A Night at the Horseshoe Tavern

Hey, hey!

For this blog, I'm going to try a different format of writing because I'll be recapping the events that took place on January 26th at the Horseshoe Tavern. I'll try to keep the writing as formal as possible but I also want to give you, the reader, an authentic feel for how that night was represented.

Look at me. Represented. REPRESENTED! That's what I'm talking about. How the night was and how the band sounded and what the overall vibe was. Better wording? Maybe. More relaxed? Definitely.

I stroll into the Tavern and manage to find a spot on the floor where I could lean against a pillar and not let my tallness get in the way of anyone viewing the bands on stage. As I park myself and take off my coat, I notice the variety of ages among the pub. People young and old, knocking back drinks, laughing and having a good time. It was a little surprising at first because usually you don't see many older folks and younger teens mingling with one another; especially at a bar. This was nice though. Young and old coming together to listen to some great tunes.

I also arrive just in time to hear the prior band's set. Blanking on that band's name at the moment but they were very, very good. A lot of the songs were catchy and the members seemed to be having a lot of fun. The lead singer reminded me of a mix of Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age and Chad Kroeger from Nickelback. Don't worry though. He embodied the good elements of Kroeger and, yes, the Nickelback frontman actually has some. For instance, this lead singer was able to involve the audience and was able to establish a mood.

During the set, I briefly meet Brandon Heenan of Avery Island; incredibly nice guy who was very welcoming. I let Heenan know that I'm glad I finally get to meet everyone face-to-face and that I'm pumped to see Avery Island live.

The prior band's set ends and Avery Island sets up. When the show was about to start, the audience flocked towards the stage. It was a cool thing to witness. I've seen the audience gather in front of the stage in clips on YouTube but seeing the excitement in person was very enthralling.

The band plays the first riff of Bundy and the audience eats it up immediately. Swaying in unison along with nodding heads, the onlooking patrons are entranced by the band's sound. I look towards the band with a giant grin on my face and kept thinking that I'm extremely fortunate to be writing for such a great group of people.

As the show progresses, the audience's eyes never leave the stage. During songs such as Bow & Lyre and Jive Talking, or The I Learned To Speak With My Hips, the band provided a unique and fun presence as well as entertaining banter and a strong sense of humour in between songs. Avery Island also played some new songs which were stellar. That smile never left my face and the musicians were having a blast throughout the set.

Afterwards, I was able to talk one-on-one to Lauren Heenan, Jordan Pilshewsky, and Kyle Rawn. Seeing as this is the first time I'm meeting them in person, I convince them that I don't possess a Banksy-esque persona and that I really exist. I proceed to tell them how much I enjoyed the show and each member looked very pleased. Not only are these guys exciting and lively on stage, but they are also pleasant and down to earth in person.

I can't recommend checking out a live Avery Island gig enough. The mood of their music is transferred well via .mp3 but seeing these guys in concert is a whole different experience. Other than the obvious changes like you'll be seeing them in person and not on lovely designed photos, their sound is incredibly rich and the charm the band manifests is portrayed effectively and in a joyous manner.

That said, here's the next show date.

AVERY ISLAND & FRIENDS LIVE @ THE HIDEOUT

Date: Thursday, February 17th
Time: 9:30pm - 2:00am (AI are on at 11:10)
Location: The Hideout
                484 Queen St.
                Toronto, ON

There is no cover whatsoever at this show so that means everyone should definitely be there to get their socks blown off their feet.

As for me, I will not be attending. But, for those who go, be sure to post a comment on this blog and tell the band and I how much fun the show was. We'd definitely appreciate that.

Hope everyone has a great weekend up ahead and I shall talk to you all later.

-Addison

Avery Island: Kicking it off with a Bang

Happy 2011 everyone and welcome back to the blog.

Hope everyone had a stellar night of partying, being with family and friends, listening to free and legal Avery Island music courtesy of the Internet.

I'm sorry? You didn't get the memo? Well, let me explain further.

On December 22nd, Avery Island posted the entirety of Transmissions From The Mother Ship online as a free download to wish all the devoted fans a Merry Christmas. I snagged my free download and it's certainly one of the best presents I received last Christmas. The tracks include Bow & Lyre, Grapes Study Me....I've Seen The Reports, Bundy, Gilly, and Jive Talking or The I Learned To Speak With My Hips. All tracks have been recorded exceptionally well and are in top notch quality. I've been sending this link around because once you listen to these five tracks, you'll immediately want other people to catch the Avery Island wave.

The album is still available for download at this link. Get it while it's hot! Thanks again to the band for this wonderful gift.
TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE MOTHER SHIP

In other news, the band has a show approaching. Here are the details.

AVERY ISLAND HITS THE HORSESHOE TAVERN

Date: Wednesday, January 26th
Time: 10:00pm - 11:30
Location: The Horseshoe Tavern
                370 Queen Street West
                Downtown Toronto, ON

Ah, yes! The classic Horseshoe Tavern. Avery Island returns to the Tavern to rock more socks and blow more minds. The tavern has an incredible environment where the overall mood will be very easy going. The cover for this show will be $4 and, as far as age groups are concerned, there is no age cutoff which means if you're under 19, feel free to come and listen to great music.

This is also a show where I'll be attending. Yes! I can't wait to meet this incredible band as well as you guys, the awesome fans.

So, there you have it. Free tunes and a sure-to-be incredible night. What more could you want? Let's start the 2011 shows off with a bang! Bring a friend, lots of friends, your family, your Mom, your....step sister? Come on down to the Tavern and let's all have a night we'll be sure to remember.

Take care!