Oct.
      12,
      2007
      me
      ele
      :
      COVER
      Page
      2
     
     
      |
      PlasKkett
      rocks
      up
      a
      Storm
      despite
     
    
   
   
    
     
      feeling
      under
      the
      weather
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ah,
      the
      first
      of
      semester
      pub.
      The
     
     
      time
      of
      year
      when
      first
      year
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      are
      ushered
      into
      their
      new
     
     
      surroundings
      by,
      in
      most
      cases,
     
     
      getting
      completely
      shitfaced
      and
     
     
      hooking
      up
      with
      the
      first
      person
     
     
      they
      see.
      I
      don’t
      want
      to
      general-
     
     
      ize,
      because
      there
      are
      certainly
      a
     
     
      number
      of
      students
      and/or
      onlook-
     
     
      ers
      simply
      there
      to
      enjoy
      the
      act
     
     
      chosen
      to
      kick
      the
      year
      off;
      in
      this
     
     
      case,
      The
      Joel
      Plaskett
      Emergency.
     
    

    
     
      First
      off,
      I
      have
      to
      give
      kudos
      to
     
     
      whoever
      chose
      NOT
      to
      get
      the
     
     
      Trews
      this
      year.
      It
      was
      nice
      to
      see
     
     
      a
      little
      variety
      for
      once.
      In
      my
     
     
      opinion,
      Joel
      Plaskett
      was
      the
      per-
     
     
      fect
      guy
      to
      start
      this
      year
      off
      right.
     
     
      He
      may
      not
      be
      everyone’s
      cup
      of
     
     
      tea,
      but
      he
      has
      enough
      credibility,
     
     
      chops,
      and
      general
      rock
      swagger
      to
     
     
      keep
      more
      than
      enough
      people
     
     
      moving
      and
      singing
      along.
     
     
      Opening
      act
      Pascale
      Picard
     
     
      warmed
      up
      the
      folks
      who
      decided
     
     
      to
      arrive
      there
      early
      enough
      to
     
     
      even
      see
      her.
      Unfortunately,
      most
     
     
      acts
      opening
      at
      a
      campus
      pub
      for
     
     
      someone
      of
      Joel
      Plaskett’s
      stature
     
     
      don’t
      exactly
      draw
      a
      big
      crowd,
      so
     
     
      if
      you
      happened
      to
      be
      there
      for
      her,
     
     
      that’s
      excellent,
      but
      if
      not
      you
      can
     
     
      check
      her
      out
      at
      pascalepicard.com
     
    
   
   
    
     
      or
      on
      her
      myspace.
      ‘Gate
      22’
      is
      a
     
     
      nice
      little
      track
      you
      can
      listen
      to
     
     
      on
      both
      sites.
     
    

    
     
      Getting
      back
      to
      the
      main
      event
     
     
      though,
      Joel
      Plaskett
      and
      the
     
     
      Emergency
      took
      the
      stage
      at
     
     
      around
      11:30,
      to
      an
      ever
      increasing
     
     
      and
      excited
      crowd.
      Something
      to
     
     
      note
      was
      that
      fellow
      Canadian
     
     
      musician
      Peter
      Elkas
      was
      playing
     
     
      guitar
      this
      night
     
     
      with
      the
      band,
     
     
      and
      I
      would
      sug-
     
     
      gest
      you
      look
      into
     
     
      some
      of
      his
      work
     
     
      as
      well.
      Joel
      tore
     
     
      through
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      better
      sets
     
     
      I’ve
      seen
      him
     
     
      play,
      despite
      Z
     
     
      apparently
      feelin
     
     
      a
      little
      under
      the
     
     
      weather.
      I’ve
      had
     
     
      the
      pleasure
      of
     
     
      seeing
      him
      a
     
     
      number
      of
      times,
     
     
      solo,
      with
      the
      Emergency,
      and
     
     
      even
      with
      Symphony
      Nova
      Scotia,
     
     
      but
      this
      night
      was
      honestly
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      most
      energetic
      shows
      I’ve
      seen
     
     
      him
      play.
      Under
      the
      weather?
      Who
     
     
      would
      have
      thought?
      Joel
      would
     
     
      often
      step
      back
      from
      the
      micro-
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
          
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      phone
      to
      have
      the
      audience
      fill
      in
     
     
      the
      blanks,
      and
      they
      never
      seemed
     
     
      to
      miss
      a
      beat.
      Another
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      great
      things
      about
      Joel
      Plaskett’s
     
     
      live
      show
      is
      how
      he
      adjusts
      his
     
     
      songs
      to
      apply
      to
      the
      place
      he
      is
     
     
      playing.
      During
      the
      encore,
      after
     
     
      taking
      a
      turn
      on
      the
      drums
      for
     
     
      “Fashionable
      People”
      no
      less,
      he
     
     
      put
      a
      twist
      on
      what
      I
      considered
      to
     
     
      be
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      highlights
      of
      the
     
     
      night,
     
     
      “Extraordinary.”
     
