Local music departures all part of the great cycle of life
The rush of music to our fair town this past summer really seemed to make the streets pulse with excitement. Hometown heroes came back from their tours new bands finally got their chance to seize the day and the many festivals made sure every concert-goer went away fat and happy. And though some of our most-treasured talent may have headed for the hills (RIP Puberty good luck Knots!) this September is proving that autumn doesn’t have to be all about endings.
Take for example a band called Monkey . Borrowing members from Women Beija Flor and late prog-metal champions lint this math-core three piece is shaking the city violently awake one unsuspecting crowd at a time. But what could be so crushing about a little math?
“Math-core basically falls halfway between metal and hardcore taking influences from both but not pledging allegiance to either” guitarist-vocalist Alex Kurth explains. “It’s not about discriminating against metal or hardcore it’s just about being heavy as fuck.”
While Kurth’s bandmates come from considerably more accessible genres (both come from Calgary’s experimental pop camp) all three found a common interest in wanting to give audiences a more visceral experience than merely standing listening and “stroking their chins.”
“I just want [our music] to invoke a bodily reaction” says Kurth. “I want people to freak out.”
Your next chance to freak out will be Tuesday September 15 at Broken City where Monkey will join spastic Sled Island favourites These Arms Are Snakes and post-hardcore trio Metz.
If you get a taste of Monkey (the band I mean) and think you want to add a little more punch to your local music experience you might also want to check out the pummeling melodic hardcore of Cold Craving and the not-so melodic Baikal on Thursday September 10 at The Marquee Room.
Never one to settle for long on a specific sound local post-rock trio The Summerlad will once again spread their wings and leap off the edge of reason with an eclectic new set of tunes at Broken City on Friday September 11. Rumour has it that rhythm-based psychedelic Japanese band Boredoms are at the core of the ’Lads inspiration this time around — an intriguing notion to say the least. They’ll be with atmospheric innovators This City Defects and Edmonton’s Desiderata .
In what sounds like a much naughtier evening than it actually is (though probably not well-behaved) the synth-inflected alt-rock glitz of the Dirty Girl Social Club will grace the SAIT campus at the Gateway on Saturday September 12. Helping them celebrate the release of its debut full-length album will be rockabilly wonders Miesha & the Spanks and the Kabuki Guns Burlesque Troupe . Dirty girls spanks burlesque… see what I mean?
This month will also see the solemn departure of a great pillar of Calgary’s music scene the much-loved Hot Little Rocket . The band has announced that September 19 at The Marquee Room will be its final performance. But wait! Don’t get down yet! Remember when I said September doesn’t have to be about endings? The rocket-men remind us in their Myspace farewell that their passion will live on in the many other projects featuring the band’s soon-to-be former members (which include Heat-Ray the recently reborn Key to the City and the wonderful Extra Happy Ghost) as well as one last all-new full-length album to be released before the year’s end. Yay!
Finally as further testament to our city’s unwavering energy the wild-eyed raving of art-rockers Dream Horse Spirit will overtake The Palomino on Thursday September 24. They’ll be getting wound up with the help of Vancouver pals Yukon Blonde and Kelowna’s We Are the City.
