They say competition is a good thing. Well I owe the OGs at Reviler.org a big thanks for bringing Wild Nothing to my attention in a tweet mentioning the show the next day and dream pop. I checked the video, then my schedule, got approved and found myself at the Cedar.
Yes, there is a bigger sucker than I am for Shoegaze and Dream Pop, and that’s DJ Jake Rudh who started the evening with his usual perfect taste for any situation in the Transmission universe. As always he had a curve ball for me this time The Smiths with singer…………Sandie Shaw?? I never knew……
Men I Trust hail from Québec and the transition from the last DJ song to “Break For Lovers” was seamless. I felt like one of the videos had come to live. The band has a relaxed, chill vibe. Hoodies and sweatshirts made up much of the wardrobe. As she thanked the audience singer Emmanuelle Proulx stumbled over some words and charmingly remarked. “I’m from Québec, some days English won’t kick in”
As enjoyable as their set was, I found out the next morning that it only scratched the surface of what Men I Trust have written. Some of their older songs have feature Odile a classical trained singer that I quite enjoyed.
Set List: Break / Tailwhip / YDT / Lauren / I Hope To Be / Humming / Show Me / Ponderosa / Thirsty / 7 Years
Wild Nothing has been around since 2009 and just released its 4th album “Indigo” in August. Even though I only had heard part of one song of theirs prior to Wednesday night, their music was instantly relatable and felt familiar. Familiar? Yes. Boring? Hell NO! I heard so many of the 80s influences that I love. Their songs are modern but pay homage. After all, Wild Nothing got started with a cover of Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting”.
And the audience wasn’t reliving the glory of their 80s proms. Most of the crowd was in their 20s and early 30s. There wasn’t much chit-chat from singer Jack Tatum. He let his music do the talking, and that was just fine with us.
Nocturne / Wheel of Misfortune / Golden Haze / Flawed Translation / Canyon on Fire / Live in Dreams / Partners in Motion / Bend / Summer Holiday / Whenever I / Shallow Water / Cany? /
Paradise / Letting Go
Encore: Chinatown / A Dancing Shell / Shadow
