Last night I was fortunate enough to get tickets to the Belvedere farewell tour, which also happened to be the release party for The Fullblast’s new CD. If you’ve never been to Call The Office, try and imagine a toned-down underground Hard Rock Café.
The first opener was called 30 Nights of Violence. It was easy enough to guess what they’d sound like just by the name of their band, and when four inked-up hardcore kids walked onto the stage, it became all the more obvious. The singer, Jason Crowley, offended all by wearing a Garth Brooks t-shirt, ineffectively executing the usual hair-flailing motions, and wanting to sound like The Bled a little too much. The music (as in everything but the vocals/gibberish/screams) as a whole was credible, but that alone couldn’t make the band worth listening to. They covered a country song, but scene’d it up so that even the angriest camo-wearing xtuffxguyx could throw a spin kick and a few elbows of fury along with it. They never did say who they were covering, and I’m glad, because if it were actually someone respectable (i.e. the late great Johnny Cash) I might have just left the concert on principle. And then where would we be? The band didn’t do much for me, aside from increasing my disdain for all the other bands that follow the same played-out format. You know who I’m talking about. They fall under the broad heading of “myspacecore”.
Do you like emo? Do you like punk? Do you like BOTH?! TOGETHER?! Well then you’ll be all about The Fullblast. When I found out that they were opening the show I was so stoked, having been ultra pissed about missing them in Windsor a few weeks earlier. These Oakville, ON natives have gathered quite a fan base in Ontario with their blend of fast punk beats and melodic riffs. Of note is the level of unpredictability in their music. Fast, slow, fast again: it sounds simple, but it really gave their set an aural-rollercoaster sort of feeling. Their sound could most accurately be described by the title of their new CD, Short Controlled Bursts. It was all very moneen meets Propaghandi, with a dash or two of extra experimental edge. They played for a good hour, sticking mostly to their newer songs, but threw in a few older tunes as well. Highlights include “All I Need is a Jet Pack and Rollerskates”, “Sober Pud”, and “Jerk Circus is for Jerks”. Props go out to Brian the bassist, who blew me away with his godlike skills. All in all, the Fullblast put on a respectable show. If you like your music Happy-Meal style (fast, fun, the smiles are free) and without a breakdown, then check out the perpetually-touring Fullblast.
As more and more people packed themselves into The Office, the bar’s walls seemed to close in. Belvedere has had a long history of playing shows in London. Although they’ve gone on various North-American tours, three European tours, a Japanese tour, and a South American tour, they’re ending their ten-year stint here in Canada, with only six shows left on the schedule. Breaks your heart, doesn’t it?
Since one of the bands that were supposed to be opening for them couldn’t get over the border from Detroit (apparently punk music is the new terrorism), Belvedere had an extended set that lasted almost two hours. From the second the music dropped, it couldn’t have been anything but a spectacular show. The first song caused some sort of sonic explosion within the crowd, and the concert-goers were sent flying in all directions. This sonic explosion was most likely caused by a large mass of rocking out being ignited on stage. A snare-drum snafu was encountered, but after the instrument was fixed, the show continued without interruption. Belvedere’s fast-paced style kept everyone on their toes. They played their entire set in chronological order, starting with songs from their first CD and ending at their most recent, Fast Forward Eats the Tape. After tearing through the highlights from each CD, they played up the usual “this is our last song” gimmick, but afterwards, they granted the crowd an encore filled with several of their older favourites. My buddy got a few of us to start shouting out a request for “Airplane”, and we heard ourselves echoed by people screaming out for the song on the other side of the crowd as well. The mob wanted it, but sadly, the request for “Airplane” never got off the ground. That was the only unfortunate part of the show. I myself enjoyed the circle pits, which made me nostalgic for the good ol’ punk rock days. The show itself made me regret not getting into Belvedere sooner. They proved themselves to be worth their hype, and hopefully the members will continue to put out quality music as they go their separate ways. Rest in peace, Belvedere.
Merch was sprawled across a pool table, and it was your usual punk show affair: hats, shirts, stickers, pins, and of course, CDs.
-Joseph Scalia
