Formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the hard rock band Harem
Scarem did well in their native homeland and also in Japan, but seemed to have
somewhat missed the boat in the coveted US market, the curse of Warner Music. Throughout their career which began as early
as 1987 they have unleashed twelve studio albums. (with the most popular
probably being Mood Swings). Founders
Pete Lesperance and Harry Hess have remained in the band and the driving force
throughout it’s tenure, undergoing a brief name change (they still went under
Harem Scarem in Japan
though) in the late 90’s/early 2000’s they finally went on hiatus in 2008
after an impressive 20 years.
Now, perhaps on the surge of great Canadian bands re-forming
and recording new material such as Brighton Rock, Coney Hatch and The Killer
Dwarfs, Harem Scarem is back and like the aforementioned bands, is playing
at The Rockpile Bar & Nightclub in Etobicoke, Ontario. The Rockpile have done an incredible job of bringing in some bigger name acts to their relatively small venue and have done an awesome job of
creating a local scene here. The Rockpile is becoming a destination, boasting such names as Faster Pussycat (many times), Helix, Kill Devil Hill, Drum Wars, Jack Russell's Great White, Stryper, Y&T, L.A. Guns, Dio Disciples, Brighton Rock and many more past and future. Together with Black Moon Entertainment they presented tonight's show with Harem Scarem, who took the Rockpile by storm, but not before some great stage setting opening acts.
Photo taken from Rockpile's Facebook page |
First up was West Memphis Suicide
from Cambridge Ontario. Now I had heard a ton about this band, albeit all from esteemed Decibel Geek colleague Wally "Wallygator" Norton and was excited to see and hear them for my first
time. The only song that I had any
previous experience with was their version of KISS’ War Machine that they
recorded for the Kissin’ Time tribute CD, Canada's all indie tribute that saw all proceeds going to Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital. These guys are also finalists in the 97.7HTZ FM Rocksearch competition for 2013. This is the same competition that spawned Rainbow Butt Monkeys (now
known as Finger Eleven), The Trews and My Darkest Days, so Wally is not the only one buzzing about West Memphis Suicide and their brand of booze soaked southern metal. There were several WMS shirts
floating around, most sporting their slogan on the back, "D.I.R.T.bag", which stands for Driven, Integrity,
Respect, Trust. I even caught sight of a
couple showing off their Headstones shirts as well. During their quick little sound check, I
immediately caught Wally’s buzz on these guys.
The riffs I heard were awesomely dirty and chunky and I noticed that
they rather looked like they could star on the next episode of
Duck Dynasty. As they started the actual set the riffage continued along with a heavy beat pulling you into their stage set. The bassist sported a real determined and angry look, a great rock bass-face while the guitarist, Barry Martin showed off the real rock and roll attitude, slinging his guitar around. Singer, Chris Raposo's throaty, soulful growl fits well with the music and carried the songs through. As Duck Dynasty, even joking that they resembled a bunch of truckers, blasted through their set of heavy power rock that sounded a little like CCR mixed with Pantera with the raw, dirty riffs and the Southern swaggering bluesy feel they were on pace to finish early, so they added in a song even. This rough looking bunch of dirtbags is definitely worth checking out and here’s a link to their song Dyin’ Breed on you-tube. Check it out and let me know what you think of West Memphis Suicide.
Duck Dynasty. As they started the actual set the riffage continued along with a heavy beat pulling you into their stage set. The bassist sported a real determined and angry look, a great rock bass-face while the guitarist, Barry Martin showed off the real rock and roll attitude, slinging his guitar around. Singer, Chris Raposo's throaty, soulful growl fits well with the music and carried the songs through. As Duck Dynasty, even joking that they resembled a bunch of truckers, blasted through their set of heavy power rock that sounded a little like CCR mixed with Pantera with the raw, dirty riffs and the Southern swaggering bluesy feel they were on pace to finish early, so they added in a song even. This rough looking bunch of dirtbags is definitely worth checking out and here’s a link to their song Dyin’ Breed on you-tube. Check it out and let me know what you think of West Memphis Suicide.
Toronto based band Warmachine took the stage next and ripped
through a set of heavy songs. The singer was
quite short and the way he was hunched down over the microphone made him look even shorter, but there was nothing short in his vocals or his guitar playing. Watching their first few songs, all I
could think about was how much the singer's (Joe Di Taranto) stance and guitar reminded me of German metallers Kreator, who I had just recently seen at Sweden Rock Festival.
