On Saturday, January 17, I made my way down to Capital Ballroom to watch Jade LeMac at her first headlining show in her hometown of Victoria. Going into the night, I was already a bit unsure of myself. I had spent the day prior stalking her Instagram to get a better idea of what her live performance might feel like, and I had convinced myself it was going to be a slower, chill concert. That assumption did not help the fact that I had napped for way too long earlier that day and was now feeling tired, restless, and deeply in my own head.
That energy carried over while I was getting ready. I had already applied body glitter, then immediately became self-conscious about it, like I had misunderstood the night entirely before even leaving the house. But once the music started, that feeling didn’t last long. The energy from both the opener and LeMac pulled me out of my haze,
snapped my brain back online, and suddenly the glitter felt like the right call. By the end
of the night, I had fully embraced my alter ego. Enter Sparkle Tits.
Kicking off the night was Chiara Savasta, joined by Alexis Gagnon on drums, Alexandre Boivin on bass, and Antoine Tousignant on guitar, who immediately set the tone. Her vocals were dreamy but powerful, the band locked in quickly, and the lyrics landed. On Superstar Loser, lines like “Superstar loser, your pants are on the floor. Where is your
mother when you’re calling me a whore?” hit perfectly. No notes. I loved watching her perform. The set carried a steady, building energy that pulled you in without ever feeling forced.
One of my favourite moments from her set came from her cover of Black Sheep by Metric. It matched her sound perfectly and leaned more into a Scott Pilgrim feeling rather than a copy-and-paste Metric moment, if you know, you know. Coming off the recent wave of 2016 nostalgia and the resurfacing of decade-old photos, I had been actively hiding from and wincing at the pictures my friends kept sending me. After her set, though, I wanted to do the opposite. Digital camera to the club. Thick eyeliner. A stomach-length owl necklace. If a band’s sound can do that to me in real time, it’s a win. Consider me fully converted. Thank you for your service, Chiara.
Next up was Jade LeMac, who I knew meant business the moment she walked onstage in a grey power suit that I immediately felt the need to replicate in my own wardrobe. It became apparent almost instantly that she is a performer. Her vocals were powerful and raw, and her vocal runs felt effortless. She was backed by a responsive band that moved with her seamlessly, giving each song room to breathe while still driving the momentum of the set. I’m usually more reserved when I’m reviewing a show, but I got swept away. During Got Me Obsessed, I found myself audibly wooing (I know, I should
be arrested).
She is also a compelling storyteller, and it was touching to watch her get lost in the emotions of her songs, then return to the moment through small interactions with the crowd. During Pink Balloon, she brought out an actual pink balloon and handed it off to an audience member, a small but endearing gesture that felt entirely in line with the warmth she carries onstage.
During Constellations, a song that reflects on what lingers after a relationship ends, you could tell she was sitting in the feelings that come with writing honestly. At one point, she looked out into the crowd and noticed two girls in front of me swaying in time with the music, completely lost in it. She smiled, and you could see the shift, the moment where the joy of performing and the audience’s reaction took over. Watching that contrast unfold, between sharing something deeply personal and being met with that kind of connection, was genuinely beautiful. It felt like witnessing a quiet “this is why
I do it” moment in real time.
I am so grateful I got to witness LeMac’s talent up close at Capital Ballroom, because after seeing her live, I don’t think I will experience her in a venue like that again. She is already operating on a level that feels bigger than the room. Between her musical talent, her commanding stage presence, and the ease with which she connects with the audience when speaking between songs, it feels inevitable. This was a special show to catch at this stage, and I’m glad I didn’t sleep through it.
