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Album Review: Fake Shark Real Zombie – Liar

February 14th, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Music by Editor in Chief

Album Review: Fake Shark Real Zombie
Liar
Light Organ, Universal Music

The structure of music forces artists to fit into small boxes, each one lined with the well-versed definitions of genre specifications. These guidelines can create the best of the best to rise above the rest but, in certain situations, can impede the brilliance of artists to shine to their full potential. The essential part of any band at the beginning of their careers is to know where they stand musically, but when they can finally destroy that box, that solid genre structure that closes them in forcibly, than true growth happens. Growing pains are just that, painful, and none have experienced the beauty of being broken and built up again musically then Vancouver’s dynamic Fake Shark Real Zombie, led by the chaotically charismatic Kevvy Mental.

The band’s long awaited third album is just that: a long time coming for FSRZ fans. Stacked tall with eighteen songs, “Liar” reads like an open diary of the band’s, more specifically Kevvy’s, evolution from their early start as purely a dance/hardcore band into something completely different. Each song carries independently into the next, not linked necessarily by similar musical stylings or vocal formality but by the band’s incessant drive to stretch to new limits. Each track delivers a new lyrical adventure as Kevvy bends his vocals in mind-numbing ways while the rest of the boys carry the FSRZ sound to levels that pull from funk, hip-hop, and punk. The production quality of “Liar” exceeds their other albums and successfully presses musical risks into the hands of special guest artists including Jimmy Urine, Care Failure, and Steve Bays.

“Liar” comes at the tail end of a spinning few years for Kevvy Mental and FSRZ. On a solo professional level, Kevvy grew quite successful as a key producer for various artists across the country. Aiding in others’ musical discovery process evidently allowed Kevvy to flesh out his own evolution as an artist. On the other hand, FSRZ went through some heavy line-up changes which altered the overall presence of the band. Adjusting to such changes caused the band to slow down their touring process and focus on their main purpose, to become the Fake Shark Real Zombie they were destined to be. “Liar” is direct proof of that perfected success.

Fake Shark Real Zombie has returned. Calling all babies, Kevvy Mental has returned to the building and we can all collectively rejoice.

By: Fierce “Reppin’ NYC” Kitty

WANT MORE ALBUM REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

Copyright © 2004-2013 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Album Review: Friends with The Help – S/T

July 11th, 2011 Filed under: Made In Canada, Reviews - Music by Editor in Chief

Album Review: Friends with The Help
S/T
Stoop Fam Prod.

Canadian pride has been taken to a whole new level with the Vancouver-based rap group Friends with the Help. Mix in two friends from East Vancouver, one solid DJ producer (K-REC) (of the 5-man clique Stoop Family: FWTH, DJ K-Rec, Corvid and Joose Justis from Killawatt) and a whole life time of smoking weed and you have the perfect recipe for the birth of their newest self-titled mixtape Friends with The Help.

Fortunately as a listener it is not required to be completely stoned off your rocker to enjoy the carefree rhymes of these two emcees (which is free to download off the internet). Musically this partnership is fronted by emcees Young Nige and Low Lux, two individuals who visually scream East Vancouver but for better or worse lack the rough & tumble vibe of some
Vancouver rappers.

Their styles are extremely different with Young Nige having a smoother flow with cadences that run back and forth in waves while Low Lux is adorably grating with a high
nasally acoustic that is distinctive and otherwise enjoyable. The blend of their voices over the almost too long whooping seventeen track album is a cross between early Outkast and Dose 1.
It is a refreshing situation when you can throw on a mixtape from an unknown artist and find a summer groove almost immediately.

The second track of the tape is titled “East Van Shit“and its laid back melodies mixed with tongue-in-cheek references recognizable by any Vancouver resident is perfect for the kick back nature of summer times This tends to be the theme throughout the entire mixtape: good times, just cutting the superficial surface of hard-time realities with the perfect beat backbone to bop your head to.

It almost makes me one to light up for a job well done for Friends with The Help.

friendswiththehelp.com

By Fierce “Reppin’ NYC Now” Kitty

WANT MORE ALBUM REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

Copyright © 2004-2011 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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EXCLUSIVE: BEHIND THE BOARDS – Chin Injeti

June 19th, 2011 Filed under: Exclusive!, News/Calendar/Industry by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)

Fresh off his recent Grammy win, Producer Chin Injeti – perhaps now best known for his contribution to Eminem’s recent hit album ‘Recovery’ takes time out from his busy schedule recording to sit down and talk with ABORT Magazine about his recent successes, the music industry, and his love of “Base” at his downtown Vancouver Studio.

ABORT: FierceKitty here with producer, musician, collaborator, and recent Grammy winner Chin Injeti, all set for another ‘episode’ of Behind the Boards. Chin, how are you?

CHIN INJETI: Great thanks!

