Words by Will Suter
Photos by Maia Stern
Cantora Records helped throw a party at the Bowery Ballroom last night. What was the second Guilty By Association Vol. 2 release party also served as the 3rd installment in a series showcasing bands on Cantora. Having built a solid reputation for putting out singles and EPs from bands like Violens, MGMT, Rumspringa, and promoting bro-bands outside of their label just for the hell of it, last night was a showcase for their banner act Francis And The Lights and the release of his new single.
[Savoir Adore]
Savoir Adore are a delightfully poppy duo who opened the show backed by a full band. They are a good band, seemingly new to the scene with some very catchy tunes. I’d love to see them again once they get a few more live shows under their belt.
By the time Francis took the stage the show had sold out and people were wasted. Francis’ music is engaging, but by no means groundbreaking. It’s an 80s, New Wave influenced sound with a reliance on deep-digging bass, keyboard hooks, and sporadic guitar riffs. The real treat is the live show. Seeing Francis live is a spectacle. He is a combination of Elvis and Morrissey (a nicer version of Morrissey).
[Francis And The Lights]
He strikes me as the type of guy who thrives on being in the spotlight, but is soft-spoken and a bit shy offstage. He’s got a great stage presence and very high hair that he loves to comb back. He’s a confident dancer and can work wonders with a microphone stand. There is a ton of free music on the bands website and I’m pretty sure if you bug the Cantora dudes enough, they’ll throw a free copy of the new 7″ your way. Francis and the Lights is a band that has staying power and should be on every ones lips come SxSW.