Before their fourth cut, Eternally, Joe announced that Harry Hess had sung this one
on their album and I found out later, after the show that Darren Smith,
drummer for Harem Scarem was formerly in the band. I'm not sure if he still is as he was not
playing with them on this night, but he is listed as the drummer on their
official Facebook page and their official website announces that Darren has been named the new lead singer for Jake E. Lee's Red Dragon Cartel (who I will be sure to check out on The Monsters of Rock Cruise 2014). A few more thundering tracks took us to what I like to call the "opening bands curse". A solo,
drums as it were and I'm not
opposed by any means to soloing of any instrument, however I do not think that it has a place in a shortened opening set. It was very short however and then they were under way again with the ballad With You. Their final tune was a real treat for a die hard Iron Maiden fan like myself (if all goes well I will be seeing Iron Maiden in Brasil in September) when they ripped through a wicked cover of The Trooper. Definitely Warmachine is a high energy band and I've since visited their stuff via the Facebook page and it’s really good. Fellow Decibel Geek, Kate had purchased a CD at the show and now I'm wishing that I did as well. I was a little lacklustre this night and I think it has to do with the fact that I was hanging back at a table rather than rocking the front row as I usually do at a show….the only way to see a concert in my eyes (and ears)!
opposed by any means to soloing of any instrument, however I do not think that it has a place in a shortened opening set. It was very short however and then they were under way again with the ballad With You. Their final tune was a real treat for a die hard Iron Maiden fan like myself (if all goes well I will be seeing Iron Maiden in Brasil in September) when they ripped through a wicked cover of The Trooper. Definitely Warmachine is a high energy band and I've since visited their stuff via the Facebook page and it’s really good. Fellow Decibel Geek, Kate had purchased a CD at the show and now I'm wishing that I did as well. I was a little lacklustre this night and I think it has to do with the fact that I was hanging back at a table rather than rocking the front row as I usually do at a show….the only way to see a concert in my eyes (and ears)!
The milling throng assembling down in front of the stage in
my usual stomping grounds before Heavens Fire took the stage eluded me to the fact that
there was something to this next band although they were unfamiliar to me. The three of them hit the stage and ripped
through their first two cuts, having a real Maiden feel to them or was that
just Warmachine’s The Trooper that was still rolling around in my head? By the third song a fourth member of the
group joined the stage to handle vocals.
Apparently the first two songs were prior to his joining the band and as
I watched him reading off of an i-pad I realised that he was familiar and none
other that aforementioned Darren Smith, skin basher for Harem Scarem and Warmachine!
Maybe that’s why he wasn't with Warmachine as triple duty might be a bit
taxing? Even though the i-pad reading
was taking place, it did not deter from the show
and they were another high energy band of which I was loving the music and decided that I have to purchase merchandise after this one. They then proceeded to fulfill the curse with a guitar solo from founding member J.T. Harris. I could hear elements of Motley Crue in the mix as well along with the Iron Maiden feel and then they double cursed with a drum solo! They closed up with a great cover of the Van Halen classic Panama and Darren threw the microphone out in the crowd for an audience member to croon away for a chorus. The solos did not stop me from purchasing their Judgement Day CD, which is excellent and produced by Harry Hess as well, but I just wish that opening bands would drop the solos and fit in another song as that’s what wins over more fans in my opinion anyway. In any case check out the You-Tube link below for their song All For One, they are a great Canadian band.
and they were another high energy band of which I was loving the music and decided that I have to purchase merchandise after this one. They then proceeded to fulfill the curse with a guitar solo from founding member J.T. Harris. I could hear elements of Motley Crue in the mix as well along with the Iron Maiden feel and then they double cursed with a drum solo! They closed up with a great cover of the Van Halen classic Panama and Darren threw the microphone out in the crowd for an audience member to croon away for a chorus. The solos did not stop me from purchasing their Judgement Day CD, which is excellent and produced by Harry Hess as well, but I just wish that opening bands would drop the solos and fit in another song as that’s what wins over more fans in my opinion anyway. In any case check out the You-Tube link below for their song All For One, they are a great Canadian band.
Photo by Brian Ronald |
Photo by Brian Ronald |
1 comment:
Great review of a great show. I love my Warmachine CD!!
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