Ready for takeoff

407My estimation of In-Flight Safety's talents have gone up in the wake of their Mavericks show. Their melodic rock isn't my favourite flavour of R'n'R - I prefer somewhat less conventional brands - but even at my grumpiest I enjoy their energetic live show and songwriting. I enjoyed their performance much more than their Bluesfest show, perhaps because the songs from their new album, We Were An Empire, My Dear are better than earlier material, and because it's just more fun to see stuff in a club (for me, anyway), even if the audience was kind of small.

John Mullane - there seems to be a lot of musical Mullanes passing through town.



By the time I got around to this photo of bassist Brad Goodsell it was pretty clear I'd be using my flash before the night was through.



Yup, this photo of Daniel Ledwell is definitely clearer, if somewhat less evocative.



Glen Nicholson drums stoically.



Rocking action!



They had another guy on stage to fill out the guitar sounds - I'm going to presume this is David Casey of Gloryhound, who had the job back in February.



More rocking action!



Rhythm section faceoff action!



They're back in their Halifax redoubt, but another cross-Canada jaunt is planned for the fall.

• Show reminder: Civet, Doll, Ladymilk, Al-Kinda, International Maniac Institute and Silvergun & Spleen rock Mavericks; Wrist Pain, The Famines and Fucked Corpse show a little tongue at Irene's; Claudia, The Scarlett Fever and The Way Out play Zaphod's. Ray Harris is holding a CD Release Party at the Elmdale House.