Live report: 12th September 2010: LAFAYETTE YOUNG(FR) + WILLO(SLO) + YUKON BLONDE(CAN) at l'International, Paris

The French venue l'International which celebrated its two years early this month was not very crowded this Sunday. There were many gigs in Paris that week, so I guess that people wanted to have a calm Sunday night at home, and be ready for the upcoming week. The gig was a Boutiques Sonores party and it featured the French (band) Lafayette Young, the Slovak band Willo and the Canadian band Yukon Blonde.

Behind the name Lafayette Young is the folk singer Stephan Lipiansky came on stage with his guitar at around 9:30pm. He began to play alone on the first songs, then was joined by his girlfriend who did the back vocals. The whole performance was soft and calm voices+acoustic guitar. I'm sorry to write that, but even if the two singers with particular and not very compatible voices weren't bad, compared to other French bands I saw, I almost fell asleep actually... Stephan finished his set of about ten songs, alone with a couple of songs. Of course, after each song, the audience composed of about 40 people gave them support.

Willo from Slovakia played at 10:15pm. Three men on stage wearing suits, hats(except the bass player) and glasses. The lead singer on the left side of the stage with mid-long hair told the audience in French that they had to leave Paris for a family reunion that Sunday night or Monday morning, and had to come back for a show in Paris on Tuesday. Their sound engineer came especially by bus from Slovakia to that International's show. Well done, they are brave! It was their first Paris show, so the small audience was quite warm towards them. Their songs were quite rock pop, with guitar riffs and drums. The lead singer encouraged the audience to sing along on one song with "la la la", but it didn't really work even if the shy audience made its best to sing with them. They said that the girls usually ask a kiss from the bass player in their country, and if French girls also want kisses, they have to buy their CDs first (wtf?) They played some rock songs, neither too bad, nor excellent, I didn't like the voice of the singer...

Finally, the band I wanted to see in live came on stage after 11pm: Yukon Blonde from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It was also their first appearance in France! I mentionned them last week on my Click+Listen #3 and last May too. They are on the same label, Nevado Records, as Leif Vollebekk, Bahamas and other great bands. Bahamas and Yukon Blonde were both nominees on the 2010 longlist for Polaris Music Prize. Yukon Blonde are reminescent of bands playing 60s or 70s sunshine pop rock songs, like Fleetwood Mac with more rock and americana harmonies. Folk pop rock americana songs? Ok, I'm lost, there's a mix of influences on their songs.... They are compared to well-known bands Local Natives and Fleet Foxes, and sometimes to Dr. Dog. Really? I usually don't like to compare a band with others, but read what Sputnikmusic wrote about Yukon Blonde, I agree with this music website. There were Jeffrey Innes on lead vocals and guitar, Brandon Scott on guitar and back vocals, Graham Jones on drums and back vocals and an another musician on bass. They played songs from their last album called 'Yukon Blonde', and also an Untitled song they played for Southern Souls and two other songs I don't know. I hope they'll play 'Kumiko Song' the next time they'll come back in Paris. The venue was a little more crowded with girls in the first row dancing and everybody enjoying the show. I saw that there were French fans there. The band was excellent! Catchy and energetic tunes alongside guitar riffs, unforgettable chorus and multi-layered harmonies! I think they're going to be one of the best Canadian bands soon. I bought their album 'Yukon Blonde' and got a card with a code which allows me to download their EP 'Everything In Everyway'. Four excellent songs!

Songs in the setlist :

Rather Be With You
Brides Song
Wind Blows
1000 Years

Babies Don't Like Blue Anymore 

They are all very nice! Give them support!

Yukon Blonde

MySpace / Facebook / Twitter / Website / CBC Radio 3

 
Yukon Blonde - Wind Blows (official music video) - excellent

UK people! Catch them in Brixton in South London this Friday at the Laissez Faire Club show! The lineup is ace! Yukon Blonde wil play with the bands Let’s Buy Happiness,  Alpines and the excellent Pushing Hands.

More pictures of the show: