MUSIC PREVIEW: Godsmack, Tea Party, Sweater Kittens!
Godsmack is smack dab in the middle of a North American tour that lands Friday night at Rogers Place.
The Massachusetts quartet, founded in 1995, has found their sound labelled a few different things – certainly in the metal category, but they’ve also been described as nu-metal, post-grunge, and alt-metal. Whatever you call them, they have an avid and devoted following throughout the continent, which has propelled their last six albums (all but the first) into the top 10 on both sides of the 49th parallel.
Their latest album When Legends Rise took a different tack, with leader Sully Erna speaking specifically about taking the band in new directions, hoping to move ever more from heavy metal to hard rock. It seems to have worked, with both of the album’s first two singles – Bulletproof and the title track – doing very well.
Joining them on the tour is Volbeat. The Danish group is a rock-metal-rockabilly smorgasbord of loud, raucous, grab-your-attention-and-never-let-go sonic delight. From their first album The Strength/The Sound/The Songs in 2005, through to their most recent, 2016’s Seal the Deal and Let’s Boogie, they are not only hugely popular in their home country – but around the world. Their last two albums have also scored in top 10 in the US.
Show at 7:30 pm, advance tickets $99 and up, BUY.
Friday 3
Kay & Martinez – These two musicians – Erin Kay and Leo Martinez – were forging their own solo careers when they ended up together. As soon as they did, they knew they’d captured magic. The pair now form a torrential force of soulful prairie folk that you’ll undoubtedly be hearing a lot more from in the coming years. As a starting point, they’re looking to release a debut EP in July, and will be probably featuring much of its material in the gig. Station On Jasper, 7 pm, $15. BUY
Harrington Saints – This streetpunk band from San Francisco is everything you’d want from the genre. They play fast. They play loud. They’re angry at the world. Check. Check. Check. Reckless Upstarts open. Aviary, 8 pm, $10. BUY
Saturday 4
The Tea Party – This Windsor, Ontario band was in the vanguard of the nation’s burgeoning alternative scene of the 1990s, scoring hit after hit on the new alternative radio stations springing up. Temptation, from 1997’s Transmission, may be the most memorable of the lot, with its unmistakable opening. The same album spawned Psychopomp. The next album Tripytch may well have been their epitomal release, featuring the hits Heaven Coming Down and Messenger. The Tea Party’s sound evokes different influences, from alternative to rock, from blues to prog-rock, even to Middle Eastern. The trio has remarkably retained all three members since its beginnings, even during a hiatus from 2004 to 2011: The enigmatic Jeff Martin is the frontman and guitarist for the group; his mannerisms and voice, even his looks, often drew comparisons to Jim Morrison. He worked on a solo tour and fronted a couple of other short-lived bands before The Tea Party reunited. The magic remained palpable. The band released a new album in 2014 – The Black Sea – and then went on an epic tour in 2017 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Transmission. This spring they’re nearing the end of an equally epic 45-gig itinerary. River Cree Casino, 9 pm, $58 and up. BUY
Sunday 5
Horse Feathers – This Oregon folk project featuring Justin Ringle is both serene and captivating, like the sound of waves crashing on a rocky coast. Formed in 2005, the band now has a total of five albums to its credit, including last year’s Appreciation. The famed indie-alt label Kill Rock Stars has been their home for the last five albums. Station On Jasper, 7 pm, $15. BUY
Sweater Kittens – This Kamloops trio self-describes their sound as “dumpster-glam-grunge-rock”. Whatever they want to call it, it is growly, and angry, and powerful. Edmonton bands Feed Dogs and Preston open. Buckingham, 7 pm.
Tuesday 7
Neko Case– The American singer-songwriter has been a fixture of the continent’s indie scene for over two decades, from her start in the “cuddlecore” band Cub, through her lengthy stint in The New Pornographers, to her solo career. She’s currently touring to support her 2018 album, Hell-On. Shannon Shaw opens at the Winspear Centre, 8 pm, $50, BUY.
