How does a band named after tight plaid Scottish trousers prompt a slew of uni- versity girls (and the odd gent) to swarm around them? By rocking the barn doors off of the Wave.

Love 'em or loath ‘em, the Trews can put on a hell of a show. They know their audi-

ence to a T. The drunks leave - |

convinced they've just wit- nessed the second coming. The sober indie kids wonder whether there's a mind behind the Trews' music, but appreci- ate their ability to lead a rela- tively apathetic campus in a rousing chorus of the Beatles' "Lucy in.the Sky with Diamonds" for their encore. All parties leave with an intense ringing in their ears, save the smart few who brought plugs.

Having played close to 250 shows in 2003 alone, the quar- tet has certainly earned their reputation as Canada’s hardest working band. “It seems sort like booking agents are trying to test us,” says bassist Jack Syperek.

Not only can an intense tour schedule take its toll on a group, it can also make a band start to dislike their own work.

By Alec O’Hanley, A & E Editor

“There was one point where we were playing ‘Not Ready to Go’ at every TV appearance so eventually it got.... (groan) but now it’s gone back to being fun to play again because we’re doing a differ- ent single.”

Your little brother jumps around the house screaming, "I'M NOT READY TO GO!" for a reason. The Trews have some undeniably catchy songs, are tight as balls, and know how to work a crowd. As far as the Canadian rock music scene goes, the Trews’ mindset is found somewhere between the cock-rock of Nickelback and the intellegence of Sam

Roberts. They know that swearing — (read: "Charlottetown, how _ the

FUCK are you??!!!") leads to loud cheers and is generally

approved of by the university 18-21 demographic.

This band thrives on having an audience to entertain. As expected, being renowned as ‘such a dynamic live experi- ence increases expectations in

the studio. When asked about

the difficulty in capturing the energy of a live concert onto ©

tape, Jack replies, “It’s harder than if there’s a crowd in front of you. It’s like you’re playing

it for immediate playback, and .

if you’re not enthused then you go back and record it again until it sounds frantic.”

UPEI Cadre September 14, 2004 page 12

_ fruit/vegetable

Unfortunately (fortunately?), the post-show beared witness to some free-spirited ladies pulling the old "will you sign my knockers/arse/other" trick. Classy dames, I'll wager.

I've got nothing against a band that asks for too much food and drink as part of their rider (ie: all the shit a band requests to have backstage). That just means I get to give it to some trays and gatorade when they're off mucking it up with band-aids.

The Trews pulled all the stops tonight, and while they risk

becoming another clichéd and

stylized throwback rock band, they must be doing something right; UPEI loved them on this night and I’m sure that’s what they wanted all along.

~