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                                                  ____/  
Tower Of Song Canadian Culture E-zine

Editor: Mike Winter
                    mfw127@sparkle.usask.ca

Issue #2
September 26, 1994


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Table O' Contents
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||Introduction||                                     
||The Thunder Bay Scene ||                       ~ Michael Ball
||Reviews and Stuff                                   ~ Mike Winter/Electronaut
 Featuring::Music That Beavers Like
                :: Vinyl Up Yr Bum ||
||Sloan Article\Gig Review\Interview||       ~ Keith  Moen
||Tour Dates a Plenty||                               ~Various   
-
=-=--=-=-=-=
Introduction
=-=-=-=-=-=-

Well, welcome to the second issue of Tower of Song.  Please submit stuff
for the next issue, or even write me, as I would love to hear your
comments on this issue.  I would like a lot of diversity, Canada is a
big country, and the 'zine is a bit Saskatoon-centric right now.  If you want
to see the first issue, just e-mail me, and we should have a ftp site set
up by next issue.  Get yr voice heard. 

Late Breaking Bulletin: I now have a mailing list set up, by which you
can have future issues delievered to yr mailbox in a timely fashion!

To subscribe send a message to:    music-request@arts.usask.ca with the

message text:
subscribe music your-name

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thunder Bay's World Domination    By Michael Ball
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Thunder Bay. I think this city should be re-named to 'Break Up' city. It seams 
many of the good, promising bands have either broken up or fallen by the 
way-side. Those that have left us, Fat Like Dad, Cold Fusion, and Mobious, 
three of the most prominent and hopeful bands, have left a big void in the 
local scene. Local bar owner Frank of Crocks N' Rolls, agrees. "It seams like
there are no bands here any more" Frank quips as he sticks his head out of the 
Kitchen area. But alas, there is hope on the horizon, or tunes in the 
basement! Thunder Bay's best known band, Headcramp, has just released a full 
length CD titled 'Mind Blowing Beef-fest Spectacular' on Meathead Records. 
Distribution is handled by Cargo Records. The band had some bad luck this 
summer, as some of their equipment was stolen, delaying the tour. But rumour 
has it that A&R types are looking at the band. Good Luck! Another success is 
Mouth. After winning big at two contests, the band has made a full length 
album and hopes to have it out in the new year. Another spirited upstart is 
Love in Venice (see short bio following). LiV is in the studio recording the 
first single to be released on Meathead/Cargo Records and will have an album 
out in the spring. Look also for other young upstarts Julian to be making some 
waves soon. Are you happy Frank? Still the best place to play in Canada is 
found right in here in the Bay, Crocks N' Rolls. I think he is.
-

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Love In Venice: Who are those guys? And where did they get those hats?

     Formed in the ashes of a dying Thunder Bay music scene, Love in Venice
emerged like the Pheonix in the late summer of 1994. Consisting of songwriters
Mahlon Ward (voices) and Michael Ball (guitar), bassist Rob Hole (who secretly
is Gene Simmons - shhh!) and the rhythmic drumming of Arek Wojciechowski.
Combining powerful lyrics and strong emotion with an emphatic stage presence,
Mahlon Ward is a natural lead for the band. Charged enthusiasm, combined with
the members' unconventional music palettes, have created the Love in Venice
experience. 
     Love in Venice quickly emerged as a driving force. Playing at all levels
of the club scene, the band became popular for their high energy sound and 
near chaotic stage shows. The music is heavy on groove and strong on feel.
The very nature of the band and their music, with free flowing songs and
extended guitar playing, is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix or The Doors. Songs
like 'Ride the Eagle' and 'Horse' have a late sixties feel while 'Dream the
Unknown' is solid mosh music. The lyrical style is that of emotional
fragmented youths trying to make sense of the world and themselves.
     In the fall of 1994 the band will be releasing a single from Meathead
Records and distributed through Cargo Records. The song, 'Kool Kendra', will
be a lead-off single to an upcoming album. The album will contain only a 
sample of the prolific song writing of Love In Venice and is experimental
in many ways. Look for a January release and Cargo Records distibution.
     Music for themselves. Music for the people. Love in Venice.
     
