By Henry Allen
Neon Ghosthouse are one of Ottawa’s hottest young bands and a CKDJ staple. October was a great month for fans of the alt-rock quintet as the band released their long-anticipated EP “The Big Words That Make Us Feel Small” on October 11th. The next night, the band played a triumphant show at House of TARG to celebrate the new record. Fans, friends, and fellow musicians filled the mosh pit and enjoyed an incredible night of rock and roll.
House of TARG is one of Ottawa’s most celebrated music venues. Located in Old Ottawa South at the corner of Bank and Somerset, the bar is a family-friendly 80’s-style arcade by day. Packed with retro video games and pinball machines, TARG is a hotspot for everyone from young families to teens to older folks. At night, the arcade transforms into a 19+ only bar that hosts dance parties, pinball tournaments, and live music. All sorts of bands come through from heavy metal to ska to electronic acts – tonight, TARG plays host to Ottawa’s thriving alternative rock scene.
Doors opened at 8 PM for the show, and by 8:30 when the first opening band played the bar was packed. MOTHERLAND (Ottawa), Heavy Sweater (Toronto), and Guest Room Status (Ottawa) all played excellent sets that warmed the crowd up and set the tone for the main event. The openers were a strong mix of hard-rocking and emotional – Guest Room Status in particular have very strong emo influences. Neon Ghosthouse took the stage around 10 PM.
The energy in the building was palpable as the band tuned up – looking around the pit, I saw nothing but excited grins and happy faces. The between-band chatter began to die down and an anticipatory silence fell over the crowd. The silence was not a long one though, as the band kicked right into gear and the slam-dancing began. The first part of the set consisted of familiar songs like “3AM” “Mercy Rule”, and (as frequently heard on CKDJ 107.9) “Bad Habits”. The crowd jumped and sang along gleefully to all the songs, which were performed with an extra bit of energy compared to the recording. The band are all wonderfully talented musicians and the chemistry they have as performers is remarkable. They radiate a well-earned confidence and are wonderfully energetic on stage, often throwing themselves into the crowd to join the churn of the pit.
Following “Bad Habits”, singer Scott Martin announced that they would be performing their new EP, The Big Words That Make Us Feel Small, front to back. Big Words is the band’s most ambitious work to date and the crowd cheered accordingly. Kicking off with the introspective (and appropriately-titled) “Haunted”, some members of the audience had already learned the words despite the EP being released less than 24 hours ago. Most of the songs on the record are about feelings of longing, loss, and reflection on past relationships, but the melancholy subject matter didn’t kill the energy in the room. Fans of Neon Ghosthouse expect, and are often drawn to, “sadder” songs that still have enough muscle and energy to dance to. The album featured a track sung by bass player Aidan McCulloch, which made for a fun change of pace and allowed Martin to catch his breath. Finishing strong with “We Shouldn’t Talk About It”, the show ended with reverent cheers, applause, and all the appropriate hootin’ and hollerin’.
The October 12th show solidified Neon Ghosthouse as a can’t-miss band in my eyes, and The Big Words That Make Us Feel Small is a can’t miss EP. They recently uploaded a documentary detailing the making of the EP which is available through the band’s Instagram page, @neon.ghosthouse. You can catch them at the Bronson Centre on December 14th with Complicit, F!th (also frequently played on CKDJ), and the New Hires, as organised by Ottawa concert promoters Spectrasonic. The show has been given the name “The Spectrasonic Holiday Banger”, which it is sure to live up to!
Citations:
Neon Ghosthouse https://www.instagram.com/neon.ghosthouse/
House of TARG http://www.houseoftarg.com/
Bronson Centre https://bronsoncentremusictheatre.com/
Spectrasonic https://www.ticketweb.ca/events/org/18220?pl=spectrasonic
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