Halifax Pop Explosion gives you more than enough opportunity to catch great live music. The headliners always come through with spectacular shows that won’t be soon forgotten. The four-day festival has a lot to offer, so take in as much as you can. You may not even realize that your new favourite band is playing just down the street. Although they may not be household names (yet), here are some acts that you should most definitely check out!
Black Moor
“Pure unapologetic heavy metal” is how Black Moor describe themselves. Make your way to The Marquee on Thursday Oct. 20th to ensure your fill of metal this HPX. I had the pleasure of seeing Black Moor close out Maritime Metal Fest 4 in Windsor over the summer. Between the crowd and the band, it was hard to tell who was producing the massive amount of energy in the tent. You can feel the heavy bass licks down in your guts, and the screeching guitar solos will melt your face. Being metalheads themselves, Black Moor know what the crowd wants, and by God they give it to them. Their Megadeth feel will set the tone for the rest of the evening with Voivod, Scumgreif and Geil.
Thursday Oct 20th – The Marquee – 11 PM
LAPS
This art-indie-pop quartet based out of Montreal have songs that are very oddly timed, and have a hipster air to them. Some of their more jazz-infused tracks feel as though all four performers are playing different songs, yet all sound perfectly cohesive. Heather’s droningly beautiful voice, Tate’s intricate guitars, Cedric’s groovy bass licks, and Scott’s charismatic drumming, could each stand on their own, give us the pleasure of bringing it all together. They last visited Halifax just under a year ago with a set at Menz & Mollyz. They’re coming off of an Ontario/Quebec leg of a tour, and have just played at Montreal Pop Festival. A great way to start your HPX on Wednesday night would be spending it with LAPS, who are sharing the stage with Phern, She Devils, and Programm.
Wednesday Oct. 19th – Art Bar – 7 PM
Partner
These cheeky New Brunswickians stole the show on the Saturday of Gridlock Festival earlier this year. All clad in their finest Hawaiian shirts, they won the crowd over almost immediately with their fun-filled set. Lucy Niles and Josee Caron have incredible chemistry onstage that you can’t help but fall in love with. Songs like “The Ellen Page” and “Hot Knives” utilize hints of witticism, with Niles and Caron hopping on the monitor or flying into a massive guitar solo. Their surfy-pop-punk sound goes well with their stoner personas. It seems to be of the utmost importance to Partner for the crowd to have fun, only behind their need to have fun. Do yourself a favour, hit a bowl, and dance your pants off!
Saturday Oct 22nd – The Pavilion – 4 PM (All Ages)
Friday Oct 21st – The Marquee – 11 PM
Orchid’s Curse
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their album “Goodbye is When the Casket Closes,” Orchid’s Curse are bringing their dirty brand of metal to Gus’ Pub stage this HPX. Pillars of the Halifax metal scene, their’s isn’t a show to be missed. Opening for a band like Children of Bodom, these guys have definitely proven themselves in the community. Jams with lots of low end and clever time changes fill their sets. If you can still hear the next day, didn’t join in the mosh pit, and don’t have a sore neck the day after an Orchid’s Curse show, then you did it wrong.
Saturday Oct 22nd – Gus’ Pub – 11PM
Alana Yorke
After her recent Music Nova Scotia Award nomination for video of the year on her song “Anthem,” Alana Yorke graces the stage of the Seahorse Friday October 21st. Her hauntingly angelic voice pairs perfectly with the sounds of piano and the wall of sound that accompanies her. With just two of them on stage, you’ll be surprised just how grand a sound can come from them. Alana reminds me of Sarah McLaughlin, but without the devastating guilt of not adopting all of the dogs on the face of the earth. Her voice wraps around your soul and makes you feel warm and comforted.
Tuesday Oct 18th – Government House – 7 PM (RSVP Only)
Friday Oct 21st – The Seahorse – 930 PM
Make sure to read Part One HERE.
