Woodpigeon + The Phonemes + The Mountain & The Trees + David Martel 

Saturday April 9th @ Divan Orange

Saturday night at Divan Orange was one of these intimate but enchanting folk rendezvous with Woodpigeon, The Mountain & The Trees, David Martel and the Phonemes to comfort us with cozy songs. The crowd was calm but cheerful enough to welcome the all-Canadian headline on this quiet night. 

The concert began with the Phonemes, a solo project conducted by Magali Meagher. This time, she was accompanied by a theremin player, which gathered an interesting sound. The Phonemes greeted us with their raw sound and sweet, quirky songs, which would be perfect if featured in any feel good movie soundtrack. 

The Phonemes were followed by Mountain and the Trees, a country-folk one man band from Newfoundland. The Mountain and the Trees charmed the public with melancholic songs about heartbreak, telling tale stories, and jokes. Somewhat Neil Young-esque, his set was inspiring and solid. 

David Martel and his acquaintances were next on the stage and appeared like the big surprise of the night. He, along with his 5 pieces band, which included upright bass, cello and violin players, delivered a performance that surpassed the public’s expectations. David Martel knows something about harmony-driven songs, and his complex musical constructions are somewhat similar to Fleet Foxes. The crowd was also very receptive to this unexpected folk-baroque sound. This band sounds very promising; they are currently working on a new record, so let’s hope that they will rise to prominence very soon. 

Finally, Woodpigeon, man of the night came along. The man took up the stage alone, only accompanied by his four guitars. He sang for the crowd, his composure peaceful, effortless and stoical. His voice and guitar were in power to entertain us with his signature inspiring folk melodies and soft-spoken voice. Woodpigeon is the kind of musician who does not need much stage effects to catch the crowd’s attention; it was nice, simple and most of all, a beautiful performance. 

This was a long but extremely pleasant night at Divan Orange, let’s hope for some more of the same kind. All artists were thankful towards the Montreal audience, which is a sign that we really do love our artists.