Date of show: February 1, 2013
Written by: Chiara DiAngelo
With Hannah Georgas wrapping things up early at the Mod Club, we were able to make it over to the Horseshoe in time for MAD ONES as well, though we unfortunately missed openers The Beverlys and The Archives.
Headlining duo MAD ONES were celebrating the release of their EP Burning Window. Comprised of Andrew DeVillers (vocals, guitar) and Phil Wilson (drums), their set was non-stop pure and gritty rock and roll, with DeVillers taking minimal breaks for banter.
They got things going with an older track, “800 Days.” With lyrics construing “This is for the broken hearted,” this one could initially be brushed off as lighter or less grungy rock, but the pounding heaviness of it all and DeVillers gruff vocals would easily soon change your mind. Keeping with older material from Behaviour, they soon got to “Darling of the River,” which was a hit in the face as Wilson seemed to be smashing his drums as loud as possible – I’m really not sure how many sets of drum sticks he went through.
I was impressed that poppier new track “Face of Love” was a heck of a lot more rock and roll when played live compared to recorded; I couldn’t get over just how fast Wilson was able to pound away on the drums while still maintaining the volume and intensity. Following this one up with “Miracle Intention,” the heaviest song off Burning Window, was the best set-list decision they could have made to keep the energy flowing. Other set highlights included “Light of Age” and “Behaviour,” the title track from their 2011 album. Shouting out “thank you’s” to everyone for being there to help them celebrate, they finally got to EP title track “Burning Window” before ending their set.
I know a lot of people take one look at a duo and comment that they need a bassist – MAD ONES prove that any additional help is unnecessary for the sound they are striving for. Hailing down with an onslaught of brash distorted guitar and pummeling drums that reverberate in your bones, these two are pretty darn loud on their own! Next up MAD ONES will be playing Canadian Music Week – you can check them out on Friday March 22 at the Silver Dollar.
Closing out the night was The Dirty Nil. Frontman Luke Bentham began their set by making a public apology to his mom for totalling her car on the way there – now it doesn’t get much more punk rock than that! Starting their set with some newer material, they upped the grungy distortion on “Metal Baby Fist” and latest single “Zombie Eyed.” Bassist Dave Nardi’s mic stand ended up being knocked over, forcing him back over to share with Bentham before somehow stepping on and denting the mic stand as returned to his side of the stage. So they’ve obviously also got the punk rock attitude of destruction down now.
The band has expanded recently added a new cover to their set list with “Waiting Room” by groundbreaking post-hardcore band Fugazi. As if we needed any more proof that The Nil are the real deal. Despite their late set time, the Horseshoe was as sweaty as ever, and the overexcited fans shouted along to “Cinnamon” and even some stage diving taking place during their cover of The Replacements’ “Left of the Dial.” Mosh pits don’t happen all that often at the Horseshoe so it was slightly frightening to find ourselves right in the thick of one.
Their set concluded with anthemic “Fuckin’ Up Young.” If the crowd had been going nuts before, that was nothing compared to the drinks flying during this one – ice cubes even ended up on stage somehow! Proving that even punk rockers play encores, the trio returned with another cover, this time, The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” (Teenage Wasteland), which came to a climactic finish with Nardi crashing his bass against the floor. If the lingering bruises on our thighs from being pushed up against the stage are any indication, the entire venue knew that big things are on the horizon for these boys from Dundas, Ontario. See them live, buy them shots, we definitely still owe them some!
buying shots for bands 
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