Attack In Black Play Diverse Set

Horseshoe Tavern

Toronto, ON

on May 9 2009

Bianca Marcus (CHARTattack)

05/11/2009 4:17pm

Welland, Ont. band Attack In Black stopped at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern on Saturday to play an intimate set of new and old songs. Openers Jennifer Castle, Hunters & Anglers and Shotgun Jimmie set the tone for a laid-back yet charmingly spontaneity-filled night.

Toronto singer/songwriter Castle, who often plays under the moniker Castlemusic, began the evening. Her voice seemed to be in perfect emotional sync with her guitar, making for a sound that was simultaneously raw and warm, quiet and commanding attention.

Castle's soft vocal inflections and dissonant yet rich guitar riffs had more than a few audience members mesmerized. "For My Friends" from last year's You Can't Take Anyone was a highlight and explains why the song was covered by fellow Torontonians Fucked Up on their "Year Of The Pig/For My Friends" seven-inch single.

Hunters & Anglers, an unassuming looking three-piece from Welland who were recently picked up by Blacktop Records, were up next. At first glance, the bassist reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite, but any doubts about the intensity of this band's rockin' abilities were squashed when they began their first song. Their sound mixed blues-tinged rock with roots and a bit of punk, and their impromptu banter between songs made for a comfortable segue into a set by Sackville, N.B. group Shotgun Jimmie.

Shotgun Jimmie had all the frenetic energy of a young boy about to sing in front of his family at a reunion — at once nervous and excited, and not letting pretense get in the way of the performance. Jimmie started out a little thinly, his vocals endearingly rough but not strong enough to back up the full sound of his guitar. He really came into his own when joined on stage by "backing band" Attack In Black, and the mutual admiration between both parties was evident. The upbeat "Mind Crumb," with poppy back-up vocals for the chorus, got the crowd moving and ready for the headliners.

Attack In Black played a variety of songs, mostly from 2009's folk-influenced Years (By One Thousand Fingertips) and 2007's harder Marriage. The stylistic shift between the two albums caused mixed audience reactions. While some were entranced by the bare, discordant quality of Years' "Birmingham" and the simplicity of the album's title track, others waited for their first chance to run up to the front and mosh, fists in the air.

The amiable quartet were happy to be all things to all people, and alternated frequently between fast and slow, making sure to thank the audience after each song. While some bands over-estimate their fame, the Welland boys didn't appear to fully grasp the loyalty or scale of their fan base. Although AIB seemed low-key at times compared to Shotgun Jimmie and Hunters & Anglers, their performance was by no means a letdown. It was the perfect cap to a musically balanced night.