An earnest voice, professing words of truth surrounded with independent, congruent bass, guitar resonates…completion.

Destroyer.  Dan Bejar’s long time personal project, played in Toronto last week at the Horseshoe.  I was recently telling a friend about Destroyer, a new find to her.  She mentioned him to her roommate, who quickly responded with reference to Bejar being a rock god.  I could muse about his godliness, but I will do so on my own time.

His set in Toronto was wonderful.  I wonder if Bejar wanted to come east for a visit, so he just booked a few shows to pay for his journey… who knows.  He had been in Montreal and was on his way to Hamilton.  It felt like three hours, but must have been closer to half that.  Playing his acoustic guitar, accompanied by a few bottles of beer and a full glass of whiskey, Bejar played old tunes from the mid 90’s albums to more recent gems from your blues and destroyer’s rubies.  He ended his songs abruptly not facing away from the crowd, soon after drinking from his glass and bottle.  His new-ish recording and touring band joined him for the last quarter of his set.  All the while, I had ascended to the heavens.

Bejar is a man who does not seek fame, but rather seeks to pursue his vision.  “But it was a case of self-imposed exile, as Bejar and company have never had much use for the trappings of indie-rock ‘fame’.”   -After appearing on the cover of Fader magazine. He has healthy levels of cynicism but does not take himself or the industry too seriously.  Bejar is from Vancouver and also plays with Swan Lake, The New Pornographers, and Hello Blue Roses.

Filed in: Featured, Music