Out of the west

In-store shows at Vertigo Records are something of an Ottawa Explosion tradition, but Saturday's was the first time I'd made squeezing in part of my schedule. Emmanuel had already announced that the surprise guests were Benny The Jet Rodriguez, so that was all the more inducement to go and check it out. First on the floor were Poor Form, who made the trip all the way from Vancouver. Guitarist Adam also serves in Needles//Pins. Here's guitarist Legs.



James hits!



Punk-pop action!



Legs sings!



Adam shouts, James bends!



Extra Adam!



More James!



The whole fish-eyed lot!



A good crowd, inside and out.



San Pedro Sandlot aficionados Benny The Jet Rodriguez carried on the pop-punking, with Lauren and Todd making a repeat appearance from Underground Railroad to Candyland's set.



Lauren sings!



Todd works the keys!



Also on hand, Joey, Tanner and somebody else.



Tanner and Joey work the crowd.



Outside-looking-in action!



Percussive action!



Head-to-head action!



It was all West Coast combos for this in-store: Vancouver's Nervous Talk finished the evening off with some tasty power-pop.



You may recognize Joel Butler from that Moby Dicks gig at the Legion in August 2011 with M.O.T.O. and Needles//Pins.



Fretful action with Todd!



Percussive action with Trevor!



Extra Joel!



Bass action with Shane! Shane's also making a repeat appearance on the blog; he was in Hot Blood Bombers when they played the Rock'N'Roll Pizza Party during its brief stint at the Royal Oak.



Now with more fisheye!



Overhead action!



Then it was back home to grab a bite to eat ... almost ... there was of course time to return to the SAW Gallery to catch some not-quite secret reunion action from Statues.



Mitch sings!



Jeff hits!



Rob strums a bit!



Then it really was time to split.

Bare knuckles

Fist City are another scion of the burgeoning Lethbridge, Alberta scne. They have their feet in surf and their heads in post-punk and put out an excellent trebly racket.

Frontman Kier Griffiths sings!



Evan Van Reekum handles the second axe.



Kier's sister Brittany handles the low end, Ketamine Ryan Grieve mans the drums.



Ryan hits!



Municipal action!



Brittany sings!



Danelectro action!



Familial action!



Extra Evan!



The whole lot!



A most excellent performance.

City fathers

You might recall a show at the Montgomery Legion a shade more than a year ago featuring a bunch of folks from Lethbridge's burgeoning musical scene, opened up by The Moby Dicks. Well, last night's show also featured a touring Lethbridge band as a headliner, the super Fist City, which happens to have Moby Dick Evan Van Reekum on guitar. Also, Big Dick played. That's a lot of dick (and a ridiculous tangent). Opening up was The Male Nurse Band.

I think Davey and company are getting wilder and more raucous at every gig.


Male Nurse Band at Pressed, August 29, 2012

This time I decided to use flash. It's a tad dark in Pressed (photographically speaking, that is).


Male Nurse Band at Pressed, August 29, 2012

Big Dick were a little slowed up by some technical difficulties but played a really hot set.


Big Dick at Pressed, August 29, 2012

They cut things a little short, and finished off with "the only request we'll ever get" (not true!) for Medic.


Big Dick at Pressed, August 29, 2012

Fist City start with a bit of a surf element, and then add some Modern Lovers and X-Ray Spex (this impression possibly aided by the second-wave British punk, such as Gang Of Four, being played between sets). Evan Van Reekum and Kier Griffiths handle the six strings and the breaking thereof.


Fist City at Pressed, August 29, 2012

And here's the rest of our Fist citizens, drummer Ryan Grieve (also of The Ketamines) and bassist Brittany Griffiths.


Fist City at Pressed, August 29, 2012

An excellent night, and good turnout for a Wednesday too, I'd say.

• Show reminder: StillNative is playing the Mercury Lounge. The Elmdale hosts Bill Bourne.

Thar she blows

It seems there are a bunch more punk rock shows going on of late at the Montgomery Legion Hall; this one featured folks from Lethbridge, Alberta, a scene I hear punches above its weight. You may recognize a couple of these folks from their service in Endangered Ape at one of the Royal Oak Rock'N'Roll Pizza Parties.

Joel sings and hits!



Paul sings!



Evan frets!



Singalong action!



Extra Paul!



And so on!



Black and white action!



The whole monochromatic lot!



Tambourine action!



No news lately.

• Show reminder: There's goth aplenty at the Montogomery Legion with Red Death Masquerade, Liisa Ladouceur, DJ Th'Elf and DJ Reverie. Plaster Babies, Static Revolt, Black Market Candy, and International Maniac Institute play Baseline Station. Swam of Spheres unleash their new EP at Yogi's Meatlocker with Djanguar and Klovenhoofs. Bum Ticket and The Mudplots perform at The Daily Grind on Somerset. Kayla Howran releases her new CD at the Rainbow with Uncle Sean and the Shifty Drifters. Sunfields light up Raw Sugar. Jack Pine & The Fire and The John Punch Band perform at Irene's. Rudeboy skanks at the Elmdale. Claude Munson, Lora Bidner, Kaleigh Watts and Liam Meagher play the Avant-Garde Bar.