     
      Strutting
      up
      to
     
     
      the
      front
      of
      the
     
     
      Sen
      stage
      with
      micro-
     
     
      Be
      phone
      in
      hand,
      he
     
     
      sung
      to
      the
      audi-
     
     
      ence
      that
      “strange
     
     
      things
      happen
      on
     
     
      a
      Thursday
      night,
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      mtight.”
     
     
      must’ve
      noticed
     
     
      the
      overwhelming
      number
      of
      kids
     
     
      in
      the
      audience
      who
      couldn’t
      keep
     
     
      their
      hands
      off
      each
      other...to
      say
     
     
      the
      least.
     
    

    
     
      All
      in
      all,
      it
      was
      also
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      best
      nights
      I
      had
      seeing
      a
      band
      at
     
     
      the
      Wave
      in
      general.
      With
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      exception
      of
      one
      genius
      who
     
     
      decided
      to
      light
      up
      a
      cigarette,
      and
     
     
      the
      aforementioned
      walking
      hor-
     
     
      mones,
      it
      seemed
      as
      if
      the
      night
     
     
      went
      off
      without
      a
      hitch.
      I
      hesitate
     
     
      to
      compare
      a
      rock
      show
      to
      a
      reli-
     
     
      gious
      experience,
      but
      Joel
     
     
      appeared
      to
      convert
      a
      few
      people
     
     
      in
      the
      audience.
      Mallory
      Jane
     
     
      McKinney
      was
      at
      the
      show.
      “I’m
     
     
      certainly
      more
      of
      a
      fan
      now.”
     
     
      Adding
      “It
      was
      one
      of
      the
      better
     
     
      Wave
      excursions
      I’ve
      had.”
      Patrick
     
     
      McQuaid
      was
      also
      pleasantly
      sur-
     
     
      prised
      with
      how
      good
      of
      a
      time
      he
     
     
      had,
      saying
      that
      he
      never
      knew
     
     
      how
      great
      Joel
      Plaskett
      was
      until
     
     
      he
      saw
      him
      live.
      It’s
      pretty
      safe
      to
     
     
      say
      that
      there
      had
      to
      have
      been
     
     
      more
      in
      attendance
      that
      felt
      the
     
     
      same
      way.
     
    

    
     
      Joel
      Plaskett
      has
      several
      more
     
     
      shows
      in
      the
      Maritimes
      before
      he
     
     
      makes
      his
      way
      to
      the
      States
      in
      sup-
     
     
      port
      of
      ‘Ashtray
      Rock,’
      popping
     
     
      back
      up
      for
      a
      quick
      appearance
     
     
      north
      of
      the
      border
      in
      Halifax
      for
     
     
      the
      Pop
      Explosion.
      Check
      his
      site
     
     
      for
      specific
      dates,
      and
      pick
      up
      the
     
     
      new
      album,
      or
      any
      of
      his
      albums
     
     
      for
      that
      matter,
      because
      they’re
     
     
      unlikely
      to
      disappoint.
     
    

    
     
      -K
     
    
   
   
    
     
      VANCOUVER’S
      BEND
      SINISTER
      WORTH
      YOUR
      WHILE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Skeletor’s
      Picks
      -
      Brodie
      Birt
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Artist
      -
      Bend
      Sinister
     
     
      (myspace.com/bendsinistervancou-
     
     
      ver)
     
    

    
     
      Album
      -
      Bend
      Sinister
     
    

    
     
      Label
      -
      Distort
      Inc.
     
     
      (Teamdistort.com)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      After
      sifting
      through
      a
      pile
      of
     
     
      promotional
      albums
      late
      one
     
     
      muggy,
      August
      night,
      I
      was
      sur-
     
     
      prisingly
      let
      down
      by
      poor
      creativ-
     
     
      ity
      and
      an
      absence
      of
      individuality
     
     
      in
      the
      audio
      tracks
      before
      me.
     
