Though at the time they were still known by their longer moniker of CHRISTIAN HANSEN & THE AUTISTICS, the recently pseudonym-shortened CHRISTIAN HANSEN quite possibly have more positive energy in their limited membership per single show than some bands can claim to have in the entire stretch of their live performance careers.

Originally from the wondrous grid-like city of Edmonton, CHRISTIAN HANSEN recently packed up their MIDI-keys-heavy, baritone-vocal-fronted outfit and made the migratory jump to the Toronto music scene: and surely once they find their footing, they’re sure to fit in just fine.

“For everyone in this bar… high school SHOULD be over…” began Christian Hansen (the man) as the band finished the second song of their set. “If it’s not, you should be at home studying for your calculus final.” – this prompted one eager fan to declare high school dead before CH&TA jumped into their track ‘High School’s Over’.

Even short their drummer (who was unable to attend at the last minute), guitarist/vocalist Hansen and keyboardist/vocalist Molly Flood easily have enough movement – of equal parts rocking out, head-banging, and extreme facial expressions – to make up for that.

Pair this with the fact that the majority of their songs are bubble-y electro-pop with the odd hint of trumpet-filled ska and falsetto’d vocal lines, or that they occasionally feature sexually-suggestive lyrics, and at 1AM after a few beers you might have trouble NOT dancing.

That being said, I would kill to see them with a REALLY lively drummer to back the whole thing, because that would surely push them into the “killer live show” status that I always hope to find in bands when I’m out at festival shows.

If I took anything away from this set in particular though, it’s that CHRISTIAN HANSEN doesn’t have far to go to hit that level in my book.

- Photos by LIZ GARERI