Del Bel & July Talk play Peter Clark Hall
July Talk had a triumphant homecoming on Nov. 16 in Guelph after wrapping up the European and American legs of their self-titled tour.
“I can’t believe we woke up in Boston, and now we’re here! We’re home!” exclaimed Peter Dreimanis, the band’s front man, to the crowd.
The Toronto-based band (made up of lead singers Dreimanis and Leah Fay, guitarist Ian Docherty, bassist Josh Warburton, and drummer Danny Miles) seemed happy to be home- so happy, in fact, that they put on one of the most incredible shows that Peter Clark Hall has ever seen.
The vocal duo of Fay and Dreimanis is what really makes July Talk. Dreimanis’ voice is gravelly and sharp, whereas Fay’s is sweet and soft. Combine the two, and you’ve got a silk-on-sandpaper interplay. This interplay works so well precisely because the two voices are so incredibly different. July Talk is all about contrast – Fay’s voice with the harder rock background, and Dreimanis’ voice in combination with Fay’s. Their songs are even written in a back-and-forth conversational style, once again to show the very obvious contrast between these two equally brilliant voices.
There was never a dull moment Sunday night. At one point, Fay requested that a fan lend her his Toronto Blue Jays hat – to which he obliged. After a few songs, she joined him in the crowd to serenade him and return it to his head. She also dismantled her microphone stand on-stage, and invited a fan on-stage to “be the stand.” The real magic, however, was between Dreimanis and Fay – the chemistry between these two is absolutely crazy to watch. Hair pulling, microphone fellatio, and the two literally hanging off of each other were all a part of the show, but in this case, it’s less about sexuality and more about vulnerability. July Talk is not a calculated act – but they work with the audience to create a truly unique experience every time. I had the chance to talk to Arne Berg, a self-proclaimed super fan that has attended a total of 16 July Talk shows. This just goes to show that the dynamics between Dreimanis and Fay are so honest and real that some people cannot get enough.
The band played through most of their self-titled debut album, as well as two new songs off of their EP, For Your Bloodshot Eyes. As the night drew to a close, Fay took the opportunity to thank everyone involved with setting up the show, including their soundwoman, Karen, who Fay thanked by wearing a plain white tee with a big red heart that read ‘KAREN.’ She sent a lot of love to Guelph native openers Del Bel– whose slower, more swayable songs set the perfect stage for the night as well. After the show, the duo took to the merch table to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Dreimanis personally apologized for almost crushing me while crowd surfing, and Fay commented that we have the same haircut after running her hands through my hair. That’s when I realized this is July Talk – they’re real people, and they’re never faking it, not even for a moment.