A decent crowd was on hand at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 6 for Southern Alberta band Wint, plus Garrett Klahn of New York based ’90s emo/ post hardcore/ indie rock band Texas is the Reason and Edmonton noise rock/ garage rock band the Slates.
While I missed Wint, I caught most of Garrett Klahn’ s set of acoustic rock. He strummed acoustic guitar for most of his set and was backed by a lead guitarist for a few songs and a few members of the Slates for his last song.
While he looked like Matthew Good, his smooth baritone was more of a mix of Gordon Lightfoot and Jay Farrar.
He didn’t talk much, crooning impassioned into his microphone and thanking the Slates for being able to join them on tour.
“Sometimes I like to scare the shit out of myself and play a song I haven’t played for eight or 12 years, so here’s one now,” he said, doing just that.
The Slates drummer Dallas Thompson and bassist Lee Klippenstein joined Klahn and his lead guitarist Jeff Caudill for the last song of his brief set, which elicited many cheers from the attentive audience. He‘d return the favour for the Slates later on.
The Slates were a complete contrast to the laid back, folky fuelled stylings of Klahn.
Instead of erstwhile , tender folk sounds, the Slates plugged in and turned things up for a short, loud set of dissonant, feedback drenched punk and alternative rock.
They tried out a few new songs with a lot of feedback and evil sounding arpeggios on the audience as well as favourites from their previous CDs.
Frontman James Stewart broke a string in the middle of one of the band’s songs and retuned while continuing singing while Klahn and Klahn’s guitarist prepared their guitars for him to use. Slates lead guitarist S.D. beat them to the punch and lent him his guitar.
They continued the set while Klahn changed Stewart’s string.
They got back to the rock with barely a second thought other than a self deprecating chuckle.
Klahn joined the Slates and brought everything full circle for their last song — a more country rock number which was the best of the night.
