LA duo, The Submarines and San Francisco boys, The Morning Benders hit Vancouver this week. The two bands will be playing the wonderful Biltmore Cabaret on Monday night and, although Zulu and Red Cat are right out of tickets, you can still pick up a pair through Ticketmaster. You should, and here’s Why:

The Submarines

Who they are: East LA Husband-wife duo John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard are a sort of folky indie pop deal.

Latest album: Honeysuckle Weeks (maybe you’ve heard the Submarines track You Me & The Bourgeoisie on the latest iPhone 3G commercial – maybe you haven’t. You will.)

Sounds Like: The Submarines classify themselves as Folk/Ghettotech/Shoegaze genre. Shoegaze? Yup – if you missed this genre term in the 80’s you’re not the only one. Thank god for the wonder that is Wikipedia, which explains it thusly: “The most commonly cited precursors to shoegazing are Cocteau Twins, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine. But common musical threads between the different bands include garage rock, ’60s psych, and American indie bands like Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.”

Tracks to check out: The Wake Up Song and You, me and the Bourgeoisie (I like the Indie103.1 version)

The Morning Benders

Who they are: “Cali jangle pop” band from Berkeley, California (Christopher, Joseph, Julian and Timothy). I know it sounds a bit “boy-bandy’ but don’t worry, these dudes are solid. They have played gigs with Death Cab For Cutie, MGMT, The Kooks, Ra Ra Riot, to name just a few. Their Crosseyed video really sums up the band: young, catchy, and bathed in California sunlight. Have a look.

Latest album: Talking Through Tin Cans.

Sounds Like: Think The Shins versus The Beatles. From Filter Magazine (Good Music Will Prevail) “The Benders’ punchy timbre is at times melodic enough to float the listener right past themes that swim out in deeper, darker waters, including relationships-turned-travesties and the tedious process of extorting prescription meds from doctors…”

Tracks to check out: Damnit Anna, Waiting for a war.

Best bit about the band that I have read so far: “Sort of like a real morning bender, except a lot more catchy and a lot less likely to make you eat something greasy for lunch.” Stereogum

Feb 23 | 8 pm | The Biltmore Cabaret | ONLY $12 at the door or, if you don’t want to run the risk: Ticketmaster.

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended Bond University in Australia and the University of Victoria before receiving her graduate degree in Library Sciences from The University of Toronto. She lives by the beach in Vancouver and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

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