L ars Mad Caddies with guests the Johnstones and Party at the Moontower November 4 show at the Venue in Vancouver did not disappoint By Kristina Mameli trolling down Granville Street to Venue, I couldn’t help but notice the somewhat historic 50-foot “Plaza” sign still hanging outside the newly renovated room. That sign was a beacon of nostalgia, much like the veteran headlining act. I never thought I’d miss the Plaza so much; or my youth for that matter. Local openers, Party At the Moontower—a tribute to Dazed and Confused apparently — won me over with their brand of post hardcore, despite their affinity for melodic vocals, after I noticed that the lead singer/guitarist was wearing an In Bear Country t-shirt. If that’s not legit, I don’t know what is. It’s highly recommended that you download the quartet’s five song EP, the O’Bannion EP for free at http://www.myspace.com/ patmmusic. The Johnstones were a flurry of energy, bouncing around the stage so fast that it was impossible to take any decent pictures. Judging from their appearance, it was hard to take the sextet seriously. The singer, with his curly blonde mane and what I hope are ironic tattoos, looked like an “80s aerobics instructor leading the crowd through the motions sporting a neon green wife beater and matching absurdly tight pants. It was so nice to see a band not take themselves at all seriously, but genuinely be there to have a good time and entertain. Case in point: a rousing rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire.” That is what we like to call a choice cover, kids. In fact, the sextet distracted so well from their music with their insanely vibrant antics, impossible facial expressions, sexual tension between each other and, well, capes, that I was truly shocked to find that the energy of their live show is not at all translated on record. But I suppose that ferocity is difficult to capture on record. By the time the Mad Caddies hit the stage, I was amazed quite frankly that the Vancouver crowd, notorious for being too cool to dance, was still moving; skanking, swaying, slam dancing, stage diving and crowd surfing. It was an almost unheard ~ of phenomenon. For a band to crack a Vancouver crowd... well, they had to be doing something right. The band grooved through favourite after favourite, the trombonist in the throes of the crowd, foot barely still on the monitor. I found myself singing along to tracks I had long forgotten. The ska-punk with elements of reggae and Dixieland was an intoxicating mix as the band worked enthusiastically through tracks like “Drinking For Eleven,” “State Of Mind,” “Lay Your Head Down” and “Villains.” Polka numbers like “Monkeys” stirred the crowd into a frenzy, the band feeding off their energy and upping the ante. Everyone was genuinely having a great time; the band, the girl with her “shirt” barely on dancing on stage, the militant security unsure or whether to watch or kick her off, and the audience all alike. The band even debuted a brand new song, one of five recently recorded for their upcoming effort. All in all, I couldn’t ask for a better stroll down memory lane. New release from The Junction puts another link on the chain Toronto trio’s third album shows potential al By Jay Schreiber, Arts Editor Ontario, is a hotbed for excellent indie bands. For some reason, the mellow-rocking musically inclined enjoy spending their time hanging out in Upper Canada. The Junction, a trio of bass guitar and drums manage to fill empty time with sounds that please the ears and relieve the soul. Channelling their passion from various rock and jazz influences, the groups sound can be considered Canada’s reply to Britain’s Muse. Their most recent release, entitled Another Link in the Chain came out last summer, and continues to circulate on the indie scene. The album’s tracks have an anthem-like feel with definite alternative influences in the ou I know, I’ve said it before, but Toronto, sound and construction of tracks. “‘We’ve really pushed ourselves to write crisper, more cohesive songs, and I think that shows with the variety on this album,” said Brent Jackson, guitarist and vocalist for The Junction. He holds true to his words as each song is tightly wound together with few gaps and solid structure. The album was recorded in New York City after the group caught the attention of record producers Gus van Go and Werner F. The result was a clean-cut album, a well-mixed album that is suitable to be seen as a benchmark in the Junction’s 10-year run. Check out their MySpace to hear tracks, or try to catch a show if you’re going to be in Toronto area in the near future. Look for an upcoming tour, this band is not going to fizzle out and it’s only a matter of time until the West Coast gets added to the chain. BUSINESS AND MEDIA AT BCIT. Learn about our industry-connected programs and enter our ‘Start your Career’ contest for a chance to win a laptop and more.* *No purchase necessary. Grand prize is a “Start your Career” package, including gift certificates for a suit and portfolio, and a new Toshiba laptop computer. Valued at approximately $1,300. Contest runs from October 26, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Skill-testing question applies. bcit.ca/business It’s your career. Get it right.