Music

NXNE 2011 REVIEWED: Dave Hause, The Postelles, Kevin Seconds, Chuck Ragan

by AUX staff

While waiting for NXNE to rev into high gear on Thursday, here’s what we caught Wednesday night.

Dave Hause @ El Mocambo, 10 p.m.
Catching just the end of Dave Hause’s set on a bill with a bunch of other punks gone acoustic (though Joey Cape cancelled and Toronto’s Cavaliers took the headlining spot instead) meant not missing out on the harmonica duet between billmate Chuck Ragan and Ragan’s bassist to close out the set. If the last bit was any indication, Hause brought down the, ahem, house as always with a deep-seated, boundless energy and tons of conviction, the kind of commitment to one’s craft that it’s both inspiring and at the same time, so personal you feel it, always, for better or worse. (Nicole Villeneuve)

The Postelles @ The Garrison, 11.00 p.m.
If there are three things New York City’s The Postelles do extremely well, it’s make people dance to ’60s style garage rock, draw various comparisons to The Strokes, and perform great covers of Elvis songs. The latter was most impressive during the band’s only NXNE show when they tossed The King’s “Hound Dog” into their set and played it as if it was one of their own (for the two minutes and whatever seconds it was). For the other 48 minutes the quartet played tracks from their recently released self-titled debut, which, wouldn’t you know it, was produced by The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr., and got the crowd at The Garrison moving after a fuzzy, trip out set by Baltimore’s Lower Dens. (Ciaran Thompson)

Kevin Seconds @ El Mocambo, 11 p.m.
Serving as the veteran on the bill, 7 Seconds frontman Kevin Seconds took to the stage with an obvious appreciation, still, for getting to get up and do what he does every night. Casually engaging in-between song banter was like catching up with an old friend—a bit nostalgic (talking about old 7 Seconds shows in Toronto), so friendly, personal—and if you were up front and paying attention, you’d barely know the rest of the room was rather fickle, waiting for who was next. Spanning his own solo career with old and brand new songs as well as of course 7 Seconds material, Seconds was as charming as he is storied and a full room behind him could have transformed the set entirely. (NV)

Chuck Ragan @ El Mocambo, 12 a.m.
Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan has built a rapt fanbase of his own and they were out in full force for his charged set, which included a duet on “Geraldine” with Cavaliers’ Britton Allison and Ragan stepping aside to give Bedouin Soundclash’s Jay Malinowski the mic (why) to perform a song of his own just as the set was ramping up to wind down. Full of fan favourites and Ragan’s ever present charm, pal Hause joined Ragan as well for a version of “It’s What You Will,” Hause’s presence and emotionally invested voice once again taking over the eager room as, somewhere, Chris Carraba could be heard saying on come on. (NV)