I wrote this in april of 2009, it covers brother voodoos last show. I think they've played since then, so it wasn't really a last show. maybe there last show was there last show? Anyway i've known mattie (there singer pictured above( i didn't take the picture)) for a long time from playing shows with Brother Voodoo back when i played in a band called Uncle Outrage. He's the nicest guy ever, and always really upbeat and positive. The rest of the band is cool too, haha. check it out!
Brother Voodoo has been a staple of the local Edmonton punk scene for the last 5 years, playing countless shows and appearing on bills with a variety of local and touring bands. Last night they played one of their last shows to a small crowded bar of loyal fans and friends.
After paying the modest seven dollar cover charge, I made my way to the bar and settled in for the opening act, The Mitts.
This local power-trio played some of the catchiest garage rock this side of any Hives album, and had the best technical chops of all the bands that played that night. They also know how to charm a crowd with quick witted between song banter that never slowed the pace of their blistering set.
Up next was The Wicked Awesomes who, unfortunately this night, failed to live up to their name. Their style of psychedelics mixed with an upbeat sense of humour and rock and roll could have played well had they not been so glaringly overshadowed by the more energetic opening act.
The Hazard Lights from Calgary where up next. Judging from the singers get up of a retro blazer and police cap, complete with black arm band, the audience could tell they were not going to get anything new from the second garage rock trio of the night.
They played in a more poppy tuneful manner than the openers, but there set fell flat due to sloppy playing which really hurts their style of retro rock.
Brother Voodoo where next to hit the stage. They began their rock odyssey 5 years ago in March when singer Mattie Cullivier called up guitarist Jeremy Hill and then bassist Brad to fill in for two other guys who couldn’t make it to a jam session. Fast forward five years later and they are getting ready to release their first album of material, recorded in their hometown of St. Albert, entitled The Wasted Years.
“It’s a single entendre,” said bassist Steve W, in reference to their known party atmosphere.
This is further illustrated through a memory of a show at a church in Lacombe recalled by drummer, and brother to Mattie, Dylan Cuvillier.
“The father walks down to the basement and says ‘whose van is surrounded by liquor bottles?’ and we’re all like ‘uhhhh…’”
Partying aside, the band also delivers an enthusiastic performance that often hinders the technical side of the music.
“We have a lot of energy [and] we play harder than we should. We kind of give it our all and it kind of hurts the performance of the actual music,” said Mattie.
This is indeed a group that is fully into what they are doing. Three of the four members even have a tattoo on their shoulder displaying an anchor (hah!) with BV scrawled beneath (Mattie is still holding out on getting it).
There show that night began with the four of them stripping down into their underwear and instructing the audience to light the sparklers which they had handed out at random minutes before their set. Sparklers ablaze, they hammered into the first song of their set. Even though Mattie’s mic cut out for the entire first song, he still turned out an energetic performance, not letting the lack of volume hinder his spirit and enthusiasm.
They blazed through an hour long set highlighted by the usual technical difficulties and some pretty inspired renditions of radio hits, including a particularly vicious and ironic cover of the Limp Bizkit anthem Break Stuff, which wasn’t so eyeball-roll inducing as it was charming.
“We’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve done more than we ever deserved” said Mattie, as the night came to a close.
And though Edmonton may not be losing its most talented or musically proficient band, it’s definitely losing one of its most spirited, energetic, fun, and heartfelt ones.
After paying the modest seven dollar cover charge, I made my way to the bar and settled in for the opening act, The Mitts.
This local power-trio played some of the catchiest garage rock this side of any Hives album, and had the best technical chops of all the bands that played that night. They also know how to charm a crowd with quick witted between song banter that never slowed the pace of their blistering set.
Up next was The Wicked Awesomes who, unfortunately this night, failed to live up to their name. Their style of psychedelics mixed with an upbeat sense of humour and rock and roll could have played well had they not been so glaringly overshadowed by the more energetic opening act.
The Hazard Lights from Calgary where up next. Judging from the singers get up of a retro blazer and police cap, complete with black arm band, the audience could tell they were not going to get anything new from the second garage rock trio of the night.
They played in a more poppy tuneful manner than the openers, but there set fell flat due to sloppy playing which really hurts their style of retro rock.
Brother Voodoo where next to hit the stage. They began their rock odyssey 5 years ago in March when singer Mattie Cullivier called up guitarist Jeremy Hill and then bassist Brad to fill in for two other guys who couldn’t make it to a jam session. Fast forward five years later and they are getting ready to release their first album of material, recorded in their hometown of St. Albert, entitled The Wasted Years.
“It’s a single entendre,” said bassist Steve W, in reference to their known party atmosphere.
This is further illustrated through a memory of a show at a church in Lacombe recalled by drummer, and brother to Mattie, Dylan Cuvillier.
“The father walks down to the basement and says ‘whose van is surrounded by liquor bottles?’ and we’re all like ‘uhhhh…’”
Partying aside, the band also delivers an enthusiastic performance that often hinders the technical side of the music.
“We have a lot of energy [and] we play harder than we should. We kind of give it our all and it kind of hurts the performance of the actual music,” said Mattie.
This is indeed a group that is fully into what they are doing. Three of the four members even have a tattoo on their shoulder displaying an anchor (hah!) with BV scrawled beneath (Mattie is still holding out on getting it).
There show that night began with the four of them stripping down into their underwear and instructing the audience to light the sparklers which they had handed out at random minutes before their set. Sparklers ablaze, they hammered into the first song of their set. Even though Mattie’s mic cut out for the entire first song, he still turned out an energetic performance, not letting the lack of volume hinder his spirit and enthusiasm.
They blazed through an hour long set highlighted by the usual technical difficulties and some pretty inspired renditions of radio hits, including a particularly vicious and ironic cover of the Limp Bizkit anthem Break Stuff, which wasn’t so eyeball-roll inducing as it was charming.
“We’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve done more than we ever deserved” said Mattie, as the night came to a close.
And though Edmonton may not be losing its most talented or musically proficient band, it’s definitely losing one of its most spirited, energetic, fun, and heartfelt ones.
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