Sunday, March 06, 2011

From Start to finish

Last night made me feel very clever. Not because I applied any extra brainpower to anything yesterday, but because I got to walk around in the galoshes I bought a couple of years ago. Gigantic puddles, I mock thee! As for the musical portion of the evening, I started things off at Zaphod Beeblebrox with a trio of previously unseen and unheard of bands (at least by me).

The Start was playing as I walked into Zaphod's. In fact, it was almost the end of their set; they were playing Tainted Love (a version that owed more to Soft Cell than the Gloria Jones original ... notice the shoulder synthesizer in the snap below), before moving onto the Kinks You Really Got Me. Yes, The Start are a cover band with a love of all things English (though apparently they sneak in a non-U.K. ringer on occasion), ranging up to relatively recent acts like The Arctic Monkeys, though they seem to favour the 1960s and 1970s (judging by their setlist, I'd missed The Stones' Miss You and tunes by The Jam and Elvis Costello).

The Start at Zaphod Beeblebrox
The Start at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 5, 2011

Up next were local trio Move Your Mountain; they call themselves powerpop and included a cover of Big Star's Thirteen in their set list; they also have a tune called Electric Booty and very busy bassist, and I hear a bit of post-punk funk in their sound. You can't quite tell from this picture, but former Four Frames/Mouthpiece singer - and later still Boom Creek drummer - mans the skins for this trio. Testuro Takara plays bass.

Move Your Mountain at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Move Your Mountain at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 5, 2011

Here's singer Kevin Ochal.

Move Your Mountain at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Move Your Mountain at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 5, 2011

Brainhunter wrapped things up. I sense a definite Misfits influence in the bands pop culture monster mash, though musically they've absorbed a few more modern influences. They also say they like their psychobilly ... I guess the fashion influence is there, but since I didn't catch their whole set I'll withhold judgment on that score.

Brainhunter at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Brainhunter at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 5, 2011

Here's guitarist Shareef Shabazz, decked out in zombie-friendly duds, and the band's swanky banner.

Brainhunter at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Brainhunter at Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 5, 2011

I actually popped over to Cafe DeKcuf for the en of the night. I hoped to catch Monobrow and Flying Fortress and got 50% of what I wished for. Monobrow played an absolutely killer set of instrumental heavy metal sure to delight the ears of fans of Sons of Otis and similar acts.

Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf
Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf, March 5, 2011

And here's guitarist Paul Slater and a lot of shutter-nonsense.

Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf
Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf, March 5, 2011

Unfortunately Flying Fortress cancelled due to the weather - a wise move with the ice making traffic very dicey.

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