Amos the Transparent/Black Diamond Bay
Date: November 28, 2008 Still Standing With the dissolution of the longest-running line-up of The Dears, Black Diamond Bay has transitioned from a side project of guitarist Patrick Krief, with fellow Dear George Donoso III on drums, into a main musical outlet. With a recognition not yet matching that of their former band, Black Diamond Bay found themselves sandwiched amidst a bill of local Ottawa acts. While the number of attendees present to see Black Diamond Bay was low, with any justice, their staggering set made them some new fans in the crowd. As for the rest of the event, while it was a strange ebb and flow on the floor, and a rough night for being on schedule, some solid sets made for a fun concert. After a surprisingly long delay from the opening of the doors at Babylon, the night's music began with The Urban Aesthetics, a young seven-piece outfit. The band showed off a number of sharp songs with a musical tightness that was surprising given the group's size and instrumentation, which included trumpet and violin. Part of the reason for that focus may be the band's evolution from a solo effort of frontman Greg Janssen; but the individual players deserve full credit for producing such a cohesive collaboration. The music was dynamic from the very first song, which built from quiet beginnings to a rocking finish; and the set continued to demonstrate an interesting range. If this was the kind of fun and engaging set that The Urban Aesthetics can deliver with only a 5-track EP to their name, I have high hopes for the future of the group. Although Babylon was reasonably full even in the early portion of the night, only a handful of fans moved to the front of the floor for the first set. However, a sudden transformation took place moments before Sojourn began playing, as an entirely different crowd materialized and packed the place. Unfortunately, it proved to be an annoying crowd: chatty, disrespectful of people's space, and prone to turning their back on the band to pose for flash-producing pictures. If the experience on the floor soured me on the set, Sojourn did nothing to turn me around. The darkened and back-lit stage rendered the band as faceless and indistinct as their noisy mess of sound. While the crowd around me, when it was paying attention, was proof that Sojourn has appeal, their music is simply not for me. In an immediate reversal, out came a band that I love and the audience largely disappeared, with only a handful of fans remaining at the front of the floor. Fortunately, Black Diamond Bay came out as the professionals that they are, proceeding to kick ass, regardless of the numbers. Actually, compared to when I first saw the band, still operating under the name of Krief, this was a step up in attendees; and they surely made some converts with a blistering set. Black Diamond Bay showcased songs from their recent self-titled debut, including "What We Wanted," "Brothers In Exile," "Blue Mace," and "New Soldier." Patrick Krief clearly took songwriting cues from his previous outfit, The Dears, similarly mixing the grandiose with the raw. His soaring vocals live up to his songwriting; and he has done an impressive job of stepping out from guitar duties into the frontman spotlight. Of course, his guitar work remains as amazing and expressive as ever; and it is a treat to witness his unabashed playing style, face contorting in reaction to the sounds his lightning-quick hands are producing. Nowhere was this passion more evident than on the epic closer, "Marching Backwards," with its second-half breakdown into a metallic, bluesy assault. The tightness of the band was in full display here, with bassist Andre Bendahan and keyboardist Roberto Piccioni spiralling in ever-faster waves, the always frantic George Donoso III driving the tension through the drum beat, and Krief dazzling with his most unhinged guitar solo of the night. This is the kind of moment that Krief and Donoso used to hit with their previous band; and it's very encouraging to witness them continuing to reach such heights. Although Black Diamond Bay seemed to keep to an expected set length, the night as a whole was skewed significantly later than intended, with Amos the Transparent taking the stage over an hour past their expected slot. At one point during the set, singer Jonathan Chandler announced that he had spent the extra time drinking; and there was indeed a certain looseness to the performance, particularly in contrast to the preceding act. However, I didn't take that as much of a detriment. Despite the fact that the stage was full (apart from a Chandler solo segment), Amos the Transparent managed to cast a sense of calm in their folky, indie pop stylings. For me, it was a fine soundtrack for a late Friday night, coming down after a knockout set, and stretching out as the Babylon crowd filtered out a bit, perhaps in deference to the hour. It was definitely an overdue look at one of Ottawa's more notable bands; and I was happy with what I heard. I came to Babylon primarily for Black Diamond Bay, who delivered one of the best sets that I saw all year. However, strong efforts by Amos the Transparent and The Urban Aesthetics ensured that I left satisfied with the night as a whole. To be sure, I hope to hear more from all of those bands in the new year. Amos the Transparent setlist 
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