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THE STREETS + Lady Sovereign @ Club Soda
By Geneviève Gagné - 06/22/2006
Après avoir écouté l’album Public Warning de Lady Sovereign, je peux vous avouer que je ne l’attendais pas avec impatience. J’aurais plutôt préféré passer directement à The Streets. Par contre, j’ai été agréablement surprise. Non pas à cause de son style musical, mais plutôt à cause de son énergie qui a su faire bouger la foule en entier. Malgré le fait que sa musique n’a toujours pas réussi à me charmer, j’ai quand même découvert une fille qui avait beaucoup d’humour. Une chanson en particulier m’a fait sourire, "Orange", une chanson dédiée à tous les amateurs de salon de bronzage qui, après avoir consommé ce soleil en canne, en sorte orange. En somme, elle a ouvert le spectacle avec justesse sans trop prendre de place, mais juste assez pour laisser les spectateurs en haleine pour The Streets.
Sur un décor reprenant le design du nouvel album The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, c’est-à-dire des palmiers noirs sur un fond orange, le spectacle a commencé par une pièce de leur nouvel album. Pour être franche, leur plus récent album n’a pas suscité mon intérêt autant que les deux derniers. Au fil des chansons, dans une énergie incroyable malgré la chaleur accablante, Mike Skinner et son groupe ont réussi à me faire apprécier ledit album. Ils ont même fait un clin d’œil à Madonna qui avait son spectacle au même moment en chantant quelques-unes de ses chansons. Le groupe a su faire le tour des meilleures chansons des trois albums : celles qui sont plus électros en passant par des chansons au son R’n B sans oublier celles un peu plus hip hop. Un amalgame de styles musicaux qui ont su garder la foule animée jusqu'à la fin. Pour un spectacle que j’attendais depuis longtemps puisque je n’avais pas eu la chance de les voir lors de leur visite en 2004, je n’ai pas été déçue.
[Geneviève Gagné is a freelance contributor to the magazine.]
MOGWAI @ Spectrum
By Erin Stewart - Rock the Plank - 05/15/2006
It was a rainy Wednesday evening outside, as the Spectrum filled with a crowd buzzed with the anticipation of Scotland’s post-rock kings, Mogwai (named after the cute, furry, yet potentially sinister gremlin-producing/becoming creatures from the film Gremlins). Despite being a full show located at one of Montreal’s largest venues -- well in my world anyway -- I knew nary a soul in the largely francophone crowd. I was previously unaware of the franco-devotion to this sextet of aging Glaswegians, but my Montrealais ex-boyfriend informed me after that his ilk loooove Mogwai. So after nudging my way through the French chatter into the sweet spot (middle back, between the speakers) the house lights dimmed and the fancy, ray-of-colour-beam-shooting disco lights commenced along with a droning wall of noise.
Mogwai ambled onto stage, wearing matching green track jackets; however, this was not your garden variety boy band. Instead of breaking into choreographed dance moves, these six thirtysomething, pasty white Scottish men launched into a serene, vocoder-employing, super-loud sonic ballad to an excited crowd. The sheer bulk of sound waves emitting from Spectrum’s massive speakers was palpable; the bell-clear drum beats resounded to the very core of my mildly vibrating sternum. I stood transfixed for a while, literally feeling the music and the emotion of the performance. Not that the lads themselves were particularly “show-stoppers”; they mostly stood in place and went through the motions, one by one shedding their athletic exteriors. It was the music -- a lot of it unfamiliar to me as I stopped paying much attention after Rock Action despite Young Team being one of my favourite albums of the 90's -- that was positively entrancing.
I’d also never really considered Mogwai stoner music until I smelt the Mary Jane being blazed by les hommes beside me (and subsequently recalled one time this dude Chris, who used to hang around my warehouse abode last year, sat in the middle of the room stoned out of his pants facing the speakers blasting Mogwai at 3am) and thought yeah, that makes sense. Having gone through a mellower period in the middle of their eleven-year career, the most recent album Mr. Beast returned to the louder, more cacophonic sound of early Mogwai, and they were certainly producing quite the sonic wall that evening.
