True to what The Glorious Sons singer Brett Emmons told us in his interview earlier in the day, we were pummelled with “grimy, sweaty, raw energy rock and roll” with a hint of preaching of the rock, during the band’s too short set at Flashbacks in Kelowna, Tempest in a tea cup? Not even close to accurate! More like a sonic boom in a library!
Channeling a younger Kurt Cobain, Brett Emmons took control of the venue at the outset, growling into the microphone and only occasionally making eye contact with audience members – not to say that he sang with head down or eyes closed or some other staged performance often seen by today’s ‘modern rock’ troubadours – Emmons was too busy moving! The man lives and breathes rock and roll and the music flows through his body like a continuous electric current with a purpose .. and it has a purpose. Not one person on the floor was standing still! Not one person was engrossed in texting his buddy, not one person was hanging on the side walls observing.. Emmons and the rest of the band sucked us all in to the experience and we were loud!
Who says rock and roll is dying or dead?! Gene Simmons apparently – and at one point Emmons, flanked by his typically barefoot brother Jay, and the band’s second guitarist, looked the crowd dead in the eyes and preached – Gene Simmons says rock and roll is dead! (boos by us) Gene Simmons forgets he came from rock and roll (more boos by us, louder) Gene Simmons should hand his rock and roll membership card back in! Cheers from us and the band played on!
At one point, a fellow I swear was 12 feet tall, nosed into the open spot in front of me, and got so into the music that I feared for my life against his elbows, but unlike other rock shows, once his favourite song was over he retreated behind us shorter folk in a state of happy sweaty bliss.
Hearing the band’s radio hit, White Noise was an experience and a half! The radio edit doesn’t do this band justice when compared to the live version, add the fans into the mix and it was insane! As the radio announcer from Kelowna’s Power 104 said when introducing the band before the show, for a Monday night this is incredible!
The tunes were loud, yet the sound was sharp enough to hear all the lyrics clearly. The band threw their energy at us for too short of a time! Emmon’s announced they’d meet us at the merch table to say hello and sign stuff – and that they had their brand new album The Union (produced by John Angus of The Trews, and available for download at midnight) available for physical sale tonight. I’d say we on the West Coast, were treated to one of the band’s very first album release parties! And what a party it was.
*and yes we bought a cd and continued the party mood in the car all the way home for the next hour
Got a chance to see The Glorious Sons in concert? What are you waiting for?!! I can well see what John Angus saw in this band.. you will too! #RockisNotDead
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Photo gallery – click for larger image (we did try to capture the drummer but sadly didn’t quite make it)
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