Welcome to the Carbon Dating Show

WHO: soso/Maybe Smith/Carbon Dating Service
WHERE: Amigo's Cantina
WHEN: July 26/07

So many smiles. So much dancing. Or at least that was the show I saw.

Hip hop artist soso warmed up the crowd, playing only three songs. By the end the crowd was bobbing along. His music is minimal accompanied by his turntable and electronic devices and Maybe Smith on guitar. The rumour flying around is that soso’s new album will drop in November, and word on the street is that it is going to be amazing. For those who don't know, he's kind of a big deal. Soso has a Japanese tour coming up, as well as an October appearance at Pop Montreal in the beginning of October.
I’d like to offer up this nugget as a review: “I like this a lot more than I thought I would,” said friend with big smile on her face.
For me, it was great to see him live. Soso’s chill beats have an occasional home in my CD player (occasional is a compliment nowadays) and I think despite a little hesitation off the top, he put on a performance that ensured I'll go back for another.

By the time Maybe Smith took the stage the crowd was warm. Very warm. Actually they were hot and sweaty in the late July heat. Although the sound from the back wasn’t as good as usual (perhaps due to larger than usual crowd and louder than usual volume), at the front and centre it sounded quite good. Maybe Smith ripped through what seemed like a short set, including all the hits — Bloody Nose receiving the biggest sing-a-long. The songs are hits because people were singing along and dancing wildly, cheering and clapping. Well practiced after the cross-Canada tour, the band was greeted warmly by an enthused hometown crowd. The highlight was when someone brought a package of sparklers and fired them up mid-song. It was magical.

You’ve been served.

Perhaps we should talk about what’s happened to the Carbon Dating Service lately, if it isn’t already known. Given the royal love-up by CBC Radio 3, Carbon Dating Service was toured around Canada, featured on the r3 website, music blogs such as i (heart) music, and according to rumour sold out shows in eastern Canada.

The CDS (I'd like to think I'm cool enough to abbreviate them) was the headlining act, hosting an official CD Release party for their new album Polyentendrii. With so many band members it seems inevitable things will seem scattered at times, but the horn section worked tightly in tandem with each other and the group definitely got a groove on. Dressed in matching t-shirts reading "Support the Synchrotron Awareness Tour, Sponsor a Beam Line," jeans and ball caps, the loose uniform was interesting if not a little blah. Perhaps this band should go Polyphonic Spree pre-Fragile Army and get some robes. That would be cool, although probably a little warm for summer. At press/bed time, CDS had just played an evening-making cover of Space Hog’s In The Meantime. I doubt this song could have pleased anyone else like it pleased me. With fiddle player Toby Bond stepping up to sing rather poorly whilst dressed in a shiny sexy-nurse costume, and a horn section reinforcing the “ooooh, ooooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, ooooh” chorus, it was bliss. And yes, I loved that song in high school. Thanks CDS, you made my night and gave me many fond memories for the future.