Outside the venue on a cold, crisp nite - all 4 bands' vans!
Aside from catching BEAST the other week, I haven’t been to a lot of shows thus far in 2010. The Stomp Records party at The Opera House on Friday February 12th was something to bank on, ever since I got the invite to the show. Stomp — if you don’t know of it — is one of the best punk/dub/ska record labels in North America. Definitely take a look into their roster. Aside from great releases by Bedouin Soundclash, Saint Alvia, Rentokill, Westbound Train and The Creepshow (who are *blowing up* right now), this particular concert was to showcase The Expos, Flatfoot 56, The Brains and The Planet Smashers. The final band is arguably the most popular band on the label, and, is that of Stomp’s owner: Matt Collyer. This was going to be a banger of a show.
The show was an all-ages show — which of course meant that I got carded on the way in. Age 30 and I’m still getting asked for identification…I can’t explain it. After getting patted-down in every conceivable manner, I was in the door and out from the frigid cold. I met up with my buddy Nick and we settled in at the back of the main floor area. We were close enough to the action, but far enough back from the mayhem that was sure to ensue at the big punk rock show.
The Expos
Up first on the bill were The Expos. I love this band. If you like dub/roots reggae, make sure to give this band’s tunes a spin. I stumbled upon The Expos through a conversation with Matt @ Stomp. He recommended the band and they instantly fit into mold of The Aggrolites and all of the old-school rock-steady and roots reggae I was (and still am) listening to at the time. Since that day, their first two records have become staples in my musical library.
The venue was a looking a little scarce as the band hit the stage. There were a few keen on-lookers paying attention, and more eventually gathered to check the band out. The Expos delivered a low-key set, coming across as more of a straight-up band as opposed to a reggae-band. That being said, it was a great set and the songs were still there. The applause was generous and appreciative. The band went the majority of their set without stating the name of the band — which I thought would have benefited them, based on the circumstances — but they performed well, thanked the crowd and made way for the second act of the night.
I wasn’t entirely sure who was up next, but as soon as the bagpipes made their presence known, I knew I was about to watch Flatfoot 56. This is one of the recent additions to Stomp — a Celtic-inspired “Oi!” punk band from Chicago. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one that was largely unfamiliar with the band’s tunes, but the crowd was filling up by this point and their participation grew. As soon as Flatfoot 56 revved up, the crowd began skanking to the beat and eventually formed a sizable circle-pit.
The set was up-beat and packed with good times. The songs were all positive and filled with a high level of intensity. Bagpipes were prominently featured, as was the mandolin. If you’re a fan of The Dropkick Murphys, I definitely suggest checking this band out. Hey – they closed the set with a punked-up version of “Amazing Grace”! These guys fit the bill. I didn’t get a good picture of the band, simply because I had to protect myself from the pit! The fans really went at this set with a lot of gusto. I braced myself and took it all in 
The Brains
The third band of the night was The Brains. Their slot was a no-brainer, as we saw the prominent mohawks and facepaint of the Psychobilly-rockers floating around the crowd during the Flatfoot 56 set.
I had heard the band’s debut record and liked what I heard. I’m not the biggest fan of the genre, but it’s a clean recording. The band mentioned that they have been laying down some new recordings, so I will have to keep my eyes and ears ready for any new releases.
The Brains did a great job of getting the crowd involved. I had to hand it to them; their songs took the crowd out of mosh-mode, but all three members thoroughly engaged the crowd. When they weren’t amping up the crowd with sing-a-longs, they were simply speaking to everyone at every chance. This endeared the band to all and kept the crowd’s attention piqued, yet, I got a sense that all in attendance were getting itchy for the headliners.
The Mighty Planet Smashers
This was my first time seeing The Planets Smashers. I honestly was psyched to see them in action. I definitely wasn’t alone; the crowd swelled and poised itself for action. This was the band everyone had come to see. As soon as the first tune hit the back of the venue, everyone was in party-mode. Even my buddy Nick rolled up his sleeves and ventured into the pit. The positive vibes were just too hard to resist.
I found it difficult to get a pic of the band — they just didn’t stand still long enough! Eventually, I put the camera away and just took it all in. The ‘Smashers were getting a lot of support from the crowd. Many took the chance to get up on stage, party with the band for a few seconds then leap back on top of the crowd. The pit was full of guys and girls, all eating up the warm ska vibes, on such a cold night.
Good on Stomp Records. 15 years!!! This was a definite milestone, and I am glad that I was in attendance to support one of my favourite Canadian record labels. Do yourself a favour and check out these bands!
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