Said the Whale and the Kopecky Family Band
Friends of the road breaking into new territories
Michael Long
It’s always interesting when the opening act gives as good a performance – if not a better one – than the headliner. Those who attend a show solely for the main act will find themselves pleasantly surprised, and students who packed the Brass Taps on Thursday, Nov. 14 to see Said the Whale will know the feeling.
The Kopecky Family Band, from Nashville Tennessee, is much bigger in the United States than Canada.
On the Canadian leg of their tour, the band opened for Said the Whale, a Canadian band who hit the musical jackpot on the radio last summer. But when the two groups toured together in the U.S., it was Said the Whale who was opening for the Kopecky Family Band.
This is what you might call a symbiotic relationship; and it is one that works.
Gabriel Simon, co-founder and lead singer of the Kopecky Family Band, summed it up:
“In the States, Said the Whale would support us. And up here we support Said the Whale. So it’s just different. But it’s actually really cool; there’s no competition. With other bands it’s kind of funny, but with these guys, it’s purely like, we love hanging out with them.”
Playing the Brass Taps – which is by no means a big venue for either – both appeared comfortable in the smaller setting, hanging around after the show to sell merchandise and chat with fans.
“If you’re in the States, and it’s at a bar, it’s 21 and up,” said Gabriel. “It tends to be an older audience; they’re not as young and exuberant as 18 and 19 year olds.”
And the crowd was exuberant – that was probably the best word for it.
Both bands put on very high-energy acts. Fans were dancing in front of the stage and singing along – not just to Said the Whale’s radio hits such as, “I Love You” and “Mother” – but to more songs than you might expect. It was a fun (in the purest sense of the word) atmosphere: unpretentious, loud, and bursting with enthusiasm.
That the two bands should be touring together is only appropriate, as they are similar in more than a few ways. Both have at least five band members, including a lone female; both have achieved their biggest successes this summer; and, as the cliché goes, both sound much better live than on record.
Where the Kopecky Family Band really stands out is with the quality of their instrumentals. Employing at different points a ukulele, a cello, a large piece of metal chain (which is apparently ruthless on the hands), a trumpet, and what was surely the crowd favourite: a trombone. This level musicality added a depth to their sound hard to match – it has the potential to make lesser acts look uninspired.
Luckily, Said the Whale had more than enough energy to have no need for such flourishes. The rawness of their on-stage sound lent maturity to their vocals, and made those wearisome “ooheeooheeoohs” on “I Love You” much less piercing.
Stand out tracks from the Kopecky Family Band were “Heathbeat” and “My Way.”
Life on tour is a tough slog. The Kopecky Family Band has been on tour for two and half years and is looking forward to a well-deserved break in January.
After the show, Tyler Bancroft, the lead guitarist and vocalist for Said the Whale, was evidently looking forward to simpler pleasures. In the span of two unrelated questions, he made three unrelated references to craft beer.
Apparently Said the Whale is a fan of Arkell’s Brewery here in Guelph.
Shad lit up the night
Emily Jones
Shad made an appearance on campus Friday Nov. 15, playing a gig at Peter Clark Hall. Shad was promoting his new album, Flying Colours, which was released last month and is what should be called a work of lyrical dexterity. We are the City opened the show, but the excitement really began when the lights dimmed – an air of anticipation floated through the crowd while they waited for Shad to appear on stage and for the beat to drop.
Shad had the ability to keep the attention of a crowd, not just by entertaining them with a sense-pleasing auditory experience, but by thoughtfully releasing lyrics that made the audience think. This skill sets Shad apart from other rappers of the popular music scene; he is not concerned so much with the desire and drive to make money at whatever costs, but instead to create art and to share information that is valuable to minds of all ages.
The joy on his face during the performance radiated off of him and into the crowd, then was placed back upon him through both their movements in unison. It was apparent that Shad wasn’t just here to perform – he was here to inspire, motivate and connect with the audience in Guelph. There was a moment when he stopped the show, and it took a while for his DJ to understand what was happening, because Shad wanted to stop the minor disturbance that erupted in the crowd during one of his songs. Friendly grooving turned into what seemed to be a little disgruntled moshing, and Shad noticed. He took a stand to stop it, told the crowd that he supported interaction, but only of the positive type. This lasted a couple of minutes, was handled with class, and Shad kept going from where he had left off – as if nothing had ever slowed him down.
With his respectable attitude and intelligently written lyrics about real, prevalent issues, it is no surprise that Shad is an academic himself. He spoke in a TEDxTalk regarding his education, his perseverance in pushing his way into the ever-changing music business, and the skill it takes to keep yourself going in order to get what you want in life. Shad holds a business degree and master’s of liberal arts, and this is on top of being an astonishing lyrical mastermind who has the ability to invigorate the minds and stimulate thought in his viewership.
Shad had the skill and the drive to make something of himself that he is proud of. He was inspiring to watch and to listen to, and he evoked something extra in the crowd rather than just simple entertainment for a Friday night in Guelph – he lit a passion in the audience. His performance of Flying Colours displayed it as an album about life – it isn’t always pretty, but it’s real.