Destroyer

Destroyer

Dec 07

BEJAR, BEJAR, BEJAR – DAN CANUCK SHIVA

Where: Centre For Contemporary Arts
When: 5 December 2017
Support: Nicholas Krgovich

Destroyer is the musical project of Canadian Dan Bejar – over the last 20 years he has produced a dozen albums covering a variety of musical styles, the one constant being Dan’s abstract lyrical content. He had a breakthrough of sorts with 2011 album Kaputt – helped in part by the video for the title track (see sample video below). He is not for everyone – some will be put off by the obtuse lyrics and some by his style of vocal delivery. But I am a big fan.

DB was in fine vocal form tonight but he is another of those uncommunicative artistic types and in a characterless space like the CCA a bit more non-musical warmth from the stage would have helped (by contrast, support act NK spoke to the audience almost as much as he sang and it helped a lot). But the main reason we were here tonight was the music and DB delivered his complex, intelligent songs with panache. The supporting seven-piece band was excellent – two guitarists, bass, keys, drums, sax, trumpet. Fisher Rose on trumpet, who was especially important to the sound, and drummer Scott Morgan both deserve a special mention.

The set started with ‘Sky’s Grey’ from new album Ken and naturally they played several songs from that album (‘Tinseltown Swimming in Blood’ being a standout). However, they also played many older favourites including ‘Times Square’, ‘Forces From Above’, a very good ‘Chinatown’, and of course ‘Kaputt’. The band also perfectly captured the danceable swing that underlies much od Destroyer’s mature, sophisticated music with several of the songs built to a thrilling instrumental climax.

 

Band page

Sample video