Check out Mr. Beast released this past March on Matador Records, and I recommend Young Team -- which I’ve owned for nearly a decade, don’t I feel old -- featuring a vocal appearance from fellow Scot and super nice guy Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap.
[Tune in to Rock The Plank every Thursday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. ]
BLUE CHEER + Witch + The Mongrels @ La Sala Rossa
By K-Man - 06/29/2006
Oh man, when my ex-bandmate Steve 'Lud' Ludvik told me a month ago that he and his new bandmates The Mongrels were going to open up for Blue Cheer, I almost fell over.
Ahh the lovely Sala Rossa: the beers were flowin' as the love was growin'. People were running into each other for the first time in 8-10-15 years. We really came out of the woodwork for this one. Emotions ran deep, no way of getting around that one on this humid June 29th.
Lud (ex-Jack Boot and the Oppressors/Blood Sausage) playing bass and Tricky Woo's Andrew Dickson (guit), Bionic's drummer Tim McGuire, Soft Canyon's drummer Jason and their raucous singer Amy got together a set in just 20 days -- I'm talking from scratch here, people. What better place than the often intimate La Sala Rossa?
The Mongrels wasted no time in getting right down to business -- a recurring theme that night. Their first song " City Livin' " was too heavy for words and warmed up their vintage Ampegs nicely. The bass and guitars were steak-heavy and with two drummers, yeow, a trip on a bombastic level. Nearing the end of their half-hour set, the song "Talk About Me " solidified the band's intent and definitely earned them the following that they undoubtedly attained that night. 70's balls-out rock with a frontwoman that belted it out like I have rarely experienced live before -- look forward to their next show in August and an upcomming release in September.
Next up was Witch featuring J.Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) on the drums. With riffs fueled by an early 70's aesthetic, the band's music was trance-enducing but I must say the singing had like a 60's pop sound à la Strawberry Alarm Clock (you follow?). Quite a strange mix of styles but heavy hooks made them more than bearable.
Tearing a hole out of 1968 (what a year), Blue Cheer rocked it louder and harder than anyone else in San Francisco and most anywhere else in the world for that matter. They are pretty much the fathers of stoner-rock/metal, with their unbelievably loud and fast blues-based fusion. To stand in a room and to hear Dickie Peterson (bass), Paul Whaley (drums)and their latest guitar player Andrew 'Duck' MacDonald was to breakfast with champions and by breakfast, I mean drink booze with.
Ripping into "Out of Focus " from their first mind-blowing album released in '68 Vincebus Eruptum, they established the full attention from the crowd. When that very song's intro broke out with those 12 or so lonely guitar notes, I knew that La Sala Rossa would never be the same. Tone kings from the age of the dinosaurs, they rattled our nose, jaw, guts and toes. The sheer rumbling and relentlessness of the bassline in their song "Doctor Please" alone was worth the ticket price. "I need your painkiller doc, and I need it right away! " wailed Peterson, at which point I bee-lined it for the bar for a little painkiller of my own... yup, you know me all too well, my ol' friend Wild Turkey (and Marie-Lynne, you pour a mean drink, babe).
Fan favorites like the Eddie Cochrane classic "Summertime Blues" and "Babylon" (both from their second release '69 Outsideinside) as well as a tribute to their old friend Jim Morrison, "Roadhouse Blues", were played flawlessly.
These 60-year-old plus guys have been rocking the very fringe of our society for almost 40 years, from the free-spirited rock festivals of the late 60's and 70's to biker rallies to bars in Hamburg, Germany's infamous Reeperbahn district. Recording their shows is encouraged -- how cool is that? A quote from their song "Gypsy Ball" sums up the evening well: "lost in a haze of liquid smoke/I thought my brains were gonna choke/holding the sights I could not tell/under gypsy wizards spell". Word bitches!
[Tune in to "Beyond That Graveyard III" every Friday from 9:00pm to Midnight.]
D.O.A. @ Café Chaos
By Idle Matt - Idle Minds - 06/18/2006
"They rock out. They blow the roof off. Some of the best shows I've seen in my life were D.O.A. gigs. I've never seen D.O.A. not be amazing."
