Cut Off Your Hands Have Energy

New Zealand's Cut Off Your Hands made their Toronto debut to a healthy sized crowd at the Horseshoe Tavern, but the audience had to endure two interesting openers before sinking its paws into the group's poppy, indie dance rock.

Toronto's Siberia started the night with their captivating instrumental ambient indie rock. Banter and presence were entirely non-existent with no microphones on stage, yet there was something magnetic about them. Their music rolled through a series of melodies and moods that left a desolate feeling that didn't exactly pump up the crowd.

It was almost awkward watching them perform because there were literally no words uttered. Instead, it felt like the crowd was invading an intimate moment between the talented members and their music. I didn't get the impression it mattered to them if people watched or not.

Boys Who Say No are another Toronto quartet who, in addition to the standard instruments, also used tambourines, xylophones, ukuleles and recorders in their performance. Their eclectic alt.country music had a catchy and strong east coast flair.

They opened with a slow cover of a Leonard Cohen song (an increasingly popular trait these days) before upping the energy level. While they were delightful and talented, they didn't make sense as an opener for COYH. I'd give them a second chance, though, especially to hear that mix tape song.

By the time Cut Off Your Hands hit the stage, a large crowd comprised primarily of fashionable 20-somethings and people old enough to be their parents had accumulated in front of the stage.

The young band opened with the title track of their You & I debut and continued to explode through dynamic songs made for dancing such as "Oh Girl" and "Happy As Can Be." The group sound much more cohesive and polished (and foreign) live than they do on disc, which added an appreciated element to their performance.

There's something special about the skinny ball of energy that is frontman Nick Johnston. His polite, unassuming demeanor transforms into an unquantifiable amount of energy and passion as he hurls himself around the stage, bringing the kind of youthful enthusiasm that makes watching this band so much fun.

Cut Off Your Hands' sound is big and has an impact despite using merely three instruments. I get the feeling this is just the beginning for these guys, as their 40-minute set went by much too fast. This is clearly a band to watch.