Concert Review: Le Trouble at The Garrison

By Alexandra West

Toronto, ON
October 15, 2013

There’s a lot to be said for a band that can play a back room like their headlining tour has just hit Madison Square Garden, but that exactly what the Montreal-based band Le Trouble did last night at The Garrison in Toronto. It was a quiet night; the only marking besides the sandwich board outside was the artfully scruffy group of smokers. Tucked away in an unmemorable room on Dundas Street, The Garrison offers shows to those in the know and Le Trouble did not hesitate to take the stage with unrelenting energy while the small crowd looked on.

It quickly became apparent that Le Trouble was no typical “Strokes by the way of Springsteen” band (a marketing claim that seems to be eerily common these days), but they were carrying the mantle of early millennial Brit rock. From Bloc Party to the Kaiser Chiefs to the lesser known on this side of the pond Hard-Fi, Le Trouble specializes matching insanely catchy punky songs with insanely well-played music. One of the nicest things to see is a front man (Michael Mooney) who not only has the pipes to fill a venue, but also doesn’t mind being a showman. In fact, the Aussie seemed to relish it. Moving between the stage and floor with the sensibilities of a Mick Jagger and Freddy Mercury love child, Mooney was able to keep belting out tunes from Le Trouble’s new album Reality Strikes (out November 5) without missing a beat.

Behind him was one of the tightest bands I’ve heard in a long time. Comprised of Maxime Veilleux, Bao Khanh Nguyen, Jesse Gnaedinger, Garrett Dougherty, and Etienne Gaudreau, Le Trouble played fast and fierce in their 45 minute set. From “Real Talk (Part 2),” the first single off their new EP, there was no stopping them, except for a brief request for some beer. Perhaps most impressive about the band’s live show is the cohesion between all the elements that not only makes for great songs but also a fantastic sound throughout the entire set. Through their performance in a dark room in a overly populated “hip” area, Le Trouble played to tens of people but we felt like we were getting to see the best show of the night in Toronto.

It’s easy to become cynical sitting in dark room watching and judging other people, but gosh darn it if Le Trouble didn’t provide all of us there with one of the funnest Tuesday nights in far too long. Le Trouble prove that beyond having the chops to back up their music they can play a room, engage an audience, and make everyone feel like they’re watching the beginning of something special.

Tour Dates:
Oct 18: Rockwood Music Hall; New York, NY (CMJ)
Oct 18: The Delancey; New York, NY (CMJ)
Oct 18: The Living Room; New York, NY (CMJ)
Oct 26: Halifax Pop Explosion; Halifax, Canada
Nov 03: Bistro de Paris w/ Eagle Tears; Montreal, Canada
Nov 07: Bar Le Cha Cha w/ Groenland; Ste Thérèse, Canada