Vancouver’s Hotel Mira made their debut this week at the Biltmore Cabaret. You may already be familiar with their music, however — formerly known at JPNSGRLS, they changed their name and their lineup, but the quirks that made them so unique are definitely still there.
Vancouver’s Whisper Disco opened the night with an energetic set showcasing their loud, garage-rock sound. Band of Rascals from good ol’ Victoria were up next, and they put on an entertaining show. Unfortunately, vocalist/guitarist Sam Traynor broke a string right at the start of the set, which pulled the energy down a little bit as he resorted to playing tambourine for a few tracks while it was being fixed. Guitarist Malcom and bassist Sean did their best to make up for it by keeping up their maniacal energy. Regardless, they managed to win the audience over and gain some new fans in the process.
After a video montage, Hotel Mira wasted no time getting us acquainted right out the gate, with frontman Charlie Kerr exploding all over the stage with his signature dance moves and unique vocal delivery. Though the set consisted of mostly new songs, fans were already singing along to 3AM Lullaby, their first release under the new moniker.
Much to the audience’s delight, old JPNSGRLS favourites such as Smalls, Bully for You and Southern Comforting were strewed through the second half of the set. Closing song Stockholm alternated between a soft whisper and a loud roar, feeling much like a grandiose theatrical tune with Kerr alternating between holding up lighters with the audience, flying around the stage during the thunderous moments. Hotel Mira closed out the set with Oh My God, which was possibly the highlight of the night with the entire audience losing their minds.
If you were unlucky and missed their first show, you can catch them again in a few weeks at the Rickshaw Theatre on May 18th. Don’t sleep on this band – they’re here to stay.
