Music/Live Reviews

Who: Goldie Boutilier
Where: Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W.
When: Wed., April 9
Vibe: Loving fan send-off to act heading to stardom
Highlight: Her version of Bang Bang proves a satisfying surprise
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)

RAPIDLY RISING East Coast Canadian indie pop singer Goldie Boutilier is ready for her star moment — in fact, she intends to seize it with both hands and not let go until it delivers her to the front of stages all over the world.

It’s clear the long-stalled trajectory of Boutilier’s career is ready for lift-off in the minutes before her long sold-out show at the Horseshoe begins. The packed room is filled with giddy, anticipatory excitement as fans lucky enough to scoop tickets in the six-hour availability window are certain they are in for something special.

A musical interlude on a darkened stage announces Boutilier’s imminent arrival, building anticipation even more before hitting the stage. Starting her set singing The Rhinestone Ceiling from her 2024 EP The Actress, she grabs command of the stage and the audience in a grip she won’t release throughout her powerful indie rock and pop infused performance.

After a few false starts in her music career as well as professional stints as a model and a sex worker, Boutilier has learned a few things, and this wisdom informs her performance and her songwriting. Backed by Erica Fox on guitar and Zoë McMillan on drums, Boutilier delivers a set of often deeply personal songs routinely powered by pop propulsion. Her songs reflect the wisdom of a survivor and the defiance of someone who has learned to make it on their own.

Boutilier is chatty between songs, but this doesn’t crush the show’s pacing, just adds to her intimacy with fans, a door already opened by the revealing nature of her songs. Dressed magnificently in assless leather chaps, a black leather vest and often wearing dark sunglasses that make her look like Pris from the original Bladerunner, Boutilier owns the stage as she dances and poses, dramatically sweeping across the stage.

A costume change sees her looking more like Debbie Harry from Blondie, but wherever the comparisons land, the result is a mega-star in waiting — who has no intention of waiting any longer. A late-show cover of Cher’s Bang Bang — the Nancy Sinatra cover of which was reintroduced to a generation of moviegoers by Quentin Tarantino on Kill Bill Vol. 1 — underlines the stylish, edgy and dark vibe to Boutilier and her set that draws inevitable comparisons to the gritty director’s aesthetic.

Boutilier closes the show with an excellent, extended version of Pretending that showcases her band and her own impressive singing skills.

A false finish mid-song gives Boutilier another chance to demonstrate her benevolent control over her adoring crowd — a crowd that will be much bigger at the significantly larger venue she will play next time she is in town.