ABORT: While researching for the interview, I noticed your big break with music was with your group Bass is Base in Toronto. Is that also where your role as a producer started?

CI: Yeah, it started with that group, but without really knowing it. You know? I didn’t really know what I was doing technically, but we were doing it anyways because a) we didn’t have the money, and b) we didn’t know how to how to approach someone to help us do it, so I just kinda learned on my own. We felt it out.

ABORT: Was your first produced song with Bass is Base? Or was there another first?

CI: The first thing I ever did that had any sort of commercial success was with Bass is Base, it was a song called ‘Funk mobile’ and it was a fun little song [laughs]. We did a neat video for it, and I think it made it to number one or two on Much Music. It did really well all over the country. It started my career

ABORT: Will we be able to find it online?

CI: Easily. [ Funk Mobile on Youtube ]

ABORT: You’ve stated in the past that you have a preference towards the bass – is this preference seen in your production style, do you produce more bass heavy songs?

CI: What I mean by that isn’t about the frequency. The bass is a very grounded instrument. It is the foundation of everything. So while I play all other instruments, I play them from that mindset. You know what I mean? I don’t try to over-do things, I mean, at one point I was probably like that, but the more I was in tune with the bass, the more I was in tune with everything else. If you want to play a guitar, play it so it facilitates the drums, the keyboards and everything else so the singer can keep it grounded.

ABORT: What is your most favourite song/album that you produced? Why was this one the most memorable?

CI: For commercial success, and just the pure enjoyment, had to be Recovery with Eminem. I performed and contributed to production on the song ‘Talking to myself’ and I love that. When production on that was finished, we looked at each other, and knew this would be perfect for Em’ and At some point later, Kahlil came to me “Chin, Em just cut that track” Can you imagine that?!
One the flip side, just for pure love, I would say Zaki Ibrahim. I just love what she does. Those two you met just outside the studio, Sophia Denai and Omar Khan, I’ve been working with them lately. I just feel I’m working with the people I am supposed to be working with, and I am making the best music of my life right now.

ABORT: Is there anything from your recording past that given today’s advancements in technology you’d like to re-record?

CI: yeah, that first Bass is Base record.

ABORT: Back to DJ Kahlil. Aside from the production partnership, you two have a group called ‘The New Royales.’ (With Liz Rodrigues and Erik Alcock) With such a great partnership, do you mainly work with him, or tend to do more solo work?

CI: All the stuff in the States has gone through him. Him and I have this thing where we sit in a room and he does what he does, and I do what I do. Its amazing, because he is from Los Angeles, he grew up in that cultural scene, and I am from Toronto, and I contribute what I grew up with, and it all just comes together.

ABORT: In terms of expectations, has winning a Grammy changed the way you look at producing or who you will produce for?

CI: No. But the phone-calls are cooler [laughs] you know? The gigs I am supposed to be getting are pretty neat, but I don’t know – I still believe in talent in the city. In fact today, its official, I am the new A&R liaison at Universal Music. I’m going to continue what I do, and Universal has allowed me to do the job from the west coast. I believe in the talent here, and I want to nurture it. Here in Vancouver, specifically. So no, it hasn’t changed that much, but the Grammy does bear weight. The next day the phone-calls just changed, and so did my rates.

ABORT: Like any ‘industrial engineer’ – sometimes knowing how a machine works will change how you use it. As an engineer of music for others, has it affected how you approach your own music?

CI: Absolutely. Well, I did this record called “Detach”…

ABORT: Which is amazing.

CI: Thank you. I think maybe you’re the only person who has heard it. [both laugh] At the time I was recording ‘Detach’ I was also working on “Detox” for Dr. Dre, and some stuff for Nas and The New Royales, and everything we did on the other side of the border was HUGE! The biggest drum sounds, the biggest bass sounds, the biggest everything. Everything was about BIG. And when I came home, I literally picked up my acoustic guitar and just put a piece of paper on this couch right here in the studio, and just started singing songs.
At that time, I was going through so much stuff. My dad was dying, I was going through stuff emotionally, and that’s what that was. I was recording where I was at that moment, and it just worked. Working with those people taught me how to strip back, but now my next record might be fully produced, because I have been really empowered in the studio.

ABORT: That’s really amazing, and really inspiring as well.

CI: Thank you

ABORT: How has musical production changed the way you listen to music? Is it possible for you to just enjoy music without thinking about it from a producer’s POV?

CI: Yes. I don’t know how everybody else is, but for me, what makes it work is the people. I am such a big fan of people and musicians. I listen to say, Arcade Fire, and I’m like, wow. It still makes me feel like when I first listened to Talking Heads, The Smiths, you know? Like when I first experienced Pink Floyd or Radiohead, good music makes you dream, it takes you to another place, so as a musician, it makes me wonder ‘how do they do that?!’ You want to be a fan of that. So I am definitely still a fan of things. I think maybe I lost sight of the question though.

