Never have I seen so many piggyback rides at a gig. Normally a piggyback ride at a gig, in my concertgoing history, has involved either a) an adult female who wants a better view and gets her boyfriend to give her a lift and/ or b) an adult female who wants to flash her tits at the band (if you are the girl who flashed her tits at Shane McGowan when the Pogues played with Joe Strummer filling in on guitar, at the Commodore back when, please find me on Facebook! I remember your tits vividly, and Shane's reaction to them!).
None of that kinda thing tonight, though. Tonight it was 10-year old kids on their Dad's shoulders, or sometimes climbing up onto each other's shoulders, as Blue Jay Valley played their inaugural gig at the Fink City Records launch (the new label run by Clampdown Records/ Vicious Cycles man Billy Bones). Here are some photos and comments from that night (sorry, Rempel, I didn't make it to your set).
Most of the piggyback rides (and some playfighting) happened before Blue Jay Valley want on, though. You can read about them in Mike's article; Mike was there.
Billy was a fine MC and the audience filled with youthful friends of the band, and their parents, and the bands' parents, and a bunch of people who just wanted to support the show (which also involved
Cryptyds, a fine local rock band whom Billy tells me he first read about here! Sadly, they are not on vinyl yet).
Another detail from the night I had not seen at a gig: confetti cannons, loaded by Grant Lawrence (proud Dad to the band's blonde guitarist) with the help of Nick from the Vicious Cycles/ Tranzmitors and the bearded guy from the VC's most recent rekkid. This was blown at strategic points. During Blue Jay Valley's song "Snow Day," about the delights of having a snow day instead of having to go to school, the singer counted down "making it snow" in Vancouver in November. Which helped me capture the moment: 3...2...1...:
The merch tables were fun. I would have bought a Fink Pack for $100 but money is a bit tight this month (it was loose last month, so...).
It was fun to see 10- and 11-year old kids getting Blue Jay Valley merch signed by their friends in the band. Rob Frith, in attendance, told me a story about playing in a band when he was in Grade 7. I told him a story in turn of seeing Rob Nesbitt (of BUM) the first time he took the stage with a "band," kinda, in Westview in Maple Ridge, back in Grade 9. I'll tell that story someday...
I am sure that parents and school chums will post video of this gig presently, so I will not rush to put all mine up, but I did shoot a couple, including "No School," which the band has an official video for. It was very enjoyable -- as Rob Frith quipped to me later, "I bet you've been to way worse punk shows!" I have, I have! If these kids ever become rock stars, we'll have a real fun "I saw them when" story to tell.
I actually think this is a better-written anti-school song than that one by the Replacements (which has a catchy chorus but crappy verses!).
I cannot say who was more enthusiastic, the kids playing AND GOING TO their first gig, or their parents. Even onlookers like me had a lot of fun. Kids didn't exactly mosh, but I did see someone scoop up confetti and smush it into their friends' hair. The cannons fired a few times, from either side of the stage. Then the confetti was swept up by the same man who had fired it.
I need to spend more time with
the Smugglers. Grant seems like a very nice, good man. Good thing, because a lot of confetti was produced.
The bathroom didn't have much grafitti but I liked this one, and suspect the author is right:
Billy offered merch for raffle prizes; Grant Lawrence claimed this t-shirt, I think!
Cryptyds, up next, didn't even try to compete with the 10- and 11-year olds, they just did their thing, which rocks. They seem to be evolving in a little more punk, Ramonesy way, away from the garage/ psych thing, but remain tight and charimsatic and tuneful. I shot a clip there too, but I might offer it to the band, in case it can be edited in with their "official video" for a few different angles. I mean, maybe not, but they had a friend documenting the whole night, it seemed...
By the way, thanks, Billy, for getting the band to clarify that it is Cryptyds, and not THE Cryptyds. I may well have "the'd" them. Really pleased my blog was of service to ya! (And them).
I was happy that some of the kids stuck around for Cryptyds, but a lot of people had ducked out. Which I eventually did, myself, but unlike them, I have seen Cryptyds twice before.
I tried to duck out of buying merch, but Billy effectively convinced me that the Etters album is a must-hear. I believe it is the one being written about
here. It had swanky one-sided coloured vinyl, which I paid $5 more for, because it was so fun.
I am stealing this photo of the Etters. I hope no one minds. Apparently they sing in Dutch and do what Billy described as San Francisco garage trash, if I got that right. He says it's going to be an album he'll be listening to years from now.
This is the record; see the cool colours?
The art on the back of the b-side has a funny caption. I recommend enlarging it!
These photos of me were taken by Erika Lax, who was very tolerant of her high-as-a-kite husband and let him finish this blogpiece before he joined her in bed (she's already asleep).
Welcome to the Vancouver music scene, Blue Jay Valley. And welcome as well, Fink City! Fun night!
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