. If you've never listened to Washed Out I'd highly recommend it the next time you're relaxing, especially outdoors.

I was only able to catch the final few songs from opening band HAERTS. The Brooklyn crew have been one of the year's most buzzed bands with only two tracks available online and their debut album slated for release later this month. I didn't get to hear either of those songs, "All The Days" and "Wings" but they are both incredible and have been on repeat ever since I heard them. Lead singer Nini Fabi has incredible pipes and the rest of the band play superb indie-pop. This is one of those bands that has the potential to become even bigger than the band they opened for. I am very excited to follow their career.

HAERTS - Wings

The instant I heard this song I absolutely loved it. Fabi's emotive singing is gorgeous, especially when she hits those high, sustained notes. The video is really cool too, showing ordinary people and using a cool flying camera. Be sure to check out "All The Days" (their only other song on YouTube) as well, but beware: you will be listening to it nonstop for the rest of the week.

Squamish Valley Music Festival Day 2

Day 2 of Squamish Fest started with a slight hangover and another unbearably hot tent at 8:30 in the gaw damn mornin'! It was another full day of the familiar campground activities of beers, buds, yard games, BBQing and mingling. On the way back from a pilgrimage to the pit stop (yes the porta-potties were far from our site and featured lengthy lineups) a group of campers were admiring my David Bowie t-shirt and before I could even thank and cheers them they had made me a tantalizing proposition: would you like to do a Louisville Chugger? Having no idea what I was getting myself into I responded in the only way I know how: Fuck Yeah! Next thing I know I'm pouring the final 3/4 of my beer into the end of a blue plastic baseball bat. Then I'm chugging it as the others count how long I'm taking. For every second that I took I then have to spin around with my head on the bat that many times. I have no recollection how long it was but it was definitely double digits. Finally once the spinning was over it was time to hit the lightly tossed whiffle ball outta the park. Well I think I came sorta close... but completely missed and fell with style onto the grass. Everyone cheered and had a good laugh as I high-fived everyone and grabbed a new beer. Another classic music festival moment.

After what would be the final shot-gun of the weekend myself and a few others made our way into the grounds to listen and party to the wild gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello. The 3rd best live show of the day was one that I have become very familiar with; a grimy spectacle of intense moshing to the crazy, undefinable slurry of music by eight immigrant punks that together make up one of the best live acts on planet earth. I have seen Gogol Bordello four times now and every time they absolutely crush it, packing a dozen or so songs of relentless high-energy into a whirlwind show that will always leave you dizzy and wanting more. The Brooklyn-based band is really a true global band. The members are from countries such as Ethiopia, China, USA and Ecuador. Their fearless and crazy frontman, Eugene Hutz, who hails from Ukraine, leads the band through a tour de force of intense energy through gypsy punk music. I'm simply running out of adjectives to describe this band and will just say that if you have never heard of or seen Gogol Bordello live it is an absolute must; something to check off your bucket list. The song I have chosen by them is "My Companjera" from their 2010 album Trans-Continental Hustle inspired by the music and sounds of Brazil. They played it dead smack in the middle of their set and, as usual, the crowd and band went berserk.

3.) Gogol Bordello - My Companjera

After the intense gypsy punk we made our way to the second biggest stage to catch Fitz & The Tantrums. After sitting and relaxing through most of the set we got up and danced our asses off for the final few songs which included the new single "Out Of My League" and their most famous number, "MoneyGrabber". That song was definitely the highlight as they nailed it and the crowd loved every second of it. It also truly is a great song; one of the best of this decade in my opinion. After all the dancing and moshing I was feeling very parched so it only made sense to head back to the beer garden by the main stage where Band Of Horses were playing. I like and respect Band Of Horses but am not a huge fan so they provided the perfect background soundtrack to our crushing of beers. They played my favourite, "Ode To LRC", near the end of a solid set and then quickly got out of the way for the main attraction of the night.

Queens Of The Stone Age are one of my absolute favourite modern rock bands. Singer, lead guitarist and main writer Josh Homme is one of the best dudes in the biz right now. After momentarily dying on the operating table a few years ago he and his bandmates came back with a vengeance, recording ...Like Clockwork, an early candidate for album of the year. It's always awesome to see bands that you've loved for a long time and that have a full catalog of classic hits to play. But there's something very awesome about seeing a band with a great history of music that is also currently at the top of their game. 

QOTSA came out blazing with hits like "No One Knows", "Burn The Witch", and "My God Is The Sun" off of their newest album. Then Homme brought things down a bit with the haunting ballad "The Vampyre Of Time And Memory" where he played piano and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen played the stabbing, Neil Youngish solo. Right after that song came my personal favourite and another early candidate for song of the year, "If I Had A Tail" (this would be the featured song had I not already used it earlier this summer) and Homme told the crowd to "get ready to shake your ass and dance". This was an early highlight as the band hit every note while the crowd did Josh proud and danced our asses off. During the next song some dumbass fan decided to hop onto the stage. Seeing no security going after him right away, Homme left his post behind the mic and gave the kid a good shove off the stage and back into the crowd. This was greeted with a huge cheer that came to an abrupt halt when the band stopped playing as Homme pleaded with the crowd to stop beating the poor bastard up and said something along the lines of "don't fucking come up here but don't hurt him either... now where were we" and they kicked back into gear. Up next came another personal favourite, "Make It Wit Chu" which the band just slayed and is my chosen song to represent the best live band of day 2. Another very danceable track, "Make It Wit Chu" comes from QOTSA's 5th album, Era Vulgaris. The chug-along beat makes you bob your head along and the high-pitched chorus is ridiculously catchy. The Queens closed out the set with even more hits such as "Little Sister" and "Go With The Flow" which both featured blistering extended guitar solos and early hit "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer". By the end I was supremely satisfied with the show and was feeling quite fucked up and ready to hit up the dance tent for the final act of the weekend.

1.) Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu

Right before the final artist came on I decided to try to grab a quick bottle of water. The area that I went over to happened to be the smallest stage where BC band Bear Mountain were playing their unique brand of live-band electro-pop. I never did find water but did catch their first two songs which also happened to be my two favourites, "Faded" and "Congo". These guys seem to have a lot of talent and potential and I look forward to following their career. Had it not been for the fact that Pretty Lights was the final act I would've stayed to watch them.

For the first time of the weekend the entire crew was together and ready for Pretty Lights to take the stage. We made our way up close on the side and set in for a whirlwind of EDM, dancing, and some very pretty lights. I had seen Pretty Lights last year as the night one headliner at Sasquatch. At that show the spectacle of the stage, screens, and light show was incredible but the music lacked that punch, often all sounding quite similar to each other. This time Pretty Lights didn't have a crazy stage setup or even screens; just a dude behind his DJ gear mixing some incredible tracks. The songs were distinct from one another yet still flowed seamlessly. The entire crowd was grooving and just in a great mood. Highlights included the track below, "Finally Moving", a super bluesy chilled out tune that samples Etta James' "Oh sometimes I get a good feeling..." and my personal favourite "I Can See It In Your Face". When the horn sample kicked in I remember looking over at my friends and the ecstatic looks on their faces summed up an incredible weekend. I had an absolute blast and would recommend Squamish Valley Music Festival to anyone; the gorgeous setting, solid lineup and overall great vibes will keep fans coming back.

2.) Pretty Lights - Finally Moving