Modernboys Moderngirls, Amos the Transparent, Fox Jaws and AfterpartY @ Sneaky Dee's

Pretty much right up until Friday, I wasn't 100% sure if I was going to head out into the cold to check out the show at Sneaky Dee's. The original thought of seeing Golden Hands ... (look, I'm so lazy I shorten their name even more than most people do) play with a bunch of my favourite semi-locals was too good to pass up. But once they had to cancel, the whole dynamic of the evening turned this into a much less necessary affair for me. Still, as the week wore on I realized that what I was doing was the childish equivalent of opting out of a delicious donut, simply because they didn't have anymore with sprinkles. How's that for a Canadian analogy? And so, Sneaky Dee's it was, and what an epic show it turned out to be!

The evening's Golden Hands... replacement was a local act called AfterpartY. Right off the bat, I couldn't help but notice that lead vocalist Kristina B. was ridiculously good looking. Always a good thing. Oh ya, they played music too. Apparently this was their first show since March 2008, but they didn't sound rusty or out of practice at all, and even though the larger crowds still had yet to appear, the band played a very enthusiastic set of guitar driven retro sounding power punk. Krisitina's vocals reminded me a bit of a girl named Aimee Echo from a California band called theSTART, but if you need a less obscure reference, than anywhere between pre-sellout Gwen Stefani and CBGB-era Blondie will give you the basic idea. Musically, the band boasts a definite early 90's punk revival influence, although with a little less MTV sheen and a little harder of an edge. You could tell that the band had a bit of experience behind them, as their playing was tight, and their showmanship, solid. Admittedly, I haven't been listening to all that much shiny accessible disco punk these days, but every once in a while, it feels good to transport back to 1993. I had really cool hair back then. Well, I had hair anyways. Did I mention the singer's real good looking?

AfterpartY have several gigs coming up in the city, but there's an open guest list for their March 28th show at The Mod Club, which is a venue that I think would really suit their style. Contact the band to get on the guest list.

Photos: my shots of AfterpartY @ Sneaky Dee's are on flickr
Myspace: AfterpartY

Fox Jaws' Friday night performance was my 6th time seeing the band in only a few years. They continue to have a very special place for me, and when I'm old and decrepit and reminiscing about all of the great shows that I've seen in my life, Fox Jaws are invariably going to be mentioned every time. To my surprise, this was their first time playing Sneaks and, as always, when expected to bring it on, they buh-rung it! They've apparently been hard at work on their upcoming sophomore release, and first for Nevado Records, and the fact that the large majority of their set this time focused on new material, shows that they're eager to have it heard. The newer songs seem to feature Daniel Allen a little bit more heavily than on their last release, solidifying him as the co-lead in the band. Also, from what I heard on Friday, there seems to be a heavier emphasis on the rock, which suggests that the new album will come barreling out of my speakers in full force. Carleigh's incomparable voice sounded great as usual, which was amazing considering she recently (underwent throat surgery) dealt with a throat injury, and admitted that she should have been taking it easy. As much as it was great to hear her, I hope she rests those precious pipes, so that she'll be in top form for the next 6 shows I plan to see.

Fox Jaws are playing El Mocambo on February 14th.

Photos: my pics of Fox Jaws @ Sneaky Dee's are on flickr.
Myspace: Fox Jaws


I don't usually make a habit of seeing the same band twice within a month, but I suppose that when the band is Amos the Transparent, exceptions can be made. The set list was very similar to the one that they played at Rancho Relaxo just a couple of weeks ago, and although this show seemed slightly more reserved than last time, it was still a powerful force that remained up to the band's usual high standards. On my personal concert going list, Amos lands just shy of my Fox Jaws record, with this being my 5th time seeing them. They're also very special to me, since I believe that they are one of the few bands that I can safely say I got into nice and early. I'd like to say that this happens all the time, but I'm definitely more the latecomer to the party in these situations. However, I've had the privilege of watching this band rise from obscurity to just the other side of obscurity and it'll be a lot of fun to see them rise even further. Looking back at my inital review of Everything I've Forgotten To Forget, I described them as "one of the best kept secrets of the year in Canadian indie rock." However, all one has to do is listen to the crowd sing along to songs like I'm On Trial, to realize that this is no longer the case. It has been such an amazing thrill for me to watch this band continue to grow in recognition and appreciation. Watching them expand is also a blast, and while last time I focused my attention on newcomer Katie Cooke, it is also worth mentioning that they have another newer addition in the form of guitarist Daniel Hay, who adds a significantly rockier edge to the band's guitar sound. The fact that he used to be in The Fully Down, a band whose sound is steeped in the world of crunchy metal riffage may have something to do with that. He talked to me about the thrill that comes from being able to join an already established band like Amos, and it was a lot of fun to see his zeal shine through while playing with these guys, kind of like Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star.

As good as their performance always is, their strength has always been in writing great songs, and this show made me want to go home and listen to the album all over again. With a new release on the horizon, I would not be surprised if we hear even more about Amos the Transparent throughout the course of the year.

Amos The Transparent are back once again to the Tattoo Rock Parlour on February 12th with Birds Of Wales.

Photos: my shots of Amos the Transparent @ Sneaky Dee's are on flickr.
Myspace: Amos The Transparent

Speaking about being late to the party, the time I've spent with Modernboys Moderngirls is limited to just a few half-hearted listens to samples on their myspace page. If you take a look around though, you'll see that locally, I'm the only one. Modernboys Moderngirls are a Toronto band that have been garnering recognition for a while now, having played Edgefest and the Halifax Pop Explosion, as well as receiving honorable praise from several noteworthy sources. From some of the press photos that I've seen, the band may have, at one time, consisted of at least 5 members, including a female backup singer or two. However, the duo on stage of Akira Alemany and Brett Millius seemed to somewhat negate the accuracy of the band's name, what with them being both male and such. The term 'modern' may also be a bit of an overstatement, considering the fact that the band that I heard on Friday night was heavily steeped in an impressive garage rock sound; one that sounded irrefutably authentic. But what's in a name anyway? I'm continually impressed by bands that can win me over with only a guitar and drum setup, especially since I rarely expect it to work. When the guitars are left in the hands of Alemany, while the drums are likewise executed by Millius, my level of concern tends to drop considerably. Each song that evening impressed me more than the one before, and while my lack of knowledge on the band prevents me from getting into song title specifics, I thought the duo played an impassioned set. Towards the end, they enlisted the help of Hannah Krapivinsky from Foxfire to fill the 'modern girl' role. The songs that she sang with Alemany had a definite Kinks vibe to them, which is a vibe that I succumb to every single time it's played out.

Although I'm a little bit embarrassed that it took me longer to benefit from the merits of Modernboys Moderngirls, I'm glad to have witnessed them this time around, and I look forward to seeing them again.

Modernboys Moderngirls will be playing a Canadian Music Week Showcase at Rancho Relaxo on March 14th.

Photos: my Modernboys Moderngirls @ Sneaky dee's pics are up on flickr
Myspace: Modernboys Moderngirls