CMW 2013: Lioness @ Lee's Palace by Cody McGraw

SATURDAY — For the past 5-6 years I’ve been saying, "This is the year Lioness is finally going to get the attention they deserve." And every year I’m wrong. (For those who know me, they know being wrong isn’t something I will often admit to being, so keep that in mind.) However, I really do think 2013 will be the last year I can call Lioness an up-and-coming band.

The first time I heard the voice of Vanessa Fischer, I was very, very, very drunk and by the end of the show I was sober. Her soulful yet gritty vocals command your attention and takes you on a ride you won’t forget. It’s sort of like Aretha Franklin’s daughter having a punk band and soundtracking the remake of Labyrinth. It’s haunting, it’s beautiful and completely life changing.

Donned in a fringe outfit, Fischer and company hushed all of Lee’s Palace with tracks from last year’s The Golden Killer and some older tracks such as “You’re My Heart.” With dark confidence — and with every arm raise with dangling fringe — the audience was hers.

After the set I even heard some guy say to his buddy, “I’m really glad we showed up early for Savages” (the next band). This is the year, my friends. I won’t be wrong again.

 
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Find all of our coverage of Canadian Music Week 2013 here. 

 Photos by Carmen Cheung

Cody McGraw is many things but the thing you can actually call him to his face is the Managing Editor of The Little Red Umbrella. See more posts from him here or follow him on Twitter (@cody_mcgraw).