September 30, 2000
Messy but energetic set bit of a letdown

TORONTO -- Elastica played their first Toronto show in five years last night at The Guvernment.

And given the British rock band's strong, synthesizer-heavy sophomore album, the month-old The Menace, it was a bit of a letdown.

Judging from their messy and muddy-sounding, if energetic, set -- which clocked in at a whopping 50 minutes before the encore -- they haven't exacty been practising.

However, the Justine Frischmann-led outfit -- who exploded onto the London music scene back in 1995 with a sneering, post-punk self-titled debut -- did have their moments.

Like during such fan favourites as Line Up, Stutter and Connection, and similarly pumped up new songs Generator, Mad Dog God Damn and Your Arse My Place.

All of the above had many in the front line pogo-ing on the spot while Frischmann, new keyboardist-backing vocalist Mew and new guitarist Paul Jones did likewise up on stage. (The group now numbers six members with the lineup rounded out by original bassist Annie Holland and drummer Justin Welch, and new keyboardist Dave Bush, who came out to play bongos on Moody.)

Frischmann, born to front a rock band given her attitude to burn, was continually revved up last night by the animated stage antics of Mew, who could barely contain herself while seldom playing her instrument.

Still, one of The Menace's highlights, My Sex, which features Frischmann and Mew doing spoken word over a wash of synthesizers, never really got off the ground.

As for Elastica's cover of German band Trio's 1982 novelty single, Da Da Da, also on the new album, the band leader made unncessary excuses.

"We didn't know this was a Volkswagen ad," insisted Frischmann. "But then we got to the U.S. of A and Canada ... It's been all over! But what can you do? I think it's kind of Kraftwerk."

Frischmann also gave the crowd of 850 people a hard time for not fully appreciating their unusual opening act, punk-funk-hip-hop duo Peaches and Chili Gonzales, who hail from Toronto but are making a huge splash overseas.

As she quite rightly pointed out, their parents might be in the crowd.

At least her heart's in the right place.

JAM! Rating: 3 out of 5