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CKY + Early Man + Hail The Villain + Fall From Grace
News that the latest Montreal appearance from CKY had been upgraded from Les Saints to Le National was good news to my ears. The band's brand of octave-pedal-abusing guitar heroics seemed at odds with the too-cool-for-school vibe that Saints often gives off, due to the venue's usual musical guests. Le National felt like a more appropriate venue to witness a band whose devoted fanbase are the very definition of hardcore and who would be sure to bring the venue to life via various mosh and dance moves, as they had in 2005 when they came to town touring behind An Answer Can Be Found. As I entered the venue right before any of the bands took the stage, I noted the fact that the venue was already 3/4ths full, which was a good sign of things to come.
Fall From Grace performed a set peppered with by-the-numbers alternative rock that would probably do well on the radio if signed by a major, nestled in-between Nickelback and Buckcherry. The crowd seemed indifferent as the band lacked the balls-to-the-wall mentality that the rest of the bands on the bill had, showing musical restraint where a straight-up hard-rocking approach would've been better suited.
Hail The Villain, on the other hand, managed to kick things into gear; picking up the slack and playing a set of fast-paced, up-tempo numbers with huge choruses and breakneck-speed solos. The crowd seemed more into the band as they joined in on the various audience participation bits singer Bryan Crouch initiated.
Early Man performed their role of direct support admirably, playing fast and loose rock-and-roll mixed in with bits reminiscent of the Bay Area thrash scene circa 1983. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Conte's warbling voice definitely had people comparing him to a young Ozzy Osbourne, slightly nasal and high-pitched, his phrasing and cadence similar to the Ozzman's. The crowd, obviously enthused by the fact that the headliners were soon to take the stage, cheered gleefully at every opportunity given. Thankfully the band did not overstay their welcome and managed to play a hearty 30 minute set that sufficiently warmed the crowd up for CKY.
Kicking things off with single "Escape From Hellview", the band stuck to familiar territory, building a large portion of their set from songs off of 2002's Infiltrate/Destroy Rebuild. They managed to play 7/10ths of the record throughout the band's 15-song set, bookending it with I/D/R stand-out "Sporatic Movement".
That point brings me to the biggest gripe of the evening: CKY's rather odd setlist choices. Their decision to spend half of their show playing tracks from a 7 year-old album (as well as none from its equally well-received successor) is one that left many fans surprised. Sure, CKY's known as a group of ragtag individuals that rarely play by the conventional rules, but giving the crowd 4 songs (that have been played to death on prior tours) from their debut Volume 1 ("Rio Bravo", "Disengage The Simulator", "Promiscuous Daughter" and "96 Quite Bitter Things") and 2 ("Hellions On Parade" and "Imaginary Threats") from their newest album is an odd choice. Carver City rivals any of the band's prior output and a chance to see how the more experimental approach that Chad Ginsberg and company took on the record translated into a live setting would've been great to see. The complete omission of An Answer Can Be Found is also a mystery, one the band did not even bring up.
A large portion of the audience did not care, naturally, as they enjoyed the band’s entire catalogue equally, but having seen the band perform these songs before felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to showcase new material. Don't get me wrong, it was a great evening filled with many fine moments, marred only by that one tiny gripe I listed above.
The band themselves were in fine form, engaging in their usual in-between song banter and baiting the audience with potential song choices before launching into other ones. The band's ability to rock harder live than on record is uncontested and they kept things fluid, only stopping to quickly change guitars before launching into another song. CKY managed to once again put on a great rock show that was appreciated by all, but the evening also managed to display a band that was perhaps too scared to venture into new, uncharged territory.
Pawa Up First + aKido
As I’m standing waiting for the bouncer of the Cabaret Juste pour rire to find my name on the guest list (with the typical, what kind of name is that, implying that my name looks retarded, which I know). A situation between said bouncer and one of the night’s performers occurred which I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at:
Performer: Hey I just want to add a name on the guest list.
Bouncer: Who the f**k are you?
P: I’m the guitarist from Pawa up First.
B: What the hell did you say.
P: I’m part of the show.
B: What?
P: I’m the show.
