On Friday, Mar. 1 WPGU Presents: Plants & Animals, The Leadership & Grandkids. Take this opportunity to escape the gray winter drear at Urbana’s own Canopy Club. Whether you are already a fan or not, these bands will absolutely meet your musical expectations for a Friday night.
Grandkids, a self-dubbed “humblecore” band from the CU, is becoming increasingly relevant in the local scene. They have a smooth folk sound that is a treat for the ears. The group is comprised of Vivian McConnell (vocals/guitar), Evan Metz (guitar), Adam Gorcowski (cello) and Phil Sudderberg (drums). For those who appreciate Andrew Bird’s rich use of the violin and Beach House’s soft yet full vocals, Grandkids will be a delight. They’ve been building up a very positive reputation around Champaign-Urbana, with Smile Politely placing their song “Hyacinth” second on their top local tracks of 2010.
Next on the lineup is another local talent, The Leadership, a budding indie rock band with an awesome Americana sound. In an interview with buzz, the group said they had been called an “angrier Wilco.” It’s definitely worth checking out. They’ve been chugging through a consistent amount of shows lately, so they’re sure to show up and put on a solid performance. They’re giving their record away for free at their Bandcamp page, so our recommendation is to get over there.
Plants & Animals, hailing from the same city that is home to Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade, will be ending the show. This Montreal-based band has been gaining momentum over the past couple of years. They’ve played at Pitchfork, Primavera (in Barcelona), and shared the stage with the National. The band’s sophomore album, La La Land, came out in spring 2010 and was a move away from their more folk-rock sound that was established on their first album in 2008, Parc Avenue. Regardless of whether they play more folk-rock or post-rock, Plant & Animals willingness to experiment and create will not disappoint.
The band has been known to record to tape, which on an album gives them a warm, old-school sound, but live you will be able to hear the “raw and recent” element that they describe to be present in their songs.
LISTEN: “Good Friend”
Join us on the 1st to get a taste for what kind of innovative music is being created within Champaign-Urbana.
