Trail of Ash is a musical project helmed by Devour the Dead's Bobby Destroy-her. Described as Depressive Post-Metal, this onslaught of riffage shreds with no reliance on vocal hooks. It's straight instrumental, and it slays. I got time to catch up with this Accelerating Death Records artist, and here's how it went down.
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Where did the idea of Trail of Ash come from?
Trail of Ash is a concept I have tried to bring out in bands for years, but I decided a different approach since I wasn't getting the results I wanted. It's a focus on past events and the depressions that followed, and how there is always something there.
Do you play all the instruments yourself?
I have used a 6 string baritone for the recordings, but will be re-doing all of the tracks with an 8 string i recently picked up. The drums are programmed for now, and the basslines are a slight modification to the baritone. I play all of the strings, however I have asked another guitarist (James from Devour the Undead) to play alongside me for the live aspects and recordings.
Is this a solo project or could it be the start of a band?
It's solo composition, and the beginning of a bastardized compilation of artists, all walking different paths, and all wanting to contribute something to what the project will be. There will be a set number of members for live sets, but a few guests will add to the aspects involved.
What did you think of the initial response when people heard the tunes?
I found people were always asking for vocals, but seemed quite content with the music on it's own. I've had a very positive response, and the ridiculous amount of myspace plays have encouraged me to stay in the vein that I am in.
What is the vocalist situation at this time? Are you looking to have different singers on each song or will you settle on one in the future?
I do have one vocalist who is a permanent fixture and phenomenal artist by name of Sharon Davison. She adds an aspect of vocals I couldn't hear from anyone else, and wouldn't want to hear anyone else try. It's something that this project was in need of, and she fits perfectly.
Have you ever thought of singing on your own track?
I have, and will be doing some vocals.
What was your introduction to metal music?
Pantera.
What do you think of the current scene in Vancouver and how does it relate to Victoria?
Too many bands, not enough venues, WAY too many bullshit promoters. There are a few in both towns that are the real deal, but I've been handed a LOT of lines that I had hoped would be real, and when you find out there's nothing really there and just talk with no walk, it makes you want to believe there's more out there. The music industry is a religion on all levels, it depends how much you trust in something that could be completely false. As Van does as well, Victoria needs more venues, more bars at least willing to take on shows. We need to dispel the myth of the "metal show", more damage and drunken idiocy happens nightly at any top 40 club in both cities.
What would fans be surprised that you listen to?
Khaki King?
Did you shoot a video? And if so, can you explain what the process was like?
Not as of yet (again, believing in something that's just not happening), but I am looking for a director to do something with a track of mine. I'll let you know how the experience was when I have it.
Were these songs initially meant as instrumentals or did you always feel like there was room for vocals?
I always want a song to feel complete, but at the same time I don't want to over-saturate with "the singer". So, yes and no.
Who is your guitar god?
Tosin Abasi
What was the first song you learned on guitar?
Fade to Black
Did you have a music teacher or were you self taught?
Self taught
Who is your favourite out of the "big four"? Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth or Anthrax?
i'll give Anthrax my vote, but all of them have had ridiculously good moments.
Are you ever going to play live with this group?
Yes.
How is Devour the Undead doing? Any news on that front?
Devour the Undead is re-grouping and re-writing some of the tracks. We had quite a few technical issues at our last show at Logans, and watching the show afterwards we realized that we wanted to overhaul a few parts. It makes it easier to spot them when one guitar is cutting out somehow.
How long does it normally take you to write a song? What is the songwriting process?
That's a tough one. Most of these songs have been written in an evening or two, then i sodomize them until i'm happy with the outcome - that can take weeks/months. Essentially, I hit a set of notes that depicts the experience that inspired me to compose, and if it hits right I build on that.
Is there anyone in the music industry you really respect yet think should retire?
No, never. Create until your death, let them listen afterwards.
Any last words you'd like to say that hasn't been covered in this interview?
Yes. If you don't listen, you're missing out. Listen to everything you can, enjoy it for what it is, and don't ever, ever look back. You can always do everything better when you look back on it, but it just wouldn't be "you".
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Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trail-of-Ash/147384758612977?ref=ts&sk=wall#!/pages/Trail-of-Ash/147384758612977?sk=info
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/trailofash
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
7 Year Old Poets/Year of the Rat/Handsome Distraction @ Lucky's [Feb. 9th, 2010]
What do you do when the promoter that had "lined up some bands" for a Wednesday night suddenly vanishes into thin air and all you are left with is an empty gap in the week? Well, if you are Lucky's, you get in touch with Devin Perfect of Handsome Distraction who scrambled and succeeded to pull this show together by the skin of his teeth. Normally, it is a day reserved for "The Mod Club". A night where the kids who are too cool for school come to dance. Well, there wasn't much dancing tonight. As the bands tried to coax people in with free shot tickets [got mine], there was a much bigger show in town. Jets Overheard and Maurice played that night, which left a lot of bars vying for the spot of "after party". As I entered the venue, it felt a bit lonely. What can you do besides hope for the best?
Opening the night was notorious local band 7 Year Old Poets [who have come out of hiding]. For a band that hasn't rehearsed for four months, they were incredibly tight. All the members sang in some capacity but it was members Tungsten Shoestepper and Bosma Von David that handled the main duties. This is a group that wears their influences on their sleeves. When Bosma was on deck, the songs came across as very Modest Mouse. He yelped like he stepped on a bear trap and the songs definitely had that vibe with the arrangement and layers. Shoestepper, on the other side of the stage, was more of a Wolf Parade sound. It was a grittier element of the band. It was almost a who's who of early 2000 indie. If you closed your eyes, you may hear The Constantines or for one song, The Libertines. Seamus Knuckles moved freely with his bass and I got the feeling he could play it in his sleep. Ching had some early problems with his kick pedal placement, but he contributed a solid beat throughout the show. The great thing about this band is that they thoroughly enjoyed playing together again. I'm sure their lives are in much different places right now than six years ago. The chemistry is still their and all the instruments mesh together in a genius way. They closed the set by feeding off some feedback from their amps. It made me think, why is this band opening? Well, they chose to. I go to receive my free shot, and the bartender says it's not redeemable. She rips it up in front of my face.
The middle spot went to Year of the Rat. A band I have seen many times around Victoria, but from the get-go, something was off. It seemed like half the band was asleep as they ran through their catalogue of favourites. Not that they were missing notes. It was just a sloppy performance that I know they could do much better with. An odd thing happened...the crowd 7 Year Old Poets brought had emptied out besides a few, and the band went bi-polar. Coll menaced over his keyboards and his voice bellowed out. Stringer planted his feet firmly on the stage with bass in hand, letting the notes ring out with passion. McNeil created thunder when his sticks met the snare. He is a heavy hitter [yet I've never seen him break a stick!]. Sanderson made it look easy with his flavourful leads, which really suite the songs and never come across as "hamming it up". Basically, they became the band I knew and steered away from being that band I used to know. They are set to work on their new EP, and a lot of the songs I am familiar with at this point. In fact, it's almost crazy that I would have assumed all the songs were just on The Code EP, but it looks like they've held back really strong material for the follow-up. The band stayed away from covers this evening and stuck to strong songs like Harder Than Knowing and Every Night a Vampire. It was a fine finish for the band that has been quite busy these days.