     Touring, promotional and other information on the band can be made
through ballm@gov.on.ca or by contacting: Pandemonium Productions, 400 West
Arthur Street, Suite 5, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 5R2. Band info can also be
found on the 'SloanNet':     jrcovey+sloan@ac.dal.ca 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Reviews And Such  By Mike Winter
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

--
Eric's Trip _Gordon Street Haunting_

Chris, the guitarist for Eric's Trip, has talked about how the band
tries to distil an element of magic in all their recordings.  Rock
'n' Roll after all is a pagan pursuit.  The beauty of Eric's Trip
is that their noble pursuit is so often achieved, with a sound like
Sebadoh should have.  Following up _Love Tara_, the best album of
1993, _Gordon Street Haunting_ is a holdover release until their
new lp comes out on SubPop in the fall.  You can feel the magic of
the band in the ominous guitar squeal of 'I'm so Near Here' before
the power chords crash over you in pure danceable white noise.  Or
the haunting mystical melodies of 'Departure Song' and 'Lightly
Feeling'.  With this release Eric's Trip strengthens their position
as Canada's best band.
--------

Jale _Dreamcake_

After a series of great singles on Canadian labels such as
Cinnamon Toast and Derivative, Jale hit the bigtime this year,
signing with SubPop and releasing their debut LP _Dreamcake_.  To
resort to cheesy metaphors, _Dreamcake_  leaves the same impression
as the fluffy pink cake on the cover; nice to look at but not a
full meal.  I think I should like this album more then I do, there
are some great songs like 'Not Happy' 'Again' and 'Promise', but
for some reason a lot of the melodies and riffs don't' stick on me
the way their vinyl releases did.  At Jale's best they sound like
a more danceable Breeders, at their worst just bad girl-rock
sludge.  All in all, a pretty good album, if not quite up to their
potential, and I have a feeling that it will grow on me.
-
Triston Psionic _Sounds of Triston Psionic_

Sure, there's the sonic freakout at the beginning of  'Screamin' Beamin' and
the Daydream Nationy intro to 'The Nightmare Returns', but deep down these
fellers are all punk-pop despite their noisy aspirations.  After appearing
on a host of compliations and seven inchers, many on their self-run label
Sonic Unyon and a cross-country tour with Eric's Trip, the band finally got
ten songs together for this release.  The band is suprisingly tight and
really hit some highs on songs like '25 cents' 'Nightmare.."and 'Ketchup'
when the melodies groove and the chunky guitars really kick in.  All in all,
a durn fine release and definite promise of great things to come.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Music that Beavers Like    By the Electronaut
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hello hardy Canadians and friends of music everywhere.  This is a review 
column focusingexclusively on Canadian bands.  Call me biased, but I think the
canuck bands are among the best on the planet.  An let's be honest, the canuck
music scene is exploding with such force that the shrapnel is falling on all
four corners of the globe.  I'd like to think of myself as kind of a guide who
charts this glorious explosion by writing really long and hopefully somewhat
informative reviews on the plethora of great canuck bands currently making the
scene.  A good deal of my free time goes into music.  Listening to it, talking
about it, doing shows at the local community radio station, and buying and
selling it. 
 
------
Sister Lovers _Giver, the Official  Bootleg Album_

This is the blissful result of what you get when you mix one part Sister 
Lovers with one part strong alcoholic beverages an leave them to their
own devices in their basement recording studio. Right from the getgo 
'Vancouver's most fun loving pop band' rock out with the awe-inspiring
'Ritalin Kidz'.   If this tune doesn't have what it takes to be an anthem for
todays disenfranchised 20-somethings I don't know what does.  Other tunes of
note include 'It takes a certain kinda man to chain his wallet to his pants!
(Petey Wheatjeans comment on modern fashion),  'Tutti's Tits' (homage to the
lovable facts of life star) "Clap for the Nardwuar" (a tribute to everybody's
favourite Canuck dj) and covers "Crazy Nights" (bass player Jstar sings the
Beat's "Dreaming", which is hot stuff at CITR).  Any way you slice it, these
mutants of pop culture are a national treasure.  And speaking of pop culture,
guitarist Klienz recently dethroned the former kings of pop trivia, LA's
Redd Kross on Vancouver radio with a killer quiz.  GO CANADA!.  Anyhow,
_Giver_ is essential listening.  Buy this and I'll see you in musical heaven. 
Also look for a full length CD which they are currently recording,
tentatively called 'Carnivorous Plants'  

