No Kids & Silje Nes at Mercury Lounge, photos

Download “The Beaches Are Closed” | There’s bound to be a lot of talk about Vancouver’s No Kids this year. At Mercury Lounge I was certain the stage seemed too modest for the trio, and what the room was witnessing was sure to pale as “humble beginnings” in no time. They played with two sets of keyboards (one Nord Electro, two Yamahas) and a drum set. For such an onslaught of jangly key tones, and by jangly I mean nightmarish purple infused with rainbow swirls, the band packs quite a load of funk. And despite the innocence the big glass rims convey on singer Nick Krgovich’s face, he packs his own brand of tude. I found his dance moves to be a secret door to the music: every flick of his feet and every little angle of twist and lean his upper body made (he didn’t miss a beat) was a complete impression of the music’s imprints. In his moves you could visualize the negative space of the sounds they were creating; yes, if he were a block, you’d slather him with ink and press him against paper to decode the odd songs. It’s hard to tell if they’re being humorous about the R&B/soul/hip-hop flavor or if they’re simply digging it.
All photos after the jump
