Review: Graveface Roadshow with The Casket Girls
The Casket Girls at Casa del Popolo. photo Nina Chabel
On Friday I went to see The Casket Girls. I was pretty excited because The This Many Boyfriends Club were opening for them and I didn’t get to see them the time they were playing at Cafe Chaos.
The This Many Boyfriends Club at Casa del Popolo. Photo Nina Chabel
I got there early, like I always do. I hate being late for things. It was my first time going to a gig at Casa del Popolo and I absolutely loved how small the venue was. It was totally intimate and created a one-on-one effect between the stage and the audience. At first there weren’t many people, but the room started slowly to fill up. I think there were 50 of us there at most. Everyone was super calm and civilized, i.e. no mosh-pits and no pushing each other. It was the kind of show I’ve always wanted to attend.
The Casket Girls at Casa del Popolo. Photo Nina Chabel
The This Many Boyfriends Club came on first. When I interviewed them a few weeks before, they mentioned that their live shows is what they’re all about and after seeing them play, it was definitely the case. The Boyfriends had a solid fan base that came out to encourage them. It almost seemed as though they were the main act and not The Casket Girls.
The Casket Girls at Casa del Popolo. Photo Nina Chabel
Before the Casket Girls came on, we got to hear Dreamend and The Stargazer Lillies, both signed with Graveface Records. Dreamend is Ryan Graveface’s main musical project. He also contributes musically to the Casket Girls. Dreamend and The Stargazer Lillies were a lovely mix of lo-fi and shoegaze. There was something almost entrancing, standing there and listening to that noisy music. Typical of shoegaze, the crowd was just standing with their arms crossed, some slightly swaying and there were the few that went all out, dancing and jumping.
The Casket Girls at Casa del Popolo. Photo Nina Chabel.
Finally the Casket Girls came on. Two slim girls who were identical, almost like twins, but if you looked close enough you could see that they weren’t. They both wore blonde wigs and sunglasses. Since you never see them without their disguise, no one really knows exactly what they look like. Their eerie songs were accompanied by synchronized dance moves that made the performance that much better. They played a few of their new songs but Heartless was definitely a crowd favourite.
