Let’s Party in The Underground: Hooded Fang CD Release Party

December 9, 2010 — Ah, The Drake. One of the many famed Toronto hot spots for hipsters and scenesters alike. The Underground in the basement of The Drake (aka the land of no cell phone reception) hosted the Hooded Fang CD Release Party. Everyone that was there to celebrate the anticipated release was in high spirits.

I didn’t know what to expect when Doldrums stepped onto the stage. This charmingly awkward dude managed to manipulate reverb, sound effects and spoken word in a way that was engaging and mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but smile as he bobbed to the beats he was creating. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, he started to sing. He understood music and sound itself in such a way that allowed him to just play with it, and create something coherent and enjoyable.

Santa Guerrilla took the stage an hour after Doldrums. Why did they wait an hour? Excellent question. The crowd grew a little restless while waiting, as did I, so naturally I was a little harder to impress by the time they finally took the stage. Codos for having the guts to be a purely percussion band, but the songs lacked flare, and quite honestly may not have been the best style for the type of crowd in attendance. There was very little audience interaction, and they brought their quick set to an abrupt ending without even giving recognition to the act prior or next. As soon as they were finished, I felt relieved.

Dressed with subtle silver accents to unify themselves, Hooded Fang casually walked on stage. The septet is made up of (insert deep breathe here): Daniel Lee on vocals and guitar, Lorna Wright on vocals, glock and guitar, April Aliermo on bass, Julia Barnes on Trombone and synth, Lane Halley on Trumpet and guitar, Eric Woolston on drums and Nick Hune-Brown on Keyboard (whew).

I’ve decided that it is impossible to be anything but happy while listening to Hooded Fang. Their tunes are so rich in beauty, and their lyrics seem to evoke levels of ease and comfort. They are able to play tunes that are danceable, and songs that make you sway without loosing their musical identity or limiting themselves in anyway.

There isn’t a single member of this band that I wouldn’t want to sit down to lunch with! It is clear that all seven members have a deep appreciation for each other, and have fun playing together. No one falls into the background, and no one overtly steals the spotlight – they all have their own quirky niches in their performances that just make them all that more engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed the constant switching of instruments between members; it showcased the range of talent quite well.

Hooded Fang played their tunes with such a confident demeanor, yet are sweet and humble which is so refreshing these days. Lee expressed his gratitude and thanked the audience for their support, and also thanked everyone else involved; sound guys, set designers, and also the artists involved in the design of album art and t-shirts. Lee is a strong leader for the band and with Lorna at his side these two are strong contenders in our array of local indie acts. The band managed to play their entire song catalog: a great way to celebrate the CD release.