The Afterbeat

The Afterbeat have been a Winnipeg institution from the time they debuted their first album The Balls Out EP in 2003. Starting out strictly as a ska band on that album, the Afterbeat soothed their audience with positive grooves like People Get Up, Me and You (Which their My Space page counts as an underground hit), and my person favourite The Timing. The Timing is definitely a tune for guys, or ladies that have had an actual mutual break-up, and now maintain a strained friendship with that former love interest. Good for what ails ya, or something like that.

Their second album Personals is a even better, but if you do a radio show and play a track at random without listening make sure it is not Raptura, because it is more of an interlude that a tune.and can really start your show of on the wrong foot. I know from experience. That said this album is a track to track no skip, must listen collection of ska, and rock excellence.

Recently the band released their latest self-titled album that features Rude Boy which won them a Budweiser contest to have their song used in a commercial. If you haven’t seen it, it is one of the “rule” commercials. The one that involves some guy signalling the band in a bar to slow down, so he can deliver some drinks to a table of ladies. It is another shorter album, but it is definitely worth checking out. Support your local scene.

The Afterbeat have played many memorable shows, including a few Canada spectaculars on Osborne Street, but my favorite show was at the West End Cultural Centre (WECC) when the Afterbeat was opening for Guttermouth. I was late as tends to happen when you look for a spot in the West End where your car won’t be pillaged, and when I made my way inside the entire cultural center was skankin’ to People Get Up. People that don’t like live music should see the Afterbeat live, because the will up-stroke the potatoes out of your ears, and help you appreciate what music is all about.

May 14. WECC. Be there.