NIK TURNER'S HAWKWIND, WITCH MOUNTAIN, HEDERSLEBEN

NIK TURNER'S HAWKWIND - VENUE - tiina liimu photo

The Venue - September 26, 2014 

Space Ritualized:

Much to the chagrin of fellow original member, Dave Brock, there have been a few sects of Hawkwind. One of which is Nik Turner’s Hawkwind, not to be confused with "the" Hawkwind (which is fronted by Brock), who played to an eager audience of gamblers. A risktaking crowd, not sure what to expect.

Hawkwind’s backing band starting off the evening aka Oakland California’s, Hedersleben, who were no slouches in the psyche, ambient, space rock realm. When Nik joined these three guys and two girls, magic filled the Venue. Hit after hit from the early Hawkwind albums were assailed onto the startled audience. From classics like “Brain Storm,” to “Time That We Left The World Today,” which sounded bang on, considering Mr. Turner is a 74-year man.

ART BERGMANN, THE COURTNEYS, C.R. AVERY

ART BERGMANN - Commodore Ballroom - tiina liimu photo

Commodore Ballroom - September 6, 2014 

After a lengthy “retirement” Canada's punk rock poet laureate Art Bergmann seems to have reclaimed his muse. Driven by his own anger, passion, exile, and bitterness, Bergmann is packing enough vitriol and vengeance to lay waste to pretty much any current artist who dare cross his path. On the heels of a killer batch of new tunes featured on his 2014 EP release Songs for the Underclass, his recent Commodore Ballroom performance found Bergmann fronting a crack band featuring guitarists Steven Drake & Alex Varty, bassist Kevin Lucks, drummer Jon Card and - for my money the evening's secret weapon – Paul Rigby on “Sleepy Pete Kleinow” steel guitar and occasional mandolin.

CROWBAR

Zack Smith photo

NOLA brothers fight the good fight

Make no mistake; Crowbar is Kirk Windstein’s band. As vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter, it is his baby, vision, and his mission. Windstein recently made the bold leap from the commercially successful band Down to concentrate on Crowbar and allow it consume his life once again. With a history that dates back to the eighties, Crowbar hits the road with what might be his favourite line-up yet. “All the members are in sync,” confirms Windstein.

POISON IDEA

Kings of punk ride again

"Mötley Crüe wrote books about abusing women and shit, we could just write a book about abusing each other," says Jerry A. of Poison Idea, their long-standing front man. He sheds some light on the infamous Portland, Oregon hardcore punk band, their sordid history and lineup changes. Still active and significant since the band’s 1983 inception, the singer has a lot to say.

DEATH SENTENCE

Live to die

With a near riot at the 1984 Shindig contest and apparently a beer can to the MC’s head, the notorious Death Sentence garners a second-place spot. This reckoning force of Vancouver’s hardcore and second wave punk is now a name synonymous with early Canadian punks D.O.A. and the Subhumans. Keep in mind that Death Sentence was bottled fed in the cradle of a Burnaby haunted house and that upbringing that would come to foreshadow their tumultuous ride. This band would emerge swinging with the ferocity and danger of what a live show should be. “Their tour shenanigans would make Mötley Crüe blush,” says drummer Doug Donut.

The trail of their recording history includes the 1984 demo with two tracks on the celebrated Undergrowth compilation, collaboration with Collector's RPM Undergrowth label led to the 1985 EP Not a Pretty Sight. After touring and sold out local dates, they recorded the 1987 full length Stop Killing Me! for Fringe Records. A 1989 metallic and rock tinged demo titled "Girls, Guns & Guitars" was recorded but never released.

AZODANUM

An unshakable story is spelled out

British Columbia metal passed through a doom, stoner and sludge filter can only stir up a legitimately lethal substance. This is a story of a side project’s rehearsal-demo tape with two members of stoner trio, Mendozza playing musical chairs. In chapter one, Norm jumps from bass to guitar and Deuce wants to get back to some drumming.

SUBCULTURE SEPTEMBER

So I was asked this month to comment on all things booze. BeatRoute wanted my experiences about drinking at shows, whether booze makes the gig experience and the music seem better. From my perspective this has been the hardest nine months of my life. Being newly sober and working in a bar.

I find myself easily annoyed. So much so, that in the first few months after I quit the sauce, I'd turn into a pumpkin at midnight. I'd pay the bands and I was out the door.

BORIS

Miki Matsushima photo

the discordant and the beauty

If this volume and genre-defying trio, Boris, holds one constant, it can be described as intensity. The July 2014 album, Noise is the most recent to be added to their prodigious output. “Your noise, my music,” is a phrase dropped by drummer/vocalist Atsuo as he takes a moment to discuss the creative process of this recording. He will be touring with his other two prolific counterparts guitarist/vocalist Wata and Takeshi on bass, guitar and vocals.

