I know most of you would be shocked to find this out, but there are some Friday nights when I'm at a loss for what to do. Sure, I mean of course I'm gonna go out a watch a band. That's a given. But I like to have a friend come with. As it turns out I'm also a last minute kind of guy. These two things don't always mesh well. Not everyone I know just waits by the phone for me to give them a buzz and grace them with my presence. And as sad as that is, sometimes it's nice to just go off on my own and not have to entertain, or worry if anyone else is having fun. I check the tubes to see who's playing out at IMAC tonight, and its a bunch of bands I've never heard of! Four Bands..... at least one has to have the stuff! And for $6 it's certainly worth a gamble. I check out the band's myspace pages for a audible appetizer. The First band to really set me off was Frankie and His Fingers. It's 8pm, the bands start at 9pm so I guess I better wash the taste of happy hour out of my mouth, and off my body. And I should change too. Damn going out is much more of an ordeal when you fall asleep after drinking through lunch. 
Thirty minutes later, I'm clean, dressed, shaved and feeling like a new man. Definitely ready to rock it. Now I spend the next twenty minutes wandering around my house looking for my other Chuck Taylor All-star, like a defunct king of Iolcus. Of course it turns out to be in the last place I'd ever look..... on the television. Hell of a place to put your shoe after happy hour. With my second shoe, found and a touch of the weird feeling, I make a break for IMAC. After spending my last three Fridays hanging out here and shooting the bands, it's starting to really feel like home. They know what I drink, smiles and chit chat are exchanged friendly nods and wave fly across the room. Most excitingly they've started waiving my entry fee as a member of the press. Yes, I know! I said before that I'd rather the band get the money. I'm no hypocrite, it means I'm going to use that money to buy merch and EPs. I can always use a new tee shirt!
The first band, Binky Bianca, was just finishing up. I caught a few of their songs. If I had been a touch more conscious of the locale of my footwear I'd have caught their whole set. They had a great little country rock thing going on I snagged a video of them and a few pictures. Maybe its me, but it seems like there's a resurgence or Country influenced rock and roll taking back the smaller venues lately. I'll be the first to admit I'm much more in love with the past than I am the present, but it's bands like this that are really warming me up to today's music scene. FAHF set up. They played most if not all of their EP. Which is available for free download on their myspace page (Look under their blogs, well worth the price. 
I'd say you're losing money not picking these up). They rounded third and busted right into a cover of Bullet with Butterfly Wings by the Smashing Pumpkins, which was unconventional and really well executed. Frank(vox, guitar) was a consummate front man. Jumping about and rocking the stage. He used every inch of his space, and even some of Adam's (bass), who really grounded Frank's pleas and exclamations with solid backing. Samantha's work on the drum was classic rock with a great use of accents. She really went to work on the solos. And before I was quite ready for them to be finished...they pulled out with Hell Broke Loose. 
The crowd was charged up as Eastern Anchors hit the stage. It was really hard to classify this band. They have a serious New Brunswick basement sound, and you can get a real feel for surf rock influence as well. I mean don't get me wrong it worked well. I felt like I was 22 hanging out in a Hamilton street basement. Anytime a band can bring me back to days of pounding my fist in a sweaty basement to post-hardcore music in hopes of meeting a cool girl or just moshing in areas that are far too tight to be slam-dancing in, that's a great thing. I got this great video of them rocking out to Tectonics. The sound is great. I'm starting to get a better idea for how to work the camera. Sometimes on the job training is the best kind. So they finished up their set to thundering applause and an anticipation for more kick to the teeth rock!
No Pasaran! Burst on to the stage. These three cats had more energy that this place could really handle. Eric Mason(vox, and guitar/bass) kicked into top gear right from the start with stage antics and serious motion. I didn't even mention his singing or playing which were beyond erratic and panicky. Romel Espinel (vox, guitar)kept a lower profile, but was no less kick ass, a perfect compliment to Eric's over the top hijinks. Tom Barrett (drums) ripped his kit a new one. 
Inbetween Eric's manic vocals and Romel's more melodic backings they would bust out into an intrustmental episode. The whole thing was intense, punchy, and positively punk. I felt young again. Well younger than I am at least. And just like all those basement shows I used to frequent in my youth, I went home a sweaty drunken mess, alone, my ears ringing and my body bereft of all energy.
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