When: 7.30pm on Friday 18 November 2011
Where: The Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HE

We’re delighted to be welcoming back The Besnard Lakes, who last played for us at a sold-out Dulcimer in March 2010.

The Besnard Lakes, from Montreal, Canada, were formed by husband-and-wife duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas in 2003. They are currently a four-piece, centred around the couple’s atmospheric songs. Their second album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse, was recorded at singer Lasek’s own Breakglass Studios, with members of Stars, The Dears and Godspeed You! Black Emperor and A Silver Mt. Zion making guest appearances. It was nominated for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize.

A third studio album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, was released on Jagjaguwar last year – and was again nominated for the Polaris Prize. The band also provided the score for Sympathy For Delicious, the directorial debut from actor Mark Ruffalo, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

‘They’ve retrofitted classic-rock grandeur to indie-rock dimensions and forged their own special niche – space-rock that’s down to Earth’ – Pitchfork

‘Like Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah before them, this Montreal band have released an indie classic from completely out of the blue. Not that they sound at all similar to the aforementioned three, but you feel the band’s elegiac mix of shoegaze, downbeat pop and post-rock would have struggled to formulate from anywhere other than underground indie’s own Mecca’ – Drowned In Sound

Tour support comes from Montreal’s SUUNS. Signed to Secretly Canadian, the group’s post-punk, minimalist rhythms are equally informed by Joy Division, Suicide and Can. Local support comes from Coves & Caves. The five-piece include two members who were in My Side of the Mountain and who performed as Magic Arm‘s backing band. As Coves & Caves, CityLife recently described their music as ‘synth-laden, symphonic swoon-pop‘.

This show is a co-promotion with Now Wave.

Tickets are available from the bar, Common (both no booking fee), Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, Seetickets.com, Ticketline.co.uk and on 0871 220 0260.

Attend on: Facebook | Last.fm