Boris is a band that manages to keep their fans and themselves guessing.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY

Old punks, new tricks

With new album IX dropping earlier this past July, Corrosion of Conformity consistently accomplishes to span the divide of the weightiest of genres. An alliance rooted firmly in their moment and craft, they are a band that will live forever and play forever. A legitimate feat as they’ve been through the ringer - from being underground icons, to toying with the mainstream, to having even no status at all and back again. Having countless record deals, both big and small, and still they stand. With a revolving door of personnel changes while jumping genres from punk, metal, stoner and everything in between, proves that nothing can kill them. They still stand amongst the wreckage of the ever-changing musical landscape bucking at all the trends.

BURGERFEST 2014

More burgers, bands and beers!

This heaping slab of party stacks up with punk, metal, RNR, grindcore, indie, noise and doom smoking hard on the local grill. Four summers in the making this all-day, all-night homegrown fest merges four coordinators from Vancouver’s live music scene: Scotty Bartlett, Johnny Matter, Taser Fraser and Mitch Ray. A party that began as a last minute idea with a BBQ, ten bands with members of NUN UN, Hole in My Head and Submerged studios. “We had about 100 people in attendance by the end of the night everybody went home very stoked,” explains Bartlett, one the “originals” behind the very first event.

SUBCULTURE AUGUST

(ellipses still intact!)

I was chuckling recently about a new promoter’s Facebook thread titled “What do I need to tell opening bands about show etiquette?”… Some of the answers were hilarious and pretty standard… For instance… Stick to a 30-minute set… I understand you’re excited to finally get a show but I’ve had opening bands jam out for an hour… Not only does that screw up set times, it makes the other bands, sound guy and promoter have an instant dislike for your band… Only your family and friends are enjoying your shit after the 40-minute point in the set… I loathe when I have to interject and say, “Get the fuck off the stage”…

Another gem was the dreaded gear changeover… I’ve had non-newbie bands that are guilty of this debacle… The crowd is wondering after 20 minutes if the show is over because it’s taking so long… How many times have you actually struck your gear… Maybe that needs to be practiced at one of your jam sessions…

SHOUT BACK! FESTIVAL 2014

Jon Vincent photo

Doing it together

With so many festivals happening this summer and you haven’t found one to go to yet – maybe this is the one. The Shout Back! Festival is an anti-capitalist, DIY, feminist, punk festival happening this August 7-10. It is organized by and for gay, trans, queer, people of colour, indigenous and/or women artists and is a celebration in smashing patriarchy. The Shout Back! Festival is a full weekend of workshops, art, live music and an anarchist book fair. With around 50 performers and bands coming as far as Texas (Thingy) and locals like Channel 3X4, there will be something for everyone, (all ages gigs using mostly venues that are accessible spaces) well, almost everyone.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, NOMMO OGO, NECK OF THE WOODS

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - VENUE - tiina liimu photo

The Venue - July 13, 2014


Wolves in the Throne Room (WITTR), a Washington black metal duo, released Celestite, an experimental synthesizer album on July 8th and followed with a North American tour. Nommo Ogo, a California psychedelic electronic band and Vancouver's own Neck of the Woods (NOTW) were also on the bill.

SEPTICFLESH, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, BLACK CROWN INITIATE, NECRONOMICON

SEPTICFLESH - Rickshaw Theatre -  tiina liimu photo

The Rickshaw Theatre - July 4, 2014 

Conquerors of the World Tour arrived at the Rickshaw lead by Septicflesh from Greece and Fleshgod Apocalypse from Italy.

Black Crown Initiate, a progressive metal band from Reading, Pennsylvania, and Necronomicon, a blackened death metal band from Montreal started the night.“Stench of the Iron Age,” a track from Black Crown Initiate’s first EP, was being played when I found my way to the stage. It began slowly with a beautiful guitar riff and clean vocals but surged into death growls and fast drums. This band knows how to create a balance and the crowd dug it.

SUNDAY MORNING

R.D. Cane photo

Waking up to a new band!

The words “Sunday Morning” may conjure up many images. Waking up in an unfamiliar bed after a distorted Saturday night or be it a slow and gentle sunrise at home, a spiritual experience or be it a sermon of the word. How do two old friends and members of Vancouver’s confrontational ‘90s powerhouse Tankhog rise up to a new musical project? A band recognized by a notorious reputation for onstage and tour havoc. What comes of this, takes on a fateful twist.