It was indie rock night at the Slice, Jan. 20 with Michael Granzow, the Utilities, Medicine Hat trio The Daydream Junkies and Jesse Northey and the Dandelions.
Granzow, who most people know from the Record Holder, started off with a sedate set of originals indie-folk including most of the new Record Holders’ EP “To Sea.” He had a Weakerthans’ John K Samson thing going on throughout his set.
The Utilities were up next. This Lethbridge/ Ponoka band impressed me on my first exposure to them as I thought they were going to be another very similar sounding Said the Whale style ambient indie pop band. But they were so much more. The dual Stratocaster powered band brought together a blend of influences including a little funk, a touch of alt-country, a little Weakerthans alterna-rock, a smattering of Dave Matthews folk pop and a lot of indie folk pop. There was lots of jumping around in place,
time tempo change, guitar exchanges and a variety of different styles being explored. At one point they segued into Beck’s “Devil’s Haircut” mid song, though they added a little more funk to it.
Medicine Hat’s Daydream Johnny added a much need burst of energy to a fairly mellow night. The energetic trio supplied a healthy dose of slapback echo filled, snarling late ’60s garage rock.
