FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
I forgot that our brave legislators only listen to bands like the Eagles and Supertramp. Cuz with their new amendments to the country’s labour laws, Stephen Harper and company are making it so that crusty classic rockers and pre-fabricated pop tarts could be the only artists to ever come to Canada…
Blame Gary Bettman. Normally, the NHL playoffs end just in time for North by Northeast, but with the lockout pushing everything back, the puck drops on Game 2 tonight with the festival in full swing…
Anyways, warming the unseasonably cold wastelands of Toronto tonight is a terrific touring package featuring Torche, KEN Mode and Lo-Pan. It feels like I haven’t seen Torche in a long time, but turns out I last caught ’em last summer when they toured with COC…
In case you didn’t know, Moxy had a few hits in the mid-to-late 70’s. Their 1975 self-titled album kinda sounds like Rush’s debut, before the latter got more progressive, and featured guitar virtuoso Tommy Bolin on several solos–he just happened to be recording in the studio next door. These guys were so big down in Texas that AC/DC opened for them on a string of dates in 1977, and were reportedly dubbed the Canadian Zeppelin by Sounds critic Geoff Barton…
While early June promises to be punishing, it’s worth noting for those who are stuck in the city this long weekend that Oxbow is playing Toronto tonight. For the first time. Ever.
You gotta love a city whose major concert hall changed its name to match the fictional venue where Spinal Tap performed in the legendary mockumentary. Alas, beer is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think Milwaukee–or maybe zoo animals, if you’re into that–but it does have a bit of metal history as well…
It’s been a little while since I’ve seen Kylesa in concert, 2+ years to be precise, and that was an early show. Suffice to say, I’m stoked to see them hitting The Annex again this summer, but when I saw the full touring lineup, I definitely did a double-take…
Doom metal, in general, is not summertime music. When the sun’s out, the temperature’s rising and yer sweatin’ balls, you wanna cruise down the blacktop blasting some Kyuss or Fu Manchu, not some slow, melancholic, depressing tunes. Not that I have anything against slow and depressing, mind you–I just don’t have it pumping on the patio.
While I initially joked that the price of the Kyuss Lives New Year’s Eve gig was a joke, I eventually gave in and bought myself a 200-dollar ticket. I don’t normally go out for NYE–frankly, I think it’s a rather pointless holiday–but I figured that for the founding fathers of stoner rock, I could make an exception. And I certainly don’t regret it, especially since a couple months later, Kyuss would live no more…
Now, I won’t say I’m a die-hard Gwar fan, but I’ve certainly seen them live a few times over the years. Their tongue-in-cheek, politically-incorrect lyrics are matched only by their over-the-top stage show, featuring plenty of blood, guts, and mutilation of popular political figures. But of course, you probably knew that already… unless your name’s Heino Døssing.