Even though noise legends
To Live and Shave in LA were the headliners Saturday night at Sneaky Dees, they felt like strangers intruding into a celebration of the best in Toronto's experimental noise scene.
The first band of the night started with local Bad Bands Revolution stalwarts
Dollarama, who if you haven't heard, perform exclusively with instruments purchased for a dollar or less. At first, it felt a little silly, with one of the band members seemingly really smug in their self-aware cleverness, but after a few songs set in and
Eric Warner's natural charisma took over, making the performance more joyous, like kids banging on pots and pans.
Following Dollarama was
Polmo Polpo, a solo project by Sandro Perri, who is all over the Toronto music scene, between collaborating with Great Lake Swimmers and Glissandro 70. Perri's 45 long set, which was one long continuous drone was a standout performance of the night... there was no "banter" or jokes, just the start of the sound with lots of manipulation and bone shaking bass. I didn't pick up a CD that night, but I plan on searching for it at local record stores, and would definitely check out another Polmo Polpo show in the future. A definite do not miss artist.
Next up was the somewhat homecoming of
Gastric Female Reflex, returning from a European tour and making a triumphant return home. Last time I was able to catch GFR was last winter at the Horseshoe opening for Wolf Eyes, which really sparked my enthusiasm for their brand of distorted crackle and burn. The band apparently now only features two members, Andrew and Jacob, and now have a stripped now approach, leaving behind the clutter and relying on samplers and tape machines. But judging from the band's performance, they possess more bombast and out-of-control firepower than ever before... it seems their time overseas has purified the band's sound and turned it into a dark and twisted treasure. The way these guys rock out, it's only a matter of time before they break out in a big way.
By the time
To Live and Shave and LA went on stage around one am, most of the crowd had been enduring noise for over 4 hours, thanks to the amazing DJ work of Andrew from GFR. You could say that some enthusiasm had waned, and mine certainly waned. It was cool to see Andrew W-K dress like my uncle, incognito with ball cap, sunglasses and shorn (yes!), shaved face. Unfortunately, while the audience seemed to crave more noise, TLASILA only really presented a passionate form of industrial alternative music, that was way more melodic than anyone expected. While it was awesome to watch Andrew WK rock out the keyboard, hypnotically thrusting back in forth, his instrument and the lead vocals from a very impassioned front man were just way too high in the mix for my taste. It was just too....
musical. Mind you, I picked up
Wigmakers anyway, their ten years in the making epic, and that album is simply amazing.... unlike what I heard on Saturday night.
I suppose if I was a bigger fan, or a TLASILA nostalgia craver, then I'm sure I would have been into it more as well. But the opening bands came through and made the night really special.
Check out pictures from the show at my
Flickr accountFollow the action at the
Stillepost threadCarcass Grinder was there just for Andrew WK
Mars Volta always held such potential, and I don't think they've ever attained it. Obviously they proved that they were the most important members of At the Drive-In, but that hasn't translated into the Led Zeppelin-like levels of popularity they surely deserve. It actually seems like Mars Volta are turning into a jam-band of sorts, which is just plain wrong.
