Los Angeles – On Wednesday night, Toronto-based power pop band Ménage wrapped up a handful of dates in Los Angeles, adapting their sound to the quiet ambiance of Hollywood’s famed The Hotel Café. While the band is more known for its guitar distortion and a well-contained aggression, their performance was more subdued and featured an acoustic guitar and a Cajon. The set was not strictly acoustic, as Ménage performed with electric guitar and bass and occasionally traditional drums, but many of their songs were reworked to accommodate The Hotel Café’s preferred sound.
Consisting of the brothers/sister trio of Basilio Fernando Ferreira (vocals, acoustic guitar), Bela Ferreira (vocals), and Gabriel Ferreira (drums), and joined on stage by lead guitarist Elliot Boult-Norman and a fill-in bassist, Ménage is one album deep into a planned four-EP run. Simply titled EP, this four-song release comes on the heels of their self-titled debut full-length. The band’s sound blends traditional American pop rock with elements of the traditional Portuguese music that is inspired by the siblings’ upbringing and visiting their country of heritage.
Wednesday’s set consisted of songs from both of their releases, as well as their stand-alone single “Black and White TV.” While “Black and White TV” seems to be a progression from what was heard on their first two releases, it is in fact one of their oldest songs, which they kept on the backburner. It makes sense that the band would withhold its release, as it does not completely fit in with the songs on EP or Ménage. The song’s slowed-down tempos and old-world guitar riffs sounded excellent in the dark, candle-lit space of The Hotel Café.
Other more punk-inspired songs by Ménage were re-arranged to fit in with the more folk-focused atmosphere of the venue. Basilio made comments between many of the songs in their set, saying something to the effect of – “If you hate the way this song sounds right now, check it out on the album because it is totally different. If you love the way it sounds tonight, you are totally out of luck!” The songs sounded great; in fact, occasionally playing with a semi-acoustic setting might be a good idea for Ménage as it really complements their songwriting.
Ménage could not resist playing a couple of cover tunes, including Death Cab For Cutie’s big hit, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” and The Pixies’ seminal “Where Is My Mind.” For the Death Cab number, the backing band took five, leaving just Basilio with his acoustic guitar and Bela on vocals. While there are times when covers are unnecessary filler in a set, Ménage’s cover was actually a very cool addition. Instead of playing the song straight, Basilio threw in some of the band’s trademark classic guitar flourishes, adding new depth and layers to the popular song. “Where is My Mind” got a more traditional treatment, with the band plugging in and even cranking up the distortion a little bit.
At the end of April, Ménage will play a string of shows in Toronto, Boston and New York City. In between those dates, they will play at the New Bedford, MA’s 2015 International Portuguese Music Awards on April 25. Check their website for more details.
Matt Matasci
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