    

    
     
      It
      wasn’t
      until
      September
      hit
      me
     
     
      with
      a
      cold
      hard
      wind
      of
      rock
      and
     
     
      roll,
      which
      went
      by
      the
      name
      Bend
     
     
      Sinister,
      that
      I
      let
      go
      an
      over-
     
     
      whelming
      sigh
      of
      relief
      -
      and
      it
     
     
      wasn’t
      because
      of
      the
      Imodium.
     
     
      The
      album
      is
      self
      titled
      and
      con-
     
     
      tains
      5
      tracks
      of
      well
      written
     
     
      music,
      blending
      many
      styles
      such
     
     
      as
      jazz,
      reggae,
      pop
      rock,
      and
      hard
     
     
      rock
      to
      create
      a
      very
      unique
     
     
      genre.
     
    

    
     
      From
      their
      original
      stomping
     
     
      grounds
      in
      Vancouver,
      Bend
     
     
      Sinister
      is
      composed
      of
     
     
      singer/songwriter/guitarist/key-
     
     
      boardist
      Daniel
      Moxon,
      lead
      gui-
     
     
      tarist
      Naben
      Ruthnum,
      bassist
     
     
      Dave
      Buck,
      and
      singer/guitarist
     
     
      Jon
      Bunyan,
      all
      of
      whom
      grew
      up
     
    
   
   
    
     
      together.
     
    

    
     
      The
      band
      went
      through
      several
     
     
      drummers
      but
      eventually
      managed
     
     
      to
      settle
      on
      an
      experienced
      drum-
     
     
      mer
      named
      Jason
      Dana
      for
      this
     
     
      album.
      Not
      only
      has
      the
      glamorous
     
     
      Cadre
      showed
      interest
      in
      the
     
     
      Vancouver
      based
      quintet:
      the
     
     
      album
      has
      also
      received
      positive
     
     
      reviews
      from
      both
      Eye
      Weekly
      and
     
     
      View
      Weekly.
     
    

    
     
      Beginning
      with
      a
      very
      catchy,
     
     
      heavy
      riff,
      the
      track
      ‘Your
      Truly’
     
     
      immediately
      draws
      your
      attention
     
     
      to
      how
      tight
      this
      band
      actually
      is.
     
     
      This
      riff
      then
      transforms
      into
      a
     
     
      reggae
      rock
      mountain
      of
      verses
     
     
      covered
      with
      Moxon’s
      Maroon
      5-
     
     
      like
      vocals.
      Using
      the
      heavy
      riff
     
     
      as
      a
      backbone,
      this
      song
      becomes
     
     
      the
      T-Rex
      of
      dinosaurs
      in
      this
     
     
      album.
     
    

    
     
      Introduced
      by
      a
      bouncing
      bass
     
     
      line,
      the
      next
      track
      ‘TV
      War’
      takes
     
     
      on
      the
      characteristics
      of
      a
      Muse
     
     
      song.
      The
      chorus
      doesn’t
      come
     
     
      into
      the
      picture
      until
      later
      on
      in
      the
     
     
      song
      but
      it’s
      well
      worth
      the
      wait.
     
     
      The
      catchy
      vocal
      melody
      of
      this
     
     
      chorus
      takes
      over
      like
      He-Man
     
     
      crushing
      all
      other
      radio-oriented,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _fluffily
      composed
      choruses
      to
      dust.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      chorus
      repeats,
      building
      to
      a
     
     
      huge
      crescendo
      until
      the
      final
     
     
      chord
      is
      struck,
      ending
      the
      most
     
    
   
   
    
     
      commercially
      friendly
      song
      on
      the
     
     
      album.
     
    

    
     
      A
      soft
      piano
      and
      vocal
      track
     
     
      begin
      the
      voyage
      of
      the
      rock
      jour-
     
     
      ney
      that
      is
      ‘Time
      Breaks
      Down.’
     
     
      A
      sudden
      drum
      and
      guitar
      storm
     
     
      starts,
      which
      almost
      makes
      the
     
     
      song
      worth
      listening
      to,
      but
     
     
      quickly
      leaving
      the
      listener
      back
     
     
      where
      the
      song
      began.
      Another
     
     
      storm
      brews
      and
      you
      find
      yourself
     
     
      at
      one
      last
      chorus
      before
      the
      song
     
     
      concludes.
      This
      track
      is
      not
      as
     
     
      strong
      as
      the
      others
      and
      is
      an
     
     
      nwelcome
      distraction,
      although
      its
     
     
      placement
      in
      the
      middle
      of
      the
     
     
      album
      seems
      to
      suggest
      the
      band
     
     
      may
      have
      tried
      to
      sandwich
      it
     
     
      between
      their
      better
      work.
     
