No Joy with Mise en Scene and Vallens at The Velvet Underground, CMW 2016

Photographs by Neil Van.

I’ve seen Canadian shoegaze group No Joy before as they opened for Deafheaven previously. As an opener, the set was a peaceful interlude between an even heavier opener and the chaotic main act. Canadian Music Week was a good opportunity to see the Montreal act perform as their own headliners, and in the newly renovated Velvet Underground on Queen (I unfortunately didn’t have the pleasure of seeing how the venue looked previously), they had a good chance to take advantage of the evening. At 11 at night, No Joy turned the middle of the week (Thursday) into a spiraling Saturday night. A dark venue and a late show are a great set up for the aesthetic miasma No Joy put on.

In support of their last album More Faithful, which dropped last year, friends Laura Lloyd and Jasamine White-Gluz put on a modest show that spoke through tone more than presence. The volume, especially in a smaller venue like The Velvet Underground, created a fascinating distortion that dizzied its audience in a gorgeous haze. This was one of those shows where the song names didn’t matter and the duration wasn’t important. In the middle of the work week, when things are stressful and the weekend can’t come sooner, a show like No Joy’s is comforting. It was a jagged bliss that was fun to get lost in. Some of it was danceable, and some of it was to be admired. Canada Music Week is great for bringing big names to Toronto (or featuring big names that are already playing), but it’s also a great introduction to smaller and deserving bands. It was refreshing to see the kind of intrigue an opener band can bring to a fuller set, and No Joy did anything but disappoint.