Horrifying Circus Music
PO Box 78069
2606 Commercial Dr.
Vancouver, BC
V5N 5W1


--
Smugglers _Wet Pants Club_

Ah, the Smugglers.  The an that put the ass in Canadian Ambassadors.  To
be frank, I love the Smugglers.  Their illustrious recording history
includes:appearing on the first four releases of Nardwuar Records, a full
length for Seattle's Pop Llama records and then a retrospective album
featuring lots of old and some new stuff, and a great 7" for Mint records
(not to mention a split 7" with the Hoods, an appearance on Puck Rock
Vol. 1 and an EP for Spain's Radiation Records). To get to the point, all of
this aforementioned only serve to inflate the giant, powerful Smugglers
balloon that has hovered ominously over the Canadian music scene for
years.  Their new full-length kind of deflates the balloon, making it a little
flaccid.  Don't get me wrong, _Wet Pants_ isn't a bad album, it just doesn't
live up to previous efforts.

Problems:

a.  There are no Dave Carswell rockers like 'Your Mom's the Devil' or
'Superstar'
b.  Too many covers.  'Big House' is good but 'Pacificia Stomp', 'Luau' an
'Lies' aren't too hot, and  Kiss like a Nun has already been released.

I like 'Time Marches On', 'Mach 1','Surrender'and 'Amnesia' a lot, but
there's' just too much filler on this album.  If you're a fan of the band, this
album is worth having for the hilarious liner notes by Nardwaur, a rad
silhouette drawing by Robynn Iwata of Cub, an a candid of 'les Schmugs'on
a scary log ride.  If you're a first time listener, I would recommend getting
'In the Hall of Fame' or'Prty Pooper ! 7'  They kick butt!

Radiation Records
Ado.1427
48080 Bilbao
Spain

---------

Tristan Psionic  _Songs of Tristan Psionic_

The good news about songs is that the production is such that the bands
great live feeling is allowed to come blasting through your speakers.
honestly, T. Psionic is the most incredible live band!  When they pased
through S'toon at the beginning of the summer with Eric's Trip and played
at our local punk all age club, their set got me dancing like such a fool that
all the locals who didn't think T. Psionic were hardcore enough wanted to
pound the snot out of me.

While these guys are definitely disciples of Sonic Youth, they're not ripoffs
in any way.  They take frenzied, eking, fuzzy guitar experimentation an
wield it into kinda melodic, pretty darn catchy songs.

Plus Tristan psionic deserves utter respect by any proud Canuck because
two members of the band are also head honchos of the great new Sonic
Unyon label which is a collective of sorts that is responsible for helping a
lot of bands put out their music that otherwise would not get heard
outside of Ontario.. Which is cool.

Sonic Unyon
PO box 57347
Jackson Station
Hamilton, On
L8P 4X2

---------
DBS _Catch 22_

In a world where cheesy Epitath bands like Offspring represent punk music
to the majority of the country, it's refreshing to see that not all of our
youthhave been corrupted by SoCal sap.  These fifteen year olds from
North Van thatk eusch a lightheared approach to their tunes tat you'll find
yourself chukling an singing along with songs like 'runaway','cheating at
solitaire','lalala' and 'wayout'.  DBS can't stand bands who take themselves
too serioulsy or use their shows\records as a vehicle to express their
political beliefs.  Instea, they sing about 'girls,dead bodies,ex-girlfriends'.
Another neat thing about the ban is that while they fall  best into the
category of harcore, they don't have that generic monotonous 'every song
sound the same' sound.  This is due to the various semi-silly subject matter,
an realy quirky, cool, surprisingly talented gutiar playing.  Punk dittys
about best friends who move away and people who realize that  cheating at
solitaire is wrong are a rollicking good time.

Jes @ 980-5202
-------

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Vinyl Up Yr Bum
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
-------
Ten Days Later _Go With the Flow_ 7"

Oh yah, Ten Days late is "that other all-female band from Vancouver." 
While the band may not receive as much media attention as Cub, that
doesn't stop them from rocking out.  Take peppy, driving, somewhat punky
guitars, throw in a singer who is so melodic,she could single handedly get
the band a deal with K records if she wanted to, ada pinch of fun lyrics and
sing along choruses, an you'll have a pretty good idea of whatTen Days
Late sounds like.  Checkout how the label art on the b-side magically
transforms the little pole on your record player into a naughty private part. 
(Rude? Vulgar? Crass? Totally.  Good fun? Definitely!)

