Stephen AtkinsonSub Pop records has become a shining beacon in the music industry over the years. They always seem to have a finger on the pulse of who or what is going to be the new, interesting, controversial or downright entertaining artist. They hit their first home run when they signed Nirvana in the late 80’s, establishing themselves and Seattle, Washington as a superhighway for the “indie” vein of music. Now, Sub Pop has a fully fleshed out roster of artists and its safe to say that if you are looking for some new music to check out they are a wonderful source.
This method of finding new music, is what lead me to discover Wolf Parade. Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Wolf Parade played their first show opening for Arcade Fire, released a series of EPs and eventually landed a deal at Sub Pop, releasing their first Full Length album “Apologies to the Queen Mary” to widespread approval. The band announced in 2011 that they would be taking an indefinite break but returned to touring, recording and performing at the beginning of 2016. Their newest album “Cry Cry Cry” dropped earlier this month and is their first album in 7 years.
Fans of the band showed out in the masses at the Boston stop of the tour. The show was at a venue that doubles down as a night club and since the show was on a Friday night the venue had the show listed for early set times so they could also open as a night club after the concert. Doors opened at 6 and music started at 7. Opener Charly Bliss brought their fuzzy 90’s sound to the stage with lots of energy and laid the ground work for the long awaited Wolf Parade set (given they did perform at Boston Calling earlier this year but still it had been seven years since their last headlining show)
Wolf Parade’s lights were the star of the show in my opinion, but maybe that is because i just discovered the band a few weeks ago. The lighting was great from all angles, had beautiful colors and at one point i felt the heat of them when one was aimed at my for a second in the crowd. The songs are what i have grown to know the band for so I can’t really delineate the differences between the old stuff and the new so I loved it all. Initially I had only planned to stay for the three songs I was permitted to photograph but the show was so good I stayed for the whole thing. The band was just as appreciative for the audience as the audience was for the band and everyone. realized that the 7 year gap between the albums had come at the price of being older and wiser but we still have each other.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/wolf-parade/2017/royale-boston-boston-ma-5be33f64.html
