By: Shayla Lee
A few nights ago, Vancouver-based band We Are The City wrapped up their Canadian tour with a special performance at the intimate Starlight Room in Edmonton. The experimental rock trio released an album called ‘AT NIGHT’ in October which was created over a two week period. After falling in love with the unique sounds they delivered in ‘AT NIGHT,’ I was more than eager to see how the album would translate to a live set.
Opening for the band was Saskatchewan-based trio Close Talker. Throughout their set, the band expressed gratitude to We Are The City for the great tour. Close Talker’s lively performance left the crowd feeling energized and excited for We Are The City.
Soon afterward, three stained glass panels were brought on stage and much to the crowd’s excitement, We Are The City stepped on stage. With a large light bar in hand, lead vocalist Cayne McKenzie quickly captivated the audience’s attention, singing ‘TO GET IT RIGHT YOU HAVE TO GET IT WRONG SOMETIMES’ while holding the light above his head.
Between performing their songs, there was plenty of banter between the band members as well as interaction with the crowd. After a small sound issue occurred, the band halted the show and jokingly asked the audience to help them figure out which speaker that was causing the problem. Although people were pointing to multiple speakers, the issue was quickly resolved and the band continued.
The band performed a mix of tracks from their new album as well as their older music. They also played my favorite track ‘WHEN I DREAM, I DREAM OF YOU’ as their second last song of the night. Although the band were cracking jokes throughout their set, they also took a moment to thank the crowd for supporting live music. It’s always special seeing the connection between a band who has been together for a long time. After ten years of being a band, you can tell that We Are The City truly love what they do.
Being able to witness such a unique performance in an intimate venue like the Starlight Room was extremely special. If you ever have the chance to see We Are The City live, I definitely recommend it. If you’re interested in staying up-to-date with the band you can find them on Instagram and Facebook. Photos from the night are below!
FEMME RIOT 