July Talk takes in NXNE

June 13, the third night of North by Northeast (NXNE) saw Toronto-based band, July Talk grace the stage of The Horsehoe Tavern at 10 p.m., following one-man band, Steve Hill. The band’s set was brief, lasting only thirty minutes, but managed to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Front woman and vocalist, Leah Fay’s stage presence is paradoxical, seemingly cute and innocent yet furtively sultry. Lead guitarist and vocalist Peter Dremanis’ rough vocals juxtaposed Leah’s soft yet powerful.

July Talk recently showcased their talents at Canadian Music Week this past March. The established music festival hit an honorable milestone, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. According to Fay, July Talk begun their NXNE show opening for Hayes Carll.

“We’ve played the Horseshoe a few times its always a great venue, its kind of amazing how much has happened the past year,” she told The Cord.

“Last year the show in Kensington [for NXNE], was at one p.m., we played to a patio of people who were drinking beer and having brunch, they didn’t really know there was a show going on,” Fay continued, alluding to the development of her band.

This year proved to be significantly different, as the enthused crowd danced alongside Fay, completely enamored by her and Dremanis’ interactions on stage. Fay and Dremanis’ lighthearted playfulness is labeled organic.

“We try not to talk about it too much before we play a show,” said Fay. “We kind of just have another state we go in while were on stage. I never really know how he is going to react and what he is going to do on stage and he doesn’t know what I’m going to do. We used to debrief, but now I just think we trust each other more, and we just go for it”.

The mysteriousness between the two heightened as the set continued, Fay politely ignoring Dremanis’ advancements, flirting with the crowd, asking them to dance alongside her. The composition of July Talk’s music is multifaceted, joining country and new wave rock, successfully creating a unique sound.

June 13marked the first show for the band’s new guitarist, Ian Docherty. Fay claims the creation process behind their music is subjective.

“We play a song and its totally 80’s new wave sounding, I think its just a matter of identifying what we like and seeing if it works,” she said.