Killer party

Jonathan Migneault of Mocking Music predicted the Hold Steady's Zaphod's gig of a few hours ago would be the show of the year. I'd say it was the fourth or fifth best - pretty damn good, since it has a lot of competition. Openers Sean-Na-Na did a good job kicking things off. Their music is a bit poppier than The Hold Steady's - in fact it reminded me a bit of Ottawa's own Rhume.



The Hold Steady have quite the buzz going on now. I wrote a blurb for the Ottawa Sun comparing Craig Finn's diatribes to Charles Bukowski's ... maybe I should have said Milton, they both specialize in the down and out.



It ended up with a good chunk of the audience on stage and Stagecoach from Quebexico and Kelly from F!ghtF!ghtF!ght playing the guitars. The crowd definitely went wild, and if you were there you may see yourself in the photos when I post them in a week or so.

• Show reminder: Sweden's Regulations and Ottawa's The Sweet Janes play End Hits. Embassies of Denmark, 120 Days and Out Reason perform at Zaphod's.