B: ....ohhh shit! Go ahead.
The bouncer’s reaction to the guitarist was hilarious, and I told myself that I had to include that little gem in this review.
Walking into the Cabaret had me thinking about how badly designed and constructed this place really is. The entrance to the place and stairs are totally screwed, which gives you the impression that Quebecers can’t do anything right. When I walk into a building now I always think about how I could make the building better if I had a sledge hammer. I don’t know if that makes me a genius or just aggressive.
The place was packed with the typical University of Montreal hippy/French skater crowd by the time Akido got on stage. I felt out of place with a tie on after heading to the show after work. The crowd was still, movements were infrequent, and clapping was weak to say the least. A show that is completely instrumental with no singing will apparently sedate a crowd of hundreds. I have to admit, the whole time I was watching I was thinking about how much better the show could be if there was an MC spitting lyrics over the band. Akido was certainly good, but there is nothing special and original with this band. It’s just a simple instrumental group with a synthesiser. Akido is a band created by Kim Gaboury who is solely responsible for the musical direction of the band. The occasional voice of his girlfriend is there to sing her oohhh and uhmms. Akido got some fame with a song called “Dancing With Chains,” which is a good song with an Asian punk video clip that is pretty cool. However, their set was just too long, and left the crowd dazed and confused.
Pawa Up First then got on stage and kicked a really good show. They were on point and flawless with their sound just like on their albums. The members of Pawa are all talented and they make up a really good band that once again creates perfect hip-hop/jazz based beats that an MC could flow over if they had one. That’s all I could think about. Does that mean my perception is bias because I’m immersed in Hip-Hop or does that make me a genius? I don’t know. To tell you the truth, I don’t think the world knows. If you don’t know Pawa Up First, check them out because they’re one of Montreal’s greatest local bands (second to CJLO’s own Super/heater of course.)
Divine Brown
I have been a big fan of Divine Brown since her debut CD was released a few years ago, when a copy of Love Chronicles arrived at CJLO. Since then, I have played her music steadily on my show and waited patiently for her February 20th Cabaret Du Musee concert.
I arrived at the venue to see opening act Sean Jones in the lobby meeting, greeting, posing and signing copies of his This Is Love CD. I did not wait long to get my copy signed. I missed his performance, but was content to have met him and for the autograph.
Not too long afterwards, I walked through the doors to hear the sounds of Divine Brown and company. She was backed by two singers, three dancers and a small band. There were a lot of people on both floors of the venue. I chose to stay on the ground floor near the bar for an easy exit at the end of the show. It was also ideal to objectively view the concert.
The initial crowd reaction to “Old Skool Love” was textbook. I was surprised that she performed it so early in the set. It was possibly the third or fourth song. I am not sure if this happens at all concerts now, but the majority of the crowd raised and pointed their cameras and phones to the stage and sang along. It was a touching moment. I was nostalgic, remembering playing the original and reggae versions to the song on my show weeks after returning to CJLO in 2006. I did not expect to hear “Old Skool Love” so soon in the night and worried it was a mistake. I wondered if she ever performed the reggae version for audiences as well.
Songs like “Meet Me at the Roxy”, “Bebe” and “Twist My Hair” were all performed and received. Vocally, Divine Brown was in fine form. Her voice was powerful or sensitive when need be and there were no bad notes. I realized early enough that I was in the presence of one of Canada’s finest urban vocalists.
The choreographies were simple enough for her to join her dancers for a few tunes. She introduced a guitarist that did a blistering solo. I was amused by his antics while playing. The young man in the black leather jacket had a nice mix of confidence, determination and subdued flamboyance while playing.
The concert ran longer than I expected or was prepared for. Clocking in at nearly over two hours, I felt that Divine Brown truly gave the audience their money’s worth. The finale was another surprise, but the seeds were planted throughout the show. The guitarist and rock music sound gave the impression that Divine Brown had either a rocker past or at least an interest. Her performance of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” made me a believer. Seeing and hearing one of my favourite female urban music singers covering one of the most iconic arena rock songs of all times will be marked as one of my best concert experiences for 2009.
Raphael Saadiq
If I were to tell you that I was so excited to be given the opportunity to see Raphael Saadiq in concert that I took out my old "Tony! Toni! Toné!" albums and starting dancing in my room like I was young again…that would be a bold faced lie. I was more curious than anything, as there are definitely more Raphael Saadiq enthusiast out there, namely my Co-Host Lady Oracle, who’s played a few songs from his new album The Way I See It a few times on our show.
With that said, I feel I would be a good candidate to give the readers an unbiased opinion of the concert though the eyes of an average joe, rather than a star struck groupie writing her number on a pair of panties ready to be thrown on the stage.
So once the music started blasting out of the speakers I stood there stonefaced, not wanting to give in but to stand strong and keep a clear head (no groupie vibes here),but boy it was hard. At first his backup singers and musicians came out and preceded to give the crowd a piece of what they have been waiting for: that old school style of music…the kind that makes your feet start tapping and shoulders start moving. You know the vibe, like a good ol’ Black Southern Church. Then he come out energetic and smooth in a white suit, black thin tie and black glasses, like a geek. The geek that most girls would have probably laughed at if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s so popular, and they sure weren’t laughing that night. He was cheered, loved and admired. Raphael Saadiq looked and sounded so amazing, I couldn’t help but smile at his success and the fact that he is still going strong with his love of music to this day. I proceeded to gently toss in his general direction my number written on a piece of material, in hopes of getting a phone interview (we’ll see).
He started the show with a few songs from The Way I See It, a compilation of vintage style singing I believe after seeing him perform that only he could have pulled off. The concert itself went along the lines of most concerts I’ve seen, mixing some of his old with some of his new. Interacting with the crowd, making sure we were happy and wanting more, which by the look of the crowd we did indeed. His band was amazing; they did an excellent job making sure Raphael had the best musical accompaniment for his singing, from the backup singers giving his songs the richness they deserve to the musicians playing their instruments to perfection.
One of the really good moments during the concert was when his brother (who was playing on the Keyboards) broke out and did a little solo singing that rocked the crowd. Unfortunately where I was situated I couldn’t actually see him, but it really didn’t matter since his voice was strong and displayed much talent that instantly deserved your respect.
Saadiq wasn’t shy, and while he didn’t jump into the crowd, he wasn’t afraid to shake hands and flirt with the ladies. He had a good, fun vibe, both of which you’d expect from a performer of his caliber. I found myself having a little more appreciation for his music and have actually spending some time listening to his album, I guess I want to relive the vibe from that night. All in all a very good concert and I’m very happy to have gone.
Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane came to Montreal, twenty years after his last visit, on my birthday. I nearly didn’t go. I’ve had my share of rap artists landing in Montreal decades past their prime. I won’t name them now, but in the last few years a slew of rappers have performed here way too long after their hottest material. I’ve gone because the prices have been right, the chances of getting autographs were high and the sheer nostalgia still had enough to lure me.
The stars were in alignment on March 27. BDK was supposed to have performed here last December, but it didn’t happen. I had been indecisive about going to the show for months since the cancelled date. My ticket was purchased hours before show time.
When I arrived at the venue, I recognized people I knew out front. Most of the people there were in my age range and some probably saw him in 1989.
I finally made it through security and made my way to the stage. DJ Static from WeFunk was DJing at the time. A little later on, DJ Devious delivered a set he was born to play.
A. Pinks and DJ Prince were scheduled after Devious. The crowd appreciated hearing Mobb Deep’s Shook Ones, Pt. 2 and tolerated him rhyming Prodigy & Havoc’s lyrics over the infamous beat. They probably would have scored points had they rhymed their own lyrics over the beat. The reception after their performance was lukewarm.
BDK finally took the stage to an extremely receptive crowd. His body language and dare I write, swagger, made me realize what I missed at James Lyng. I realized a hip hop legend was onstage in front of me. One of the greatest lyricists in hip hop was in Montreal on my birthday! I wasn’t there at James Lyng, but I can at least say I saw BDK perform live.
Somewhere in the middle of the show, BDK took time to acknowledge the artists that have died in recent past. That tribute was nice, but in retrospect only served as padding to cushion the blow from his leaving the stage in under 45 minutes. All the classics like “Raw”, “Ain’t No Half Steppin’”, “Set it Off”, “I Get The Job Done” and “Warm it up Kane” were performed. The encore was the well appreciated verse from “Just Rhymin’ With Biz”.
I don’t have too much to complain about other than the show could maybe have been nearly 30 minutes longer. I enjoyed myself as did my friends and others in attendance. Thank you Kane for the classic hip hop and memorable birthday present.
Lady Sovereign
So I went to the Toronto Comic Art Festival this past weekend. One of the guests was Kagan Mcleod. Dude does a wicked comic called 'Infinite Kung Fu' as well as amazingly beautiful pieces for the National Post. He's also getting well known in rap circles for his ‘History of Rap’ poster. I purchased the first incarnation in 2003 which had about 80 heads. The newest version has over 200, but on both sheets, the female rappers are few and far between. As someone who pays attention to the girlie rappers, I found the whole thing a little disheartening. There are scads of awesome women rappers, one of them is definitely Lady Sovereign, and no, she wasn't on the poster.
I got into the Lady three years ago when I heard her rap about girls that wear too much spray on tan ("Tango"). She cracked me up and I was sold. I never got to see her on her initial Def Jam run, so I was really looking forward to this show. This was the third show of her tour and I almost missed it. See. it's been my experience that headlining acts in Montreal don't even start until 11. The show started at 9 and she had two opening acts, Chester French and Hollywood Holt. I was very curious about the kind of tour mates she'd invite along so I got there at 10, just in time for.........Lady Sovereign. Hunh?! To chants of “LA-DY!” she burst onto the stage with a female DJ and male drummer, ready and tight. The place was pretty crowded so I was happy to stay in the back. It was my first time at Club Soda and it was the perfect venue. Plenty of room to see and boogie.
Much has been made of her singing versus rapping on the new album (Jigsaw) but it worked well at the show. Initially when I heard the Cure sample in "So Human", I was like, clever, but I'm so over it now. I dread hearing that song everywhere this summer. She certainly has a poppier sound this time around and it’s an interesting evolution. With her crowd banter you could tell her sense of humour was still intact as she, at one point, began throwing t-shirts into the crowd. Some call and repeat and her huge gold chain necklace gave it a bizarre old school feel.
I could hear everything that she was saying, which is rare at any show... three cheers for her sound engineer. She also gave time to her DJ and drummer, intense scratching and furious drumming ensued. Her beats were more on the electro side, and her drummer had no trouble keeping it steady. You'd think the set would be sparse with such a minimal crew but they managed to pull off the full sound of the album and more. There’s been a bit of a broohaha about her dump from Def Jam and subsequent depression, but with her bombastic rendition of "Pennies" and the in your face style of "Love me or Hate me", she proved that the wee cheeky Brit is back. The most popular song of the night, (as evidenced by crowd response) was "Food Play" though my favourite song of the evening has to be "I Got you Dancing"...and boy did she ever.
Towards the end of the show it became this explosion of grime speed punk rap. After listening to the chants of “S-O-V!” she came back out to do two more songs. Gone were the electro beats and on came the ska/oi bounce rap of "Public Warning". No – one – was – stationary!
And that was it. No really, we were all out the door by 11:30. It was odd, but I guess the Lady wanted to party elsewhere. The way she brought it, I say she earned it. I know I wasn't alone in those thoughts as I saw one sweaty smile after another exit and crowd around the merch booth.
In true comic nerd form my last thought was; who would win in a rap battle, Lady Sovereign or Amanda Blank? Set that up and there would be no way you could ever ignore the female presence in rap. Lady Sovereign's show at Club Soda proved that in spades.
K-OS + Lioness
Leave it to K-os to come up with the idea of a “pay what you want” concert. I learned about it days ago and saw him playing video games with an E-Talk correspondent on the eve of the concert. I was thrilled when I found out I was one of the lucky CJLO staff that would see him at L’Olympia.
The last time I saw K-os perform was during the 2007 Concordia Orientation with Metric as the opening act. It was a short but sweet show. I felt that any K-os live, no matter how brief, was worth the time. At L’Olympia, he had a lot more time and four albums worth of material to explore. This May 2009 date is in conjunction with his newest album Yes!, but the audience got tracks as early as “Superstarr, Pt. Zero” to the current “4,3,2,1”.
The pay what you want concept went beyond a clever promotional tool. The proceeds went towards the David Suzuki Foundation. After you placed your donation in the basket, you were given a copy of the “Yes!” remix CD, made up of remixes by aspiring Canadian producers. Lioness, the opening act, was performing as I arrived to an energetic crowd.
The transition from Lioness to K-os’ set seemed extremely lengthy. There were soothing reggae sounds of Yellowman and Burning Spear as the crew set up K-os’ equipment, but it felt like an intolerably long time. I would not be surprised if we waited for thirty minutes for K-os to take the stage. The crowd started to get impatient until the moment we realized the wait was over. The crowd had been chanting his name by that point.
Behind K-os and band were two interesting pieces of décor. One was a sign with the word “Yes!” as one can see on his latest release and the other was a four colored stop light. Anyone knowledgeable about K-os knows that each of his albums from Exit to Yes! is colored green, yellow, blue and red. As a song was beginning, the light corresponding to the album cover would shine. That made me understand how much K-os has accomplished during this past decade.
The hits were performed along with the newer material. In some cases, he would apply the melodies of famous songs like “Stairway to Heaven” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to his songs and the crowd responses were raucous. Those re-interpretations definitely put a smile on my face. Another special treat was when K-os called for Toronto hip hop legend Saukrates to join him on stage for an energetic performance of “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman”. One of the most unforgettable moments of the show was when a crowd member body-surfed his way from the stage to the back of the venue.
I noticed during the set that “Man I Used To Be” had not been performed. All anxieties were resolved at the encore when he and a dancer returned to the stage. I realized “Man I Used To Be” is my favorite K-os song because of how happy I was to hear it. I was not alone with those sentiments. The crowd singing the falsetto parts of the song in unison was probably the definitive moment of the show and of K-os’ impact on Canadian pop culture.
This show was by far a more thrilling concert experience than the last one I experienced from him. He was charged and in control. At any given moment, he reached for a guitar or drum machine to add to the performance and display his talent. If anyone asked me if I would want to see K-os live again, the answer is…Yes!
The Rumble Strips
I am possibly the biggest Mark Ronson fan at CJLO, in Montreal and maybe in Quebec. I admire his production, his albums and his own radio show has been influential on me this year. His playlists are practically musical treasure maps. One night while listening to his show, he mentioned a group and played one of their tracks. Being a disciple, I paid attention to the group name and the track. Months later, the "Girls & Weather" arrived at the station and it is fitting that I get to review The Rumble Strips' debut CD.
Ronson's "Version" started me on a quest of learning more about the British Indie rock scene. Names like Charlatans, Jam & Kasabian were new to me until I discovered Ronson was covering classics that most current Indie rock fans have known or should know. I remember the day I saw the CD and how excited I was to hear more Rumble Strips. Little did I know how significant that day would be. I hoped the CD would be as good as "Time", the track I heard on Ronson's show, and that it would be an introduction to what is going on musically within the present Indie rock scene. From the moment the first track finished, I knew I was listening to a future entry on my year end Best-Of-2008 list.
I understood why Mark Ronson will be producing Rumble Strips' sophomore CD. They are the band he would have created had he created a band. Their sound is very similar to what he has produced for himself, Amy Winehouse and others. The emphasis is on a driving beat and brass section for most of the "Girls & Weather" tracks.
On my first listen, I was blown away by the energy of the first half of the CD. The tracks "Motorcycle", "No Soul", "Creole" and especially "Girls & Boys in Love" are so fast and furious that I was hooked. I remember being disappointed that the tempo slowed down for the other half of the album. My personal preference is for fast paced songs of any genre. In retrospect, I realize it was good for Rumble Strips to present different aspects of their talent by giving the listener varying songs.