ABORT: No, No, versus looking at something completely technical, or…

CI: Yeah, I am able to separate it.

ABORT: Have you ever considered moving into live-performance production? Would the process be similar on stage and out of the studio?

CI: No. I don’t endeavor into that because I am NOT an engineer. I don’t mix my records. I don’t know the first thing about compression, and how it works. I mean, I do, but not in theory. I ‘play’ everything in my studio as an instrument, even the mixing board. It becomes sort of like a planet. The studio becomes a living breathing entity almost

ABORT: I remember seeing a video of you mixing and just the way you look while doing what you do, it looks like you’re swimming in the music.

CI: Yeah, I definitely was. I am always. The mixing board just becomes my instrument, everything is pulsing, coming out, dynamics – soft loud, everything.

ABORT: Do you have a favorite piece of equipment that is now obsolete, but you still use (or would like to use) because nothing sounds better?

CI: Yeah, the Roland JV-2080 Voice Synthesizer. It was the successor to the very popular JV-1080. Which was the industry-standard studio expander of the ’90s.

ABORT: : What advice would your producer self say to your artist self? Vice versa?

CI: I would say what I have been saying to myself. Keep it sincere, keep it simple, keep it authentic.

ABORT: Same advice from artist to producer?

CI: Yeah. I would say don’t try to facilitate the need. Don’t try to overpower the music with your opinion. It’s a terrible thing to rob someone of their dream, and that’s what I do, I create the space for their dream to happen.
AM: Bringing it back to something you’re doing right now, you’re doing some work with a local Vancouver musician Jay-Kin and Japan Earthquake relief, as well as a show at Fortune Sound Club?

CI: I recorded a single last weekend. It is so beautiful. I’ll also be performing at the event. If you don’t give back, what’s the point? A lot of people will talk about it, post on twitter and raise awareness, but at the end of the day, what else are you doing? I just want to be one of those people who is always doing something, it’s important to me.

ABORT: What is on your iPod lately? Anything local, or any up and coming bands you want to promote?

CI: Locally, I listen to Sophia Denai, and since I am working with both her and Omar Khan, I take their music home with me, but I listen to Hot Hot Heat, some of their new stuff that no one outside the production have heard, they’re really good friends of mine. I listen to U-Tern – he’s a great producer. I also check out groups like the [Aaron Nazru and the] Boom Boom’s, they’re from around here, a little Vancouver thing that is not happening everywhere else. I love to take that in. Erica Dee is also a good friend of mine.

ABORT: Your recommendation for a ‘must have’ piece of technology for amateurs intent on making the most of their recording sessions?

CI: Definitely the latest version of Apple’s Logic Studio. (Logic Studio 9)

ABORT: What does NIMBUS (School of Recording Arts) mean for Vancouver?

CI: Nimbus to me is the future of music, period. The reason I say that, is because right now the music industry has kinda turned on its side, it’s like an open wound, and everyone is trying to get in there and infect it, get everything they can out of it and Nimbus is trying to nurture talent. They’re close with their students, and are really particular about who gets in there. Not only do they train, teach and nurture you, but when you leave, you don’t really leave, they give you a job.

Like if I wanted a marketing team, I can go to a marketing class there and they can help me put my record together and sell it. If I want an engineer, I can find someone there who is relevant. Its because they are lead by people who are relevant, Garth Richardson (interview in issue 9), Bob Ezrin, who have done everything from Pink Floyd to Rage Against the Machine and now I am teaching there as well. I don’t teach them stuff that I don’t know. I teach my experiences. Sometimes these other technical schools charge kids so much money to come out with nothing, and I want to be able to give kids something that they can use if they want to do music, and I sometimes wish I had that, I wish I had a mentor, someone like me. I know that sounds kinda egotistical, but I actually care about the betterment of the future of the music business, because it’s going to be dead otherwise.

ABORT: Do you have any active mentors right now?

CI: Oh yeah, Garth Richardson, Michael McCarty, the pastor at my church, Colin Griffith, the artists that I work with. Everyone I work with in some way or another. [local artist] Indigo is huge HUGE for me.

ABORT: Do you think it’s the responsibility of the artist and producer to get world events and disasters into the minds of the people who listen to their music?

CI: Only if they’re interested. It has got to come from a real place, but Yeah, I do. I just twittered this the other day, actually last night – “Our job is to inspire the world.” And as corny as that sounds, it is true. Any kind of artist, you provoke thought and emotion. I think K’naan does a wonderful job at it. So as long as it is real, and you’re not just trying to make money of it I think it is.

ABORT: Last question for today. What advice do you have for up and coming producers, mixers, and sound engineers trying to make it in this vicious game of rock and roll?

