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One Night Only! Mid-’90s CanRock Saved from Obscurity!
“It basically started as a way to hopefully get free CDs.” In what seems like a dream to those of us yet to turn our internet noise into an escape from day jobs and a licence to sleep in, Dan Wolovick has, in a few short years, turned his reviews-based music blog Two Way Monologues into a full-time job. “I became inspired [to put on live shows] by a friend from a band who challenged me for never doing anything [besides] criticizing bands in reviews, and I’ve never looked back.”
Now mostly calling Rancho Relaxo home, the TWM series has worked a nice butt groove into the space with multiple shows a week and impressive regular traffic. This Saturday, the series branches out with a mid-’90s Canadian rock tribute night, and if there was ever a way to squeeze glee from a tellingly aged and appropriately jaded group of era-specific music nerds, this would be it. (Well, this, and vintage MuchMusic clips on YouTube.) Wolovick assures us that the bands on the bill are one of us: “This time period—man, did people love it. That was definitely proven by the in-fighting over song choice.” When asked to elaborate on the dramz, Wolovick confirmed our long-held suspicion that Sloan is more important than babies. “Basically everyone wanted Sloan, Eric’s Trip, or Thrush Hermit, and it was all negotiating and arguing over who got what. I inherited one future first born out of the ordeal.”
Shaun Hatton plays drums and wears cool headbands in the night’s headlining garage-pop trio, Cobra. He says that this era is part of why he and his bandmates play now. “When I first heard Sloan, I knew I wanted to play the drums. Within weeks I had all their albums and started a basement-playing rock band with my friends.” When asked if the current CanRock climate might inspire similar tribute nights, Hatton jokes, “Broken Social Scene will definitely be covered, but the band would have to be way smaller than BSS to fit into Rancho. I’m sure there’s a Wu-Tang joke to be made here.”
So does Wolovick share in Hatton’s CanRock salvations? “When I was in high school I would walk a country mile to pick up the new Limblifter album. I can still tell you what the Killjoys, Gandharvas, Junkhouse, etc., are up to, and [now] I run a record label with Spookey Ruben. So I guess the answer is yes.” See you on the messageboards!
The Mid-’90s CanRock Tribute show happens Saturday, October 17, at Rancho Relaxo. Doors at 9 p.m., $7. The full band line-up can be found on the Facebook event.