IMPRINT,
17
ARTS
Friday, May 5,1995
GrannyGrunt Royal
Trux
The Opera
w/ Motorcaster House,
Saturday, by Brad Imprint
Toronto
April
29th
Hughes staff
R
oyal Trux have become too cool for their own good. This fact was painfully apparent during this show as only 150 of Toronto’s cod elite showed up for what turned out to be a great night of music. The band opened strongly with “A Night To Remember” off their latest release Thank YOU. From the audience’s point of view this song’s title was about as inappropriate as it gets. Neil Hagerty, the band’s co-leader, recently lamented that he didn’t want to be a slave to some kind of hipness. I’m afraid that it may be too late. It was clear that a lot of attenders were there to be a part of the ultra-cool scene. Evian The audience was too busy looking hip to actually become a part of the show. There was no transfer of energy between the band and the crowd. Only a handful of people appeared to be actually enjoying the music. The rest just stood there, stared, and added their applause at the end of each song. This might have been expected had the band sucked, but they didn’t. The band devoted a lot of energy to their music. Bass strings
were broken. An amp blew. The drum set needed adjustments after songs. You really couldn’t fault the band on their musical endeavours. Their biggest problem might have been a lack of effort in being visually stimulating. Sometimes while the band was partaking in
-- I wash
my hair
in it.
some spontaneous jamming, the whole group, with the exception of the drummer had their backs turned to the audience. Of course, the band founders Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema have never been concerned about image. Herrema showed up looking as tough as ever. She’s still as skinny as a rail and her dirty blonde mop still hangs in her face. She does make for a decent focus while
watching the group, but you’re afraid that if you look at her too much she might come over and kick your ass. Herrema’s rasp was in fine form on this night managing to both sing and smoke and snap her gum throughout the show. She is the growl to which all others are compared. The rest of the musicians were also playing their best. Hagerty was completely involved with his guitar licks, sometimes forgetting to add his harmonies. Drummer Chris Pyle was outstanding. His solo at the end of the majestic “Shadow of the Wasp” was good reason for the band to turn around and watch. Dave Brown provided a lot of energy on bass. He was swimming in sweat by the end of the show. The show’s setlist was dominated by songs from the band’s latest album, This was a bit of a disappointment to the crowd, who tried calling for older songs like “Junkie Nurse” and “Turn of the Century.” The band ignored them and put on some stunning performances of “Ray 0 Vat,” “ Map of the City,” and “The Sewers of Mars.” At the end, though, the crowd was too busy posing and couldn’t sustain the applause long enough to coax the band out for an encore. Motorcaster drew even less appreciation from the audience. The music sounded tired and the drummer’ s Keith Moon impersonation got old quick. At least they deserved their lack of applause.
N., WATERLOO (across from the Waterloo Theatre)
reservations for your convocation!
Monday
Lee’s
Palace,
Monday, by Greg Imprint
3rd
Krafchick staff
I
f one was to say that Canada is a country devoid of a strong musical identity, then the Netherlands must surely be in a similar state. After all, what bands do you think of when you think of this corner of the world? Well, there is Eettie Serveert, and they’re probably as good a place to start as any. Their show at Lee’s last month consisted of the expected mix of hard rockin’ guitars and the idiosyncratic vocal stylings of Carol Van Dijk. The most entertaining aspect though was guitarist Peter Visser,
Students
By special arrangement with a chartered Canadian bank, we can put you into a new Mazda before you graduate. If you have a job waiting for you upon graduating, give us a call or stop by our showroom for details on this exclusive offer for graduates.
WHERE THE EXPRESSWAY
ENDS
#l .
Lamprey,
Toronto
April
to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. Sunday from 4:00 p.m.
Graduating
I
dose of both Palomine and seeming not to favour either one of them. Softer acoustic numbers like “Something So Wild” or “Silent Spring” would have been much appreciated, since the music did have a tendancy at times to wander into the mundane category. On the other hand, “Palomine” gave the show the sensitivity it needed, with its extremely deft lyrical turns. Even better were ripping numbers like “Tomboy” or “Crutches,” and overall the spectator left satisfied. Worth writing home about, though perhaps only a short note. As for Love Battery, they played a set of songs that showed why Sub Pop picked them up. I’d almost have to say that the best part of the show was the half-dozen zealous fans who drove down from Ottawa just to see Love Battery open. “How far away is Ottawa ?!?” their lead asked in disbelief. Yeah,
I 5 King Street,
We are now accepfing
R. Bettie Serveert w/ Love Battery
RESTAURANT
886-4678
who proved
to
The Proclaimers be the most animated memPeter Visser. ber of the band. With an array of about to get the ten effects pedals at his disposal, he especially flanged and wah-wahed and janhair which gled his way through the show with in her face. great skill, while jumping about Their energetically. This in turn seemed
rock
out?
No!
It’s
rest of the band going, Carol and the mess of almost invariably hung set consisted
of a liberal
singer that far. Besides this, their exhibition of guitar work was pleasant but pretty forgettable.
I
FREEDELIVERY 744-9999
IP minimum
2
’
Assorted,
order
required
* delivery
LARGEi SUBS : ham,
pizza or veggie
salami,
sub
i
from
3
Assorted,
11 a.m. daily
9r
LARGE’ SUBS ham,
pizza or veggie --
salarC,
sub
$749 + taxes