Scenestar

ARTICLE BY CHERI GREEN

In the coveted room above the Echo’s stage, sitting pretty on a sofa lining a paint-peeling wall, The Scenestar caught up with Martina Sorbara, lead singer of Canada’s Dragonette. With latest album Fixin to Thrill recently released in the U.S., Martina chatted with us for a bit after sound check.

SS: Congrats to being on CSI: Miami! How did that come about?
MS: I have no idea. There’s a company in New York that notifies us [about it].

SS: I think I’ve also heard you guys on The Hills.
MS: Yeah, “I Get Around” was on there once. “I Get Around” gets around.

SS: Is there anything you listened to in your younger years that’s influencing the music you’re making now?
MS: I was really lyric-oriented growing up; I still am. Maybe not quite as much but, yeah, my preference wasn’t really for what it sounded like. That has been the biggest part of making music to me is spending time on the lyrics. I enjoy unwinding the words and figuring out how to write a song that flows.

SS: I know you did a cover of a Calvin Harris’ song, “The Girls.” Do you have anyone in mind that would be a dream collaboration for you, or anyone you absolutely want to work with?
MS: I was thinking it would be really awesome to sing with MGMT; that’d be fun. They probably don’t know about Dragonette, but I’ll put out the word to them: We are called Dragonette, and we are gonna make magic.

SS: Or make music babies.
MS: [Laughs] Exactly.

Very rarely do I come across an album in which I can play every song from beginning to end in succession. This rarity now includes Dragonette’s second album, Fixin to Thrill. I got a glimpse of the sultry side of Canada tonight. With only one previous L.A. performance, the band’s arrival to Silverlake was a sweet treat. Adorned with flashing, colored strobe lights, Dragonette did more than thrill the senses. A show that boasted an almost continuous play, with each song running into the next, you get the feeling that this quad is nothing less than pure entertainment and a professional at pleasing the audience. Emerging from the side of the stage in a sleek silver jumpsuit, Sorbara was greeted with cheers. She pumped us up full of her addictive energy with “I Get Around.” The set was made up of several songs from the new album, and as I scanned the room, I noticed that even though this album has just been released in America, almost everyone already knew the lyrics to every song being cranked out.

What I love most about Dragonette is how much fun they have performing, and it feels good to know that they are maybe having more fun than you are. There’s nothing better than a band enjoying themselves. I kept catching Sorbara’s constant smile, and she often laughed into the microphone while singing song after song.

During our interview earlier in the evening, I had mentioned to Sorbara that I had heard “I Get Around” a few years ago, and it caused an immediate reaction to find out more about this four-piece band from Toronto. To say that the Echo came alive with their presence is almost an understatement. During “Take It Like a Man,” almost instinctively the crowd began jumping up and down to the chorus while screaming out the words, everyone’s hands in the air, some fans holding up the Galore album while others held up Dragonette T-shirts. Without pausing, Dragonette pressed forward, performing “Liar,” “It’s Easy” and “Pick Up the Phone,” with the audience singing so loud at times, it drowned out Sorbara’s vocals. Dividing the room into two sections before playing “Stupid Grin,” Sorbara said, “I know we just met and all, but can you sing this part for me?” She directed each side to sing a portion of the chorus, and the audience more than obliged. Making the show interactive was just another reason to fall in love with this band. Almost every song ended with the entire audience chanting, “Martina! Martina!” to which she replied, “Joel! Dan!” giving props to her other band members. Sorbara started jumping up and down through the end of a chorus, causing everyone to follow suit.

Exiting the stage after their last song, the band prompted everyone to chant for an encore over and over. You know you have left an impression when you have ended your set and the crowd still wants you to play so bad that they beg the bass player to stay and play something, anything. “I always wanted to play a bass solo!” Dan Kurtz yelled back with a smile and a wave. Los Angeles loves you, Dragonette. Please don’t wait too long to come back to us again.