CI: Just stay focused. Don’t look to the past, look to the future.

ABORT: Thank you very much for your time Chin, congratulations again on the Grammy win.

chininjeti.wordpress.com

By FierceKitty

READ MORE BEHIND THE BOARDS INTERVIEWS IN OUR BACK ISSUES, INCLUDING, GGGarth Richardson, Stephen Marley, Mike Fraser, Devin Townsend, Buckshot, Ben Kaplan and more!

WANT MORE EXCLUSIVES? CLICK HERE

Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Live Review: Gift of Gab w/ Run with the Heard – May 4th 2011, Bar None, Vancouver B.C.

May 7th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Jamie Sands)
(Top: Gift of Gab, Bottom: Run with the Heard)

Live Review: Gift of Gab with Run with the Heard
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
Bar None, Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver is a very interesting city due to the fact that each of its very specific neighbourhoods has a particular flare that is present throughout the entire schematic. Whether its hipsters in Mount Pleasant, activists on The Drive, artists in Gastown or urban professionals in Yaletown, every area of the city is different. With this small amount of knowledge it was extremely surprising to slip in-between the overpriced boutique shops in Yaletown to check out the Run With The Heard/Gift of Gab hip hop show at Bar None this past week. Trying desperately to be a quaint hole in the wall, Bar None had only two things going for it on the night of the show – live hip hop and drunk patrons.

If you are not aware of the seven-piece Vancouver band Run With The Heard then you are missing out on one of Vancouver’s best kept secrets. Never identifying as a super group but literally being a group of super people, RWTH challenge everything there is to know about live stage production, musicals genres and the potential possibility of lyricist. Each of the members brings something interesting and perfect to their live show, which is always a good time dance party. Lasting just under an hour, their set ran the gambit of dance possibilities from dark and heavy, to ‘glitchy’, to straight up booty moving music. Playing songs like “Smash the Clock”, ”The Women I Want’ and their newest song ‘Ctrl+Atl+Delete’, their stage presence picked up the audience and murdered them outright with their submissive-sporadic dance movements. These kids know how to command a room and hopefully a full length album will follow shortly this year.

After a quick stage cleanup, Bar None’s stage played host to the visitor from the bay-area, one Timothy Parker; Perhaps much better known as the Legendary MC Gift of Gab. His lyrical resume sets a precedence to his stylings on stage where he is known for tongue-twisting rhymes that border from beautifully insane to almost unintelligible. It was hard to tell if the crowd was more excited about his solo work or just Blackicious classics but for this set his played both. Unfortunately his stage presence left something to be desired but he made up for in his eagerness to please vocally with a solid call and response from an engaged crowd. It is sometimes easy for rappers to become trapped within the live CD playing mode with just a DJ which unfortunately happened in moments during Gift of Gab’s set. As respite he played a bunch of new songs from his upcoming album (due out this summer) including a track called ‘El Gifto Magnificento’.

As a show closer Gift of Gab ended his word-bending set with the Blackalicious classic ‘Chemistry Calisthentics’ which showcases Gab’s wordsmith skills around chemistry vocabulary. With what he lacked in stage presence that evening, Gift of Gab makes up in his tenacious tongue and carefully crafted spoken lyricism.

With a beginning that got the body moving and an end that got the mind thinking, the RWTH/Gift of Gab show was a great spot to spend a few hours cashing in on some crucial rapping and stylings of some musical heros. Some local and some from a ‘far away land. This tiny hole in the wall bar in yuppie land really didn’t know what hit them.

Official Gift of Gab

By Fierce Kitty

WANT MORE LIVE REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

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Live Review: Dessa w/ guests – April 27th, 2011, The Biltmore, Vancouver

April 30th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Bryan Mollett)

Live Review: Dessa w/ DJ Lazerbeak, and Sims
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
The Biltmore, Vancouver, B.C.

True to form, wordsmiths are a rare breed. These people come in the form of authors, speakers, writers, slam poets and rappers. Wordsmiths tend to be master manipulators of words in such articulate and delicate fashions. This form makes it almost impossible to see the swift motions of their line cuts and their under-handed meanings. Without even realizing it you are lost in a trance of who what where and why without asking how you even got there in the first place. This very essence is what fuels the Doomtree Hip-hop Collective based out of Minneapolis, MN and became the swirling backbone of the show at the Biltmore Cabaret this past week.

The show opened up to a near empty dance floor but that didn’t stop DJ Lazerbeak from throwing down some amazing live production beats. With a very short solo set it was quite easy to tell that this young mid-westerner is absolutely in love with his medium. Non-stop movements and effortless device management created some great beats that warmed up the crowd to a pleasant taste of what was forthcoming.
It is nearly impossible to judge a book by its cover. When SIMS stepped on the stage with perfectly coiffed hair and a proper buttoned-up all the way to the top dress shirt, the crowd was more than ready for some rapping at its finest. Almost instantly it was apparent that this man knew his craft as well as the next stage performer. His ability to weave dark underbelly story- telling into finely piece together deliverance snippets was breath-taking.

