It was Tuesday 23 April.

That’s right Tuesday. A school night.  

By invite only, from 100.3 The Bear in Edmonton, Fandangos bar had a collective of 250 or so music mad mother fuckers.  Of course, at least 20 of them were Bear staff and members of local band Naked Beauty, but that’s OK.

Borrowed Boots

Guitarist Jimmy Stevens of Naked Beauty, also touts his wares as guitarist for opener; The Teenage Gentlemen @akathebearband.  Stevens obviously hasn’t made the big time yet.  He was showing off a pair of awesome boots.  It turns out they cost $16 and belonged to Lucas Holt, bassist, also with the latter band!

The Teenage Gentleman are a total shock live.  They are good.  In fact, they are really good.  They use the stage, they belt out solid rock n roll.  They sound like a real rock band.  They need to start recording.  Stevens channels his inner 80’s Madonna fan on the dancefloor, as he makes his guitar talk.  Both he and Holt bring back the Hidden Eddie Vedder of 90’s Pearl Jam.

Hidden Lucas Holt

Even the drummer, Paul Brown, wearing a McDonalds bib, proved he can actually play with more than his own instrument.  His drumming skills are not that bad!

Sharp dressed man Ry Maier (Ry My) is vocally valid.  He can sing, he can write and he can play guitar.  He deserves to be adored and Paul Brown, if not a little perverse is totally right when he tells of Maier having a nice arse.

Last but not least, Bear music director and afternoon show host, Lochlin Cross.  Yes, that is his real name.  His parents hated him on sight. But it doesn’t matter. Cross gives it good with his blowing skills.  His harmonica really does make a difference to the sound that the band produces live.  A great night out anywhere, would include this band, live.

Of course, The Bear Band were just the appetizer.

Jeremy Widerman announced while he was on stage that,  “playing on a Tuesday is a big commitment.”

Widerman fronts recent Juno winners Monster Truck.  An award they collected unexpectedly, as recently as two days before!!  This guy is still hungover.  Seemingly, he states he “may get drunk again, to rid himself of this hangover.”   Unfortunately, with the good, or fantastic, in the case of the win, often comes a kick in the balls and that is exactly what happened when a 72 Gibson guitar, belonging to the band, was delivered to the airport with a broken neck the day after the win.

Onward and upward.  If you are good enough to win a Juno,  you can probably make pretty much anything sound great.  Another guitar was put into play and the proof of this pudding is in the ripping sound blasting from Monster Trucks live show.

A bigger stage would have worked better for this band.  More flailing and headbanging were required.  More stage room is what there should have been.  However,  they were not a note off any recordings out there, Widerman has a voice that could launch a thousand ships and he launched a mini frenzy among the invited audience.

Monster Truck is a gas guzzling, engine revving, joyride (a little in excess of the speed limit) on the Yellowhead Highway and beyond.

YOU, missed a cracking show!

DON’T miss Furiosity, the bands first full length record, coming in May.

Many thanks to Monster Truck, 100.3FM The Bear, Lochlin Cross, Fandangos,  The Teenage Gentlemen and Brandon Yaggeys bangs, for a great night of kick ass music and entertainment.

Karen Graham 24/04/2013