Review by Daniel Ewacha
Photography by Paul Clarke
A quiet yet intense sense of anticipation engulfed
the Pump as the audience waited casually for the Wallflowers to
begin their set, which they did promptly at 10:30. The band's
frontman, Jakob Dylan (yes, indeed, Bob's son), crooned, harmonized,
screamed, droned, and sang his way into the hearts of everyone
in attendance, lifting them one level higher in their search for
Nirvana (no, not the group, the other Nirvana). Combining
Dylan's voice and thought-provoking lyrics with the rest of the
band's luminous harmonies and thick musical textures had a more
intoxicating effect on the crowd than the beer they were consuming.
Or, in my case, the bottle of Jamiesons in which I reached my
own state of pleasant numbness.
Touring in support of their second release, Bringing
Down the Horse, the Wallflowers set the tone for the evening
by sending everyone into a state of euphoria. The verdict: Dog's
Eye View had a tough act to follow.
Yet I wasn't about to count the 'View out just yet. I saw Dog's Eye View last time they were in Vancouver, opening for, of all bands, Catherine Wheel and Belly, and they more than held their own back then, as I hoped they would this night as well. But, ohhh -- they just missed! They weren't bad or anything: they just failed to be as exciting as they were last time, or as the Wallflowers were earlier. Dog's Eye View did put on a good show, starting with a smooth sounding ballad before kicking into their first single, "Everything Falls Apart," off their debut release, Happy Nowhere.
Frontman extraordinaire, Peter Stuart, while not
as energetic as the last time I saw him play, still found it within
himself to let it all go from time to time. The one thing that
strikes me as peculiar about Mr. Stuart is his uncanny ability
to flash a big toothy smile while singing some of the most depressing
lyrics every written: Ian Curtis would be proud. It is this ability
that makes Dog's Eye View worth seeing and listening to. This
cat is just too happy in his misery and is willing to share it
with the world.
All in all, it was a good night to be out on the town. I'm just sorry that it had to end so early, leaving me plenty of time to catch the last Skytrain back to Dullsville.
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