Concert Reviews

Leif Vollebekk at The Mod Club

If you haven’t heard of Leif Vollebekk yet, close this tab, get out from under your rock and boot up your Spotify- because this guy is no joke. Following the release of his 2017 album “Twin Solitude” Vollebekk has been garnering massive attention, and has been maintaining a pretty heavy tour schedule- packing venues like The Mod Club in Toronto on a Sunday Easter holiday and absolutely slaying the crowd. “Why aren’t you guys at Easter Dinner?” remarks Vollebekk “This can’t be better than Easter Dinner” – a statement that the crowd protests. Delivering song after song with levity and ease, Leif Vollebekk is fire.

Vollebekk delivers music that is effortlessly transcendent. Performing as a three piece, Volle-bekk switches from guitar to keys and back again, joined by his bassist and drummer for the majority of the set. Sound fills the room; each song a true representation of the album recording- delivered refreshingly between himself and the two other players onstage. Vollebekk throws on a harmonica and delivers a few tunes from his previous 2013 offering “North Americana.”

Even a new song makes its debut on the stage after Vollebekk politely requests that it not be filmed. “We are still working on it” he chuckles, “It is kind of like being naked.” Despite the stage lights, the smoke and the densely packed venue- it still feels as though we are at a living room show with the Montreal-based singer-songwriter. It is intimate and warm, and everything is a little bit hazy and wonderful.

Highlights include; a purely Leif reinterpretation of a Kendrick Lamar track- performed solo on the Wurlitzer, “All Night Sedans” and “Photographer Friend”

About author

Brooklyn Doran is a freelance writer and PR consultant based in Toronto, Ontario. She is also a folk singer-songwriter whose music can be found at brooklyndoran.com and on Twitter @brooklyndoran.