1. Photos by Francis Wong: clockwise DJs Benz, Ruckus and The Dentist
spinning at a London venue.
WINDSORVOX MAGAZINE MAY 2003 V. 2.4 11
M
aybe it's the years of condi-
tioning in Windsor, but
there are very rare occa-
sions when this author is able to
play the role of just another face in
the crowd, so to speak. So it would
come to pass that a several hours
the midnight mark of the 11th of
this month, I would receive a mes-
sage on my desktop of some big
name UK performers playing at
'some place' in London, Ontario.
I think we were just looking for an
excuse to get the hell out of dodge.
But I digress. The matter of fact is
nothing could have prepared us for
what be the next eight hours.
Accuse me all you want of being
guilty of having 'trance in my
pants', but the reason I made the
drive up to London was to see Great
Britain's Jon the Dentist and Aaron
Liberator. That's it. I was whole
fully expecting a more or less small
venue with poor ventilation and a
sound system that would have
made my first tape deck car stereo
sound like the Royal Albert Hall in
comparison. And a minimal audi-
ence. I wasn't being cynical, this
comes from nights of experience.
But I didn't much care, I just want-
ed to listen to some trance...
...quit laughing...
I am told that where I found me
and my friends that night was the
Knights' old home. What once was
an arena for competition, had been
transformed into a rallying point
for, dare I say, peace, love, unity
and respect. The flood gates of
memories opened and broke away
as the 'old days' came rushing to the
front of the line to say hi and catch
up on old times. As the video pro-
jection screens, the lighting rack
and the big sound greeted me like
an old friend I had assumed was
lost, or worse. And the mother
Gaia figure presented herself in the
form of a cathedral height ceiling.
It was 1998 again for one night. I
should have bought some glow
sticks.
At this point, the details of the
night curry favour less with the sci-
entific method, and more to intu-
ition, as I was not, in any manner of
speaking, expecting to be inspired
to write an article about my little
excursion. I suppose in my height-
ened state of elation, I subcon-
sciously put the idea of trying to
quantify my experience in the box
marked 'later' and just let it ride. I
apologize for the lack of CNN qual-
ity coverage, but I guess you just
had to be there.
Of course, not being just a sim-
ple spectator (as I do write about
the music, and on occasion, create
it), I had to find out how this man-
aged to be. To the organizers, this
was not a rented venue. Their
venue... of names I know only as
Guy and Bobby, I have a firm belief
at the time of this writing that this
could also be THE venue.
For all of southwestern Ontario.
It's the space. I have heard all
of the performing d.j.'s before at
one time or another, but it just
sounded somehow different.
Different at the entrance to the
arena; up front trainspotting the
d.j.'s; and even in the 23 row
bleachers just back and left of the
stage in the wrap around stadium
seating. It's been a while (as you
may already be able to tell) since a
venue has made for my night more
than the performers... and the per-
formers' were top notch. Toronto's
Lady Bass particularly wowed me
with a flurry of NU NRG and Trance,
and of course a Windsor favourite
DJ Ruckus as always managed to
force the words "how'd he do that?"
out of my gaping mouth.
I suppose maybe the only real
low point of the event was that it
wasn't as rammed to the walls as it
could have been. But in all honesty,
even St. Peter's Basilica looks
vacant during high tourist season.
It's all relative to proportion, which
suited me fine. More room to get
my groove thang on. Anyway, it
didn't seem like anybody left with-
out some semblance of a smile on
his or her face in the morning, so I
suppose now only time will tell.
This writer's fingers are crossed.
By the way, the party was
called L.I.M.E., and the hallowed
location is to be known as the
London Motoplex Club. Check it
out at www.londonmotoplex.com.
From the Attic:
A fan’s review
By Catherine Morgan
Victoria Tavern on a
Saturday night. I wait in antic-
ipation to hear my favorite
local band. As I order another
beer, I reflect over the last
decade and wonder just how
many times I have seen From
the Attic play.
Too many to count I muse,
and laugh over an especially
fond memory from the XPY
festival. Or was that at the
Battle of the Bands. No,
maybe the Spotted Dog?
Doesn't matter, they we all
good times and tonight will
undoubtedly be no different.
The band members: Chris
Bachmeier (Bass), Greg Hayes
(vocals/rhythm guitar), Chris
Mc Candless (drums), Brent
Peters (lead guitar) and
newest addition Paul Longden
(guitar) from former band
Strangeways take to the stage
and begin to play. I am
amazed at the quantity and
quality of recent creations.
Since their last CD titled "
….And so you were saying…"
(1999), FTA has finally kicked
back into high gear. Songs like
Pumpkin Pie with its silky
lyrics:
I don't think she knows
how it feels
The only payment I get
from her are squeals
She's my Cinderella want
to be
She's my Cinderella come
back to me
Did you catch the title?
The creativity in this band is
endless! The tempo is quick
and always a crowd pleaser as
the singer interacts with the
audience. Individually serenad-
ing, and then running around
obviously enjoying himself and
us. Other new songs like
"Chronic", "Nothing Changes"
and "I AM!" which sounds to me
like a Molson Canadian St.
Patrick's Day party waiting to
happen. Although mostly an
originals band, FTA has added
a few vigorous covers to their
set list. They range anywhere
from Barenaked Ladies' "Old
Apartment" to an excellent
rendition of Neil Young's "Keep
on Rocking."
Rocking is exactly what
Windsor's own From the Attic
does best. If you haven't seen
them in a while or want to see
great local talent, check them
out. They return to the
Victoria Tavern June 7th. I'll
be at the bar waiting.
e-music: spEctator
by francis wong