Winter Gloves - Concert Review

Band: Winter Gloves
Date: November 27, 2009
Venue: The Lo Pub
Rating: Four and a half stars



It was hard to tell if they were going to be able to pull-it-off. Winter Gloves – a Montreal-based band – came back to the city for a second time; but this time they were the main act of the night. The result: they rocked the Lo Pub.

At the beginning of the night, it looked like it was going to be a disaster – it was 9:30 pm and neither the band nor the audience were there – but by ten thirty the opening band Royal Canoe began to entertain the crowd. Little by little, the small pub became more and more crowded. By 12:45 am, Winter Gloves finally came on stage; encouraging those who were sitting down to jump to their feet and make their way towards the stage. The band’s high-energy synthesizer based rock could be heard all the way outside where people gathered to satisfy their nicotine crave; anyone standing outside made their way in and began to gather around the stage – they enthusiastically bobbed their heads to the beat of all the songs.

The band leader – and song writer – Charles F. lead the band in rocking the small room. Pat Sayers’ mustache could be seen from across the room; and kept a perfect drum beat. Vincent Chalifour – the other piano player – complemented the song with even more synthesizer. Guitarist Jean-Michel Pigeon tossed in riffs ad-lib while keeping a little bit of enthusiasm.

Roughly, an hour after the show began the crowd yelled loudly when Sayers left his post – the drums – and handed out free demo CDs to the crowd.

The show took place at the Lo Pub, which generally does not see this amount of traffic unless there is a concert scheduled. The pub has a beautiful mid-century feel, and a very friendly, cozy atmosphere: couches, a gas fireplace, and tables all around. At the bar, a signed photograph by Bob Barker is a frequent conversation starter.

Charles F. is the original composer of all the songs. After the cross Canada tour earlier this year, the band began to sound more like a unit rather than just a collection of musicians playing Charles F’s songs. They adapted several of their songs to include a more complete sound – all the new version of the songs can be heard on the free CD the band gave away the show.

The play-list included all their singles: Let me Drive, Party People, and Piano 4 Hands. In fact, they are such a new band that they played all the music they have ever released. They decided to end the night with the song Factories: a song about a young boy in a big city, and a representation of Charles F’s first experience of Montreal.

Winnipeg is the last Canadian city of the band’s tour. This time, they managed to make some new fans who gladly lined up to purchase the band’s t-shirts and CDs.

Being a student; I was not one of them – although I have already purchased their album and a t-shirt from them. I will most definitely be purchasing the next CD they release, and will continue to support them every time they come back to the city.