Lark Records
PO Box 162
916 W. Broadway
Vancouver BC
V5Z 1K7

-Electronaut
------
Kat Rocket _Coffee Shop Philosophers_ 7"

A nice slab of vinyl from this Ontario four piece, apparently in advance of
an upcoming long player.  English-style guitar (when IS the new MBV
coming out anyways) flows nicely with the standard issue haunting female
vocalist.  The a-side is a protest song about Bosnia that, suprisingly,
doesn't come off as trite, while the b-side is a nicely atmosphereic tale of
broken love.  Reccomened

Hoodwink Records
256 Betty Ann Drive
Willowdale, Ont.
M2R 1AB
-Mike


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Me, Myself, and Sloan   By Keith Moen
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Preview
Sloan/Thrush Hermit
Thursday, September 15, 1994
Louis' Pub, University of Saskatchewan




As a youngster, I vividly recall watching Toni Basil perform 
her then new single "Mickey" on American Bandstand. Sitting in my 
pajamas on that Saturday morning, eating Honeycomb cereal, I was 
inspired. I knew I was hearing something special, something that 
would endure, something that regardless of how hokey it was, was 
here to stay. 

I also recall getting an unmarked tape a few years ago from a 
friend who is a live sound engineer based out of Vancouver. He had 
just returned from a tour of the West Coast and had spent 
considerable time in both Los Angeles and Seattle meeting with 
industry professionals and musicians. He claimed to have happened 
upon a band from Seattle whom he felt were going to be the next 
big thing. Over the next several weeks I listened to the cassette 
of this unnamed band regularly and found it to be hook-filled 
power pop, and decided the first song had anthem potential. I then 
lost this nameless band's tape and, although I wondered who they 
were from time to time, never pursued a replacement copy. Months 
later this anthem song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and the band 
Nirvana were tearing through the pop charts and redefining the 
musical landscape for a generation.

The emotional impact each of the above musical experiences had 
on me is comparable to my feeling upon first listening to Sloan's 
latest effort Twice Removed  (DGC Records). The album is well-
crafted but not crafty; precise without pretension; a calculated 
gamble for the band without a calculated feel. It is pure guitar-
based pop, as pop once was, and as pop will be Q and has already 
begun to become Q again. It is a strong and diverse effort, and 
one which will either bring the Halifax band a whole new legion of 
fans (and the lucrative U.S. market), or undermine existing 
support of fans unwilling to evolve with the band. There is no 
doubt Sloan has grown since the release of its debut album Smeared 
in 1992.

"We're four distinct songwriters evolving at four different 
rates and in four separate directions," says bassist and vocalist 
Chris Murphy. "Some people look at that as a problem but we see it 
as being democratic. It's also volatile. Fortunately, we channel 
that potential for an explosion into the music." Twice Removed is 
clearly a tribute to the band's ability to write separately but 
work collectively. The process that tears many bands apart seems 
to add a vigour and energy to Sloan's music. It has served the 
band well. 

The strength, quality, and maturity of the song-writing also 
seems to be a major difference between the debut and sophomore 
albums. Guitarist Patrick Pentland says that while the songs on 
Smeared were done in true garage rock fashion, the songs on Twice 
Removed were mostly written in relaxed and personal settings, and 
on acoustic guitar. It is natural, then, that the resulting album 
is light and stripped down compared to the loud guitars and 
fuzzbox riffing which characterize Smeared. 

Band members claim their experiences of the last two years are 
featured prominently in the lyrics on Twice Removed. During that 
time band has toured extensively in Canada, Europe and the United 
States, and established their own record label, Murderecords, 
based in Halifax. The label has released E.P.'s by Eric's Trip, 
Hardship Post, and Thrust Hermit, who are the opening act on 
Sloan's current tour. Murderecords is also marketing a limited 
edition vinyl release of Twice Removed. "We can't help but rant 
and rave about what's happened in the last two years. It's true to 
our lives," Pentland says. 

