Shoe star of the day – The Pipettes’ Gwenno Saunders

Gwenno Saunders with The Pipettes at Venue, Vancouver, April 29 2011. Anja Weber photo

Photos – The Pipettes at Venue, Vancouver, April 29 2011

The Pipettes played Venue in Vancouver on Friday night. The British pop group is fronted by sisters Gwenno and Ani Saunders, who wore dresses with polka-dot tops and matching flower-print skirts. Gwenno also had on some cute shoes…. (Thanks to Anja Weber for the photos).

Gwenno Saunders with The Pipettes at Venue, Vancouver, April 29 2011. Anja Weber photo

Shoe star of the day – Braids’ Raphaelle Standell-Preston

Raphaelle Standell-Preston with Braids at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 28 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Photos – Braids at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 28 2011

BRAIDS played Vancouver’s Biltmore Cabaret earlier this week, and myself and photographer Robyn Hanson caught the quartet’s set.

I’d been curious since my friend Eugene had raved about the Montreal-by-way-of-Calgary band’s Winnipeg shows. He reviewed the band twice for the site, including a set at Lo Pub in 2010.  Since then even mighty publications like Pitchfork and the New York Times have jumped on the BRAIDS bandwagon.

You can see a fuller (though not by much) review of BRAIDS‘ Vancouver set here. This post is about shoes – specifically, lead singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston‘s. She is our Shoe Star of the Week:

Raphaelle Standell-Preston with Braids at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 28 2011. Robyn Hanson photo

Shoe star – Laura Barrett of Sheezer

Laura Barrett with Sheezer. Jason Statler photo

Photos – Sheezer at the Rickshaw Theatre, March 12 2011

Sheezer http://passed through town on the weekend, opening for the Born Ruffians Saturday night (March 12) at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver. Jason Statler took these pics of the all-girl Toronto Weezer tribute band’s Laura Barrett, and her shoes:

Laura Barrett with Sheezer. Jason Statler photo

Shoe star of the day – Said the Whale’s Jaycelyn Brown

Jaycelyn Brown with Said the Whale at the Venue, Vancouver, Nov 18 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Photos – Jaycelyn Brown with Said the Whale at Venue, Vancouver, Nov 18 2010

Jaycelyn Brown makes a return appearance to this blog. The keyboardist for Said the Whale might be one of Vancouver’s best dressers, at least when it comes to footwear.

Jaycelyn Brown with Said the Whale at Venue, Vancouver, Nov 18 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Shoe star of the day – Britta Phillips

Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Nov 15 2010. Mikala Taylor photo

Photos – Britta Phillips with Dean Wareham at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Nov 15 2010

Dean Wareham gusted through town earlier this week as part of a “plays Galaxie 500″ tour. A seminal late ’80s/early ’90s indie-rock trio, Galaxie 500 was a showcase for Wareham’s songs; he went on to form Luna, a more successful, pop-influenced band.

After bassist Britta Phillips (also an actor – she was the voice of Jem in the cartoon Jem and the Holograms) joined Luna, the two married. Since that band has gone on hiatus the couple have worked together, as Dean & Britta, on various other projects, including a multi-media project called 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests.

Here’s Britta and her sexy boots ontstage at the Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, Nov 15. Thanks to Mikala Taylor for the pics.

Britta Phillips at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Nov 15 2010. Mikala Taylor photo

Shoe star of the day – Stars’ Amy Millan

Amy Millan with Stars at the Vogue, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Montreal’s Stars played a show at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver last week. Writes Skot Nelson, “[Singer/guitarist] Amy Millan may be pregnant, but she still brings it with the shoes…”

Amy Millan with Stars at the Vogue Theatre, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

(More Stars at the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver photos)

Shoe star of the day – Young Galaxy’s Catherine McCandless

Catherine McCandless with Young Galaxy at the Vogue, Vancouver, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Photos – Young Galaxy at the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, Nov 4

Young Galaxy is one of Canada’s hottest new-ish acts. The five-year-old band has two albums under its collective belt, including the latest Invisible Republic, and, in lead singer Catherine McCandless, also has one of the most charismatic belters on the indie-rock circuit.

Here’s Catherine performing with Young Galaxy when the band opened for Stars at the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photos.

Catherine McCandless and shoes with Young Galaxy at the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

(More Young Galaxy at the Vogue Theatre photos)

Shoe star of the day – Civet’s Suzi Homewrecker

Suzi Homewrecker with Civet at the Rickshaw, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Photos – Civet’s Suzi Homewrecker at the Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, Nov 4 2010

Last Thursday in Vancouver, Civet opened for Nashville Pussy at the Rickshaw Theatre. The Long Beach all-girl punk band knows how to dress, especially when playing a concrete bunker on the corner of Main and Hastings. We sure as hell wouldn’t mess with these Civet gals, especially when Suzi Homewrecker is sporting such fab footwear…

Suzi Homewrecker with Civet at the Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, Nov 4 2010. Skot Nelson photo

(Want more? Check out more Civet at the Rickshaw photos)

Shoe star of the day – Kate Nash

Kate Nash at the Commodore Ballroom, Nov 3 2010. Robyn Hanson photo

Photos – Kate Nash at the Commodore Ballroom, Nov 3 2010

British pop singer Kate Nash brought her risky fashion sense to the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver recently as part of a tour in support of her new album My Best Friend is You. Not sure about the dress or the tights, but the shoes aren’t embarrassing:

Kate Nash at the Commodore Ballroom, Nov 3 2010. Robyn Hanson photo

(Want to know how the show was, and see more photos? Visit our Kate Nash in Vancouver concert review)

Shoe star of the day – Best Coast’s Beth Cosentino

Best Coast at the Cobalt, Vancouver, Oct 29 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Photos – Best Coast at the Cobalt, Vancouver, Oct 29 2010

Beth Cosentino played the Cobalt with her L.A. surf-pop-fuzz trio Best Coast last Friday night. Skot Nelson took these pics, which make Cosentino our Shoe Star of the Day.

Beth Cosentino of Best Coast at the Cobalt, Vancouver, Oct 29 2010. Skot Nelson photo

Beth Cosentino of Best Coast at the Cobalt, Vancouver, Oct 29 2010. Skot Nelson photo