Remember that free shot debacle? Turns out the manager just didn't inform the bar staff. The situation was rectified by Mr. Devin Perfect, who just turns out to be the frontman for Handsome Distraction. Here they are now! Upon stage, they gazed out into the sparse crowd. Handsome Distraction is a band that maintains a high standard of playing. I've never seen them play a bad show [even two years ago when they played the Cambie in Esquimalt with a different roster and no bass player]. They have hit a definite mark on their performance level, and I would hope, if there is any justice in the world, that their star power rises in this little town of ours. Blowing through tunes like Dirty Knives and Who Do You Love?, the band was firing on all cylinders. Although all the band members sing, they aren't much for harmonies. It's all about beefing up the vocals, which works. It's really hard to say anything about this band that I haven't already said. The guitars intertwine between Francis and Perfect without overpowering eachother. Each member plays to their own strength. I don't see any big egos on stage or stereotypical rock stars. Weaver's bass flows to the beat. Reiber is still one of my favourite drummers in Victoria. Serious, Handsome Distraction is a band I would recommend to anyone. If I could suggest anything to take it to the next level, would be to entertain the idea of harmonies more instead of just doubling/tripling/quadrupling. It's hard to really put this gig down because it was so last minute.
All in all, it was a good night for music. It doesn't come often that I get to see a band that I haven't seen before. Seems like a lot of the same bands keep grouped together so they are always sharing a bill, or does it just say something about the current Victoria scene? Is this basically it? We have a little bit of this and a little bit of that? It's a close knit community with these bands. It would be nice to see someone really shake up the bills around town....or more people making bands. Yes, MORE BANDS! They aren't making any new Guitar Hero games, how about you try a real instrument?
Opening the night was notorious local band 7 Year Old Poets [who have come out of hiding]. For a band that hasn't rehearsed for four months, they were incredibly tight. All the members sang in some capacity but it was members Tungsten Shoestepper and Bosma Von David that handled the main duties. This is a group that wears their influences on their sleeves. When Bosma was on deck, the songs came across as very Modest Mouse. He yelped like he stepped on a bear trap and the songs definitely had that vibe with the arrangement and layers. Shoestepper, on the other side of the stage, was more of a Wolf Parade sound. It was a grittier element of the band. It was almost a who's who of early 2000 indie. If you closed your eyes, you may hear The Constantines or for one song, The Libertines. Seamus Knuckles moved freely with his bass and I got the feeling he could play it in his sleep. Ching had some early problems with his kick pedal placement, but he contributed a solid beat throughout the show. The great thing about this band is that they thoroughly enjoyed playing together again. I'm sure their lives are in much different places right now than six years ago. The chemistry is still their and all the instruments mesh together in a genius way. They closed the set by feeding off some feedback from their amps. It made me think, why is this band opening? Well, they chose to. I go to receive my free shot, and the bartender says it's not redeemable. She rips it up in front of my face.
The middle spot went to Year of the Rat. A band I have seen many times around Victoria, but from the get-go, something was off. It seemed like half the band was asleep as they ran through their catalogue of favourites. Not that they were missing notes. It was just a sloppy performance that I know they could do much better with. An odd thing happened...the crowd 7 Year Old Poets brought had emptied out besides a few, and the band went bi-polar. Coll menaced over his keyboards and his voice bellowed out. Stringer planted his feet firmly on the stage with bass in hand, letting the notes ring out with passion. McNeil created thunder when his sticks met the snare. He is a heavy hitter [yet I've never seen him break a stick!]. Sanderson made it look easy with his flavourful leads, which really suite the songs and never come across as "hamming it up". Basically, they became the band I knew and steered away from being that band I used to know. They are set to work on their new EP, and a lot of the songs I am familiar with at this point. In fact, it's almost crazy that I would have assumed all the songs were just on The Code EP, but it looks like they've held back really strong material for the follow-up. The band stayed away from covers this evening and stuck to strong songs like Harder Than Knowing and Every Night a Vampire. It was a fine finish for the band that has been quite busy these days.
Remember that free shot debacle? Turns out the manager just didn't inform the bar staff. The situation was rectified by Mr. Devin Perfect, who just turns out to be the frontman for Handsome Distraction. Here they are now! Upon stage, they gazed out into the sparse crowd. Handsome Distraction is a band that maintains a high standard of playing. I've never seen them play a bad show [even two years ago when they played the Cambie in Esquimalt with a different roster and no bass player]. They have hit a definite mark on their performance level, and I would hope, if there is any justice in the world, that their star power rises in this little town of ours. Blowing through tunes like Dirty Knives and Who Do You Love?, the band was firing on all cylinders. Although all the band members sing, they aren't much for harmonies. It's all about beefing up the vocals, which works. It's really hard to say anything about this band that I haven't already said. The guitars intertwine between Francis and Perfect without overpowering eachother. Each member plays to their own strength. I don't see any big egos on stage or stereotypical rock stars. Weaver's bass flows to the beat. Reiber is still one of my favourite drummers in Victoria. Serious, Handsome Distraction is a band I would recommend to anyone. If I could suggest anything to take it to the next level, would be to entertain the idea of harmonies more instead of just doubling/tripling/quadrupling. It's hard to really put this gig down because it was so last minute.
All in all, it was a good night for music. It doesn't come often that I get to see a band that I haven't seen before. Seems like a lot of the same bands keep grouped together so they are always sharing a bill, or does it just say something about the current Victoria scene? Is this basically it? We have a little bit of this and a little bit of that? It's a close knit community with these bands. It would be nice to see someone really shake up the bills around town....or more people making bands. Yes, MORE BANDS! They aren't making any new Guitar Hero games, how about you try a real instrument?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Moss Rock/Sons of Nova @ Monty's [Feb.6th,2011]
Sex, drugs and rock n' roll is a basic cliché to live by in the business of musique. Well, Monty's offers two of those things and one you need to supply yourself. These are bands I've seen on more than one occasion, but this was the first time I've been to Monty's - the venue. It was a night to be remembered. A night that the crowd upstaged the bands themselves.
First up was Moss Rock. This three-piece are a band I've often confessed should be more popular. The songwriting is there. It's a pop rock formula but not one that is watered down enough to be in heavy rotation on Much. Nate Ripley demanded attention on stage as he sang with conviction. He holds a lot of restraint as he rips through solos on his guitar. I'm a little bit indifferent about his furry guitar strap. Every time I see it, I want to laugh, but if you ever see this bands profile picture on Facebook, then you'd understand this band doesn't take themselves too seriously. Bryan Reiber is a monster on drums and played yet another precise set. Every drummer I have talked to that has heard Reiber wail have all paid compliments to his flawless style. Jeff Bauman was a lot less "in-your-face" than the last time I saw them play at the V-Lounge, which I described as if he thought it was a Slayer concert. Bauman and Reiber were matched up dress wise with ties and vests. It would have been nice if they sent Ripley a memo to do the same, as he was wearing a simple black t-shirt. One thing I noticed right away was the vocals sounded a bit strange. Not because Ripley was singing off-key, but if you close your eyes, you might imagine him singing into a soup can on a string. I can't blame the venue's speakers, because when they pump out Guns n' Roses or Poison, the sound is great. So, there must be some sort of funky happenings with the EQ on the PA. Although Moss Rock played a solid set, it was the crowd that was more exciting than the band. Two or three songs in, a man had climbed on stage to dance. I don't know what he was thinking, but he started taking off his shirt. Was it to impress his girlfriend? That is unknown. What is also unknown is how the bouncers could just stand around as this man knocked Bauman's microphone off the stand. He continued to dance, and finally security tries to talk the man down from the stage. "Let's hear it for Chuck Norris", calls Monty's DJ Jayme Black. Finally he complies, and puts his shirt back on. A minute later, a woman from his table is now on stage doing some sort of striptease, getting on all fours and jiggling her ass. This is a crazy group! She steps down, and here is Chuck Norris again taking off his shirt. At this point, I'm not even paying attention to the show...but it looks like they are getting ready to leave. Ok, they are heading for the door. Moss Rock has already blown through favourites like Cop and My Heroin. Suddenly, everyone's attention shifts and there is a catfight by the door. I miss it, as everyone had seemed to be thrown out by the time I swung my vision. Yes, it was the same group, if you are wondering. Their last song is announced as a song that isn't finished yet, which is very familiar, because when I saw them last year, they had this song and they made up the lyrics on the spot. Ok, so it's a bit tighter than last time, but I don't know why in the span of two months or more this song wouldn't be finished now. I'm not sure what the song is called, but all I can picture is Bauman going "Wha wha". I guess that part stuck, even though it would be more suited to a Jay-Z song. It was a short set, and I couldn't help wonder, with all the troublemakers gone, will Sons of Nova be as exciting?