Claiming to rap about serious topics but not taking himself too seriously, SIMS delivered the cold-hearted streets of his hometown in a format that was understood intimately by the crowd. He played many songs off his recent album Bad Time Zoo, including “Too Much”, “Sink or Syncopate” and the title track “Bad Time Zoo”. Towards the end of his set he showed the depth of his artist calibre by doing a heartfelt acapella song. With a lack of words to describe his artistic presence, he simply killed it.

With the night already at a roaring momentum, it was about time for the final crowd-drawing artist to approach the stage: Dessa Darling. Dessa is the songstress/female lyricist of the Doomtree collective that does not have to hold a candle to standing as the lone female in an all boys’ club. Her dynamic stage presence has her poised as if ready for any battle of the heart that could come her way. Her lyrical capabilities stretched a bit further than SIMS within her ability of melodic vocals that ranged from her R’n'B to ethereal which could snap into bullet firing rapping at the drop of a dime.

She captivated the audience beyond repair with songs from her latest LP A Badly Broken Code including “The Bullpen”, “Matches to Paper Dolls” and “Dixon’s Girl”. She broke up her stage set by book-ending beats from Lazerbeak with a live band where she essentially transformed her stage bravado from stunning to explosively nuclear. Ending her set she showed off her polished slam poetry skills with a piece that was a written letter to her doppelganger in her hometown. Dessa was pure infectious creative energy that emotionally left you wondering if your heart could survive her well sorted wordplay in a dark alley. Probably not.
As a fellow concert goer noted the spaces in between the words from these artists hit just as heavy as their artistic ability. Simply a stunning show that left everyone without words and completely speechless.

Well done.

By Fierce Kitty

WANT MORE LIVE REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

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Live Review: Tiffini Truth w/ Magnus Rising, April 6th, 2011 – The Red Room, Vancouver, B.C.

April 8th, 2011 Filed under: Made In Canada, Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Jamie Sands)
(Top: Tiffini Truth, Bottom: Magnus Rising)

Live Review – Tiffini Truth w/ Magnus Rising
Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
The Red Room, Vancouver, B.C.

April 6th is a very special day for many reasons. The beginning of the warm months in Vancouver perhaps. As well as the commemorative anniversary for the death of punk rock goddess icon Wendy O. Williams 13 years ago. Tiffini Truth decided to dedicate her “Grinding Towards a Better Mankind” performance to the late great rocker. It appeared that not many people in the audience had ever been to a grinding show nor had they ever even heard of Wendy O. Williams. Everyone had to sign a waiver form before even entering the club. This was a show of firsts for many.

Tiffini Truth is a stunning punk rock goddess and a force to reckoned with; at least while she’s wielding some power tools. Head to toe in nothing more than a shiny body suit, this performance artist obviously knew what she was doing. Her show started off with some set dancing around a clothed television set which she promptly smashed to bits as the music built upon its crescendo. This was a direct nod to Wendy, a long time hero of Tiffini’s. The show proceeded to the next possible hardcore level available: Tiffini grinding the metal plates attached to her body with power tools. With sparks flying into hair, face and crotch, this lady knew how to keep poised in the shower of fire, often throwing a middle finger to the air, giving the official ABORT Magazine salute to the crowd. Her show was polished and devilishly dangerous. It sure was a grind to a better mankind. (Plus she donates half of her proceeds to charity!)

With a small intermission contest that consisted of pitting headbangers against headbangers it was like an tremendous effort to give yourself whiplash. But these guys are professional and they pulled off their participation in the contest effortlessly. This slight pause in the night also gave our host Tita Suicide stage time to look like a cute darling from glittery outer-space and to clean up the smashed television bits and pieces.

Closing the night was a performance by Newf-Vancouverites Magnus Rising. When their instruments starting humming, the crowd really got into it. First impressions of a ‘stereotypical’ metal band aside, Magnus Rising is a tightly woven group of musicians who understand the strengths of each of their performance aspects. Whether it was the intricately placed solos of guitarist Roger Cranford, the ringing double bass of the barefooted drummer Nick James, the beating slap of the one and only Matt Snow on bass or the amazing wailing voice of lead singer Aaron Hawkins. Each song was well-placed on the very broad spectrum of the metal musical genre. Aaron has an undeniably distinct vocal presence that is closely related to Robert Plant. Very refreshing with a metal backdrop. Treating the fans to many songs from their upcoming album ‘Whatever It Takes’ the band stayed solid throughout their amazing set.

