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| Mystery Machine - Bev Davies photo |
Astoria Pub - October 13, 2012
Mystery Machine performs their fifth album, titled Western Magnetics, to a live Vancouver audience. With advance tickets sold out, the Astoria was filled with loyal and enthusiastic fans eager to welcome the first West Coast show after a number of years. The attendees are indeed acknowledged.
A progressively rich and guitar-layered set is without a doubt, a tip of the hat to the ‘90s indie era, a formative and consistent period for the band. Influences aside, they craft their own uniqueness amplified collectively with technical and practiced maturity. The first half of the set ran through new material, stopped short by a mysterious technical issue, but this didn’t seem to trouble the steadfast followers, as shouts of support can be heard from the audience. “We waited seven years for this, we can wait another ten minutes!” With that blessing, equipment issues were nearly worked through. Band members from openers, Seven Nines and Tens, pick up guitars and leap to either side of the stage carrying “Bullshit Patrol” to the end of the number. With a meticulous technical set up, unquestionably a frustrating experience, especially after a series a flawless eastern dates. These things happen and as old pros, they launch into their earlier material. By the time they move into “Brand New Song” from the 1995 Ten Speed release, the audience find themselves settled in a relaxed sway and heady groove of good memories.
Western Magnetics is released by Hamilton Ontario’s Sonic Unyon Records. Described as shoegaze, but don’t be fooled, as demonstrated at the live show, this band could rapidly shift tempo into a raging punk fueled rock ‘n’ roll blow out. October 13th found the stage littered with physical evidence of sonic destruction by the end of the night.
- More Betty