    

    
     
      A
      lead
      guitar
      accompanied
      by
     
     
      some
      string
      bending
      greet
      you
      at
     
     
      the
      door
      of
      ‘High
      Horses.’.
      Inside
     
     
      you’ll
      find
      the
      verses
      are
      slow
     
     
      tempo.
      Then
      as
      you
      get
      to
      know
     
     
      your
      surroundings
      the
      drums
      take
     
     
      over
      the
      song
      for
      a
      rocking
      good
     
     
      time,
      courtesy
      of
      late
      addition
     
     
      Jason
      Dana.
     
    

    
     
      The
      instruments
      and
      vocals
      seem
     
     
      incomparable
      to
      the
      expert
      percus-
     
     
      sion
      in
      this
      song.
      If
      you
      are
      a
     
     
      drummer
      looking
      for
      some
      cre-
     
     
      ative
      inspiration,
      dig
      this
      track
      up
     
     
      for
      a
      listen.
     
    

    
     
      In
      ‘Julianna,”
      eerie
      synth
      chords
     
    
   
   
    
     
      crowd
      the
      opening,
      followed
      by
     
     
      piano
      and
      drums
      barging
      in
      to
     
     
      count
      the
      tempo
      in
      unison.
      The
     
     
      verses
      begin
      with
      very
      little
      guitar
     
     
      backing
      the
      vocals
      and
      end
      with
     
     
      some
      lead
      guitar
      riffs
      behind
      the
     
     
      vocals.
      Catchy
      “la
      la
      la’s”
      preface
     
     
      the
      song’s
      mystical
      fadeout,
      and
      an
     
     
      idle
      coda
      of
      piano
      and
      soft
      vocals
     
     
      sweeps
      in
      to
      conclude
      the
      album.
     
    

    
     
      Bend
      Sinister
      is
      a
      good
      represen-
     
     
      tative
      album
      for
      the
      music
      scene
      in
     
     
      Vancouver
      and
      an
      excellent
      intro-
     
     
      duction
      for
      those
      not
      well
      versed
     
     
      in
      the
      western
      indie
      scene.
      Refined
     
     
      chops
      and
      engineering
      allows
     
     
      Bend
      Sinister
      get
      down
      to
      what
     
     
      really
      matters:
      the
      music.
     
    

    
     
      The
      first
      two
      tracks
      alone
      make
     
     
      the
      entire
      album
      worthwhile,
      with
     
     
      remaining
      three
      songs
      showcasing
     
     
      the
      diversity
      of
      the
      band.
      Overall
     
     
      this
      album
      rates
      a
      7.7
      out
      of
      10
      on
     
     
      the
      Skeletor
      scale.
     
    

    
     
      The
      album
      compliments
      listeners
     
     
      familiar
      with
      Muse,
      Radiohead,
     
     
      Maroon
      5,
      Fugatu,
      or
      even
      Tool
     
     
      without
      becoming
      tired
      or
      deriva-
     
     
      tive.
      Bend
      Sinister
      was
      a
      welcome
     
     
      relief
      from
      the
      numerous
      other
      for-
     
     
      mulaic
      or
      just
      plain
      weird
      submis-
     
     
      sions
      for
      review,
      and
      this
      reviewer
     
     
      recommends
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Until
      next
      time,
      keep
      fit
      and
      have
     
     
      fun.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      licia
      Gallant,
      a
      23
      year
      old
      Education
      student
      at
      UPEI,
      was
      recently
      diagnosed
      with
      an
      advanced
      case
      of
      cancer,
      and
      will
      be
      undergoing
      intensive
     
    
   
   
    
     
      reatment
      in
      the
      coming
      months.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      e
      are
      having
      a
      benefit
      concert
      and
      silent
      auction
      this
      Sunday
      at
      The
      Wave.
      Performers
      include:
      The
      Celtic
      Ladies,
      Perfect
      Combination,
      Katie
     
    
   
   
    
     
      cGarry
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Come
      support
      one
      of
      your
      own!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      onations
      will
      be
      accepted
      at
      the
      door.