One of Canada’s biggest punk bands (finally) returns to Saskatoon
Saskatoon, can we talk for a minute?
Yeah, it’s Propagandhi at Amigos – it’s going to sell out. And sell out it did. And if you were one of those dorks who didn’t think to buy advance tickets, which were available for months before the show, you really, really missed out.
Let this be a lesson – advance tickets are paramount.
Anyway, enough being a mom. Opening the show were Saskatoon’s Rehashed, a thrash-y punk band that gets tighter, faster and meaner every time I see them play. This was also the first time I had seen the group where front man Mike Lefebvre wasn’t on bass – Lefebvre is a great musician but his singing antics are always so much better to watch when he’s pacing back and forth on stage like an agitated wolverine.
Up next were Rebel Spell, who had recently played Amigos not that long ago. Fun and bouncy, I’ve always really enjoyed the four-piece’s live show, but I’ve never really been compelled to listen to them on record. I don’t feel like I’m missing out at all, but definitely check them out if you haven’t seen them live.
After turning down the mood lighting to a lovely blue hum, Winnipeg politico punks Propagandhi took the stage and literally exploded. Despite living only a scant few hours away, the group literally only plays Saskatoon once every three or four years.
You kind of hate them for it, but at the same time it makes their live shows that much more crucial.
Despite their set heavily favouring their latest, and possibly greatest, album Failed States, Propagandhi played songs from every era of their career. Highlights included “Stick the Fucking Flag Up Your Goddam Ass, You Sonofabitch” from How To Clean Everything and “Nation States…” from Less Talk, More Rock.
The audience, however, sang along to everything. Which was awesome.
See you guys again in three years. If you remember to buy advance tickets that is.
– Words by Chrix Morix, videos by Ryan Smith.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_f32epmYlo&w=600]