It’s all in week’s work for Calgary music
It’s hard to fault a band that champions nacho parties at its performances. And earlier this year at Toronto’s NXNE festival Manotick-via-Montreal power pop troupe Hollerado did just that playing a packed rooftop jam while lovingly doling out delicious Tex-mex bar food. Now there’s no word on if the fun-loving gastronomes are bringing nacho platters to the Xposure Wrap-up Party — held at the Radiopark Ballroom on August 26 with locals The Evidence and Seven Story Redhead also playing — but we can always hope. Or ask them. Nicely.
Sure maybe it was a little late jumping on the latest band-name meme du jour but don’t hold it against local hardcore-thrash crossover act Crystal Mess . Indeed things are looking up for the cranky foursome: The band has landed an opening spot for Vancouver punk legends DOA and it’ll also be releasing its second LP Worms of the Earth on Saturday August 28 at the Palomino. Drawing inspiration from hardcore’s most pissed — SSD and Poison Idea are name-dropped as influences — Worms should also please the genre’s nerdiest being released on a beautiful mint-green 10-inch vinyl. Noisy-metal trio Breathe Knives and grind-done-right (read: crusty) quintet Wake open.
But then DRI back patches aren’t for everyone even if they should be (kidding!). So for the more drink-inclined the Rose and Crown is celebrating its 24th anniversary in the loudest way possible hosting an eclectic lineup headed by local soul wailers Jory Kinjo and charismatic roots and blues singer Scotty Hills . Rodney Medwid Randy Hutchings and Warren Crone round out the Saturday night bill. And if you’re a Guiness-for-strength type pints are $3.75 all night long. Them’s 1986 prices — oh wait we think that’s the point.
Still on that very night if Crystal Mess or the Rose and Crown don’t do it for you there’s always the excellent psych-stoner noodlery of The Black Phoenix Orchestra at Marquee Room. Seriously. Book Sunday off.
Finally dustbowl revivalists The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir hit the Ironwood on Thursday September 2. Situating itself on the Alberta-Montana border circa 1934 this is hard-livin’ bootleggin’ music: It’s a hooch-driven devil-possessed kitchen party brimming with crackling banjos slide guitar and broken-man vocals that’d make Tom Waits’s grandfather proud. In the words of Fast Forward Weekly editor Drew Anderson it’s the type of music that “makes you want to stomp your feet through the damn ground.” Whatever you say Drew.