The beautiful marriage of these two performances was the diverse representation of artists that can be classified into the metal genre. Both Tiffini Truth and Magnus Rising fulfilled their quota of ass-kicking for the night despite leaving the audience wanting more sparks. This was Tiffini’s first Vancouver performance and here’s to hoping for more. Many more.

By Fierce Kitty

WANT MORE LIVE REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

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Live Review: Volbeat w/guests April 3rd, 2011 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

April 4th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

Photo – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review -Volbeat with The Damned Things and Hourcast
Sunday, April 3th, 2011
Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

Metal is not dead.

This simple fact was delivered with high intensity and perfection at the show at the Commodore Ballroom this past Sunday. With three powerhouse bands that each brought a different live energy to the Commodore’s legendary stage. It was no wonder that there was a packed house despite the awful Vancouver weather outside. The crowd was lacking some character and all around flavour, but their participatory anticipation was infectious. Their ability to hold beer in their plastic cups was another thing entirely. Mix a slippery floor with a slow-building raucous mosh pit and there were some tragic plunges by eager attendees.

The start of the evenings festivities came in the form of the unnaturally polished soundings of Hourcast. This Boston based quartet has an extremely carefully curated sound that borders on delightfully melodramatic without going to far into an exaggerated whinefest. There relatively short set was mostly hits from their June 2010 album ‘Dystopia,’ including Zombie, Little Miss and a Vancouver-inspired Hell or Hollywood. Overall their sound lacked the diversity that is associated with the raw draw of metal. Their style had a sharp focus that was loudly driven by the intensity of their overall sound, a perfect opener to the evening.

Next up was the powerhouse metal super-group of The Damned Things. This six-piece wall of sound was a musical bonding experience from members of Anthrax, Fall Out Boy and Every Time I Die. Their sound was lavish at best with their myriad of musical soundings weaving into indiscernible melodies. Super-group or not, The Damned Things are brilliant spectrum of the stylized differences of metal musicians out there. Lead singer Keith Buckley has a wonderful screamer singing style that he should always stick with no matter how melodic his inspirations may be. They definitely rocked the crowd into a semi-frenzy with songs from their recent album ‘Ironiclast’. Rhythm guitarist-slash-backing vocalist and Anthrax founding member Scott Ian was so stoked on every single song they played that it elevated their set to a ridiculously endearing level of appreciation.

The main draw of the night was the one that metaphorically blew the roof off the place. Danish metal/psychobilly band Volbeat knows how to beat a crowd into submission. The orchestrated energy of their entire set was effortless and mesmerizing. Lead singer and guitarist Michael Poulsen is an intense, poised piece of punk rock perfection. His vocal range varies from classic country, to bellowing sincere rock to stabbing metal rhythmic renderings. When combined with his ability to switch from genre guitar skill sets, Poulsen is the crux of Volbeat almost to a default. Bassist Anders Kjolholm, guitarist Thomas Bredahl and drummer Jon Larsen rock out their personal styles that add to the collective dynamic of their performance. Double drumming baselines, both bassist and guitarist mouthing all the words to every song and the intense intuitive stage movement of Poulsen between three separate stage mics entranced the crowd for hours on end. Whipping from genre to genre they played songs like We, Fallen, Radio Girl and Thank You with some special cover versions of a Misfits tune and Johnny Cash’s Sad Man’s Tongue. No matter what sound you came for, Volbeat had something to deliver.

The overall drive and fusion of these three very drastically different metal bands made this rainy Sunday night that much more bearable in Vancouver. The real winner was Volbeat and their wonderfully off-beat nod to the classics of Metallica, Megadeth and Bad Religion.

Metal wins. Every time, and this time, so do the fans.

Volbeat.dk

By Fierce Kitty

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Live Review: Sucker Punch Ball – March 24th, 2011, Rio Theater, Vancouver B.C.

March 26th, 2011 Filed under: Made In Canada, Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK EACH PHOTO TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review – Sucker Punch Ball
Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Rio Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

There really is no better way to start off a night chock full of debauchery and refined standards than a stage full of burlesque dancers in finely made corsets. Such an ideal evening is not purely imaginative because it was actually the beautiful setting of the Sucker Punch fashion show at the Rio Theatre this past Thursday hosted by East Vanity Parlour owner Mama K. Three different designers graced the stage with stacked high heels and ass-kicking outfits in anticipation of the midnight movie premiere of Zack Synder’s Vancouver filmed blockbuster Sucker Punch.

First to hit the makeshift catwalk was the design team behind ‘Scout Boutique’ located in the Mt. Pleasant neighbourhood of Vancouver. Playful cocktail dresses with devilish under-bust embellishments graced the stage in a simple but elegant presentation. Up next was the frisky and fun Misty Greer with her design line ‘Trunk Show’. Misty has a burlesque influenced style which is widely seen in her use of petite bow adornments, sashes, bright fabric choices and ‘peek-a-boo’ cutouts. There are always lots of ruffles and ‘vavoom’ curves in her clothing designs, which makes them perfect for glamorous events.

