Bell Orchestre, Beast and The Besnard Lakes February 19, 2009

Bell Orchestre, featuring members of Arcade Fire
The Bell Orchestre was born in an old dance studio in central Montreal, where the dancers’ powerful gestures and sublime grace inspired a new music that painted raw, emotional landscapes and vast open spaces. Bell Orchestre criss-crosses between the delicate intimacy of chamber music, the urgent ferocity of post punk and rock and the intricacy of contemporary electronic music. Often drawing comparisons to film music, the band is not so much creating movie soundtracks, but rather inventing a musical meeting place for city ghosts, shifting architecture and ever-curious ears. With Richard Reed Parry, Sarah Neufeld, Stefan Schneider, Pietro Amato, Kavah Nabatian, and Mike Feurstack.

Beast
Beast brings together the powerful, sensual voice of Béatrice (Betty) Bonifassi and the driving beats of electro-jazz composer/drummer Jean-Phi Goncalves. The dynamic duo first knocked out listeners with their performance on the 2004 Academy Award-winning soundtrack—Les Triplettes de Belleville. Since then, Betty’s uniquely textured voice and songwriting talents have continued to invigorate the Montreal scene through her collaborations with DJ Champion and Jean-Phi’s sensational band, Plaster. Jean-Phi’s music eclecticism has made him one of Montreal’s most sought-after drummers, remixers and producers, from projects with Lauryn Hill (The Fugees) and Jean-Pierre Ferland (Jaune 2005) to shows with Ariane Moffat.

The Besnard Lakes
Rich with Beach Boys-styled harmonies, Roy Orbison reverbs and Pink Floyd textures, an evening with The Besnard Lakes is a luxurious foray into sound. Montrealers by way of Western Canada, these masters of finely-honed experimental pop songs also throw into the mix a mad dash of rousing rock swagger. Call it music for casual, and not-so-casual, rockers. With Jace Lasek, Olga Goreas, Steve Raegele, Nicole Lizée, Kevin Laing and Richard White.

Official Website: http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/culture-and-education/cultural-festival-and-events/event-listings/-/61490/34048/1viiwcn/bell-orchestre-featuring-membe.html