Before that all, yes...a stripper. I will mention it was the same girl about an hour ago. Interesting format. The crowd at Monty's is more there for the girls than the music. People like me went for the intention of seeing bands, so I knew what I was in for, but for those that pay cover to see naked chicks, being interrupted by a band on stage may be seen as a nuisance. If only there was some way that the bands could play with the strippers at the same time. Something off to the side. I wouldn't say to put the girls directly in front of the band. People go to a sports bar to watch sports. The same way people go to the strippers to see women. Monty's is a tough sell, but it's always great to have another venue for local bands in this town. So, I really can't complain.
Without further ado, here was Sons of Nova. This band played as good as I've ever seen them and didn't waste any time with banter. It was song, song and song after the other crammed into the thirty minutes they were given. Aram Heinze, on bass, blasted through I Wanna Fuck You with his gritty vocals. I'm so glad to see them so cohesive. The last time I saw them at Logan’s [which was fun, yet a bit sloppier than what the band is capable]. When this band is on, they take no prisoners. Codine Vandal is an excellent guitar player. Maybe even one of the finest in Victoria, and he makes it look so easy with a big smile on his face. He was on top of his game vocally. Vandal and Heinze traded off duties as frontmen with ease. Guitarist Rex Gielfeldt hit his marks and crossed his t's without a misstep to the equation. Adam Griffiths hammered the drums like they owed him money. There was no crowd interference this time. I just saw people bob their heads while they drank from their six dollar beers. The band ran through their old favourites with the highlight being awesome rocker "It's On" with its epic intro and dance beat. Grand finale, Slo Burn's "July" is a firestarter. It may not be a recognizable tune for the stripper crowd, but if anything, it will turn people onto one of the more obscure stoner rock bands of the late 90's. It has certainly perked my interest. As the same with Moss Rock's set, it felt too short. Though, I bet they feel lucky all the troublemakers had been herded out of the building.
Was it a good night? Sure it was. It was nowhere near such places as Logan's, Lucky's or Sugar, but it was decent enough. All in all, I think Monty's would need a major overhaul if it wants to be a contender for a venue. The stripping part, well, they have that mastered.
First up was Moss Rock. This three-piece are a band I've often confessed should be more popular. The songwriting is there. It's a pop rock formula but not one that is watered down enough to be in heavy rotation on Much. Nate Ripley demanded attention on stage as he sang with conviction. He holds a lot of restraint as he rips through solos on his guitar. I'm a little bit indifferent about his furry guitar strap. Every time I see it, I want to laugh, but if you ever see this bands profile picture on Facebook, then you'd understand this band doesn't take themselves too seriously. Bryan Reiber is a monster on drums and played yet another precise set. Every drummer I have talked to that has heard Reiber wail have all paid compliments to his flawless style. Jeff Bauman was a lot less "in-your-face" than the last time I saw them play at the V-Lounge, which I described as if he thought it was a Slayer concert. Bauman and Reiber were matched up dress wise with ties and vests. It would have been nice if they sent Ripley a memo to do the same, as he was wearing a simple black t-shirt. One thing I noticed right away was the vocals sounded a bit strange. Not because Ripley was singing off-key, but if you close your eyes, you might imagine him singing into a soup can on a string. I can't blame the venue's speakers, because when they pump out Guns n' Roses or Poison, the sound is great. So, there must be some sort of funky happenings with the EQ on the PA. Although Moss Rock played a solid set, it was the crowd that was more exciting than the band. Two or three songs in, a man had climbed on stage to dance. I don't know what he was thinking, but he started taking off his shirt. Was it to impress his girlfriend? That is unknown. What is also unknown is how the bouncers could just stand around as this man knocked Bauman's microphone off the stand. He continued to dance, and finally security tries to talk the man down from the stage. "Let's hear it for Chuck Norris", calls Monty's DJ Jayme Black. Finally he complies, and puts his shirt back on. A minute later, a woman from his table is now on stage doing some sort of striptease, getting on all fours and jiggling her ass. This is a crazy group! She steps down, and here is Chuck Norris again taking off his shirt. At this point, I'm not even paying attention to the show...but it looks like they are getting ready to leave. Ok, they are heading for the door. Moss Rock has already blown through favourites like Cop and My Heroin. Suddenly, everyone's attention shifts and there is a catfight by the door. I miss it, as everyone had seemed to be thrown out by the time I swung my vision. Yes, it was the same group, if you are wondering. Their last song is announced as a song that isn't finished yet, which is very familiar, because when I saw them last year, they had this song and they made up the lyrics on the spot. Ok, so it's a bit tighter than last time, but I don't know why in the span of two months or more this song wouldn't be finished now. I'm not sure what the song is called, but all I can picture is Bauman going "Wha wha". I guess that part stuck, even though it would be more suited to a Jay-Z song. It was a short set, and I couldn't help wonder, with all the troublemakers gone, will Sons of Nova be as exciting?
Before that all, yes...a stripper. I will mention it was the same girl about an hour ago. Interesting format. The crowd at Monty's is more there for the girls than the music. People like me went for the intention of seeing bands, so I knew what I was in for, but for those that pay cover to see naked chicks, being interrupted by a band on stage may be seen as a nuisance. If only there was some way that the bands could play with the strippers at the same time. Something off to the side. I wouldn't say to put the girls directly in front of the band. People go to a sports bar to watch sports. The same way people go to the strippers to see women. Monty's is a tough sell, but it's always great to have another venue for local bands in this town. So, I really can't complain.
Without further ado, here was Sons of Nova. This band played as good as I've ever seen them and didn't waste any time with banter. It was song, song and song after the other crammed into the thirty minutes they were given. Aram Heinze, on bass, blasted through I Wanna Fuck You with his gritty vocals. I'm so glad to see them so cohesive. The last time I saw them at Logan’s [which was fun, yet a bit sloppier than what the band is capable]. When this band is on, they take no prisoners. Codine Vandal is an excellent guitar player. Maybe even one of the finest in Victoria, and he makes it look so easy with a big smile on his face. He was on top of his game vocally. Vandal and Heinze traded off duties as frontmen with ease. Guitarist Rex Gielfeldt hit his marks and crossed his t's without a misstep to the equation. Adam Griffiths hammered the drums like they owed him money. There was no crowd interference this time. I just saw people bob their heads while they drank from their six dollar beers. The band ran through their old favourites with the highlight being awesome rocker "It's On" with its epic intro and dance beat. Grand finale, Slo Burn's "July" is a firestarter. It may not be a recognizable tune for the stripper crowd, but if anything, it will turn people onto one of the more obscure stoner rock bands of the late 90's. It has certainly perked my interest. As the same with Moss Rock's set, it felt too short. Though, I bet they feel lucky all the troublemakers had been herded out of the building.
Was it a good night? Sure it was. It was nowhere near such places as Logan's, Lucky's or Sugar, but it was decent enough. All in all, I think Monty's would need a major overhaul if it wants to be a contender for a venue. The stripping part, well, they have that mastered.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Year of the Rat/Handsome Distraction/Sons of Nova @ Logans [Jan.7,2011]
It was destined to be a triple CD release party presented by Runway Records. Unfortunately, Shadow of the Gods had to pull out of their two back to back shows for medical reasons. My heart goes out to the members of the band and I hope everything is well. So, stepping up to bat for them would be Year of the Rat, and they hit a home run.
I promised the boys I wouldn't copy and paste my review from the night before with just a venue name change. I couldn't anyway, because this night was an improvement on what was witnessed at the Fort Street Cafe. A lot can be attributed to Logan’s Pub. First, the stage is bigger and the band could channel their energy to the full extent of its measures. Second, there is simply more equipment. I forgot to mention that at the Fort Street Cafe, guitarist Michael Sanderson didn't have a microphone. Back up vocals are very important in displaying and exploring dynamics. Gladly, Logan’s has more microphones than you could shake a stick at [if you are into that kind of thing]. Samuel Coll and Sanderson's vox compliment eachother much like salt does to pepper. Coll is a lower than average register, which some people have unfairly wrote off as Joy Division. I would say Coll puts more passion into his vocals than Curtis did. Of course, Ryan Stringer thumped his bass strings through several effect pedals without being distracting. He has definitely found the right balance. New drummer Tylor McNeil is still learning the ropes in his second show with the band, but does he ever hit hard. He was wailing the drums tonight. Another additional missing link was Samuel Coll's use of the vocoder. It brought a Kid A essence to their set. Remember when I said the band pledged to retire their cover of Zombie? Well, jokes on them. The guy beside me was shouting for it. Practically begging for it. When I broke the bad news, he was crushed, only to have his heart light back up when the group launched into the mentioned gem [for the last time?]. I can't say much about these guys than I already have. Not sick of them yet. Props for the drum solo.
Then we switched over to Handsome Distraction after being introduced by the same guy who was heartbroken/repaired by the Cranberries cover. I'm not too sure if he just wandered up on stage, but the guys in the band didn't cause a fuss. Devin Perfect on rhythm guitar/vocals never missed a note as the sweat beamed off his skin. If the man wasn't singing, he was doing a mix between hopping and jumping, which may just be the Devin Perfect signature rock move. Bryan Reiber, with stylish hat, beat his drums with precision [as always] and is one of the finest guys that can sing behind a kit. Bassist Chris Weaver was fun to watch because he makes it look easy. Out of all the band, he seems to be the most stoic. It's not a negative slag against the man. The important thing is he doesn't look bored. Corey Scheiding, lead guitar, always has a smile on his face. You may mistake him for the Matthew McConaughey. He's just on stage doing leads and having a good time. Like, if North Korea launched a nuclear missile, he'd still be cool with it. It might have been where I'm standing, but I found it hard to hear Perfect's guitar [and he hates when people say that after a gig]. I asked around, and people said they heard it alright. So, either I was just in a bad spot or I'm technically the male Helen Keller. A sweet moment was when the band wished Sarah Butcher a happy birthday complete with traditional song. The set was pretty solid, but I think they were a tad....and I mean like a SMIDGE better when I saw them at V-Lounge. That all comes down to opinion. I guess that's why I write reviews.
It was time to get dirty with headliners, Sons of Nova. Of course, they were here to perform some news tracks off Night at the Boneyard. From the get go of Oh Yeah [IWFU], you know what you are getting into. We are talking down and dirty sleazy stoner rock with progressive elements. You will find yourself singing along to some of the most ridiculous lyrics you have ever heard. It's quite a satisfying encounter singing "I wanna fuck you" or learning that women can also get hard ons. You have the roughness of Aram Heinze on bass. I sensed a lot of Lemmy from Motorhead tonight. Dude also busts a rad bass solo. I think there should be more bass solos in rock n' roll. The only thing missing from Sons of Nova's set is a drum solo. For the first two bands, there was plenty of dancing. That was over when Sons of Nova hit the stage. It got pretty crazy to the point I was not really sure what people were doing. Jumping against each other and just letting go, basically. Codine Vandal amazed the crowd with his command of the guitar. You can tell he always has fun over there. The guitar tone is very much Josh Homme but his voice is pretty different. Like, a lot of artists just copy other people's tones or quirks. I don't find that with Vandal. On the other side of the stage was Rex Gielfeldt, who I had never seen sing back up before and I liked the added dynamic of it. The only problem with three mics is it makes for more banter on stage when people crave for the group to kick into the next rocker. Adam Griffiths was going through drum sticks like a termite infestation. It seemed like after every song he was throwing remnants of wood to the side of the stage. I've seen him play better than tonight, but the dude's human...at least I think he is. I can't say enough about new tune It's On. A drugged out Walk This Way with a heavy set of balls. It's sure to get the party started. There was a contest during their set to give away a free shirt. Two guys got up on stage and it was their task to give their best pick up line. "How you doin'?" started things off and the crowd weren't impressed. I forgot what the other guy said, but it wasn't good enough either. So, they brought some ladies up on stage. Finally, we had a winner with the ol' "party in the pants" line. I've always been a fan of "Is that a mirror in your pants? Because I see myself lathering my dick in peanut butter and skullfucking your corpse". I mean, if any girl goes for that, you know she's the one!
It was a very loose performance. The guys are pretty comfortable playing as a band. I would say the prior bands performed better, but Sons of Nova had the most fun and so did the crowd.
It was another successful Runway Presents. Runway Studios is slowly [but surely] taking over Victoria, and I hope you all attend the next one at The Fort Street Cafe. The band and I will be performing with Madd/Love and Secondhand Habit. It promises to put hair on your chest. If you are a woman, it promises to put hair on your breasts. Until next time, Victoria.
I promised the boys I wouldn't copy and paste my review from the night before with just a venue name change. I couldn't anyway, because this night was an improvement on what was witnessed at the Fort Street Cafe. A lot can be attributed to Logan’s Pub. First, the stage is bigger and the band could channel their energy to the full extent of its measures. Second, there is simply more equipment. I forgot to mention that at the Fort Street Cafe, guitarist Michael Sanderson didn't have a microphone. Back up vocals are very important in displaying and exploring dynamics. Gladly, Logan’s has more microphones than you could shake a stick at [if you are into that kind of thing]. Samuel Coll and Sanderson's vox compliment eachother much like salt does to pepper. Coll is a lower than average register, which some people have unfairly wrote off as Joy Division. I would say Coll puts more passion into his vocals than Curtis did. Of course, Ryan Stringer thumped his bass strings through several effect pedals without being distracting. He has definitely found the right balance. New drummer Tylor McNeil is still learning the ropes in his second show with the band, but does he ever hit hard. He was wailing the drums tonight. Another additional missing link was Samuel Coll's use of the vocoder. It brought a Kid A essence to their set. Remember when I said the band pledged to retire their cover of Zombie? Well, jokes on them. The guy beside me was shouting for it. Practically begging for it. When I broke the bad news, he was crushed, only to have his heart light back up when the group launched into the mentioned gem [for the last time?]. I can't say much about these guys than I already have. Not sick of them yet. Props for the drum solo.
Then we switched over to Handsome Distraction after being introduced by the same guy who was heartbroken/repaired by the Cranberries cover. I'm not too sure if he just wandered up on stage, but the guys in the band didn't cause a fuss. Devin Perfect on rhythm guitar/vocals never missed a note as the sweat beamed off his skin. If the man wasn't singing, he was doing a mix between hopping and jumping, which may just be the Devin Perfect signature rock move. Bryan Reiber, with stylish hat, beat his drums with precision [as always] and is one of the finest guys that can sing behind a kit. Bassist Chris Weaver was fun to watch because he makes it look easy. Out of all the band, he seems to be the most stoic. It's not a negative slag against the man. The important thing is he doesn't look bored. Corey Scheiding, lead guitar, always has a smile on his face. You may mistake him for the Matthew McConaughey. He's just on stage doing leads and having a good time. Like, if North Korea launched a nuclear missile, he'd still be cool with it. It might have been where I'm standing, but I found it hard to hear Perfect's guitar [and he hates when people say that after a gig]. I asked around, and people said they heard it alright. So, either I was just in a bad spot or I'm technically the male Helen Keller. A sweet moment was when the band wished Sarah Butcher a happy birthday complete with traditional song. The set was pretty solid, but I think they were a tad....and I mean like a SMIDGE better when I saw them at V-Lounge. That all comes down to opinion. I guess that's why I write reviews.
It was time to get dirty with headliners, Sons of Nova. Of course, they were here to perform some news tracks off Night at the Boneyard. From the get go of Oh Yeah [IWFU], you know what you are getting into. We are talking down and dirty sleazy stoner rock with progressive elements. You will find yourself singing along to some of the most ridiculous lyrics you have ever heard. It's quite a satisfying encounter singing "I wanna fuck you" or learning that women can also get hard ons. You have the roughness of Aram Heinze on bass. I sensed a lot of Lemmy from Motorhead tonight. Dude also busts a rad bass solo. I think there should be more bass solos in rock n' roll. The only thing missing from Sons of Nova's set is a drum solo. For the first two bands, there was plenty of dancing. That was over when Sons of Nova hit the stage. It got pretty crazy to the point I was not really sure what people were doing. Jumping against each other and just letting go, basically. Codine Vandal amazed the crowd with his command of the guitar. You can tell he always has fun over there. The guitar tone is very much Josh Homme but his voice is pretty different. Like, a lot of artists just copy other people's tones or quirks. I don't find that with Vandal. On the other side of the stage was Rex Gielfeldt, who I had never seen sing back up before and I liked the added dynamic of it. The only problem with three mics is it makes for more banter on stage when people crave for the group to kick into the next rocker. Adam Griffiths was going through drum sticks like a termite infestation. It seemed like after every song he was throwing remnants of wood to the side of the stage. I've seen him play better than tonight, but the dude's human...at least I think he is. I can't say enough about new tune It's On. A drugged out Walk This Way with a heavy set of balls. It's sure to get the party started. There was a contest during their set to give away a free shirt. Two guys got up on stage and it was their task to give their best pick up line. "How you doin'?" started things off and the crowd weren't impressed. I forgot what the other guy said, but it wasn't good enough either. So, they brought some ladies up on stage. Finally, we had a winner with the ol' "party in the pants" line. I've always been a fan of "Is that a mirror in your pants? Because I see myself lathering my dick in peanut butter and skullfucking your corpse". I mean, if any girl goes for that, you know she's the one!
It was a very loose performance. The guys are pretty comfortable playing as a band. I would say the prior bands performed better, but Sons of Nova had the most fun and so did the crowd.
It was another successful Runway Presents. Runway Studios is slowly [but surely] taking over Victoria, and I hope you all attend the next one at The Fort Street Cafe. The band and I will be performing with Madd/Love and Secondhand Habit. It promises to put hair on your chest. If you are a woman, it promises to put hair on your breasts. Until next time, Victoria.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Radtrux/Year of the Rat/Made in Bangs @ The Fort Street Cafe [Jan.9,2011]
There were two choices tonight. Synapse was playing at the V-Lounge. They are a former Zone band of the month. I hear they are pretty good, but I decided that I was much more in the mood for electro weirdness. Made in Bangs has always been a band on my radar, and it was time to see what their live show represented.
Before all that, we had Radtrux. This a band that borrows a lot from Death From Above 1979 to the point you could almost call them a tribute act. With Darren Spears on drums and Pat Cousineau on bass, their set ignited with their opening tune. If Death From Above 1979 had ever put out a second album, this would be it. Cousineau had Jesse Keeler's bass tone perfectly. That's when the covers started. Radtrux launched into Romantic Rights. I was psyched...but I don't know if it was the nerves or stage rust but Spears was struggling to remember the lyrics to the point of not singing at all. The music was there, but to put a dead stop on the vocals is a serious issue. It's better to improvise than to not sing at all. Most people won't even know the difference. After Romantic Rights, they launched into Black History Month. It set the tone for the rest of the set. As much as I like Death From Above 1979, they played too much of it! I think the final count was four songs from them. I really wanted to hear originals or maybe a new spin on a song broken down to just drum and bass. Their own songs had an Iron Maiden twist on the DFA 1979 format. It definitely struck me as a bit of power metal. Cousineau took over vocals for their finale, which they said was just for fun: Motorhead's Ace of Spades. His voice overpowered the microphone as he yelled out the lyrics, but that's the kind of stuff I want to hear. If you are going to have the DFA 1979 sound, you don't want to be confused as a tribute act. I also think the vocals weren't as strong as they could be and that maybe a third member would be an idea.
Year of the Rat has been a band I have seen numerous times. In fact, I also saw them the following night [stay tuned for that review]. There was a new addition to Samuel Coll's set-up. A nice new Korg keyboard. What's great about this is now the band can play without the benefit of a laptop. If you haven't seen the band before, they used to have pre-recorded bits that sometimes would work or sometimes they would malfunction. Now that Sam has the benefit of two separate keyboards, the band is free to feel the music. That's not all that was new this time around. New drummer Tylor McNeil shined during his first show that stepped up the complexity of the group's beats. He is still learning, but I am excited to hear what the band has come to be in six months times. As for the other band members, there isn't much to say. They've achieved flawless accuracy and no one can say a bad word about their stage presence. They dress well, which promotes a professional look. Even on a small stage like the Fort Street Cafe, they put their hearts into it. They played favourites like Harder Than Knowing, Every Night a Vampire and what was said to be their last performance of The Cranberries' "Zombie". Yes, they told the crowd that it was time for a new cover, but that's easier said than done. More on that in the next review. Seriously, though, the band is air tight. Check them out; they will grow on you like a fungus.
When I took a look at Made in Bangs, I was quick to dismiss them as hipsters. Daniel Becker [keyboardist/vocals] was supporting tight red pants and haircut that would make Flock of Seagulls blush. Shane Steinke [guitarist/vocalist] was clad in a wooly sweater that either contained moose or caribous on it. Taylor Byers [drums] had on a wolverine t-shirt and a red bandana. I didn't know what to expect, because they came across as an experimental Vampire Weekend. The first song saw Becker break away from his keyboard to blow on a horn at intervals. Why? I guess, "why not?" is the method of Made in Bangs. Though, as the set went on, I found a very talented band that may have seemed weird in the beginning, but once you get over the shock, they are a breath of fresh oxygen. Becker and Steinke traded vocal duties. I wouldn't pick one over the other. They both had their own quirks. At one point in the set, Becker did some sort of shimmy. Byers wasn't a kind of drummer that shows off. He sticks to the beat and leaves no room for error. A highlight for me was their unique take on Radiohead's "The National Anthem", though I was surprised not a lot of people recognized it. By having no bassist, the keyboard acts as the low end as well as high end. I'm not sure how to properly describe Made in Bangs but if you like bands such as The Unicorns or XX, you will probably dig on Made in Bangs.
All in all, after a sketchy start of the story, the night turned around. I'm sure if Radtrux practice more, they will match the caliber of Year of the Rat and Made in Bangs. I cannot say enough how great an establishment Fort Street Cafe is and it may be the best place to get local beer in the city.
Before all that, we had Radtrux. This a band that borrows a lot from Death From Above 1979 to the point you could almost call them a tribute act. With Darren Spears on drums and Pat Cousineau on bass, their set ignited with their opening tune. If Death From Above 1979 had ever put out a second album, this would be it. Cousineau had Jesse Keeler's bass tone perfectly. That's when the covers started. Radtrux launched into Romantic Rights. I was psyched...but I don't know if it was the nerves or stage rust but Spears was struggling to remember the lyrics to the point of not singing at all. The music was there, but to put a dead stop on the vocals is a serious issue. It's better to improvise than to not sing at all. Most people won't even know the difference. After Romantic Rights, they launched into Black History Month. It set the tone for the rest of the set. As much as I like Death From Above 1979, they played too much of it! I think the final count was four songs from them. I really wanted to hear originals or maybe a new spin on a song broken down to just drum and bass. Their own songs had an Iron Maiden twist on the DFA 1979 format. It definitely struck me as a bit of power metal. Cousineau took over vocals for their finale, which they said was just for fun: Motorhead's Ace of Spades. His voice overpowered the microphone as he yelled out the lyrics, but that's the kind of stuff I want to hear. If you are going to have the DFA 1979 sound, you don't want to be confused as a tribute act. I also think the vocals weren't as strong as they could be and that maybe a third member would be an idea.
Year of the Rat has been a band I have seen numerous times. In fact, I also saw them the following night [stay tuned for that review]. There was a new addition to Samuel Coll's set-up. A nice new Korg keyboard. What's great about this is now the band can play without the benefit of a laptop. If you haven't seen the band before, they used to have pre-recorded bits that sometimes would work or sometimes they would malfunction. Now that Sam has the benefit of two separate keyboards, the band is free to feel the music. That's not all that was new this time around. New drummer Tylor McNeil shined during his first show that stepped up the complexity of the group's beats. He is still learning, but I am excited to hear what the band has come to be in six months times. As for the other band members, there isn't much to say. They've achieved flawless accuracy and no one can say a bad word about their stage presence. They dress well, which promotes a professional look. Even on a small stage like the Fort Street Cafe, they put their hearts into it. They played favourites like Harder Than Knowing, Every Night a Vampire and what was said to be their last performance of The Cranberries' "Zombie". Yes, they told the crowd that it was time for a new cover, but that's easier said than done. More on that in the next review. Seriously, though, the band is air tight. Check them out; they will grow on you like a fungus.
When I took a look at Made in Bangs, I was quick to dismiss them as hipsters. Daniel Becker [keyboardist/vocals] was supporting tight red pants and haircut that would make Flock of Seagulls blush. Shane Steinke [guitarist/vocalist] was clad in a wooly sweater that either contained moose or caribous on it. Taylor Byers [drums] had on a wolverine t-shirt and a red bandana. I didn't know what to expect, because they came across as an experimental Vampire Weekend. The first song saw Becker break away from his keyboard to blow on a horn at intervals. Why? I guess, "why not?" is the method of Made in Bangs. Though, as the set went on, I found a very talented band that may have seemed weird in the beginning, but once you get over the shock, they are a breath of fresh oxygen. Becker and Steinke traded vocal duties. I wouldn't pick one over the other. They both had their own quirks. At one point in the set, Becker did some sort of shimmy. Byers wasn't a kind of drummer that shows off. He sticks to the beat and leaves no room for error. A highlight for me was their unique take on Radiohead's "The National Anthem", though I was surprised not a lot of people recognized it. By having no bassist, the keyboard acts as the low end as well as high end. I'm not sure how to properly describe Made in Bangs but if you like bands such as The Unicorns or XX, you will probably dig on Made in Bangs.
All in all, after a sketchy start of the story, the night turned around. I'm sure if Radtrux practice more, they will match the caliber of Year of the Rat and Made in Bangs. I cannot say enough how great an establishment Fort Street Cafe is and it may be the best place to get local beer in the city.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Sea-Sekshun - Tidal Cut
Sea-Sekshun are a local Victoria band that describe themselves as Ska-punge [a mix of ska/punk/grunge]. There's Jake Sunstrum on guitar/vocals. Tyler Swagar on bass. Ross Hobbs 2nd guitar. Tom Gracie rounds out the band on drums. If I'm not mistaken, Tidal Cut is their first EP which is produced by David Fraelic of Saul/Dead Eyes Open fame. Well, as much fame as you can get while keeping moderately known in BC.
Flyers comes across as a Metallica tinged grunge rocker. The sound is crisp and Sunstrum's snarl is very aided by Fraelic's skin tight production. It does have potential to be a single. That is, if we are ready for a grunge revival, which seems like Victoria is on track for. Many have attempted the Kurt Cobain and failed. In saying that, there were predictions Victoria could be the next Seattle. That prediction was made ages ago. We'll have to get out of the shadows of Vancouver in order to do that. With bands like The New Colors around, who knows what can happen.
A La Ska is a complete 180. It's a very fun song, and it's short. Tyler Swagar's voice is hard to pin point. It kind of passes you by. Suddenly it's over and you aren't too sure what has happened. It's such a wild card on the disc, it doesn't really have a point. I really enjoyed this song live and I have nothing against multiple singers, but it doesn't mesh with the disc. The song before contained no ska nor really any punk. It was almost all grunge. This one has ska and punk, but no grunge. Do I hate the song? No. If Sea-Sekshun wanted their EP to sound like a compilation of different bands, then they succeeded rather than presenting themselves as a cohesive band.
Cue-Kay starts with drums reminiscent of Tea Party's Temptation. The riff sounds a bit like L7's "Pretend That We're Dead" also. It's more in the vein of what the band represents. It has the same grunge sound as Flyers, but more in an Incesticide kind of fashion. It's nice to listen to, but it doesn't stick out. The way the drum mics are hooked up, it's quite powerful. You can almost feel the bass drum pump into your skull. You definitely understand its place on the disc and its purpose. Everything must have a purpose, afterall.
Her Story would be the ballad? Gone is the snarl. Sunstrum's voice sounds great on record. Better than it did live when I saw the band open for Weak Patrol. The song has that Green Day American Idiot vibe. The chorus is hooky. Could do well as a follow up single to Flyers. The back up vocals really do well to highlight the melody. Also, the best solo on the EP. It will definitely come as a shocker to the listener. Much like A La Ska, it's an awkward cut. You find yourself questioning if it is the same band or not. Unlike A La Ska, though, this is the difference between an alright one and something I would describe as ear candy. I just wish there was more bridging the gap. The EP comes across as a kid with ADHD that needs his Ritalin. On the upside, the band has shown what they are capable of. I can't help but feel they are trying too much at once. Trying to re-invent the wheel. This song has no grunge. No punk. No ska. It's pop rock. So, what exactly is Sea-Sekshun? A walking talking mixtape? This would make a better demo, than an EP. To show to labels what they can do.
I also felt like I wanted to hear more of the bass. I found the album to be fairly mid-level. Fairly equal. Nothing seemed to pop out. It sounded great, that's for sure. The vocals soared. All in all, I'd say it was a good listen. They've done something they should be proud of. The jigsaw isn't into place quite yet, and I hope they find the road they want to travel with it. Again, who are Sea-Sekshun? Because I've just listened to three versions of the same band clashing with eachother.
3/5
Flyers comes across as a Metallica tinged grunge rocker. The sound is crisp and Sunstrum's snarl is very aided by Fraelic's skin tight production. It does have potential to be a single. That is, if we are ready for a grunge revival, which seems like Victoria is on track for. Many have attempted the Kurt Cobain and failed. In saying that, there were predictions Victoria could be the next Seattle. That prediction was made ages ago. We'll have to get out of the shadows of Vancouver in order to do that. With bands like The New Colors around, who knows what can happen.
A La Ska is a complete 180. It's a very fun song, and it's short. Tyler Swagar's voice is hard to pin point. It kind of passes you by. Suddenly it's over and you aren't too sure what has happened. It's such a wild card on the disc, it doesn't really have a point. I really enjoyed this song live and I have nothing against multiple singers, but it doesn't mesh with the disc. The song before contained no ska nor really any punk. It was almost all grunge. This one has ska and punk, but no grunge. Do I hate the song? No. If Sea-Sekshun wanted their EP to sound like a compilation of different bands, then they succeeded rather than presenting themselves as a cohesive band.
Cue-Kay starts with drums reminiscent of Tea Party's Temptation. The riff sounds a bit like L7's "Pretend That We're Dead" also. It's more in the vein of what the band represents. It has the same grunge sound as Flyers, but more in an Incesticide kind of fashion. It's nice to listen to, but it doesn't stick out. The way the drum mics are hooked up, it's quite powerful. You can almost feel the bass drum pump into your skull. You definitely understand its place on the disc and its purpose. Everything must have a purpose, afterall.
Her Story would be the ballad? Gone is the snarl. Sunstrum's voice sounds great on record. Better than it did live when I saw the band open for Weak Patrol. The song has that Green Day American Idiot vibe. The chorus is hooky. Could do well as a follow up single to Flyers. The back up vocals really do well to highlight the melody. Also, the best solo on the EP. It will definitely come as a shocker to the listener. Much like A La Ska, it's an awkward cut. You find yourself questioning if it is the same band or not. Unlike A La Ska, though, this is the difference between an alright one and something I would describe as ear candy. I just wish there was more bridging the gap. The EP comes across as a kid with ADHD that needs his Ritalin. On the upside, the band has shown what they are capable of. I can't help but feel they are trying too much at once. Trying to re-invent the wheel. This song has no grunge. No punk. No ska. It's pop rock. So, what exactly is Sea-Sekshun? A walking talking mixtape? This would make a better demo, than an EP. To show to labels what they can do.
I also felt like I wanted to hear more of the bass. I found the album to be fairly mid-level. Fairly equal. Nothing seemed to pop out. It sounded great, that's for sure. The vocals soared. All in all, I'd say it was a good listen. They've done something they should be proud of. The jigsaw isn't into place quite yet, and I hope they find the road they want to travel with it. Again, who are Sea-Sekshun? Because I've just listened to three versions of the same band clashing with eachother.
3/5
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Crash Assassin/Handsome Distraction/Sea-Sekshun & Weak Patrol @ V-Lounge [Dec.10th]
Tonight was Master Joda's final night of charity rock shows for the Mustard Seed. It's been quite a successful run. You may have seen coverage on Chek TV. It's great to see bands out there not doing it for the money. Well, I suppose they were all doing it for the money. Money for the Mustard Seed....
It was a bit bare by the time Crash Assassin took the stage. This is a young band that boasts 8 albums of original material written by Yukon Deighton. He sings and plays guitar in the band. Mackenzie Barry is on drums and New Colors bassist Catalina Deighton completes the line up. The sound resembles that garage rock revival that appeared in the early 2000s. There is never a reliance on distortion. It's just straight ahead rock n' roll. Cat Deighton bounced around the stage much like the female version of Krist Novoselic. Though, it seemed like she was the only one who was having fun during the set. Barry perched behind the drums in a state of absolute concentration, despite making a few mistakes. Yukon Deighton has the voice, and demonstrated that he can pull off some Wolfmother-like riffs amongst his frenzy of power chords. Most of the songs are quite dark and the lyrics come across very stream of consciousness. There is also a fair bit of grunge flavours that seep in the music. They closed their set with ultra-happy "Lemon", which was completely different from their prior songs [maybe too much]. I think this band has a lot of potential, but that will come with age. This is a fine wine that just needs a little more time in the cellar. The band needs to show more energy on stage. Perhaps some back up vocals?
It was time to be handsomely distracted by Handsome Distraction, whatever that means. The first time I saw Handsome Distraction was at the Cambie in Esquimalt about two years ago. They didn't even have a bassist. With switches in the line up, we now have Devin Perfect on vocals/guitar, Corey Scheiding on lead guitar, Chris Weaver on bass and Bryan Reiber on drums. From the get go, the band sweats professionalism. They are very tight. Perfect achieved some heavenly [and hellish] guitar tones from his pedals, though it was Scheiding that wowed us with his prowess for licks. For only being his first show with the band, he made it look easy. Another great thing about this band is that everyone lends their voices, all the while, Perfect is the main singer. It just adds a lot of dimension to the songs. Reiber is also an incredible singer behind the kit and he is always crisp with his drumming. Does this guy even make mistakes? Chris Weaver was more the screamer. I'm not sure if screaming suits this kind of band. It was better when Weaver stuck to singing. Perfect also let out a few shrieks during the set...but I think the band's music is more set for clean vocals. The sound reminds me of the commercial accessibility to current day Kings of Leon in the way that the chorus come across as anthems. Though, the music is more upfront like that of The Thermals or Hollerado. It never gets too heavy, but the riffs do pack a punch. Perfect talks a bit too much. I'm glad he mentioned the Mustard Seed, but he almost talked after every song. Less talk, more rock! Keep an eye on this band. Even though they had cartoons playing in the background, they refused to be upstaged by Optimus Prime.
We have a break to announce that 1500 had been raised for the Mustard Seed. That number, later in the night, became 1800. Someone from the Mustard Seed does a speech. I don't think he's much for public speaking, but he thanks Master Joda, the V-Lounge and the bands. Applause ensues. They take a group photo with all the bands involved that were present that night.
Sea-Sekshun is up next. They call themselves Ska-punge. That is ska/punk/grunge. I think that label is misleading, and I really believe no band should try to create their own genres. Leave it to the people to brand it. Grunge was coined by a journalist, and the rest is history. Really this band's songs are divided into grunge, ska-punk or ballad. The three aren't really combined. The band is fronted by Jake Sunstrum on guitar. I will give him props on his guitar work. For such a young talent, he can solo quite well. There were some volume issues during the set, which was unfortunate. Tyler Swagar could be early contender for bass god. You could almost pin him for a look-a-like of local Zone DJ Jon Williams. His vocal contributions to set highlight "A La Ska" was an injection of fun that serves the band well. Ross Hobbs held it down at the other side of the stage as rhythm guitarist. He definitely has the look. Tom Gracie was on drums borrowing the kit from Weak Patrol. He was a bit too infatuated with the cow bell. It should have been used sparingly. The band was at their best doing ska punk. You could get the idea that they could play ska in their sleep. This can't be said for the grunge part. Not that it was bad. It just doesn't come across as strongly when Sunstrum goes for the Cobain slur. Same can be said for the quieter songs. His voice just doesn't carry. It's more fitted to submitting a verbal onslaught. The good thing is this is another young band that was playing tonight and they have all the right connections to make sure they are successful in the future while honing exactly what ska-punge is supposed to sound like. Their set was cut short due to things running behind. They don't seem too happy about it.
Suddenly the place is packed with people wearing Weak Patrol shirts. It's for a good reason. I always kicked myself for coming near the end of their opening set a month ago. Well, here they were again in their army inspired uniforms. Didn't take long for the place to erupt with the band's high energy indie rock. I still follow my "New Pornographers fronted by Jello Biafra" statement. It's hard to imagine how this band doesn't get tired. Frontman Caleb Kennedy strums his acoustic guitar harder than anyone I've ever seen and sweat seemed to shake from his flailing body. Carling Battistuzzi is always jumping around, swinging her hair. She has such a rock voice to her, but not in a way that would be non-accessible to the listener. Willis Schneider just gets the job done everytime I see him. He isn't much for putting on a show. He allows the others in the band to do so. Jaime Nolan had a bit of trouble getting the engine started as he stumbled through the first initial lead bits. He laughs it off. Dekan Delaney puts on a clinic each time. Really, this has to be one of the top acts in Victoria. Not only are they consistent with well crafted indie rock with classic influences, they have the shirts, they have the CDs, the uniforms [as stated] and they even have an animated background that spans the whole concert. Each song is handled with gusto. Highlights included a huge band dance off during a drum solo by Delaney, which was neat. Another was Nolan's use of the wah-wah pedal during one tune that reminded me of black exploitation films. I resisted the need to pimp walk across the dance floor. Unfortunately, they were also cut short even though they brought most of the crowd in so that the hoochies and guidos could spend the last half hour shaking it to Lady Gaga. Still, they ended it on a high note with an Ennio Morricone inspired number that started with Delaney whistling backed by Kennedy's chugging guitar. This is a song you need to hear, especially with the climax sing-along that gets me everytime.
All in all, the night had it's ups and downs. I would definitely recommend both Handsome Distraction and Weak Patrol to anyone looking to catch some local music. These bands are going to blow you away. It's always great to keep in mind all the bands that put in their efforts to make these charity concerts successful. So, pat yourself on the back, Victoria. 1800 is nothing to scoff at.
It was a bit bare by the time Crash Assassin took the stage. This is a young band that boasts 8 albums of original material written by Yukon Deighton. He sings and plays guitar in the band. Mackenzie Barry is on drums and New Colors bassist Catalina Deighton completes the line up. The sound resembles that garage rock revival that appeared in the early 2000s. There is never a reliance on distortion. It's just straight ahead rock n' roll. Cat Deighton bounced around the stage much like the female version of Krist Novoselic. Though, it seemed like she was the only one who was having fun during the set. Barry perched behind the drums in a state of absolute concentration, despite making a few mistakes. Yukon Deighton has the voice, and demonstrated that he can pull off some Wolfmother-like riffs amongst his frenzy of power chords. Most of the songs are quite dark and the lyrics come across very stream of consciousness. There is also a fair bit of grunge flavours that seep in the music. They closed their set with ultra-happy "Lemon", which was completely different from their prior songs [maybe too much]. I think this band has a lot of potential, but that will come with age. This is a fine wine that just needs a little more time in the cellar. The band needs to show more energy on stage. Perhaps some back up vocals?
It was time to be handsomely distracted by Handsome Distraction, whatever that means. The first time I saw Handsome Distraction was at the Cambie in Esquimalt about two years ago. They didn't even have a bassist. With switches in the line up, we now have Devin Perfect on vocals/guitar, Corey Scheiding on lead guitar, Chris Weaver on bass and Bryan Reiber on drums. From the get go, the band sweats professionalism. They are very tight. Perfect achieved some heavenly [and hellish] guitar tones from his pedals, though it was Scheiding that wowed us with his prowess for licks. For only being his first show with the band, he made it look easy. Another great thing about this band is that everyone lends their voices, all the while, Perfect is the main singer. It just adds a lot of dimension to the songs. Reiber is also an incredible singer behind the kit and he is always crisp with his drumming. Does this guy even make mistakes? Chris Weaver was more the screamer. I'm not sure if screaming suits this kind of band. It was better when Weaver stuck to singing. Perfect also let out a few shrieks during the set...but I think the band's music is more set for clean vocals. The sound reminds me of the commercial accessibility to current day Kings of Leon in the way that the chorus come across as anthems. Though, the music is more upfront like that of The Thermals or Hollerado. It never gets too heavy, but the riffs do pack a punch. Perfect talks a bit too much. I'm glad he mentioned the Mustard Seed, but he almost talked after every song. Less talk, more rock! Keep an eye on this band. Even though they had cartoons playing in the background, they refused to be upstaged by Optimus Prime.
We have a break to announce that 1500 had been raised for the Mustard Seed. That number, later in the night, became 1800. Someone from the Mustard Seed does a speech. I don't think he's much for public speaking, but he thanks Master Joda, the V-Lounge and the bands. Applause ensues. They take a group photo with all the bands involved that were present that night.
Sea-Sekshun is up next. They call themselves Ska-punge. That is ska/punk/grunge. I think that label is misleading, and I really believe no band should try to create their own genres. Leave it to the people to brand it. Grunge was coined by a journalist, and the rest is history. Really this band's songs are divided into grunge, ska-punk or ballad. The three aren't really combined. The band is fronted by Jake Sunstrum on guitar. I will give him props on his guitar work. For such a young talent, he can solo quite well. There were some volume issues during the set, which was unfortunate. Tyler Swagar could be early contender for bass god. You could almost pin him for a look-a-like of local Zone DJ Jon Williams. His vocal contributions to set highlight "A La Ska" was an injection of fun that serves the band well. Ross Hobbs held it down at the other side of the stage as rhythm guitarist. He definitely has the look. Tom Gracie was on drums borrowing the kit from Weak Patrol. He was a bit too infatuated with the cow bell. It should have been used sparingly. The band was at their best doing ska punk. You could get the idea that they could play ska in their sleep. This can't be said for the grunge part. Not that it was bad. It just doesn't come across as strongly when Sunstrum goes for the Cobain slur. Same can be said for the quieter songs. His voice just doesn't carry. It's more fitted to submitting a verbal onslaught. The good thing is this is another young band that was playing tonight and they have all the right connections to make sure they are successful in the future while honing exactly what ska-punge is supposed to sound like. Their set was cut short due to things running behind. They don't seem too happy about it.
Suddenly the place is packed with people wearing Weak Patrol shirts. It's for a good reason. I always kicked myself for coming near the end of their opening set a month ago. Well, here they were again in their army inspired uniforms. Didn't take long for the place to erupt with the band's high energy indie rock. I still follow my "New Pornographers fronted by Jello Biafra" statement. It's hard to imagine how this band doesn't get tired. Frontman Caleb Kennedy strums his acoustic guitar harder than anyone I've ever seen and sweat seemed to shake from his flailing body. Carling Battistuzzi is always jumping around, swinging her hair. She has such a rock voice to her, but not in a way that would be non-accessible to the listener. Willis Schneider just gets the job done everytime I see him. He isn't much for putting on a show. He allows the others in the band to do so. Jaime Nolan had a bit of trouble getting the engine started as he stumbled through the first initial lead bits. He laughs it off. Dekan Delaney puts on a clinic each time. Really, this has to be one of the top acts in Victoria. Not only are they consistent with well crafted indie rock with classic influences, they have the shirts, they have the CDs, the uniforms [as stated] and they even have an animated background that spans the whole concert. Each song is handled with gusto. Highlights included a huge band dance off during a drum solo by Delaney, which was neat. Another was Nolan's use of the wah-wah pedal during one tune that reminded me of black exploitation films. I resisted the need to pimp walk across the dance floor. Unfortunately, they were also cut short even though they brought most of the crowd in so that the hoochies and guidos could spend the last half hour shaking it to Lady Gaga. Still, they ended it on a high note with an Ennio Morricone inspired number that started with Delaney whistling backed by Kennedy's chugging guitar. This is a song you need to hear, especially with the climax sing-along that gets me everytime.
All in all, the night had it's ups and downs. I would definitely recommend both Handsome Distraction and Weak Patrol to anyone looking to catch some local music. These bands are going to blow you away. It's always great to keep in mind all the bands that put in their efforts to make these charity concerts successful. So, pat yourself on the back, Victoria. 1800 is nothing to scoff at.
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