Rumble Strips were supposed to perform at Zoobizarre on October 30. The street near the venue was quiet and there was no one on in front of the venue except for me. A woman unlocked the door, opened it to talk to me, assured me there was definitely no concert going on that night and locked the door after wishing me a good night. Had the concert taken place and it was as dynamic as the "Girls & Weather" CD, this review would have been that much more dynamic.
I read online days later Mark Ronson had a talent showcase during the CMJ Music Marathon featuring Wale, Rhymefest, Daniel Merriweather and Rumble Strips. I read about how well they performed that night. Missing Rumble Strips twice in a year is truly disappointing. To be disappointed about missing a new band's concerts says something about the band and their music. Rumble Strips' debut CD is very entertaining and it is a shame I do not have a live performance of their music to add to this year's revelation. Perhaps I will have more luck and fun when they release their Mark Ronson produced CD and add more music to their already impressive catalogue.
Thursday
Common Existence finds New Jersey’s Thursday at a crossroads: having been ditched by major label Island after their less-than-stellar studio album (2006’s A City By The Light Divided) and ending back up on their former home Victory Records, the band released a b-sides/rarities compilation in late 2007 entitled Kill The House Lights, and then last year dropped an EP with Japanese band Envy. The b-sides release showcased the driving, urgent rhythm that ignited what is arguably their best album, War All The Time, while the split with Envy showed a pensive, adventurous side that was willing to let songs build up, crescendo and explore space.
Common Existence melds these two versions of Thursday quite well; “Resuscitation Of A Dead Man” serves as an awesomely powerful opener, kick-starting things and allowing the band to put the naysayers to rest. Conversely, “Time’s Arrow” brings out moody, slow-driving Thursday, incorporating an acoustic guitar, a slow midsection made up of a wall of backwards sound and singer Geoff Rickley’s most melodic performance in a while.
The record satisfies me in ways that their previous studio records couldn’t; it’s a “best of both worlds” scenario that caters to fans of all versions of Thursday that doesn’t sacrifice any of its potent musicality to please any fans of a particular version of the band.
Psychroptic
With three previous studio albums already under their belts, Australian death metal giants Psycroptic released their fourth this year on Nuclear Blast Records to a fan base that had a pretty good idea of what to expect from them: extremely high caliber musicianship and a certain captivating energy that set the band apart from many of their less dynamic contemporaries. On the first account, this year’s Ob(Servant) certainly isn’t lacking; on the second, however, it leaves fans to wonder what exactly happened to the inspiration behind the band’s tech death masterpiece, The Scepter of the Ancients.
With the release of Ob(Servant), Psycroptic seems to be paying the price for being a technical death metal band that has consistently raised the bar with their previous efforts. Fans of the genre have gotten a taste of the kind of musical ability that is extremely rare and difficult to attain, and they are no longer satisfied with anything that falls short.
It’s unfortunate, really, because there are a lot of great things to be said about this release.
In the album’s accompanying DVD, the band expresses a wish to branch out and reach a wider audience, and there is certainly no dearth of groovy riffing or catchy melodies on the part of guitarist Joe Haley. Furthermore with this undertaking his brother, Dave Haley, has only increased his reputation as one of the most skilled drummers in all of death metal. Jason Peppiatt, who joined the band on vocals for Psycroptic’s previous release Symbols of Failure, delivers another solid performance with a few new vocal styles, including one somewhat in the vein of Meshuggah frontman Jens Kidman’s rhythmic rasp.
So what’s the problem? Well, here’s something new for you: for the first time ever, we have a Psycroptic album that you can put on only to forget that it’s playing. That’s right - Ob(Servant) simply does not grab your attention. Sure, the individual parts sound great- when you actually remember that you’re listening to them- the overall effect just lacks cohesion and, in the end, simply isn’t satisfying. The dynamic structures that have characterized Psycroptic’s songwriting in the past seem to wander aimlessly with this latest effort, making an erstwhile high energy, directed yet fluid listening experience fall generally somewhere between confusing and utterly forgettable. Indeed, even after repeated listens, it is difficult to recall any memorable songs- or even riffs, for that matter. One gets the impression that the songs all sound very similar to each other, but it’s impossible to say for certain–– we keep forgetting what they sound like.
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