Live at Lee’s Palace, 26 February 2016
Nearing the end of their lengthy cross-country tour, Yukon Blonde stopped at Lee’s Palace in Toronto to play two sold out shows. I was lucky enough to be in attendance for round two. Now, I must acknowledge from the onset that I am not an objective reviewer. Yukon Blonde has been one of my favourite bands since the release of their first, self-titled album in 2010. Yukon Blonde’s distinguishing trademark is their fantastic, full band harmonies that remind me of the Beach Boys and Fleet Foxes. Every member of the band sings, not just the lead singer—this is where the band shines.
The five-piece, Vancouver-based, indie rock band is touring in support of their latest album On Blonde, which was released on 16 June 2015 on Dine Alone Records. The album name is clever nod to Bob Dylan’s classic 1966 release Blonde on Blonde. When the band name and album title are read together, you get Yukon Blonde – On Blonde. On Blonde represents a step in the right direction for a band that appears motivated to reach a larger audience. The first single off the album, “Saturday Night,” reached number one on CBC Radio 2 in May 2015. Before recording On Blonde, founding members Jeff Innes (Vocal/Guitar), Brandon Scott (Lead Guitar) and Graham Jones (Drums) added James Younger (Bass) and Rebecca Gray (Keys/Synth) to the mix. The new album represents a significant shift into a more “synth-based” electronic sound. However, the band still brings the same energetic vibes, catchy lyrics and harmonized choruses, found on their previous releases, to the table.
Welcomed by a rousing ovation, the band hit the stage and began their set with “My Girl” from their 2012 release Tiger Talk. It was immediately apparent from the energy in the first ten seconds that this was going to be one heck of a concert. Yukon Blonde is a heavy touring band, the effects of which are clearly apparent from the band’s strong chemistry on stage. Although slightly weighted to songs on the new album, the set comprised of a collection of songs across the bands discography. I was overjoyed when the band played a rocked out rendition of the folky “Fire” from their Fire//Water EP released in 2011. The band also played my favourite song from their self-titled album, “Wind Blows.” This song was my introduction to the band back in 2010; I had to wait almost six years to see it played live. Lead singer Jeff Innes let the sold out crowd of Lee’s Palace take over singing duties for the last chorus of the song.
It was clear from the crowd’s energy level that they were more familiar with Yukon Blonde’s newer songs. When “Saturday Night” was played about half way through the set, the crowd went into a frenzy. This was followed by my favourite Yukon Blonde song from On Blonde, “I Wanna Be Your Man.” The song features a heavy, grungy-sounding guitar riff that explodes immediately after the band finishes singing “You mean a lot to me / I wanna be your man.” Another crowd-pleaser from the new album was “Favourite People,” a song with a rolling vibe built for live shows. The song contains a funny reference to Rihanna’s song “Diamonds” where Innes recites “Rihanna sings of diamonds and how brightly they shine / All I see is pressured carbon that knows the price of time / Call me a diamond but don’t tell me to shine.”
“Confused,” the opening track off On Blonde would fit right in on a soundtrack designed by the stressed-out law student. As the title might suggest, the song is about being confused with where to fit in and how to be useful. One of the songs many great lyrics include “When I get home / well I just lay in my bed / nobody seems to want me / I got no motives in my head / I’m confused.” The song is infectious; I could not stop myself from singing “I’m confused” over and over again on the subway ride home.
This was my first time attending a concert at Lee’s Palace. The venue was featured in the 2011 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starring Michael Cera. It is immediately clear that Lee’s Palace was not a “Palace” by any stretch of the imagination. It is a dark, grungy, bar-style venue with zero bells and whistles. This is not Massey Hall or the Danforth Music Hall. However, it was perfect for Yukon Blonde who sold out the 600-person capacity venue on consecutive nights. Lee Palace’s small size provided for a very intimate and energy-packed concert. I was also pleasantly surprised by the great sound quality; every melody, every riff, every lyric came through crystal clear.
At the end of the show, Yukon Blonde appeared stunned by the response of the crowd and were extremely grateful for their support. This amount of graciousness showed by the band gave me the impression that they were entering uncharted territory and were genuinely unsure of how to handle their growing popularity. It was charming. Yukon Blonde is a great Canadian band, plain and simple. They are deserving of a much larger audience. Before walking off the stage under thunderous applause, lead singer Jeff Innes stated, “we’ll be back.” I cannot wait until they do and I have a feeling it will be at a much larger venue.