Over an hour past the opening time for the gig, and the drizzle-soaked attendees are forming an orderly huddle outside. Someone politely enquires about when the doors are likely to be opened. “Dunno, they’re sound-checking,” comes the response, met with considered nodding. This is a band worth waiting for.

Austra released their debut single ‘Beat and the Pulse’ in January, and their first album ‘Feel it Break’ in May, but they’ve already embarked on international tours to critical acclaim. Universally adored, and with the very recent announcement that they’ve made the shortlist of the Polaris prize, Canada’s version of our Mercury Music Prize, we decided to see whether the hype’s deserved.

Tantalisingly slow to come on stage, a tense and excited audience get what they want, as cheers fill the remaining air, and they launch into a well-rehearsed set showcasing their unique style, alternating soulful, epic modern classics such as ‘The Noise’ with the off-kilter pop of ‘Lose It’ and synthy, 80s throwbacks like ‘Spellwork.’

With Stelmanis’ shaggy blonde hair, beautiful shimmying backing singers, short hemlines and lyrics such as ‘This is a thirst I’ve never had / I’ve never bled for another man / Don’t wanna lose you,’ it would seem easy to firmly place Austra as starlets in the chart-destined pop spectrum. In fact, Stelmanis is a stalwart of the Toronto queer scene; a lesbian with a dedication to sexual politics and a do-it-yourself attitude which has seen her travel the world for years on self-organised tours and support slots. Despite the projected vulnerability and yearning, Austra’s bass-driven anthems, beat-laden undertones and the powerfully sexual vocals, each song is a testament to strength.

Equally, it’s easy to see Austra as Katie Stelmanis and backing band, but this would be undeserved. Drummer Maya Postepski’s dark New Wave credentials are strong, with involvement in Princess Century, Trust and Galaxy, and ex-Spiral Beach bassist Dorian Wolf’s influence on the Toronto indie scene is considerable. That said, it’s Stelmanis’ haunting and operatic vocals that set this band aside from other electro-New Wave pop groups. Eschewing the traditional classical path that most child opera singers would follow, Stelmanis has spent the last five years aiming to blend classical with “really fucked up, distorted crazy shit.”

Coming shyly back for a two-song encore, they finish on ‘Woodstock,’ a charmingly memorable rework of Joni Mitchell’s classic and the B-side to ‘Lose It.’ Austra left us wanting more, and their polished, tight execution of well-crafted songs suggest that the Canadians named for a goddess of light will shine globally.

Austra at The Haunt
Friday 9th July

WORDS AND GIG PHOTOS BY JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE