|
Day 2: Thursday
Day One Of CMW Shows And Lessons  Thursday was the first day of showcases and I’d set out quite a line-up for myself. Of course, I only ended up seeing one of the bands on that list, but that’s beside the point. I started the night at the El Mocambo for the 9pm performance of The Remains of Brian Borcherdt. This show was a tip from an in-the-know acquaintance, but Brian left me a little confused. The quality and uniqueness of his voice is fantastic, but his stage performance left a great deal to be desired. He shuffles awkwardly, gently strumming the neck of his electric guitar while gazing nervously at his shoes. It’s clearly part of the act, but what’s the act? “Strange” will keep me curious for a song or two, but I need some kind of pay-off. The oddity that was his set was brought to a close with a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” which not even Brian could keep a straight face for. On to a band who I chose to see solely because of their name, The Awesome Team. Awesome! The Awesome Team did, in fact, have some rather awesome elements. The band was tight and each member was very strong. Their songs were catchy and well-written and would fit nicely into the radio-friendly pop/rock genre. But there was something missing. That intangible element that can’t really be put into words. For all the positives they seemed to be missing that special ingredient that makes you want to keep listening. Perhaps a change of venue… A friend from Montreal, who was in town for the festivities and – apparently – to see me, had suggested Shout Out Out Out Out at Lee’s Palace. I’d heard the name and was curious to see for myself. Nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle that took place! Shout Out Out Out Out are a whole new breed of music – they defy description. They’re as fun to watch as they are to listen to and these boys from Edmonton appear to love absolutely every second of it. Let me try and paint the picture for you… Two drummers, side-by-side, at the back of the stage pounding away on different drum parts. Two bassists, both dancing and flailing about, while still managing to hold down the all-important rhythm of each song. Two samplers and five synthesizers, all beeping and blipping away adding another layer of rhythm. Finally, the vocals, fed through a vocoder, are almost unintelligible, but no less significant. Shout Out Out Out Out are a sight to be seen. They’re fresh and energetic and a true bright-spot in a star-filled Canadian scene. They also proved a difficult act to follow. This dubious honour went to local experimental outfit, Holy Fuck. Without Shout Out Out Out Out rocking the house down before them, Holy Fuck may have stood a chance, but their beats and rhythms never seemed to blend and the whole performance came off as slightly arrhythmic. They are certainly an interesting band, but it didn’t seem all that genuine. They were what I like to call weird for the sake of being weird. Mind you, the aforementioned Brian Borcherdt is also a member of Holy Fuck, so I probably should have expected something bizarre. So with Shout Out Out Out Out still ringing in my ears, I headed back to the Shoe for a night cap. I was joined by my Montreal-friend who snuck onto the subway on my back. Ride Theory (playing at 1 am) did not disappoint for a second. They are a young band, but they’ve really got their act together. They arrived on stage – all in similar suits – and proceeded to plow through an impressive set that conjured images of early-Kinks, but with a solid grounding in modern rock. Kind of like Jet, without all the pilfered hooks. Their catchy guitar licks were more than enough to keep me glued to my seat, but it was the overall performance that had me wanting more. With their second record coming out April 11, they are certainly a band to keep an eye out for. Trevor's other CMW nights: - Friday - Saturday Other CMW coverage - Trevor Thomas ©2006, All Rights Reserved |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
