The ladies of summer
Andrea Simms-Karp
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The Hot Springs: very huggable, just ask the tree
photo: Hot Springs
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Pre-Ladyfest show delivers some good old-fashioned genre-crunching
The people who bring us Ladyfest Ottawa every fall are determined to keep things freaky all year round. And someone should really thank them, because it's pretty nice to have the talents of The Hot Springs, Kickers and Les Allumettes coming together under one roof.Although Ladyfest is known for cranking out some of Ottawa's best female punk shows, the June 11 show at Irene's - a warmup for Ladyfest's September/October launch - will be an evening of good old-fashioned genre-crunching.
Montreal's The Hot Springs and Kickers are both known for their ability to rock the crap out of any dance floor. They share a bit of the same spirit, as well as the same drummer. It's been said that nobody can crunch a genre like Montreal, so bet on punk, rock, a shot in the arm of pop and a disco beat.
Still, while Kickers liken themselves to a "math-rock boxing match," The Hot Springs have been transitioning towards something like The Lovely Feathers meets Black Mountain. But hey, pigeonholing is no fun, and once you catch these bands live you'll forget you ever tried to.
Hot Springs frontwoman Giselle Webber says moving from a tougher sound to something marginally huggable is just part of the process, and adds with a laugh that the band still knows how to get a crowd going. And besides, she likes to switch it up every few songs just for kicks, literally and otherwise.
That could be the reason The Hot Springs are constantly cited for having a fresh sound, transcending the hipster stalemate that has
been the death of other bands. Webber's newest fix is a kind of lush pop, but not without echoes of her more signature mix of punk and dance rock.
Lately, the band has been spending their spare days in Montreal's famous Breakglass Studio, also home to the sounds of Islands and Wolf Parade, to record their full-length release in the fall.
For now, though, Webber is looking forward to returning to Ottawa. "It's a city that breeds kind-hearted people," she says.
Maybe she's referring to the charm of local band Les Allumettes, who have a star power all their own. Sporting members from bands like Sophomore Level Psychology and Slow Parker, they are just another reason to catch a Ladyfest bug this weekend.
THE HOT SPRINGS, KICKERS AND LES ALLUMETTES
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 8 P.M., $7
IRENE'S
