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Junior Boys Bask In The Blue Light Of Their Waiting Game Tour
Hamilton’s endearing electro-pop duo return in fine form.
by Brad Simm
- Published on
January 18, 2023
Calgary, AB
Commonwealth Bar & Stage
Drenched in blue light, a curious crowd waited, watched and wondered how it all was going to unfold as Hamilton’s endearing electro-pop duo, Junior Boys, quietly mounted the stage. It’s been a while since Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus rolled our their imaginative art-school dance machine, and when the first synth notes ever so delicately drifted into an anxious room of full of devotees and fresh first-timers, it was clear this was going to be a departure from the past.
Drawing intensely from their Waiting Game LP, released last fall on City Slang, the minimalist orchestral textures, while moody, were filled with a mounting joy and low-level excitement that edged towards breaking out at any moment. But that was not the case. A deliberate decision to maintain the feel-good tension lingered throughout the steadfast delivery of atmospheric tenderness. Waiting game indeed, as Greenspan, the Junior Boys’ chief architect, smiled upon his appreciative audience and touched his heart.
Accompanied by two other players who graciously added an extra set of keys and sparse jazzy bits with guitar and gorgeous saxophone teasers, the Eno-eccentric ebb and flow was executed and embraced with absolute affection. A beauty buzz was in the air. And when Greenspan announced, “We haven’t played this one in awhile,” then broke into their hip-shaking single “In The Morning,” it was the well-deserved icing spread lovingly all over the cake.
Junior Boys continue their Waiting Game tour with a stop in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on Friday, Jan. 20.
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