July Talk electrifies Ottawa crowd

The six members of Toronto’s alternative rock band, July Talk, brought their Remember Never Before Tour to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre on April 10. Rock duo Crown Lands opened the show.

At precisely 9:15 on Monday night, in the velvety red chamber of Southam Hall in Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, the stage lights illuminated a packed house, jubilant and already on their feet, as July Talk took command of the stage. All eyes were on lead female vocalist Leah Fay Goldstein, resplendent in a two-piece lime green suit and a striking contrast to the muted tones of black and white surrounding her on stage.

July Talk emerged on the music scene in 2012 with the release of their debut album of the same name. Nearly a dozen years later, the band continues to give music fans something to talk about, not the least of which is an unmistakable symbiotic fusion of co-front people Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay Goldstein. Throughout the evening, the pair traded turns leaning into each other’s space with a kinetic energy blazing like a fireball from one emotionally-charged track to the next.

Monday night’s performance got on its feet with “After This,” a track from the band’s newest studio album, Remember Never Before, released in January 2023, along with favourites from Pray for It (2020), Touch (2016), and their first ever album, July Talk, released in 2012.

Backed by guitarists, Ian Docherty and Josh Warburton, and drummers, Danny Miles and Dani Nash, July Talk is an all-hands-on-deck band–the full-throttle energy of every member enhances the live performance, including the crowd. That philosophy came to light early on when Peter Dreimanis urged fans to bring their true selves to the experience, however weird that may be. He then shared how the song “When You Stop,” is just one example of the ingenuity that results when you put six talented musicians together in a room. That track is owed to friendship, and wouldn’t exist without any one of them, he told adoring Ottawa fans.

If Ottawa fans were ripe for a little musical infusion from July Talk, they weren’t alone in the pleasure. The band’s lead baritone signalled Ottawa as having dear memories for the band, since July Talk played their first show many years ago at Zaphod’s.

It was a special night all around, and fitting that July Talk capped things off during the encore with the song that Peter Dreimanis said started it all, “Come Down Champion,” off their debut album. Two more songs from that album rounded out the encore set.

Touring with July Talk was the opening act, Crown Lands. If this rock duo from Oshawa, Ontario hasn’t found you yet, then send up a flare because they deserve your full attention.

Vocalist and drummer Cody Bowles, along with guitarist and keyboard player Kevin Comeau, describe themselves as storytellers and painters of strange, absorbing universes, but it was a shared admiration of progressive rock influences that brought them together in 2015.

They have since travelled through space and time to knit a musical tapestry of science fiction, fantasy and anti-colonialism that channels the best of Rush, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan, pausing only to pick up the Juno award for Breakthrough Group of the Year in 2021 along the way.

Crown Lands won over the local crowd in a short opening set that blasted off with “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II,” an 18-minute, multi-part musical voyage off their newly released album, Fearless. Each of the four titles that followed showcased an unabashed affection for Canadian icons Rush, while weaving in Crown Lands’ own unique sound and heartfelt tributes to indigenous women, girls and two spirited people.

The band is touring across Canada this summer. Check out the tour dates, music, merch and more on their website crownlandsmusic.com. While you’re on the mission, head on over to your favourite music streaming service and spice up your playlists with a little July Talk. Find their music, videos, and store on julytalk.com.