On a night that could have been hailed “Indie Prom”, Portland’s WAMPIRE and Montreal’s TOPS made it weird at Toronto’s Silver Dollar Room (October 14th). Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps’ sax-heavy troupe riffed out a sublime set that was a little less psych and a little more Bazaar (see “Wizard Staff”) but their Québécois tour buds held their own – shuffling through a numbing dose of DIY synth-pop that blossomed next to Jane Penny’s transfixing voice (cue up “Outside”, “Way To Be Loved”). Both groups stun/slay/obliterate in intimate settings so do yourself a favor and track their current tour. If you still need to be peer pressured, check out our live still galleries below (via Julia Marcello).
Wampire’s Bazaar is available now through Polyvinyl while TOPS’ Picture You Staring is out on Arbutus Records
TOPS
WAMPIRE
