Lithium Magazine

by Anthony Marcusa
Photos by Dave MacIntyre

www.5thprojekt.com
www.myspace.com/5thprojekt

It wasn’t until the final song, but Tara Rice at last put her arms in the air, allowed a subtle smirk cross her face, and swayed her hips ever so slightly. The lead singer of 5th Projekt was in control of the stage, knowing when to let the music around her take over, and when to allow her powerful, dulcet tones lead the way.

It was an inauspicious start, however. After coping with the shortcomings of some equipment, which included an errant microphone, the first songs, ‘Spin’ and ‘Hurricane’, were performed more by four very talented individuals and less as a cohesive ensemble. Rice’s beautiful voice had hints of uncertainty early, and occasionally fell beneath the sound of the others, but her confidence was found quickly enough.

The hesitancy is understandable — 5th Projekt has played but a few live shows this year since returning from a hiatus. The Toronto release party was to be the first of many as they debut their new CD and fifth release, V.

The show progressed nicely, with each consecutive tune becoming more energized, balanced, and engaging. By the fourth song of the evening, “Psych 66”, it was hard not to want to join in the dancing at the foot of the infectious Rice.

There is a deceptive quality about the band, especially live, but in the best of ways. The audience never quite knows where the band will take them, but there is a sense that 5th Projekt knows exactly what they are doing.

The Toronto-based group happily attests to their various musical influences (the past three decades of rock), a factor that leads them to be categorized into several different genres (from psychedelic to shoegazer to art rock). And so their live songs surprise: Rice will casually don a guitar mid-tune, the fast-paced dance styling drops off quickly to become something more ethereal and contemplative, and slow, brooding tracks build to an unexpected crescendo that never dissipates. 

By the end of their relatively short set, Rice alongside guitarist Sködt McNalty, bassist Jean-François Kardinal, and drummer Jeremy Oram were brimming with poise, moving the crowd and teasing everyone for more. It ended too soon, but thankfully for fans, their unveiling at the El Mo suggests the very high ceiling of which 5th Projekt is capable, one that surprises and delights audiences and will continue to fill clubs around Ontario.