BeatRoute Magazine Alberta print e-edition - Feb. 2016

livereviews
Calgary Songs Project
#1 Royal Canadian Legion
January 15, 2016
Every seat and most of the standing room at the #1
Legion was full on January 15thfor the Calgary Songs
Project, a celebration of local songwriters who have
made an impact on the Calgary music community over
the last 30 years.
Tied in with the 30th anniversary of High Performance
Rodeo, the show featured a lineup of several
local artists from a range of genres playing covers of
influential Calgary songs. Napalmpom, Forbidden Dimension,
The Von Zippers, The Shiverettes, Tom Phillips
and the Union Choir all took the stage to share why
these songs were special to them and to perform their
own signature version of the tune.
A high point in the show was watching the crowd
flock to the dance floor for Tom Phillips’ cover of The
Dudes classic “Dropkick Queen of the Weekend.” The
band made an abrupt switch from the more mellow
country vibe, cranked up the tempo and went into rock
and roll mode. All the acts were phenomenal, but this
high energy cover really set the tone for the rest of an
excellent night.
• review and photos: Jodi Brak
Elder, Chron Goblin, Woodhawk
The Palomino
January 9, 2016
Packing a bang more potent than a brisket basted in
Monster Energy Drink, this sold-out Saturday night affair
attracted the usual suspects, despite the dipping mercury,
to celebrate general manager Arlen Smith’s birthday. And
what better way to pay homage to the painted-pony’s
resident pit-king than with a basement party complete
with legendary psych-rock outfit Elder?
Calgarian riff-riders Woodhawk kicked off the proceedings,
hitting all the gritty notes with their raucous
roadhouse metal. Propane and Jack flowed freely as the
golden western trio woke all them witches with their
thematic rock fury.
Next up, Chron Goblin proved, once again, that they
know how to fit any audience right into their pocket.
Exceptional musicianship was displayed in the presence
of their headlining idols; an attentive crowd calling for
more of pneumonia-plagued singer Sandulak’s raspy
howls in the mix.
Main course, Boston’s Elder pushed the festivities into
overdrive and the wee hours of the night, with extended
jams that blended seamlessly from one harmonious
blues-rock meltdown to the next. Glasses were raised
even as Elder’s devastatingly melodic vortex pulled their
all-too-willing victims under.
• Christine Leonard
photo: Mario Montes
56 | FEBRUARY 2016 • BEATROUTE
The Revival, Miesha and the Spanks
The Gateway
January 15, 2015
Calgary garage-rock duo Miesha and the
Spanks and five-piece Winnipeg electro-rock
band The Revival filled the minds
of the small but engaged crowd with energetic,
catchy tunes on Friday, January 15th
at the Gateway.
Miesha and the Spanks kicked off the
show with an older alternative feel, reminding
this reviewer of the vocal stylings of
Brody Dalle from The Distillers and like a
less punky version of the powerful Bikini
Kill vocalist, Kathleen Hanna.
The pair played a 30-minute set filling it
with about nine toe-tapping, head-banging
songs.
The headliners came out with a powerful
force of electronic beats mixed with a solid
hard rock sound, making the crowd interested
right off the bat.
They played a 14-track set, including a
drum solo and two covers: Wolfmother’s
popular decade-old track, “Joker and the
Thief,” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”
— both of which were covered beautifully.
Lead vocalist, Kevin Hogg, was energetic
and a joy to watch and listen to from
start to finish and filled the set with long,
impressive notes and several head bangs
and hair flips.
At the end of the loud, energetic show,
the crowd seemed pleased, hanging out and
buzzing about the show they just watched.
The bands made a good impression and the
crowd probably would have hung around if
the show was an hour longer.
• review and photo: Andrea Hrynyk