The Cliks at WorldPride

I'm always impressed by Lucas Silveira. He's the frontman and writer for The Cliks. His music can move me or make me dance. He's developed a striking vocal range. He combines deep and sensual with a slick falsetto according to the song.

The Cliks played WorldPride last month. They opened with Walking In A Graveyard, an intense tune in the style of Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Lucas came onstage looking sharp in a red blazer with black lapels and a slim tie. His expression reminded me of Little Richard. They followed that up with my personal favourite, Dark Passenger. The gravelly quaver in his voice and his evocative lyrics make for a dramatic piece.

Then he says, "I want to see you dance," and we do, to the lively No Good Do'er and Savanna.
They played a compact, energetic set including the gritty ska song Stop Drinking My Wine and the crowd favourite Oh Yeah. Silveira is fantastic at cover songs. This show they did Justin Timberlake's Cry Me a River. I also love Silveira's versions of Robyn's Dancing On My Own, T.I.'s Whatever You Like and Kanye's Runaway.

Silveira is a trans man. He speaks openly about his identity and the process of transitioning. He has said in interviews that he was hesitant to take hormones at first, because of the effect it would have on his voice. Around 2007 he was gaining recognition and his vocal quality had been compared to Chrissie Hynde. Eventually, he did undergo hormone replacement therapy. He found that with practice he had plenty of vocal control.

I remember going to lots of Cliks shows in the early 2000s at the Drake and smaller stages at Pride. Back then I'd describe the musical style as pop rock. The riffs were catchy. There was a lightness to many songs that was a bit like Britpop, which I'm a big fan of. Though Lucas didn't speak much to the audience he always had a definite stage presence.

In the last 10 years Silveira's music has become richer. His songs now incorporate rock, R&B, rockabilly and soul in a full, distinctive sound. The soaring Cerise, from The Cliks' latest album really illustrates that. The band closed with Dirty King, leaving us charged up with a slightly illicit feeling.

The Cliks are currently on a North American tour. They have been playing festivals like NXNE and many Pride events. They even do gigs in smaller cities like Belleville and Yellowknife. Black Tie Elevator is available on Bandcamp.

The Cliks at WorldPride Toronto 2014, Yonge-Dundas Square. Photo by: J. Jeanes