Friday NXNE Part 2
Primaries @ Rancho Relaxo
Snotty fast English punk rock with some tight dance-infected beats. I thought they were OK. It’s not my thing but they played pretty well, especially considering the prior band The Gin Riots (also from the UK) had the room packed, and just about everyone left before the Primaries got on stage. It takes a lot of balls to play hard to an almost empty room. Comparing the two bands, I’m not sure why the Gin Riots drew the crowd and these guys didn’t, but that’s how the biz is. OK, they were pretty much a one-note band, particularly on the vocals, but when you’re getting English punks, that’s pretty much what you’re looking for. Or is it?
The Pack AD @ Sneaky Dee’s
OK, they’re two chicks who play drums and guitar. Their songs are heavy on the rock and heavy on the blues riffs. The singer can wail in her best Joplin voice just fine. So why don’t I give a shit? Because after 3 songs, it all starts sounding the same? Because after the 10th histrionic “yeEAaAAHhhhh!!!” I start to question the depth and sincerity of her blues? Because recycling blues-rock doesn’t mean much to me, no matter how well you do it? They’ve got talent, and they can play hard, but if you want real blues, you can dig way deeper than this.
Hot Springs @ Sneaky Dee’s
They started out on a similar note as The Pack AD: female-fronted rock band with a hard edge. Luckily for them/me, they didn’t stop there. Their singer has a 3-dimensional approach to her vocals (Pack AD did not - full-throttle rock voice does not have to be the only setting on your microphone - dynamics increases impact) and their band rocked hard. Again, for the 2nd time in one night we’ve got hard-rocking ladies with long hair head-bangin’. Yes.
Somewhere deep inside, I’m starting to wonder why loose hair + rock dudes + energy is so rare in the indie scene right now. Emo boys, leave the hairpsray alone. Or maybe they’re just too self-conscious to let it all out?
Anyway, the Hot Springs are OK in my books. A visit to their myspace song selections was pleasant too.
June 15th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Just so bitter and jaded to the music scene… heh..
June 25th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Er, I think you’ll find (if you actually did your research) that The “Snotty fast English…but when you’re getting English punks…” Primaries are actually from London ONTARIO.
So, in retrospect; “a one-note band, particularly on the vocals, but when you’re getting ‘CANADIAN’ punks, that’s pretty much what you’re looking for. Or is it?”
Biased journalism at it’s most refined!
June 25th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Did my research? You ever try finding a website for a band called the “primaries” during the most publicized american primary campaign of all-time?
Regardless, from what I could tell, the vocalist was delivering his lyrics with an english punk-style accent, and his banter was completely incoherent or too quiet to understand. Considering the information I had at my disposal (NXNE’s website / band info area was mostly inaccessible the entire weekend) consider me apathetic to any mistakes in that area. I did try to figure out where they came from. The only other band I saw with them was from the UK, and I knew the following night was Australian showcase night… so I took a shot in the dark. Meh. Don’t care.
So, to sum up: “Primaries are a one-note band that apes English punk”. Better? My sarcasm regarding the genre you can keep intact.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:07 am
“ever try finding…”
“consider me apathetic to any mistakes…”
“I took a shot in the dark.”
“Meh. Don’t care”
The field of journalism is going down the drain…
June 26th, 2008 at 8:14 am
“The field of journalism”. You’re so droll.
Aside from misplacing their residence (which shouldn’t matter to anyone since nothing else I said is relevant to it) am I wrong to call them a one-note english-punk band?
That’s exactly what they are.
But you’re probably here because this is about the only media coverage Primaries got for NXNE. Sorry if they’re your favourite band, or your friends, or you’re in the band, but my opinion of their music stands.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:01 am
“which shouldn’t matter to anyone…”
Well it probably matters to the band in question and the band in the UK you assumed they were. Tsk tsk!
I am totally for opinions in journalism, especially in reviewing. That’s the point. But lazy journalism gives professionals/good journalists a bad rap.
And no, I have nothing to do with the bands, I couldn’t give a shit about the reviews you give, just give them to the correct people!
As for me being “droll”, I can take that, but maybe you should have taken your criticism on the chin and swallowed your vitriol because now you just come across as a poisoned idiot.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:15 am
If you want people to accept criticism, it helps to avoid name-calling. First I was biased (what exactly is my bias, I wonder?) then I’m a poor journalist, and now I’m an idiot (poisoned I can accept).
Making a correction does not bother me in the slightest. Of all the bands I saw at NXNE, Primaries were the only ones I could not find any information on, and the only band I actually had to spend more than 15 seconds looking for information to give me context for their music (I spent more time looking for their site than actually writing about them, but I suppose this is more evidence for my amateurish approach, no?). I didn’t find any, and I turned out to have guessed wrong. I thank you for the correction, but you can save you insults and sarcastic journalism lessons for someone else. Those I do not have to “take on the chin”.