Although comparisons are unfair and often misleading, Sloan was 
categorized  by many when Smeared was released and criticized for 
hopping on the grunge bandwagon. Twice Removed is ample evidence 
that many of those original complaints were unfounded, or at least 
pidgeon-holed a band with loftier talents and aspirations. 
Strangely enough, though, even more comparisons are now being 
drawn with the release of the new album. Drawing from the 
foundations of pop/rock music, there are echoes of the Beatles and 
early Rolling Stones. More modern comparisons include the 
Pretenders (is it just me or does Jay Ferguson sound just like 
Chrissie Hynde on "I Hate My Generation"), Lou Reed, XTC, and 
Matthew Sweet. Comparisons have even focused on guitarist Jay 
Ferguson's suggested resemblance to Mick Jagger and Murphy's 
resemblance to Jim Morrison. All things considered, the band is 
sharing some fine musical company.

Anyone who has seen Sloan perform and is now fearing an 
"unplugged" style concert can set those fears aside. There are 
clear signs in several of the songs on Twice Removed ("Pen Pals," 
"Worried Now," "Coax Me") that they will fit right in to a live 
set known to keep limbs flailing on the dance floor. Commenting on 
the difference between the album and a live show, Pentland says: 
"These are the songs (on the album) that we wrote the way that we 
wanted to present them. If we are going out on some limb, well 
that is what makes playing and writing in a band satisfying and 
fun. Come and see us play, that is the only cool aspect of the 
band as far as I'm concerned." 

--------

Sloan with opening act Thrust Hermit plays Thursday, September 
15, at Louis'. 



Before Sloan's performance at Louis' on Thursday, September 15, 
I had a chance to speak with guitarist Jay Ferguson about 
influences, the new album, and the current tour. 

Sheaf: "How has the tour been going so far and what has the crowd 
reaction been like to the new album?"
Jay: "It's been all right. This is the fifth show   unfortunately 
it's not all ages   but the last time we played in Saskatoon the 
club was full and it was fun. The crowd response to the new record 
has been great and we are essentially playing sold-out shows right 
across Canada."

Sheaf: "Are you enjoying the same success in the United States?"
Jay: "It's great in the mid-West and good on the coasts. In places 
like Boston, Detroit, Washington D.C., and San Francisco were get 
the same sort of response as we do in Canada. The shows in the 
South, particularly the swing through Texas, Louisiana, and 
Alabama is hard. We still play a lot of small clubs there."

Sheaf: "What's your favourite part of being in a band?"
Jay: "The live shows are really fun, but touring is long and 
stressful. I like recording and I like staying at home. We have 
our own record label   Murderecords   which we work on a lot and 
that's my favourite thing."

Sheaf: "So the band is your job then?"
Jay: "I haven't had a job in two and a half years. This is 
basically all I've done and it's great. It's been my total dream 
since I was five years old. After seeing Kiss on t.v. and buying 
Destroyer  this is what I've wanted to do."

Sheaf: "The new album Twice Removed has a lot more refined sound 
than the debut Smeared.  I expect this is due to working with a 
producer and in a studio."
Jay: "Right. We basically just knocked off the first one in our 
friend's bedroom, and added bits a pieces later on evenings and 
weekends. This one was sort of like our first real album in a real 
studio. We actually planned out all the songs, and it took a long 
time for arrangements and pre-production. We did demos by 
ourselves at home and had our producer, Jim Rondonelli, come to 
Halifax to help us practice and whip us into shape. Then we went 
to New Jersey for three months to record the album."

Sheaf: "What was it like working with a real producer for the 
first time?"
Jay: "At times it was a little hard because the four of us are 
pretty headstrong as to what we want. It was all right having him 
around; he helped us get sounds and things like that. At times it 
was frustrating and I'm sure it was frustrating for him working 
with us. There were a lot of clashes but he was good at being the 
politician between us and the record company."

Sheaf: "Did the four of you stay pretty unified as far as your 
goals for the album?"
Jay: "Pretty much. There was a lot of not fighting or anything but 
back and forth in the pre-production stages. Not necessarily about 
what songs we should record but how they should be approached and 
things like that. I feel the four of us had been ironed out before 
we went into the studio."

