NXNE Live: Entire Cities DAKOTA TAVERN - JUNE 9 The Dakota Tavern is a perfect venue for a band like Entire Cities. Its well-worn, beer-soaked personality and atmosphere provide an unparalleled backdrop for music of similar characteristics. In spite of the obvious practical issues of having to accommodate a band the size of EC (on this night they were seven strong) in a venue this cozy, the peaking 1 a.m. NXNE crowd were all for it. A well-organized festival usually gets things done on time, and this year's NXNE seemed to have that down to a science. At essentially 1 a.m. on the dot, the Toronto-based country/twang ensemble took the stage with all of their accoutrements (banjo included) and faced a loosened, glowing crowd that moved right from the start. With just enough time to play eight songs, the band wasted none of it, launching into their own particular brand of creativity with force. The loud, raspy, but full vocals from lead Simon Borer suited the mosaic of country, bluegrass, garage, punk, soul, gospel and other artfully obnoxious and very pleasant sounds coming from behind him. The packed Dakota was pulsating halfway into the set, as the band was moving through highs, lows, harmonies, speed and country thrash with authority, playing a selection of party songs with a truly wonderful east-coast, farm-boy flare that sounded almost too perfect for the venue. Later, they brought it down a notch with the male/female vocal harmonies of "Coffee" — a piece that leaves a smile on your face, and has been generating some buzz for these cowpunks, who are headed down East to play some shows this summer. Without a doubt, Entire Cities is one of those bands you just have to see live. In their condensed, eight-song set, they offered several musical elements and a flurry of activity from the small box of a stage. Quite often things become confusing and convoluted if a large band has no concept of how to handle a small space; Entire Cities does — and it works. Entire Cities can work a crowd, communicating with their audience, getting many pairs of feet stomping in unison (and folk shouting things like "Snakeskin motherfucker" at the top of their drunken, happy voices), giving fans a fun and exuberant show. As for this NXNE Saturday set, it's unlikely the crowd or the band could ask for anything more.