You are feeling sleepy

If you were on hand for Steve Adamyk's show at the Dominion Tavern earlier this month you might recall thrashpunks Chloroform opening the night. They were also on hand to open for UK82 punks The Blood, who have reconvened (well, one original member) for some cold-weather touring back in November. This was my first sighting of them, and they were rough and somewhat ready.

Brendan rocks the low end.



Rick sings!



Rhythm section action with Scott, who as with the Adamyk show, pulled double duty (playing drums in Shackles, that is; he also plays bass in Asile).



Headbanging action!



Extra Scott!



Strap-losing action!



Next up, Shackles.

A la mode

KEN Mode have been enjoying a lot of acclaim of late. They won the inaugural heavy metal Juno, and their latest album has been raved about far and wide. So it was a little alarming to see them headlining the Daily Grind, a venue which accommodates three dozen people comfortably. Then again, they're playing a basement in Oakland tonight, so perhaps they like enclosed spaces.

Brotherly action!



Jesse sings!



Shane hits!



Fisheye action with Chad!



The whole lot!



More Jesse!



Rhythm section action!



Shoutalong action!



Guitar action!



The end!



They're on tour right now ... actually, I think they're always on tour.

Core business

If you've got a heavy metal show at the Daily Grind, you have to have some grindcore in there somewhere, don't you? Third band on the bill was Biipiigwan, who had a new EP and an impending tour.

They hd a few lineup changes since I saw them last, with Steve from The Great Sabatini and Greber on drums.



Also new, Matt Fleming on guitar.



The shouty bit with Denis and Musky!



Steve hits! He is also touring with his other band, Greber right now - they play Moose Jaw Tuesday.



Grinding action!



Bonus Musky!



Steve sings!



Even more Steve!



And so on!



The end!



Since then they've put in a few more tours; now they are mulling a westward haul and some new recording.

Up in the skies

Deniz Tek is best known for his awesome work with Radio Birdman, but he's also had a formidable career outside the band, with the New Race and fronting a bunch of his own combos. It was a rare treat to see the legend himself at the Dominion Tavern putting on a wicked set, accompanied by the Godoy brothers, who backed his as The Golden Breed. In addition to a bunch of Birdman faves, he played some tunes from his latest solo album, Detroit.

Voicemail started things off with  a brash set, and dedicated their cover of Rose Tattoo's Magnum Maid to Tek.


Voicemail at the Dominion Tavern, May 18, 2013

Michael hits!


VVoicemail at the Dominion Tavern, May 18, 2013

 Deniz Tek's guitarwork is as ferocious and searing as ever. The trio kicked things off with a cover of Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well, followed by Smith & Wesson Blues, and it was all uphill from there to the finishing one-two punch of What Gives? and Aloha Steve & Danno.


Deniz Tek & The Golden Breed at the Dominion Tavern, May 18, 2013

Steve Godoy is certainly a thumping drummer; unfortunately he was getting a bit of grief from his cymbals.


Deniz Tek & The Golden Breed at the Dominion Tavern, May 18, 2013
 
Deniz was giving a new guitar modelled on his famous Crestwood a road test.


Deniz Tek & The Golden Breed at the Dominion Tavern, May 18, 2013

A super night.

Hated by the nation

Back to The Daily Grimd for more metal; this time courtesy of Toronto's Vilipend. Last time I saw them was at Mavericks on a bill with Black Faxes, Alaskan and The Great Sabatini. It was a shouty affair. I was wondering how singer Chris Gramlich would manage the somewhat confined space of The Daily Grind, since the space of the cafe is not much larger than the entirety of Mavericks' stage, but amazingly no one was bowled over ....

Hair-tossing action!



Chris gets a grip, Mike Crossley sings along.



Adam McGillivray hits!



Downstroking action with Derek J. Del Vecchio!



Mike jumps around near the merch station ... you know you have a tiny venue when there isn't space for a table.



More Mike and merch action!



Extra Adam!



Derek sings!



The whole lot!



Audience-grabbing action!



Mike sings some!



The end!



They have a Montreal and Toronto show coming up next weekend ... no Ottawa that I can see, though.

Into the black

It was metal time again Thursday night at Mavericks. There were a couple of other things I could have headed off to last night (Coliseum was playing upstairs at Cafe DeKcuf, for one), but I haven't had a chance to see headliners Woe or openers Stay Here, and am quite keen on Occult Burial and Alaskan, the two other bands on the bill.

Stay Here seem to have had a busy schedule in the early months of this year (and yes, they are playing Ottawa Explosion). I haven't had a chance to see them before, and indeed knew very little about them. What I know now: They give off a definite Jesu/Godlfesh vibe, and Max from Critical Convictions is their bassist (she also did the sound for the other three bands on the bill that night).


Stay Here at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

Faceoff action with Tashi and Max!


Stay Here at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

Occult Burial may have been the most "trad" band on the bill - if you have a tradition of blackened thrash metal and covers of Bathory and NME, anyway.


Occult Burial at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

In the red action!


Occult Burial at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

Alaskan sounded even more crushing than usual.


Alaskan at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

Synchronized headbanging action!


Alaskan at Mavericks, May 16, 2013

Woe finished things off with a blistering set. I think by the end the drummer's crash cymbal was missing a bigger chunk.


Woe at Mavericks, May 13, 2013

Hairy action!


Woe at Mavericks, May 13, 2013

Awesome sets from all bands.