Sheaf: "Did you take those songs into the studio written 
individually or collectively?"
Jay: Most of it is either done by one person or two people; it 
sort of depends on the song. But there is not usually a lot of 
four-way collaboration. It's not like "Hey, I've got a riff, let's 
jam." There's nothing like that. 

Sheaf: "Did that happen with the first album?"
Jay: "Peppermint and Smeared were both recorded at the same time. 
For that session we didn't have any idea; we just went in and 
recorded. It wasn't as planned out. If someone wanted to lay some 
more guitars on it, we tried it. We went in and recorded a ton of 
stuff and for mixing we'd just add some guitar here and take some 
guitar away there, then build it up. With this record we pretty 
much had the idea of all the parts before we went in. So this one 
was a lot more planned. The first one was just a total free-for-
all, basically."

Sheaf: "How do you feel about the comparisons that have been drawn 
in response to the new album between Sloan and early Rolling 
Stones, the Beatles, the Pretenders, XTC, and other very 
traditional pop/rock bands?"

Jay: "That's fine. I love those bands and those records. Twice 
Removed is a bit more traditional and straightforward than our 
last record. It's straightforward but it is also sort of all over 
the place. I like a lot of variety when I listen to a record. I 
don't like the same thing repeated twelve times like on a Smashing 
Pumpkins record. I don't mind those comparisons at all because I 
love all of those bands."

Sheaf: "All of you guys must have grown up listening to those 
records, particularly the late seventies/early eighties music."
Jay: "I did, but not the other guys. We all grew up listening to 
Kiss. After that Chris was totally into Rush and all that stuff. 
Then in grade ten he got his head turned around by Minor Threat 
and American hardcore. Patrick and Andrew grew up listening to 
Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, but Andrew was also into Bauhaus, 
Joy Division, and things like that. I don't know how many of them 
were Jam fans. I don't think Patrick was. He was into metal and 
AC/DC a lot , but he was also into the Cure, Sisters of Mercy, and 
the Cult. I started working in a record store when I was twelve, 
and my boss was a huge Pretenders fan. I also knew all these older 
guys who hung around the store who were really into the Jam and 
the Specials. I didn't know anything about those records but I'd 
buy them and go home and listen to them. So most of my influences 
come from hanging around a record store when I was twelve and 
thirteen years old."

Sheaf: "How does it feel to be compared looks-wise to Mick 
Jagger?"
Jay: "I've gotten that a few times; I think it's my new haircut. 
My girlfriend cut my hair just before we went to do our new video 
(for the song "Coax Me"). I had been watching the video for the 
Jam's "A Town Called Malice" and I decided I wanted my hair like 
that, so I guess it kind of ended up as a hybrid."

Sheaf: "What do you think of the video?"
Jay: "The whole thing was our idea, basically, and we just got a 
bunch of money to do it. It was inspired by a bootleg I have of 
the Rolling Stones playing on Top of the Pops in 1967. We tried to 
emulate all of the camera moves. But MuchMusic hates it. They put 
it in an optional rotation, so programmers only play it if they 
want to. They played it a bit when we first handed it in, but then 
it really tailed off. We shot it on video, which I think annoyed 
them a bit, and they said we looked really bored in it. We're 
really happy with it though."

Sheaf: "What's next when this tour is over?"
Jay: "The Canadian tour we're on now goes for eight weeks. Then 
we'll go home, and we'll be going to Europe either in November or 
just after Christmas. We have a few new songs in the works, and 
there's always a lot to do with Murderecords.  It'll be busy." 

------


Review: Sloan with Thrush Hermit
Louis'
Thursday, September 15, 1994


Sloan loosens up for crowd-pleasing 
performance

On Thursday, September 15, Halifax band Sloan took to the stage 
at Louis' in front of a packed house for an evening of energetic 
and entertaining music. 

The performance was centered on material from their new album 
Twice Removed. The crowd was also treated, though, to a number of 
cuts off of the band's debut album Smeared.  Although the dance 
floor was essentially full for the entire set, it reached overflow 
levels during Sloan classics "Underwhelmed" and "I am the Cancer." 

