After some driving malfunctions, Greg and I finally made it to the Roxy. We situated ourselves near the front just in time to catch The Bicycles. This indie pop quintet from Toronto warmed the crowd with their snappy theme song and infectious happiness. Though excitingly playful and very well attuned to each others’ playing (Trumpet.. Trombone… Multi-instrumentalism) these guys needed to cut down the banter and sharpen their set. Thoroughly cute and enjoyable until the end.
Lemme tell you something about The Boy Least Likely To. These guys are possibly the most charming indie band out there. While The Bicycles played for us, The Boy Least Likely To came onstage and played with us. I turned around during the twee “I’m Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon To Your Star” to see a captivated crowd bopping their heads along with lead singer Joff Owen. Other highlights of the show included the dreamy “Paper Cuts,” a George Michael cover, and witty (though practiced) banter between Joff and guitarist Pete Hobbs. When Joff endearingly insisted on “being American” and high fived the entire front row, the crowd livened up. During a mini award ceremony, in which a few fans received trophies for their awesome fan contribution, things even got a bit rowdy (for an indie crowd at least).
If you enjoy harmonicas, glockenspiels, banjos and handclaps, I would definitely check out The Boy Least Likely To’s debut album The Best Party Ever. Lyrically, their music is lighthearted and energetic, spinning whimsical tales of love, furry animals, and the due death of innocence. They rounded off the set with the highly anticipated love song, “Be Gentle With Me.” Greg snapped shots as the audience was showered with thousands of bubbles.
It was a great ending to a great indie-pop adventure. I left the venue still dancing.
