At The El Mocambo on Friday, March 28
By Kevin Howes 

It was nice to see Beach House arrive in Toronto despite the cold breeze outside the club. Inside was a far warmer affair, more akin to the Baltimore, Maryland-based band’s name. Opening up were Sing Leaf and the gentle lilt of San Francisco’s The Papercuts who grooved ably and with plenty of feeling, but were hampered by singing guitarist and songwriter Jason Quever’s vocals, which tread far too deep into Thom Yorke waters to really inspire. Headliners Beach House immediately raised the temperature a notch or two after some very mediocre techno played between sets by the resident soundman. For a room soaked in vibe and history, you’d think they’d try a little harder to create a sympathetic mood for the evening’s acts. Oh well. Did anybody else care? Sauntering on stage wearing bright white and accompanied on drums by Quever, Beach House elevated proceedings in fine style. Singer and organist Victoria Legrand was a strong and confident performer with a unique voice. Her soulful vox washed over the crowd while her partner in crime, guitarist Alex Scally, recreated hypnotic motifs from the group’s sophomore release, the highly recommended Devotion. Lead-off single “Gila”  was performed early in the set striking a positive and reverberating chord, but as the night strolled along, I had one unrealistic fantasy run through my head like a mantra. I found myself dreaming that we had all brought our own deck chairs in order to sit back, feet up, and truly soak up the music (with steady libations flowing of course). Standing at the front of a polite capacity crowd amongst a gaggle of amateur photographers with camera lights flashing and wobbly Youtube videos being created, I couldn’t help but wish we were all sitting down like good boys and girls, simply letting Beach House’s holy rolling charm consume us without the unnecessary flicker. Not to boo hoo anybody’s good fun, but as I write this review, the words of The Kinks’ Ray Davies keep repeating through my head. Take them as you will (and go see Beach House next time they hit town)… 

“People Take Pictures Of Each Other” (from The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, 1968) 

People take pictures of the Summer,
Just in case someone thought they had missed it,
And to proved that it really existed.

Fathers take pictures of the mothers,
And the sisters take pictures of brothers,
Just to show that they love one another.

You can’t picture love that you took from me,
When we were young and the world was free.
Pictures of things as they used to be,
Don’t show me no more, please.

People take pictures of each other,
Just to prove that they really existed,
Just to prove that they really existed.

People take pictures of each other,
And the moment to last them for ever,
Of the time when they mattered to someone.

People take pictures of the Summer,
Just in case someone thought they had missed it,
Just to proved that it really existed.

People take pictures of each other,
And the moment to last them for ever,
Of the time when they mattered to someone.

Picture of me when I was just three,
Sucking my thumb by the old oak tree.
Oh how I love things as they used to be,
Don’t show me no more, please.