The show opened with a rousing and comical introduction by 
Thrust Hermit bassist Ian McGettigan. Sloan then ripped into a 
relaxed but heavy-sounding version of "Pen Pals," the lead track 
on Twice Removed.  This loose but true approach to the songs 
remained throughout the performance. 

The concert also featured excellent versions of "Bells On," 
"Coax Me," and "Deeper Than Beauty," all featured on Twice 
Removed.  Perhaps the most memorable song of the night, other than 
"Underwhelmed" which worked the crowd into a complete frenzy, was 
drummer Andrew Scott's "People of the Sky." Scott came out front 
to play guitar, while guitarist Jay Ferguson moved to bass and 
Chris Murphy moved to drums. The song was both funny and catchy, 
and will be the second single from Twice Removed.

The high point of the evening which essentially everyone 
missed, unfortunately, was Sloan's pre-show sound check. Due to 
several technical problems, the check was lengthy but thus 
provided the band with the opportunity to have some fun. In the 
very relaxed atmosphere of the empty bar, the bad cut into several 
tunes including U2's "Seconds," Joe Jackson's "Pretty Boys," and 
the Who classic "Tommy." They also did masterful renditions of 
"Coax Me," "Worried Now," and a hilarious version of "People of 
the Sky." It was a treat to see a band obviously enjoying each 
other, and having a great time.  

Thrush Hermit opened the show with a solid and tight if 
unspectacular set. Although still quite young (a couple of members 
are just a year out of high school), they performed like wily 
veterans. Their sound seemed similar to that of the headliners, 
but rooted more in American than British pop/rock music. 
Comparisons that came to mind during the performance included some 
of the more interesting Cheap Trick and the Buzzcocks. Although 
the crowd on the whole seemed somewhat disinterested in their set, 
the response was good given it was Thrush Hermit's first visit to 
Saskatoon. Expect good things to come from the band.

--
S>U>B
P<O<P

Sub Pop On the Road, 09/20/94
For more information contact Joyce Linehan at joycel@subpop.com



Eric's Trip
-----------
Booking agent: Contact Sub Pop East

October
2    Halifax Pop Explosion, Halifax, NS


Jale
----
Booking agent: Boche, Billions Booking

September
28   Halifax Pop Explosion, Halifax, NS
October
6    Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
7    The Stone Pony, Ashbury Park, NJ
8    CBGB, New York, NY
9    Local 186, Allston, MA
11   The Grogge Shoppe, Clevland Heights, OH
12   Double Door, Chicago, IL
21   Bogart's, Cincinnati, OH
23   Stache's, Columbus, OH
27   Cicero's, St. Louis, MO
28   Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS
29   The Blue Note, Columbia, MO


              :::: S A B R E   T O U Q U E   r e c o r d s ::::

                           proudly presents ...

                   ADAM WEST's Brunswick Hotel Tour...

September 24        ADAM WEST @ the Commodore, Vancouver, BC
September 25        ADAM WEST @ Harpo's, Victoria, BC
September 27        ADAM WEST @ the Bronx, Edmonton, AL
September 28        ADAM WEST @ the Republic, Calgary, AL
September 29        ADAM WEST @ Saskatoon, somewhere, details when I get them
October   4         ADAM WEST @ Crocks and Rolls, Thunder Bay, ON             


 excerpted from P. W. Casual's Gig Listings. finger pwcasual@io.org
 for further listings ( ...and the update to the elusive Sask. date
 cited above)



The following is a list of the Canadian performances for Loreena McKennit's Fall '94
North American Tour:

Oct. 26-28     Stratford, ON       Avon Theater
Oct. 29        Banff, AB      To be confirmed
Oct. 30        Calgary, AB         Jack Singer Concert Hall
Oct. 31        Edmonton, AB        Jubilee Auditorium
Nov. 06,07     Toronto, ON         Massey Hall
Nov. 08        Ottawa, ON          National Arts Center
Nov. 10        Montreal, PQ        Place des Arts
Nov. 21        Halifax, NS         Rebecca Cohn Theater
Nov. 22        Charlottetown, PEI  Confederation Center
Nov. 23        St. John, NB        Imperial Theater
Nov. 25,26     Quebec City, PQ          Le Grand Theatre
Dec. 08        Vancouver, BC       Queen Elizabeth Theater

For American tour dates, or for further info on the above dates,
call 1-800-361-7959.











 
