Here comes the driver

There were a bunch of places I could have been last night, but a few days beforehand I decided to head over to Cafe DeKcuf for a show headlined by Winnipeg noisemongers and supported by a host of local local and Toronto-based racketeers. You know when folks like Alaskan show up on a bill it's time to break out the heavy duty earplugs.Earlier in the day when I was at Birdman Sound picking up the new Moon Duo and Eternal Tapestry I joked with Jason Vaughn of the Band Whose Name Is A Symbol that I would have to beware moshers. There was in fact little of that. There was, however, plentiful headbanging.

First up were Spilt Guts, a new local combo who have played a gig or two on the local house show circuit. They keep the sound pretty hefty and made a a very solid opener. They also played a Nirvana cover, which I didn't recognize.


Spilt Guts at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

A shouty bit!


Spilt Guts at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

Black Faxes were next, and they were really smoking live. Last time I saw them was at Mavericks in September 2010, with The Great Sabatini (also coming through town in the near future - Cafe DeKcuf on April 3 to be precise), Alsaskan and Vilipend. On that occasion they were my favourite band of the night, and once again I really dug them. Singer Graham is certainly a perpetual motion machine. 


Black Faxes at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

Definitely a job for the fisheye.


Black Faxes at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

Next up were the mighty Alaskan, who unleashed a deadly rumble of noise. They were really in top form and had some nifty between-song samples, which also served them well when bassist Cory snapped a string (a replacement bass was quickly rustled up courtesy of the Faxes' Lou).


Alaskan at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

It's not easy getting photos of drummers when they're stuck in between walls of amplitude.


Alaskan at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

Finally KEN Mode, who also played a killer set. They recently released Venerable on Profound Lore and are travelling the land (including recent stops in Austin for SXSW). They've kept up their tradition of rotating bassists (sort of) with Therese Lanz of Kilbourne filling in for Chad Tremblay on the road.


KEN Mode at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

There was faceoff action aplenty.


KEN Mode at Cafe DeKcuf, March 25, 2011

They're now off to Quebec City and Montreal.

• Show reminder: Monuments & Statues, Alligator Baby, The Miss Polygamy Collective perform at the Avant-Garde; The Sidewalks, Apyllion and Belgarve play Zaphod's; The Idlers and The Pelts get funky at The Rainbow; Kalle Mattson release their new CD at Mavericks along with Olenka and The Autumn Lovers and Great Bloomers; Lonesome Paul and The Valley Ramblers are at Irene's; The Tine Rufaro Marimba Band bring something a little different - namely the sound of the Shona - to the Elmdale.