Date of show: September 25, 2010
Shot of choice: they did a shot of jager, but they did say “surprise us”
In the spring, I decided to check out the CD release of this band that I had heard only a couple times via MySpace. It was at The Horseshoe Tavern and it ended up being one of the most amazing nights of music I’ve ever experienced. When I realized I had an opportunity to see Young Rival again and, even better, cover the show for the blog, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to be there.
There is definitely something in blue-collar Hamilton that breeds badass rock and roll. Young Rival is no exception. I described Young Rival to a friend as what would happen if The Beatles were to make babies with The Kinks and then be raised by The Strokes and the Beach Boys… in your garage. The guys take a minimalist approach to their brand of rock and roll and it’s noticeable with their little use of pedals. They just play a solid set with swift transitions and aim to simply rock your socks off. Aron D’Alesio (vocals, guitar) has a unique voice, so reminiscent of the 60s. Noah Fralick (drums, vocals) is captivating on drums, not to mention his badass cover of The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy”. John Smith (bass, vocals), who had his eyes closed for a large portion of the set and seemed to be playing by completely feeling the music, brings compelling basslines to the tunes. The three-piece is so solid that it’s hard to believe that before their self-titled LP, there were actually four members. There’s chemistry on stage that just works so well (I actually caught Noah winking at Aron!) and this chemistry permeates into the crowd.
There’s something special about a Young Rival show. As Rachel put it, “they make people dance” and it’s true. The tunes are undeniably catchy and if people weren’t dancing, they were certainly tapping their feet along with the beat. There were several guys up at the front gesturing devil horns throughout the set and several ladies dancing around. The crowd also obliged to clapping along to “The Ocean”. It’s hard to be still during a Young Rival set. We definitely recommend you check out a Young Rival show. Oh, and buy them shots. They’re 100% worth it.
The Pack a.d. completely blew us away. I’m not sure I’ve ever been as transfixed by a rock duo as I was on this night and, judging by the crowd, I wasn’t the only one. As Rachel put it, they’re “very girl power.” But I swear they rock harder than most guys in such a male-dominated genre, so much so that Maya Miller (drums) put a hole into her snare drum. Badass, no? And Becky Black (vocals, guitar) has these deep, passionate vocals in combination with absolutely shredding on guitar. They sounded so powerful that if you weren’t looking, you’d swear there were more than two members on that stage. They’re loud, with impressive heavy rock and roll riffs and garage-type beats that leave you stunned. Even their older stuff, which is a little more blues-rock, still sounds bold and powerful live. I walked away from that set with only one word in mind: wow. See The Pack a.d. live; they’re worth your time, a million times over.
Hey ladies – next time you’re in Toronto, we owe you shots. You can hold us to that.
We missed part of their set, but RatTail really impressed us. I couldn’t help but feel so drawn to the vocals. Jasmyn Burke (vocals, guitar) has such a soulful voice, a little raspy and rough around the edges and powerful enough to command the room’s attention. Her playful and laid back stage presence makes all that talent seem so effortless. Joining her on stage are Ryan Mounsey (bass) and Jesse Frank Matthews (drums). Together they’ve got a sound that’s part garage, part psychedelic, part experimental, and a whole lot of awesome. They’ve got a 7” out, George Mounsey E.P., and you should look forward to the release of a full-length soon.
buying shots for bands 
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