By a thread

Back downstairs to Mavericks for a bit of six-degrees-of-separation. Saturday night I saw Metz, which features a bunch of Ottawa expatriates. Now here we are back in a Saturday in June for a band that also features an Ottawa exie ... and what band's shirt was Metz's Alex Edkins wearing last night? Why this band's: Needles//Pins, out of Vancouver.

Adam frets!



Tony handles the low end!



Macey hits!



Grimacing action!



Extra Adam!



Rhythm section action!



Prickly action!



Bendy action!



Jumping about!



The end!



Their new LP, 12:34, has been winning praise near and far.

City to city

There was a big crowd out at Babylon Staurday night to welcome sort-of-hometown boys Metz as they tour behind their new Sub Pop release. Alex Edkins and Hayden Menzies were regulars on the scene before they left for the big city. Since then they've picked up T.O. bassist Chris Slorach.

Big Dick were an ideal band to open things up, since their crushing rhythms suit Metz's own thunderous assault.


Big Dick at Babylon, October 6, 2012

Johnny frets!


Big Dick at Babylon, October 6, 2012

On to Metz; they played a short sharp set (no encore) at a blistering pace. Here's Hayden and Chris.


Metz at Babylon, October 6, 2012

And here's Alex ...


Metz at Babylon, October 6, 2012

There was much moshing and jumping about!

It's a date

I've just realized I wrote The Eeries provided most of the Ottawa Explosion's harmonies ... oops! That's highly unfair to San Francisco combo Dreamdate.

Here's the rhythm section of bassist Anna Hillburg and drummer Sonia Hayden.



Yea-Ming Chen sings.



And so on!



Sonia hits!



Anita sings!



Extra Sonia!



More Anita!



The end!



It was all mighty pretty. In the interim they've unveiled a new video.

Something strange

Downstairs again for another dose of Sudbury punk from Strange Attractor. Since 75% is in Statues, I wonder what their future will hold following that band's breakup ... anyway, on to the photos!

Not a statue but an Ultra Violent Ray.



Jeff frets!



The shouty bit with Rob!



Mitch hits!



Bonus Eric!



Singalong action!



The end(s)!



They'll be rocking a Sudbury garage in late October, so whatever else is going on they aren't done yet.

The hard stuff

Last night I was hemming and hawing over how to spend my evening when I noticed Black Stone Hearts were playing at Zaphod's; I've seen a couple of the Hearts before, rocking Rottaway (and Coupe de Ville has made a few appearances with other acts on National Capital Rock. I've also caught Perth's Fools Like You before, rocking out at the Bytown Tavern at a roller derby benefit.

Things were kicked off by The Dead Centuries.


The Dead Centuries at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

I found them okay, we'll say.


The Dead Centuries at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

Black Stone Hearts really rocked it, something like a heavier Guns'N'Roses (I noticed they had Night Train on the set list, but they didn't get around to it). Apart from Coupe and George's kicking guitar work, they benefit from an excellent vocalist in Sergei.


Black Stone Hearts at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

More Coupe!

 
Black Stone Hearts at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

Last time there was a lot of jumping around from Fools Like You. Little has changed, and they're still a pretty jovial bunch with a lot of stage presence. They did have many more originals, as you'd expect after four years.


Fools Like You at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

There was also a lot of action down on the floor.


Fools Like You at Zaphod Beeblebrox, October 3, 2012

A solid night's entertainment.

Spooky stuff, kids!

And now for something completely different, or at least kind of different: The Eeries. There were not a whole lot of vocal harmonies to be heard at Ottawa Explosion, and I'd guess this , out of Philadelphia trio - Randy, Andy and Mike - provided the lion's share.

And here they are: Andy on drums, Mike on bass, and Randy on guitar.



Mike sings!



Guitar action!



Singalong action!



Everyone's doing it.



Randy sings!



Extra Mike!



Extra Andy.



Their LP is coming out soon on Eevil Weevil records.

Wrath of eyeball

Time to run downstairs for a set at Mavericks by everyone's favourite bimunicipal brutalists, Dagger Eyes, of whom I need say no more.

Rhythm section action with Ian and Dave!



Extra Dave!



Throaty action!



Ilona frets!



Extra Ian!



Stabby action!



Dave prepares for a big hit!



Banana break!



Bonus Ilona!



Staring action!



Cymbal smahing action!



Blurry action, just because!



They've been here since and will no doubt be around again soonish.