The Rubber Boot Club has been an earworm in the local music scene since their soft open on St. Patrick’s Day. The (literally) underground music venue has been the topic of many conversations and much praise among those who frequent live music regularly in Victoria, BC. It’s a venue which certainly lives up to the hype.
The night started out with a ripper of a set from Nanaimo’s The Stacks, a band that has quickly won over the hearts and ears of Rocktographers over the past few years. It’s a long and treacherous drive from The Harbour City to The Garden City, but when The Stacks can make it down, they are well worth your time to check out.
Fronted by brothers Jordan and Matt Lineker, The Stacks draw inspiration from the likes of Foals, The Constantines, Radiohead, and Kings of Leon, but don’t limit themselves to a single genre or sound. The band is rounded out by the intricate beats of drummer Ben Wengel, and recent addition Jordan Faganello on keys. The Stacks’ brand of indie rock is like a good weekend bender. It’s a little fuzzy, a bit dirty, and has a heavy dose of psychedelics thrown in there for good measure.
As the tension built in the band’s last song, the set ended in a flurry of sound and energy, leaving the crowd craving more.
There are some bands that are just the epitome of a fun party. Grapefruit is Impossible is that band. Before the full band took the stage, it was clear that they were here to party. Who else bursts on stage with a balloon animal hat of a majestic unicorn, dumps two bags of candy on the stage, and kicks things off with a funky bassline?
Grapefruit is Impossible seamlessly mixes funk, R&B, jazz, and hip hop to make something uniquely their own. It’s a refreshingly fun to watch a band play with each other beaming with big smiles, horsing around, and throwing candy to the audience. All while keeping the music tight and precise with an improvisational feel. It’s clear that these musicians love to make music together.
For the last few weeks, Lovecoast has been on tour in support of their upcoming debut LP, The Trip. While we anxiously await the album’s arrival on April 27th, the band did the next best thing to releasing a new album… selling out a brand new music venue.
Unfortunately, frontwoman Danielle Sweeney didn’t break a bottle of champagne on the Rubber Boot Club’s bow. Instead, the bar was christened by spilled beer and some fancy silver dancing shoes.
Almost fortuitously, as the band broke into their single The Floor, the entire sold-out room surged to the front of the stage to dance. It was almost as if a flashmob was about to break into a synchronized dance, but instead we got several Elaine Benes-inspired moves.
The biggest takeaway from our first visit to the Rubber Boot Club is that it is run by people who care deeply for music and those who make it. From the impeccable sound system to the brightly-lit stage and the solid sightlines throughout the venue, this is a venue for seeing music and enjoying the music you are there to see. It made for some very happy Rocktographers, and we already can’t wait for the next show there.
