The Real McKenziesMay 18, 2012 will go down in infamy as one of the best shows I’ve seen! It will also be remembered as the night that cured the common cold. Really, I was sick all week, feeling totally punk, but not the good kind of punk, but now I feel human again. The Real McKenzies and the bands who opened for them are responsible for curing me — that I’m sure of.
I had been so looking forward to seeing the Real McKenzies again. I’ve begged them on their FB page to please come back to Seattle. They did not disappoint. The six-piece band from Vancouver, BC came on stage dressed in kilts and played their Celtic punk with spunk and energy that kept the raging fire burning that had started with the first band on stage that night (more on them later).
Paul McKenzie, who was born and raised in Scotland, performs with non-stop animated gestures and facial contortions while the band– “Dirty” Kurt Robertson: guitar, vocals, Gord Taylor: Highland bagpipes, Sean Sellers: drums, Mark “Bone” Boland: guitar, vocals Gwomper: Bass Guitar– drove the show’s energy.
The Real McKenziesThey began their show with an a cappella sea shanty before kicking the song into full gear with slam dunk power chords complete with a whaling bagpipe. The moshing immediately ensued. I immediately sustained more bruises. The Real McKenzies played a mix of new songs from their latest album Westwinds, as well as classics like “Nessie.” When a heckler repeatedly yelled out a request, singer Paul McKenzie laughingly shouts back, “Why don’t you get your own, fuckin’ band?”
For the lead up to their song “Bastards,” McKenzie requested everyone raise their hands if they’re bastards and threatened, “If you don’t sing along, I’m not playing this song. That’s how big of a bastard I am.”
McKenzie is a gifted performer, he sang and also played harmonica and penny whistle as well as some type of horn I didn’t recognize. The Real McKenzies aren’t a band to shy away from anything. Piper Gord Taylor looked like he was playing a dead cow and McKenzie often flipped up his kilt to reveal what he wore (or more aptly what he didn’t wear) underneath.
After returning for an encore, they played their classic, “Bugger Up,” which everyone sang along to. I hope I don’t have to wait as long to see The Real McKenzies again. They are one of the most fun bands to see live and to listen to.
The Real McKenziesPrior to The Real McKenzies, we were treated to LA punkers CiVET. Their FB page claims they’re an all girl group, but there was only one girl in the band, singer/guitarist Liza Graves. Whoever said girls can’t rock needs to see Ms. Graves in action. Try L-7 on steroids and you come close to knowing what Civet are like. Ms. Graves has non-stop energy, powerful pipes, and grinds out guitar chords as well as any male punk artist. She comes across all cute, complete with beguiling smiles, but then she plays, and then she sings and it’s anything but cute and sweet. She’s a definite split personality. The bass player wore black trousers and matching vest and had “Death Or Glory” emblazoned across his bass. CiVET played so hard and so fast, I was surprised the stage wasn’t a smoldering wreckage when they finished their set. This is an impressive band.
The third band to play was 13 Scars from Tacoma, WA. They are, Shawn Durand – guitar/vocals, Will Marcus – drums, Todd Hewitt – bass, vocals, Brian Fritts – guitar/vocals, and Bradley Petrovich – vocals. This band makes NOFX look pretty, but what they lack in sex appeal, they make up for in pure punk energy. They don’t hold anything back. Singer Bradley Petrovich moves around the stage as if his feet would catch fire if he stood still for more than a couple seconds, though I’m surprised his feet didn’t catch fire from the friction of all his moving about. A circle pit was going for their entire set. 13 Scars have a let’s have fun and forget about the rules attitude and didn’t let the fire extinguish that started with the first band. They are totally non-stop fun.
The second band to hit the stage and keep the night in flames was Sledgeback. Although from Seattle, the driving force behind Sledgeback is Gabi Hun who began playing in punk bands in his native Hungary back in the early nineties. Having reviewed their music earlier this year, I was glad to finally see them live. Let me say that the record I reviewed did not do them justice. These guys look the part. They’ve got that been around the punk rock block a few times look, complete with piercings and chains hanging off clothing. They’re pure oi! The second they started their set, a massive circle pit was started and never let up. I was slammed against the stage so many times I was sure I’d end up with cracked ribs. They play punk the way punk was meant to be played. I will definitely see them again and highly recommend them to any oi fans out there. I sense these guys are going to be big.
Igniting the flame that became the raging fire burning through the night, was Rat City Ruckus. I’ve seen them before and they didn’t disappoint this time either. They hit the stage with a vengeance and didn’t let up. These guys play so fast they make the Ramones seem sedate. Their non-stop energy had everyone either moshing or running in a big circle pit. For an opening band to get a crowd moving like that is quite a feat. Rat City Ruckus are worth checking out. They know how to put on a hell of a punk show. I bet if I drove by El Corazon twenty-four hours later, the flames would finally be extinguished, but I bet the place is still smoldering. What an incredible night!
