August 28, 1998
Femmes too aware of classic status

The last time I saw the Violent Femmes it was 1992 and the band was already deemed slightly over the hill.

 Of course, someone forgot to tell the band -- which formed way back in '81 -- that it was past its prime. The band's energetic performance was the highlight of a day-long Canada Day festival.

 Unfortunately, last night's concert at the Ex demonstrated that the band is a little too aware of its current classic rock status.

 About 3,500 predominantly young fans came to hear the songs that have become de rigueur for any self-respecting alternative music fan.

 The Violent Femmes (Gordon Gano on lead vocals, Brian Ritchie on bass and Guy Hoffman on drums) showed up for what should have been a crowd-pleasing greatest hits set.

 But their hearts just didn't seem in it. The lackluster performance came across as a muzak medley of their best songs. There was no energy, no spark, no life.

 The half-lidded Gano -- who has not aged well -- and his bandmates just went through the motions required to pick up their paycheques.

 The Femmes' only saving grace was the expert composition of songs such as American Music, Blister in the Sun and Country Death Song and Gano's recognizable nasal whine, which is still in fine form.

 But the crowd showed up to dance and the Femmes refused to indulge them. Instead, the audience was reduced to bobbing their heads as they remembered the adrenaline rush that the records never failed to deliver.

 Ritchie's xylophone solo during Gone Daddy Gone was the lone highlight of the evening as even their greatest hit, Add it Up, didn't quite cut it.

 When Gano sang: "Time goes by and I feel myself growing old" from Gimme the Car he truly meant it. I just wish he could have grown old more gracefully.

 ***

 This Minor Tremble, last night's opening act, is quickly proving to be one of Ottawa's better live acts.

 They sing romantic power pop (but in a good way) and refuse to succumb to the indie temptation of hiding the lead singer's voice behind a wall of guitars. A good move considering vocalist Adam Young's voice has stunning range and power.

 The band has a slight tendency to fall into the loud/soft verse-chorus-verse format popularized by Nirvana -- but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Neither is their slower songs' reminiscence to Breakfast Club soundtrack balladry.

 Tunes such as Bee Screamer and Tongue -- for which the band managed to get a video on MuchMusic -- prove that This Minor Tremble will continue making waves.

JAM! Rating: 2.5 out of 5