Double Header at the Palomino: The Blue, Chairman, Heavy Dive, Malaika Hailey, and more

The Blue @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)

It’s a good day when you can floor hop from the hip basement of the Palomino underground, to the upstairs bbq-scented room to discover the sounds of our city. We kicked our night off with That Party Last Night Vol. 7, a showcase that featured some of the best voices in the Calgary hip hop and RnB community including Tyler Dove, Bijaan, Zenon, Malaika Hailey, and The Blue. Smiling ear to ear, we found ourselves in the midst of a packed crowd where our worries and cares could be left on the dance floor after an incredibly challenging week. It created a sense of camaraderie, from the feelings expressed on the stage to the uplifting tones of the music that was curated throughout the evening.

This was in contrast to the frenetic rock energy reverberating upstairs, which was complimentary all the same in its essence. Edmonton new wave punks Chairman stopped by on the Calgary leg of their tour, alongside local dreamers and shoegazers Heavydive and Victoria post-punk duo Small Pleasures.

Chairman @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)

A highlight of the night was the empowering voice and melodies of Malaika Hailey. As the crowd packed its way to the front of the room to sing along to her lyrics, it felt like a communal reclamation of spirit. With lines like “I know my worth, so bitch you can pay. I need that invoice paid yesterday” and “Star signs in the night say I’m hella fly. Real bitch talking real shit, don’t lie,” Malaika’s energy commanded the stage, but also brought people into her world where they too can embrace their bad bitch energy. Malaika Hailey presents skillful, pop-inspired RnB that leaves us eager to hear more (maybe even a Tea Fannie feature? The show featured Malaika passing the mic to the budding hip hop singer, fresh off the heels of Tea’s new album ‘It’s All Love’).

Malaika Hailey & Tea Fannie @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)

Meanwhile, Heavydive took the stage upstairs, playing tunes from their newest record Foreign Patterns. Heavydive are one of those bands that lay low for some time, yet maintain an air of buzz every time they release music because it is impossible to deny the musicianship that every member holds. They release ear worms that snake their way into your head with every swirling guitar riff and cathartic vocal take. It was the perfect transition from Small Pleasures, who weaved hard-hitting drum lines with their ethereal synth work.

Heavydive’s set reached a compelling crescendo during “Aftersun”, a single from Foreign Patterns that blends elements of DIIV with emo influences like that of Turnover or Pianos Become The Teeth. But it is not that simple to categorize the group, as they led into “Ghosts”, showcasing how the band can take a more rock-heavy direction with crunchy guitar tones and faster pacing. Heavydive keeps a genre that is known for its more downtempo sounds and infuses it with a refreshing edge.

Heavydive @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)

We crawled back downstairs because we could not miss the headliner of the night, The Blue. There is no denying that seeing The Blue live is a guaranteed way to reinvigorate your love for music. It is not only because of the exceptional flow, authentic stage presence, heartfelt lyrics, and musicianship that is perfect in its execution, but because The Blue radiates the feeling of family. The Blue has become more of a collective, where vocalist Hemen Tor-Agbidye brings his close collaborators to the forefront. Most of these collaborators, he expressed on stage during the show, he has known since high school. With vocal additions from the radiant Wyatt Trombley, a melting saxophone solo from Slim Tyme that made attendees weep (confirmed by Calgary’s Kue Varo who was shaking her head in disbelief of the talent), and more, the party was in full swing and lived up to the name of That Party Last Night. As The Blue said best: “Ain’t no party, like a Calgary party and we came to get down.”

The Blue @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)

Closing out the night upstairs was an act that has been on our one to watch list for quite some time: Edmonton’s Chairman. This brought us back to the days of excitement when we first discovered the punk music scene in Canada, with trailblazers like SNFU and Choke. Now we have bands like Chairman keeping it alive and the future is bright (although Çhairman may say the opposite when it comes to the future…).

Taking the stage with eccentricity (they are a time-travelling band from the year 2077 after all), the band hooked attendees with their bass player, named Primate, donning a banana yellow balaclava with sunglasses, their flashy gold outfits, Metro Kit’s infectious synth lines, while vocalist Alton Upbeat struts along the front lines in the best way possible. The crowd matched the band’s enthusiasm, circling close to the front to fist-pump in rhythm with guitarist Earl D and drummer HHH, keeping everything in sync. With a rock solid foundation and recent opening spots for NYC’s Gustaf, in addition to heavy rock outfit Single Mothers, we are keen to see what Chairman have up their sleeve next.

Chairman @ The Palomino - Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder)