Last week, Toronto-based bands BLAJK and Young Empires took over Sugar Nightclub for a visually and sonically stunning, criminally under-attended show. Something about Wednesday nights in Victoria makes things a hard sell, I suppose. For those who made it out, the show was an absolute treat.
BLAJK, playing off the success of their latest single Good Liars, brought their indie electronica to the stage. The sound was slick, and mirrored by their vocalist’s dance moves, constantly moving his arms and grooving to the beat.
I’ve seen Young Empires twice before, once mid-afternoon at Rifflandia and once opening for the one and only Dragonette at Sugar last winter. Despite seeing these two shows, I was still on the fence about their sound and presence. At the last Sugar show, the band was clad in black with little to no lights on the stage. This made for a challenging shooting experience and put a damper on my enthusiasm for the band. Any doubts I previously had were immediately erased this time, with an absolutely stellar light show (can all bands please bring their own lighting?!) and an energetic performance from vocalist Matthew Vlahovich. Their dance pop energy carried the night through, and left every single person in Sugar Nightclub satisfied.
