Nicke's picks

Back in days of yore - I'm talking the previous millennium here - there was something of a Scandinavian rock explosion, a mirror of what was going on elsewhere in the world. Near the top of the list of these Viking invaders was The Hellacopters, brainchild of Nicke Andersson, whose primary claim to musical fame at the time was drumming for Entombed, and Dregen of Johnny Thunders worshippers Backyard Babies. Eventually the creative reins passed entirely to Andersson and the band put out a bunch of hard rocking albums on labels like White Jazz and Man's Ruin. The band even made a stop in Ottawa at Barrymore's in September 1999. Andersson landed the Hellacopters for good in 2008, but it hasn't been the end of his musical output, which includes Death Breath and his quite Hellacopterian band Imperial State Electric.They've put out a couple of albums (their latest is Pop War, which gives you a good idea of Andersson's intentions), and as part of the music band grind are playing various North American dates, including a stop at NXNE. As is often case, a few other Canadian dates got tagged on, including a stop at Zaphod's. They drew about four-dozen enthusiastic fans, which is pretty good for a band without a huge profile over here.

Local rockers Thunderuncle opened things with a somewhat metallic set.


Thunderuncle at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 15, 2013

Rhythm section action with Larry and Dave!


Thunderuncle at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 15, 2013

Now on to the main event, which featured mirror twin white three-pickup Gibson SGs and some serious stage strutting.


Imperial State Electric at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 15, 2013

Also a lot of singalong action!


Imperial State Electric at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 15, 2013

Rudolf de Borst - also of New Zealand's Datsuns - took the mike to sing Reptile Brain Music.


Imperial State Electric at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 15, 2013

A great hard-rocking set.