THURSDAY - Rock star. Rockstarrockstarrockstar. There are a few Toronto indie women whose presence leaps off the stage even when they're not literally leaping off the stage themselves. Jacquie Neville from The Balconies is one. So is Whale Tooth's Elise LeGrow. And now, with Army Girls, Carmen Elle has added herself to the list.
We first learned about her in her role as frontwoman for Donlands & Mortimer. They played the Toronto Streetcar Sessions; Elle's voice was the most striking highlight in their stripped down, acoustic set. But with Army Girls she heads in a very different direction: the strutting, contorting, charming, raucous guitarist and vocalist to Andy Smith's pounding drums. And on Thursday night at The El Mocambo, she won the crowd over from the very beginning of the set. It was a half hour of catchy, driving pop songs, peppered with self-effacing banter and the kind of guitar hero theatrics most people can't even pull off while they're playing air guitar at home. Leaning out over the crowd from the lip of the stage. Playing her instrument behind her head. Down on her knees. A shoe flying off with a leg kick. Absolute 100% real rock star shit. Easily one of the highlights of the festival so far.
MP3: "The Power" by Army Girls
We first learned about her in her role as frontwoman for Donlands & Mortimer. They played the Toronto Streetcar Sessions; Elle's voice was the most striking highlight in their stripped down, acoustic set. But with Army Girls she heads in a very different direction: the strutting, contorting, charming, raucous guitarist and vocalist to Andy Smith's pounding drums. And on Thursday night at The El Mocambo, she won the crowd over from the very beginning of the set. It was a half hour of catchy, driving pop songs, peppered with self-effacing banter and the kind of guitar hero theatrics most people can't even pull off while they're playing air guitar at home. Leaning out over the crowd from the lip of the stage. Playing her instrument behind her head. Down on her knees. A shoe flying off with a leg kick. Absolute 100% real rock star shit. Easily one of the highlights of the festival so far.
MP3: "The Power" by Army Girls
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1 comments:
Awesome shots. I feel like I'm there all over again!
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