By: Erica Raley
The Live on Elgin venue is comfortable, professional and romantically lit. High-top tables line both sides of the room, parted by the dance floor and faced by the stage. Both are intimate in size and decor, with an industrial-rustic feel to the place.
Live on Elgin is well-known for hosting a variety of local musicians, and their April 29th musical showcase brought three bands together for a night of fun in the Ottawa community. Out By Lucy was the first band to perform, followed by Sparrow’s Valley, finally culminating with the headlining band, June Body.
June Body is a band that originated in Halifax- their show at Live on Elgin was part of their most recent tour, Never Here For Long. In an interview before their performance, the members of June Body discussed their first time playing this venue: “We played here pre-covid, in 2018”, Connor, the lead singer, mentioned, “and it was such great energy that we’ve just been riding that high ever since.”
The venue’s energy lived up to its expectations, and the space came alive during the first performance. Out By Lucy played a set of feel-good melodies with whimsical lyricism. Their songs were a mixture of goofy and quick-witted story-telling shown through very technical musical talent. Sharp wordplay meets mature poetic lyricism to create unconventionally eccentric songs that appeal to the heart. The audience was apprehensive, warmed right up by the charming crowd engagement between songs, and delighted by their candid humour.
The following act, Sparrow’s Valley, brought an energetic and futuristic rendition of rock music. The five-piece band incorporates the keys as their rhythm in a nontraditional sense. In their original song Breeze, the use of a vocoder (a variable robotic effect that you blend or process with an audio signal) made the perfect lovechild of techno and alternative rock. Sparrow’s Valley featured a wide range of original songs, accompanied by a high-energy cover of Stone Cold Bush that coaxed the audience onto the dance floor.
The anticipated headlining act, June Body, took the stage third. With dynamic personalities and entertaining banter between the bandmates, the audience enjoyed hearing them interact with one another. June Body plays classic alternative rock in structure and sound, with subtle grunge influences. Their complex vocal harmonies set them apart from the other acts.
June Body notably knows how to utilize negative space- with energetic buildups and strategic pauses, almost the whole bar was on its feet. The audience members were all paired off in their friendships or partners, dancing intimately, smiling and having a great time.
“We want the audience to feel the lyrics and think about them,” June Body’s bassist Alex said. Connor added- “We want them to release all of their emotionality. There’s a certain catharsis to it”.
Successful in this attempt, the crowd seemed to enjoy escaping from reality for an evening, with one audience member noting that June Body’s performance made him feel ‘carefree.’ Certainly, if you are looking to let loose and revel in Canadian musical talent, a June Body show is the place to do it.