Sunday, February 28, 2010

Gimme no lip, child

I was intrigued to see that the opening act for Sadie Hell's record release gig at Club SAW was billed as a Hollerado side-project. I bet a lot of folks were expecting something at least a bit like Hollerado's snappy pop-rock. Tough beans, because Wuhan Lipfight's disjointed sound is about as far away as can be.

Carl on guitar and shades.

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

El Suponte on real drums and a barely visible Lumberjack on fake drums (but not Fake Drugs).

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

Faceoff action. The band's other guitarist briefly considered Maybellene Switchblade as her pseudonym, but dropped the Switchblade because it sounded too violent.

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

Smokey action!

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

Bendy action!

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

Smoochy action!

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

More drumming!

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

To hell with this high-ISO crap, I'm turning on the flash.

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

More faceoff action!

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

See-through Maybellene.

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

Not-so-see-through Maybellene.

Wuhan Lipfight at Club SAW

And, er, that's it - and I'm not giving any odds on whether they'll ever play live again.
  • Show reminder: Missy Burgess and Keith Glass perform at the Elmdale; Mr. Something Something is at The Rainbow.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Drink up!

And now we come to the end of our New Year's coverage, involving the usual drinking and dancing and rocking that the time of year entails at Babylon.

Ukrainia! jumps into things.

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Wait, what's that up there?

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Singalong action!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Downstroking action!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Tom hits!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Hilotron and Boycrusher Mike Schultz kicks in some accordion.

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Drinking action!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Damian sings!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Faceoff action!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Bending action!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

The shouty bit.

Ukrainia! at Babylon

More Tom.

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Dave takes a stand.

Ukrainia! at Babylon

The whole lot!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

Big kicks!

Ukrainia! at Babylon

I even shot a bit of video, where everything is so fuzzy they sound like Les Rallizes Denudes.



A nice way to ring in the New Year.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Mush

Back when I was buying Leatherface's Mush (after reading Jack Rabid's fulsome praise of the album in particular and Leatherface in general in The Big Takeover) I figured they were one of those bands I'd never get to see live - mostly because they'd broken up after the appropriately titled Last. I've long since learned that band breakups are often impermanent, and sure enough Leatherface came roaring back. In fact, albums like Horsebox, Dog Disco and their latest Stormy Petrel are up there with some of their best work. The release of Stormy Petrel also launched a tour which brought them to Babylon last night. Locals I Refuse and Year Zero, as well as Ste. Catherines offshoot Yesterday's Ring, were on hand to kick things off. The only downside was the mushy weather, which meant just about everyone was watching with soggy feet.

I Refuse are in the shouty and jumpy vein of hardcore. They were very happy to be opening for Leatherface and got on and off quickly to hurry their arrival on stage.

I Refuse at Babylon
I Refuse at Babylon, February 25, 2010

Brad from Year Zero also said "I'm not interested in playing, I just want to see Leatherface." It was another strong performance from these guys, who also had a few new songs to show off.

Year Zero at Babylon
Year Zero at Babylon, February 25, 2010

Yesterday's Ring set aside The Ste. Catherines more streetpunk-oriented sound for a roots-punk set. They even had a banjo and acoustic guitar. They really reminded me of Finnish Replacements fans Jalla Jalla.

Yesterday's Ring at Babylon
Yesterday's Ring at Babylon, February 25, 2010

As for Leatherface, they put on a great show. Their new stuff sounded great next to their old hits, so even though the non-Stormy Petrel stuff was what you might call a run through their greatest hits there wasn't any weak point. And of course you had Frankie Stubb's inimitable rasp and hopping dance.

Leatherface at Babylon
Leatherface at Babylon, February 25, 2010

They finished things off with an encore of Hops and Barley and a run through of You Are My Sunshine - and how many punk bands could get away with that?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Ho, Bo, Foo and Bongo

I last saw The Empiricals perform at Ottawa Bluesfest in 2007, and that was for only a couple of songs. Like the Lords of Vanier they sport a fair quotient of Hi Lo Trons members. They backed their Chinese surf with some Japanese chop-sockey in the form of Sonny Chiba's The Bodyguard.

Those Empiricals - Paul Ho! Bongo Ngoc! Phil Bo! Wong Foo!

Empiricals at Babylon

Ho without a Jaguar!?! What's the world coming to ...

Empiricals at Babylon

Mike ... er, I mean Foo ... manipulates some electronics.

Empiricals at Babylon

These days you can't smoke on the airplane, due to the health dangers involved in both nicotine exposure and being pummelled unconscious by Sonny Chiba.

Empiricals at Babylon

Sonnd declares war on the Mob.

Empiricals at Babylon

Bongo Ngoc knocks some bongos.

Empiricals at Babylon

I think I hit the wrong button.

Empiricals at Babylon

Paul shows two heads are better than one.

Empiricals at Babylon

More Phil and Foo.

Empiricals at Babylon

More Ngoc and Ho.

Empiricals at Babylon

And er, that's it. I'll have to rewatch The Bodyguard now, though.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Start over

New Year's is my favourite time of year in 2009, because to be blunt 2009 kind of stunk for me. 2010 is looking a bit better in the early running, so fingers crossed. Another good reason is that there are plenty of cool New Year's shows going on. I did have a bit of a hankering to walk over to Cozzie's for their well-staffed basement show, but excess exercise left me with a bad foot so instead I limped off to Babylon. First band on the bill were Lords of Vanier. I saw their first gig at The Aloha Room, where the trio showed off their love of the NWOBHM.

Yogi! Phillip! Damian!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Where Damian got a God of Shamisen tee I'll never figure out.

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Phil phocuses.

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Drinking action!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

The shouty bit!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Singalong action!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

More Damian!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

More Phil!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Yogi and wattage!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Big finish!

Lords of Vanier at Babylon

Don't even ask when they're playing next.