At the end of August, a concert announcement was released. That presser touted the return of The Darcys to the region; the indie electro-pop duo was based out of Ontario, but has since relocated to the sunny shores of California. What made this show special was that the band was returning to their roots, as the duo (Jason Couse and Wes Marskell) got their start on the King’s College campus, having played shows at Wardroom (the campus bar) for little more than free suds.
The band has since toured the country, been nominated for prestigious awards such as the Juno and Polaris Prizes, and has released 6 full-length albums alongside a pair of early EPs, and after having wrapped their deal with Arts & Crafts records, opted to release their latest effort Rendering Feelings (The band’s 6th album) independently, following in the footsteps of The Beaches who have found success in eschewing the traditional studio route.
Having recently played to thousands in Montreal as part of Osheaga, it was a real treat to see Jason and Wes return to Halifax with an intimate show for a couple of hundred of their fans. It didn’t slow the pair down one iota, as they proceeded to tear up the Basement with a high-energy set of power pop tunes, including the latest single “Dreaming”, “Trouble Found Me”, and “Miracle”. The only time the band let up on the gas was for the dreamy “Shangri-Lost”, an etheral tune that absolutely sparkled in contrast to the majority of the set.
It was a triumphant return for the band, who got their start in the city. It had been far too long since the band last performed in Halifax, and hopefully we get to see the duo back at some point in the not too distant future.
