Osheaga 2011: Karkwa definitely one of the day’s highlights

There’s a Beauty and the Beast comparison to be made about Karkwa’s blend of floating melodies and swirling low-end chaos, but it doesn’t do their sound justice. Maybe something like a dove trying to escape a bear would work better, or a maelstrom swallowing Thom Yorke’s voice.
In any case, the Polaris Prize-winning Montreal rock band perfectly balanced heaviness with fragility with their main stage set. Bassist Martin Lamontagne, drummer Stephane Bergeron and percussionist Julien Sagot combined in a dense mass of noise, like a black hole made of Marshall stacks and thunder. On the other end of the decibel scale, Louis-Jean Cormier’s tender vocals served as a counterpoint along with Francois Lafontaine’s complex keyboard and synth flourishes. Definitely one of the day’s highlights.
Article from Al Kratina, Montreal Gazette,July 30, 2011