Elliott BROOD

Ah, the joys of an early evening show. Perhaps it's the weather, or it could be the recent seasonal time change, maybe it's how the crowd is of a slightly different demographic; certainly it can't be my getting slightly older and less likely to see 10:30 anymore, or at least I will refuse that possibility. No, I'm not sure what exactly it is that makes the event of an early concert such a joyous occasion, suffice it to say that it just is; and so when Elliott BROOD take to the stage at The Vinyl when the clock barely strikes 8:30pm, opening their set with an energy sure to only grow, I find myself a happy man.

I feel it prudent to interject the story quickly here by stating that I was and still truly am sad for having missed Jessy Bell Smith open the show. Possibly the one and only downside to a 7:30 start would be the tendency to not make it quite on time.

For those who were fortunate and punctual enough to see her play: how was it? I'd love some highlights.

For those of you unfamiliar with Jessy: please do yourselves all the favour of attending the EBar performance on April 15th with Old Man Luedecke - yummy east coast music day.

But I digress, this entry and this evening is about The BROOD and their soul-inspired, folky good times.

From Toronto, Ontario, Elliott BROOD is a group of three guys who, in the opinion of this writer, are out on a mission to do nothing more than bring good music to good people. Admittedly only slightly familiar with their first major release, Ambassador, more comfortable with their latest release, Mountain Meadows, and a virgin to their live show, I was a little unsure of what to expect from the stage. Of course, one of the many beauties of writing on such topics is the act of research and the discovery of greater things; so, quickly I went from unfamiliar to ecstatically excited for the show, and, believe me, they did not disappoint.

I'm sure by now you've realized that I travel to many concerts, as many as I can take in, and I try my best to report back on those that I truly feel worth while to the reader. Be advised that, while you may think I live in a world of only positive opinions, their are many bands and many thoughts you do not get to read because, well, I don't deem them worth the time it would take to write them. As such, when you sign on to The Locale and find yourselves perusing the script of a band called Elliott BROOD, a band whose accolades are now spreading through The United States and onto the big screen at Sundance Festival, please understand that you are only reading these words because they are well worth taking in, but, of course, not nearly as much as their music.

Perched upon a tiny stage, only just large enough for its three members, Casey, Stephen and Mark proved to all us Guelphites in attendance that it doesn't take an army to rock a house down. There's something to be said about tunes that get you stomping, clapping, jumping and singing all at the same time. Bringing the early evening's high to a deceiving plateau of already high energy and fun, Elliott BROOD seemed to surprise even themselves when the crowd invested all they had into making the songs move them through and through; and it was at this point the band seemed to kick it into an even higher gear, bringing the audience even further into their infectious and addictive sound

I had a chance between other eager listeners to speak briefly with Casey after the show and, as mentioned before, even he seemed incredibly surprised by the crowd's enthusiasm for their music, especially at such an early hour. In my opinion, the authentically humble reaction of a musician excited for the work that he does speaks volumes to the caliber of the artist, and for your work, certainly you should be proud.

In the event that you've not heard Elliott BROOD's brand of ear candy just yet, I am hesitant to state some comparisons, or even their inspirations for that matter, for the simple reason that you may go in with an expectation or understanding of something completely different and, quite frankly, not as good as what you'd hear from the BROOD. So, instead I will simply ask, or rather urge you to go to their myspace, scroll down the page, hit play on Oh, Alberta, and be prepared to proceed with the rest of their catalogue. Research as I did and find yourselves just a little deeper into a world of music you perhaps didn't know was there.

Keep your ears and eyes open for more from Elliott BROOD as they continue to tour in promotion of the continuing success of Mountain Meadows and the upcoming release of Grown Up Movie Star at the Sundance Film Festival.


Cheers for now
Phil

Elliott BROOD
http://www.myspace.com/elliottbrood

Grown Up Movie Star
http://www.grownupmoviestar.com/