Closing out the fashion portion of the evening was the belle of the ball, the main attraction with the connection to the movie. Vancouver based corset designer Melanie Talkington was also an on-set designer for the movie Sucker Punch lending her signature designs to many of the main characters who wore her intricately designed corsets throughout the movie. Her collection is a devilish nod to the fierce feminine in all of us. Each of her corsets are perfectly structured in their stiff silhouettes and refined detail. Designs varying from full corsets, to half corsets, to corset skirts and even sinfully playful corset one-pieces. In true burlesque fashion, each model brought a bit of flare to their runway walks with fan dances, fireworks and even moderate ‘disciplinary action.’

What a splendid way to get geared up for a movie premiere of ass-kicking females. Vancouver, you are oh so fancy.

ABORT Magazine’s review of Sucker Punch

By Fierce Kitty

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Film Review: Sucker Punch – Directed by Zack Snyder

March 25th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Film by Editor in Chief

Film Review: Sucker Punch
Directed by Zack Snyder
Warner Brothers Films

Director Zack Snyder knows the perfect recipe for an awesome live action movie: An artistic combination of kick-ass choreography, main character motivation, excellent set dressing and a heavy dose of visual effect filters that are quite pleasing to the eye. No stranger to box office blockbusters, veteran director Snyder packs a low blow with his most recent creation Sucker Punch, which follows closely on the heels of his previous successes ‘300’ and ‘Watchmen’. When pre-release buzz is vibrant for up and coming movies, there is a distinct possibility that the visual direction or character placement will not sustain the hype. Sucker Punch sustains every first blow and delivers an even deadlier counter-attack.

However, do not be led astray: this movie had every classic characteristic of a typically terrible movie. The expectations were not high that this decent movie would have recommendations spreading based on merit, ideology or even performance. The brilliance of Suckerpunch is that it rides the wave of self-defined cult films, spreading its momentum before it even has to try too hard. The storyline reads like a delusional storybook for wayward young girls: young Babydoll (Emily Browning) is sent to a mental hospital where she decides to escape with her fellow hospital mates Rocket (Jena Malone), Amber (Jamie Chung), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) by using their imaginations. A group of struggling young women join forces to destroy the bad guys in their imagination? Sounds like a lost episode of Sailor Moon.

This is where Director Zack Snyder swoops in with his brilliant vision and saves the movie from being a horrible/horrible mixture into a horrible/terrible feat of visual resistance. The dynamic storyline within the contextual vision of the girls’ imaginations runs the gambit of pretty much every awesome thing in every movie ever created. This includes dragons, fighter planes, robot samurais, sword fights, steam-punk Nazi soldiers, strange creatures that resemble orcs, stripper shoes and glittery latex outfits. When mixing that many amazingly awesome fantasies into one imaginative two hour fight scene, the overall effect can be slightly daunting for the audience to digest in a timely manner. Before you can understand that you just saw five kick-ass females fighting a series of dragons you are scattered to understand why they are suddenly defusing a bomb on a post-apocalyptic train.

The below-the-belt move of the movie storyline was when it began to layer an imaginative dream within an imaginative dream within reality, which has unfortunately similar repercussions to its godfather Inception. Distortion of reality is totally understandable when creating a fantasy-like world of crazy ass kicking. When it is layered with a displaced reality of burlesque brothels, it is much harder to understand the connection that Snyder wants you to make with a sensual performance, a dragon slaying and a lobotomy. All of this confusion was lessened greatly by the stunning corset work, by Vancouver corsetiere Melanie Talkington, in many of the burlesque brothel scenes.

Some day Suckerpunch will be most of the most amazing drinking game movies of all time instead of that live-action thriller that lacked the luster to make us forget that one of its main stars was that girl from the ‘acclaimed’ High School Musical series.

Sucker Punch Opens In Theaters Today

suckerpunchmovie.warnerbros.com

By Fierce Kitty

WANT MORE FILM REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

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Live Review: Das Racist, February 7th, Vancouver, B.C.

February 9th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(Photo – Kris Krüg)

Live Review – Das Racist
Monday, February 7th, 2011
Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver, B.C.

Third time was obviously a charm for the Brooklyn-based hip-hop group Das Racist. With an unsettling record of rescheduling the same show three times (from the original November show to January reschedule to its final February date) this hype-worthy stage show was definitely worth waiting around with bated breath. Playing to a sold out house at Fortune this past Monday, Das Racist killed it. No pun intended.