- Henry Rollins
27 years on and Vancouver's legendary D.O.A. are still touring on a regular basis. I don't use the term "legendary" loosely; D.O.A. are often cited as one of the best early hardcore punk bands, let alone Canadian punk bands. Hell, D.O.A. arguably invented the term "hardcore" with their album Hardcore 81. Seeing lead singer and guitarist Joey Shithead work a crowd is a thing of beauty, injecting every show with just the right mix of rock star moves, banter and political content.
This occasion marks the third time I've seen D.O.A. in three years and once again, they didn't fail to entertain. In fact, this was my favourite one of the three shows I've seen. I chalk this up to song selection and the unexpected -- to me at least -- return of original bassist Randy Rampage. A member from the band's inception in 1978 until the end of 1981, Randy was involved with most of the early D.O.A. singles and full-lengths that I consider essential (which is pretty much anything before Let's Wreck The Party. Looking at him, it's hard to believe that he was -- and is -- part of the band. It might have been the long blonde hair and the bandana, a look he's maintained since the 80's during which he was the lead singer of Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator. Yes, that was him singing "Alllllliiiiiiice in hellllllll!" (ah... I'm reliving memories of watching the Pepsi Power Hour on MuchMusic in the late 80's. RIP Dan Gallagher).
As for song selection, D.O.A. played every song I wanted them to play. This included personal favourites "World War III", "The Enemy", "The Prisoner", "Nazi Training Camp", "Class War" (a Dils cover) and just in time for the Stanley Cup finals, a rousing version of "Overtime", their contribution to Johnny Hanson Presents Puck Rock Vol. 1, including the crowd-pleasing Hockey Night In Canada theme song interlude. Joey predicted an Oilers win. Well, you can't win ‘em all.
I'd be remiss to not mention The Great Baldini (a.k.a. Jan Rodgerson), their drummer since 1999. Honestly, he's one of the best punk drummers I've ever seen, with a very aggressive playing style that suits the music perfectly.
The band played two songs during the encore, and amazing choices they were. Fittingly, Randy introduced "Disco Sucks", the first song D.O.A. released as a single. Finally, as if the stars were perfectly aligned for me that night, the show ended with my favourite D.O.A. song "Unknown".
My only complaint is that they always hit Montreal at the end of their tour, and as a result, the T-shirt selection is thin to non-existent. One of these years, I'll be the proud owner of a D.O.A. shirt -- mark my word.
Another year and another D.O.A. show, and as long as they keep on touring, I'll be there to see them.
And remember, "Talk - Action = Zero" (or was it "Talk - Action = A Good Dinner Party"? I forget).
[Tune in to Idle Minds Sundays from 4pm to 6pm.]
ARCTIC MONKEYS + We Are Scientists @ Le Medley
By Idle Matt - Idle Minds - 06/16/2006
Let me say this upfront: I usually write pretty long reviews, but this show just doesn’t merit it. Simply put, it just wasn’t very good.
We Are Scientists opened the show at the Medley with a warmly-received set. Why it was warmly-received, I'm not actually sure. Their radio-friendly dancey alternative music -- darkly danceable? -- must have hit a chord with the sell-out crowd. I found them to be derivative of all the other bands out there these days. Honestly, I think I've hit my breaking point for bands like this that play guitar-based music with a dancey backbeat. Which brings me to the Arctic Monkeys.
Heavily hyped when it came out, I gave the album a chance anyway and I'll be damned, I actually liked it. Might have been the snotty English vocals or the frantic drumming, but it wasn't half-bad. It's not an album that will have much lasting power in my CD player, but it's a fun record. I'd heard that their live show was pretty good, which led me to request this review assignment.
What followed was one of the most uninspired concert sets I've ever seen in my life. Song after song, the band went through the motions of playing a concert, with no stage presence whatsoever and honestly, looking bored on stage. Minimal stage banter, and when lead singer Alex Turner did open his mouth to say something, it was fairly horrible. Sorry, I didn't write down any of his pearls of banter. Just take my word for it.
I was definitely in the minority, because the crowd ate it up. The crowd sang along and in general, seemed to be having a good time. There was a predictable strong response for the hit "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", and even some crowd surfing. I, on the hand, kept checking my watch, and was very happy when the band left the stage with the lights immediately coming on, signaling that there would be no encore.
After the show ended, I rushed over to Le National, and caught the encore for the Eels show. I honestly had more fun in those 10 minutes than I had had the rest of the night -- and I'm not even that big of an Eels fan. They simply seemed to be having fun on stage, and didn't look like they were in it just for the paycheque. The Arctic Monkeys could learn a few thing from them.
[Tune in to Idle Minds Sundays from 4pm to 6pm.]
LIARS @ Cabaret Juste Pour Rire
By Alex Huynh - Losing My Edge - 06/22/2006
This will be quick and dirty, as the window on my remembering details of the Liars show is rapidly closing. Honestly, I was expecting a lot from this, namely because their latest record Drum's Not Dead is probably the freshest breath of air among this year's releases. While they did deliver -- the dual drumming especially made the performance -- I came out of it feeling that I had just seen a rock show. Just a rock show. Nothing transcendental, nothing catatonia-inducing, just another night with a beginning, middle and end. Obviously, it's unfair to expect anything more than a kick-ass performance -- which they gave us -- and the burden of such wild expectations is more on me than on the artists on stage.
But I don't know; I feel tired. The Man Man gig a few weeks prior gave me feelings I haven't felt in a long time at a show. It was genuinely unhinged and I felt happy and giddy about witnessing such an intense performance. I felt part of something. For Liars, my role as a concert audience member was clearly defined and their role as concert performers just as well. It's weird, because for a music that flirts with tribalism and capable of touching our primal instincts, there was something oddly clinical and human about the show.
I want to praise this show to the high heavens; very few bands at their relatively commercial level are releasing anything as exciting or being as adventurous. The thing is, this was a good show. Fantastic sound and they seemingly were into the performance, and the crowd reacted in kind. Can I really ask for more?
I don't know, I'm just tired.
[Tune in to Losing My Edge Sundays 2pm-4pm and Tuesdays 8pm-10pm.]
THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY @ Cabaret Juste Pour Rire
By Idle Matt - Idle Minds - 06/02/2006
In one of the more shocking concert line-ups of recent years, everyone’s favourite fervently anti-capitalist punk/garage band, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, actually headlined a show!
Last we saw the T(i)NC, they were opening for The Bravery at the Spectrum, something mentioned by lead singer Dennis Lyxzén when he said that they were happy to finally be properly playing Montreal. I reviewed that show too, and they fared pretty well against the darkly danceable juggernaut from NYC (my tongue placed firmly in cheek), but I was curious to see how they fared headlining a show for the same album.
The short review: Not bad, but I’d think twice about seeing them again so soon. That’s what I get for seeing them twice in one year.
But I’m getting ahead of myself... let’s talk about the opening acts.
Montreal’s Dirty Tricks opened the show with a fairly unremarkable set. They were well-received by the crowd, so it might be just personal taste. They just didn’t do it for me live. On the other hand, I’ve since heard a few decent songs on their site, so I might have to give them a second chance one day. They are on the Blue Skies Turn Black record label, which makes me think that I may see them on a few bills.
Did I mention what a joy it was for this recently ex-smoker (almost ten months without a cancer stick) to watch a show without any trace of smoke? It was interesting to watch half the crowd empty out between bands to have a smoke outside though.
New York’s The Fever had an interesting mix of styles, trying their best to make every song sound different from the last. I thought their mix of blues, disco, psychedelica and shaken with a bit of Tom Waits, was quite interesting and makes me want to check ‘em out again.
Another mass exodus outside (myself included... had to keep the smoker friend company) and it was time for T(i)NC.
The same backdrop... the same Public Enemy intro music... the same matching outfits...
And a new keyboard player whose name I can’t find anywhere, but he did a fine job. We all still miss Sara though!
Starting off their set with "Armed Love", the title track from their latest album, the band played a good mix of new songs -- which really do sound better live than they do on the album -- and songs off their first two albums.
The set list was fairly similar to their opening set eight months earlier, but headlining a show means a longer set and more songs... and so they added 5-6 songs not played last year. Personal favourite "Ready Steady Go" was played this time around, but cut into an instrumental at which point Dennis went backstage and came back out wearing a black ski mask. He jumps into the crowd, runs upstairs and around the balcony and then back onstage. And then... wouldn’t you know it! They broke into the song "Black Mask". Why didn’t I see that one coming?
Surprisingly, the leftist propaganda was kept to a minimum, but the usual rock ‘n’ roll grandstanding was there, including Dennis’ fairly creepy reach into his pants.
Band leaves the stage after "Black Mask", everyone cheers, and the band comes back out. Maybe I go to too many shows, but wouldn’t it be refreshing to not have that break between the main set and the encore? We all know they’re going to come back out...
...and play "Capitism Stole My Virginity". Dennis once again does his Iggy Pop impression, walking on the crowd and having people support his feet up as he sung. Not that I’m complaining, because it is a pretty slick move and fun to watch... but it’s the exact same stunt, done during the same song as the last time.
My biggest complaint from the last show was that they didn’t play "The Way I Feel About You" from the new album. This time, they didn’t disappoint, putting in a very respectable version of the song to end the show... or so I thought.
The guys I’m with leave the venue, and I’m trailing behind when I hear the band start up again. I could be wrong but I think Dennis said something to the effect that it was the first time they had done a second encore on this tour. I didn’t think the crowd response was that good to warrant a second encore, but who am I to complain? "I Wanna Know About You" finished out the night’s festivities.
Don’t get me wrong, The (International) Noise Conspiracy are still one of the most entertaining bands to watch live. It’s just that after seeing any band a few times, it can become a little derivative and gimmicky. If you’ve never seen T(i)NC live, I can’t recommend them more highly. I’ll be likely sitting the next one out though.
[Tune in to The Idle Minds Sundays from 4pm to 6pm.]
IMOGEN HEAP + Zoe Keating @ La Tulipe
By Fiona Mak & Tanya Nielsen - Airworks - 05/30/2006
British musical act Imogen Heap made it to Montreal for a memorable show at La Tulipe recently. The opener Zoe Keating (discovered by Imogen Heap through the internet) would loop and layer her cello-playing and sounds made from it. The final result would sound almost like it was a post-rock type of quartet or mini-orchestra. Keating's music strongly reminded me of what Owen Pallett's Final Fantasy does with his violin, except Pallett sings as well.
Former Frou Frou member Imogen Heap emerged onto the stage in a whimsical outfit including feathers in her puffy faux-hawk. She has a down-to-earth, laid-back but fun stage presence. The introduction of her "band" (pointing out all the sounds she can make with her keyboard, laptop and her electronic instruments) made the audience aware of how much she does up there by herself. Using the layering effect similar to Keating's, she started off the set with an acapella voice and clapping version of "Just For Now". It was refreshing from the produced version of her latest solo album Speak For Yourself on her own label Megaphonic Records. She then played the well-known song "Goodnight and Go", but it was a more lighthearted version than the studio one. I liked how Imogen Heap was quirky and not a perfectionist, taking mistakes that happened all in stride. I think her easy-going and fun attitude created an instant rapport with the captivated audience. She also played two older songs during her performance. One was of course the Frou Frou song "Let Go" from the Garden State soundtrack, which helped catapult her name internationally. That song was played acoustically with simply her voice and piano -- quite different from the original. The other older song was "Come Here Boy", from her pre-Frou Frou days.
Zoe Keating joined her for a few songs as well during Imogen Heap's performance and it added a nice variety to her playing, singing and dancing around. The only cover she did was the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah", which was a request shouted out by some audience members. Imogen Heap surprisingly and bravely sang quite a few songs acapella-style, including the cover. She definitely won us over with her engaging, creative and fun performance by the end of the night.
[Tune in to Airworks Mondays 1:30pm to 3:00pm]
WOLFMOTHER + Psychic Ills @ Le National
By K-Man - 05/30/2006
I find myself back at Le National, a dusty old theatre in the east end of the city. Strangely enough, it's raining -- just like the first/last time I was here. This venue has refreshingly fairly priced refreshments... say that ten times without fucking it up and I'll give you money. Psychic Ills just got off the stage and judging by the reaction of this eclectic iPod-inspired audience, they didn't suck. I actually noticed that their merch table was busy as hell, even after the whole spectacle ended. What can I say, I missed the opening band... again.
The latest Aussie export Wolfmother (great name) opened their show with that tune from the iPod commercial, "Dimension". A good tune; the singer sounds like Ozzy (and Tommy Shaw but we'll get to that in a second) and the arrangement of the song is highly Sabbathesque. Many of their songs were. The singer, Andrew Stockdale, is a 20-year-old 70's guy keepin' it real. Pulling no less than all of Freddy Mercury's moves, most of Phil Lynott's, a couple of Jim Morrison's, a few Paul Stanley's, a Nadia Comaneci and some totally hilarious ones of his own, it was hard not to laugh. Keep in mind though, he's also playing the only guitar in this trio and his soloing is solid.
And we laughed, until they rolled into what I thought at first to be a cover of that glass-exploding, scrotum-shriveling song from Styx, "Lorelei". I almost literally had to beat the shit out of someone -- randomly, of course. That guitar player listened to Styx... way... too... much. Personally, any Styx is too much Styx, but let's not get catty.
Playing bass, Chris Ross... a bit of a phenom. I'm not just saying that because he plays the exact same bass as I sometimes do (a'76 Rick 4001 series), but the dude was pulling a Geddy Lee and playing Greg Lake (E.L.P. for those of you who suck) -like riffs on an organ while playing his bass... simultaniously here, people... I'm not making this up... I mean come on, that's something.
Myles Haskett, their drummer on the other side of things, hit like a wee child. The drums were heavily mic'ed to no avail. You still had a hard time dealing with his weak attack. I've heard children make more noise folding origami. Every song ended with a three-minute outro where buddy would stand in front of the drum riser lights, back to the crowd, looking up at some invisible entity and pose the ever-burning Rock 'n Roll question "are you there, God? It's me, stupid" again and again. Honestly, we were in stiches the whole night through.
Season this band with another couple of years of playing, another recording, a few back injuries, drug issues, some life trauma and I think they'll evolve into something less derivative of their musical heros and stand out on their very own (like real men). In a nutshell, they sound like Jack White meets Atomic Bitchwax meets Sabbath meets Bill Gates meets Deep Purple meets Styx. Take that as you will. I was definitely entertained by a hilarious yet tight and retro-heavy 80-minute set. Check 'em out. Good driving music.
[Tune in to "Beyond That Graveyard III" every Friday from 9:00pm to Midnight.]
BETH ORTON @ Club Soda
By Louis Rozza - Hooked On Sonics - 04/07/2006
This was British singer/ songwriter Beth Orton’s first Canadian tour since 2002 when she was showcasing her underrated album Daybreaker. The wait was worth it on this night. Her melancholic raspy voice was in fine form and so was her sense of humour, as she engaged the crowd at the beginning of the set saying “I didn’t know I was opening for Lesbians on Ecstasy”, referring to the huge letters that band had outside the marquee promoting their upcoming show.
Her new album Comfort of Strangers has been well received and marks a subtle retreat back into her original folk roots minus all the electronic wizardry that accompanied previous albums. On this record, the songs shine through with a sense of openness and freshness that was missing from previous albums.
For this night's show, she did not stray far into her catalogue, preferring to concentrate on the new material despite the audience requests for classic songs off of 1996’s Trailer Park and 1999’s Central Reservation. She did play the classics, but it was only towards the end of the set that she treated the audience to “Stolen Car, “She Cries Your Name” and “Paris Train”. The first two in particular were the highlights of the night, performed with just her on acoustic guitar.
Her voice was astounding, leaving the audience wanting more. She actually played three encores, which I had never seen a performer do. With the encores, the fans were treated to some memorable performances. Her voice all night was spot-on, and she loved that the crowd shouted, “We love you” which she in turn replied, “I love you too”. The show lasted almost two hours and it was well worth it.
[Tune in to HOOKED ON SONiCS Tuesdays 6pm-8pm.]
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