I had a really great time at this show. Fucked Up is a six piece Canadian collective who brings the punk intensity with a prog-rock distnction like no one I have witnessed in many moons. What separates this band from other run of the mill outfits is their obvious skill and technique. There are many layers beneath the power chords and front-man screams by their vocalist/pro wrestler wannabe Pink Eyes. His look fits the pummeling, aggressive music. However, the boyish guitarists would not look out of place in an A & F store, but play with excitement and intensity. The drummer plays fast and furious with no sign of fatigue. The female bassist is no token with her hipster librarian look and rock god stance. The spectacle works splendidly.
The show itself was a true old school event when I saw small (and some not-so-small bands) play in warehouses and other odd spots with no stage or lights, but with all of the intensity and energy of youth spilling out. It had the requisite mosh pit sweat and blood, but something struck me as the true DIY, punk rock aesthetic. Throughout the entire show, a teenage kid in a motorized wheelchair was enjoying the show front and center, skirting around the pushing and shoving. The other concertgoers gave him space and respect without sacrificing their own enjoyment. This type of show can be dangerous for anyone, wheelchair or not, and his enjoyment was mutual and communal despite his disability. The space he was given was a gesture of camaraderie without being condescending.
At the end of the show, a couple of his buddies give him an experience he surely enjoyed. Watch the video below starting at 3:55.
Purchase Fucked Up's albums here.
No comments:
Post a Comment