Toronto native John O, aka Diamond Rings, knows how to make an impression. The former high school basketball player showed up to The Great American Music Hall last Sunday with dramatic make-up, a black tank-top, a thick chain necklace, and plenty of showmanship.
Diamond Rings
On tour with Twin Shadow in support of his full length album, Special Affections, which was released in June of this year, he appeared completely at home all by himself on stage. Topped off with guitar shredding while he was on the ground, John O garnered roars with his bold and sometimes awkward gestures to hype the crowd. It was truly a spectacle to see this performance and I think with some more experience on the road, more time developing as a songwriter, and perhaps with the backing of a full band, Diamond Rings will emerge as a flamboyant rock showman extraordinaire, the likes of which have not been seen since Ziggy Stardust. My guess is that Capitol Records, who released his album, is betting the same.
Diamond Rings
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
[mp3] DIAMOND RINGS – You Oughta Know from Special Affections (2010)
Twin Shadow
George Lewis Jr., the force behind Twin Shadow, has received praise from nearly every corner of the indie critic world for his debut album, Forget, which was released just over a year ago on Terrible Records. Since the first time I saw the group perform at SXSW earlier this year, they have continued to step it up a notch. Slight differences of arrangement from the album, a few new songs, and a new Rickenbacker guitar all made this show more impressive than the last. With his distinctive “Brooklyn hip” style and attire, George is really cultivating his image, which seems get ever closer to the coveted title of “the next Prince”.
Twin Shadow
Only a few weeks ago Twin Shadow released a new track, Changes, to appease their fans who can’t wait for the next proper release. Driven by disco beats, this well arranged, dance inducing track gives me hope that Twin Shadow will not be falling into the Sophomore album slump that plagues so many indie artists after having strong debuts. As long as Twin Shadow stays focused, I am confident his stock will continue to rise, perhaps even beyond the glass ceiling of the indie rock world.
Twin Shadow
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
[mp3] TWIN SHADOW – Changes from Unreleased (2011)
Written and photographed by Tanner Pikop