Vancouver rap group Hot Sex and High Finance got the crowd warmed up nice and hot with their sex & drugs infused rhymes. MC Popsicle Pete is like a Canadian-bred version of horror-core MC Necro, with his hard bullet-style and his prolific overuse of the words cocaine and tits. Covering most of their hit tracks, including ‘Push It’ and ‘Cake Mix’, off their album XXX & $$$, this Vancouver duo have their stage presence dialed in just right. All they were missing were some girls dancing on brass poles behind them.

After a short intermission, the Brooklyn boys were ready to take the stage. Das Racist, a sweet musical recipe of MCs Heems, Kool A.D and hype-man Dap, have been blowing up multiple music scenes by storm. Whether it is indie or rap, who really cares because Das Racist brings it to the stage when called upon. Looking like they tumbled out of the depths of a Value Village, they opened up with their banger ‘Who’s that Brown?’ followed by ‘Shorty Said’. With only two mixtapes, “Shut Up, Dude” and “Sit Down, Man”, but no official album on the line, these boys keep their flow rolling by simply having fun.

With slight of hand references Das Racist threw out to the audience some controversy in small digestible bite-sized bits. Whether it was stating that they were denied access to Canada because of their beliefs or making the audience chant “Hockey is part of the white supremacy agenda”, they fed us what we could not believe wrapped in the guise of hip hop rhymes. Their intended encore was a fierce rendition of ‘Rainbow in the Dark’. A wise descriptor for most of their songs: intelligently poignant lyrics that drove to the essence of the mass depleting nature of all collectively assumed natures which they keenly self-described as “panic attack rap”.

Most blown away by their overall exuberance to be on stage, Das Racist had some quirks that were slightly more off-beat than the rest. These included hype-man Dap’s irrational love for a remote control he brought on stage and the boys collective acapella belting of Usher’s ‘You Make Me Wanna’ three different times during their set. They claimed they were having the time of their lives and apologized profusely.

Never apologize for a job well done.

dasracist.net

By Fiercekitty

WANT MORE LIVE REVIEWS? CLICK HERE

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Live Review: Fake Shark – Real Zombie! w/ Left Spine Down, Ninjaspy and The Wrecktals, Jan 14th, Vancouver

January 17th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

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(Photo - Mike Chow)

Live Review: Fake Shark – Real Zombie! w/ Left Spine Down, Ninjaspy and The Wrecktals
Friday, Jan. 14th, 2011
The Rickshaw, Vancouver, B.C.

Whoever claimed that Vancouver was classified as a No Fun City obviously did not attend the Rickshaw Theatre this past Friday. Granted the notion that it was an all ages show may have caused fear in some older than old patrons of the DTES venue but there was beer to imbibe if smash dancing drunk was your thing. The line-up was cast with the neighborhood goth/metal/cyberpunk usual suspects which kept the night full of interesting notes that faded from metal all the way to ska.

Starting off the early as sin show were the loveable skate punks The Wrecktals. Ignoring their ironic band name, their skazilla-inducing music brought back the flooding memories of skating a half-pipe horribly built in a friend’s backyard. Despite the lack of beat accuracy from their drummer (not all the time but often enough for cringe sake) these pop punk tweens were cute like carebears with their music following suit.

Steaming ahead with the long lineup of opening bands, it was apparent that Ninjaspy was going to take the night’s cake with the ‘holy shit I’m impressed’ award. A triad of brothers with a musical force that reckoned with a well-worn machine gun, Ninjaspy kicked the shit out of the pit. Almost everyone knew all the words to their thrashcore songs from their album Pi Nature, including their newest music video single “Evolution of The Skid”. With a sound that is reminiscent of early Gwar minus the eccentric outfits, this boys killed it. Especially their bass player who eerily danced like a hot praying mantis ballerina.

Hyped-up drug references are about as cool as your hyped-up hair was in 1998. The third band of the evening left a bit of a meh feeling on the mosh pit. Left Spine Down, or hilariously shortened LSD, is a cyberpunk metal snoozefest. The only redeeming factor of their performance was the fact that lead singer Kaine Delay’s mohawk stayed upright during their Joy Division cover. Otherwise it was about 45 minutes of lude sexual advances towards an underage audience. Barf.

Rounding out this notorious eastside line-up were the fierce boys of the post-punk/dance group Fake Shark Real Zombie. Notably always a dirty good time these rockers know how to captivate an audience, often led by the iconic showmanship of frontman Kevvy Mental. Plagued by a bit of member change in the last year, FSRZ have hit the new year hard with their additions of Tony Dallas on drums and Miles Chic on bass. To spice up their set during their song Daft Punk De Funk, they invited local gorelesque stars Bloody Betty and Tristan Risk for some untimely tame T&A role-playing as a shark battling a zombie. Vancouver has definitely produced some screamers and Kevvy Mental is up there with the best of them.

These Vancouver boys sure know how to give it to you aurally. My ears are still ringing.

SHOOTING GALLERY BY MIKE CHOW HERE

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