(((O))) Live: Yndi Halda • Staghorn • Year of Glad – La Vitrola, Montreal

Quiet Monday night in Montreal. La Vitrola is a quirky venue located on a second (or third) floor of a building. Not surprisingly for a Monday evening, the room was pretty empty when I arrived and during most of the first two band’s sets.

Starting right about on time was Year of Glad and their set of agony-anguished dissonant melodies. Their sound is difficult to place and not easily accessible, but the best way I would describe it would be a mix of Folk, Jazz, Doom, and Psychedelia. The crowd was pleased and they managed to get a good reaction.

After a short intermission, Staghorn then took over the stage with a short, sweet and intense show. Alternating introspective, quiet, spoken word with heavy crushing heavy riffs that got the crowd headbanging. Check them out if you have a chance. They are one of the most unique bands in the “Post-Whatever” genre.

Last but not least, and with the room getting a bit (but not much) fuller, Yndi Halda. I have been fortunate to see most of my favourite Post Rock bands live: Caspian, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mono, Mogwai, Long Distance Calling, Russian Circles, Pelican, Jakob, God is an Astronaut, etc. but I’d never seen Yndi Halda, and was very much looking forward to it.

From the first few notes, they blew the crowd away. Their performance was blissful! They played only four songs, which added up to over an hour of music. We got to hear three songs from Under Summer and a real treat – the sublime ‘Dash and Blast’ from their first album Enjoy Eternal Bliss. Unfortunately, there was no time to play their new EP, A Sun-Coloured Shaker. The last track, ‘This Very Flight’ was the highlight with the band walking off stage with some sort of hand-mallets to playing that amazing ending melody. Insanely good.

I had the biggest grin on my face at the end. It was all I wanted and more. The band’s chemistry is insane and it was such a tight performance. To add to that, they are also such nice people, willing to talk before and after the show.

Yndi Halda Setlist:

1. Together Those Leaves
2. Dash and Blast
3. Golden Threads from the Sun
4. This Very Flight