Two Shows Down and One To Go

Friday was the Valentine’s Bop at the Cavern featuring Quagmire, the Afterlife, and the Xanad00ds, and it was another success for the War On Music punk series of concerts. The best part is this time I will not lose the footage I took.

The Xanad00ds were the first up, and although not a punk band, this band is filled with some of the most creative, and artistic musicians I know, so when lead vocalist James Hiebert told me the D00ds wanted to play a punk set I didn’t hesitate.

I will admit that I was a little worried about booking a band with so many keyboards to play a punk show, but I knew the boys could handle hecklers. There was only one, named Shawn, and I must say James was Johnny-on-the-spot with some witty retorts, and even got a couple good barbs in himself telling Shawn that the last tune was being shoved down his throat.

This wasn’t so old school hardcore show, so the Xanad00ds upbeat tunes, and great stage presence transferred well, and was a great lead into The Afterlife.

The Afterlife were a corner stone for my first show, and this time they were even better. The psychedelic, punk rock stylings were even more in tune, and Mark Yerex pounded out the vocals with authority, while John McGowan wailed on guitar for a satisfying 45 minute set.

What can you say about Quagmire. These guys for my buck are the best band in Winnipeg right now, it could be the Afterbeat, but what were they thinking getting rid of the horns on most tracks? Questionable.
Anyways, they played the classics Anola MB, State of the Quagmire Address, and tons of the new stuff that is even better live than on the album. I can’t wait till their next release, but until that happens I’ll just keep on putting on Quagmire shows.

If you have never seen Quagmire before do yourself a favour and check them out.

And on a side note, a big what the love to the drunken clown that ploughed into poor Brad on his way home from the show. I know it wasn’t his fault because the other person was going the wrong way over the Donald Street bridge. Duh.