Article by Tara McDermott, Images by Aaron Brown of Aaron Brown Photography
I'm sitting on a stool in the corner of the crowded bar and am so grateful for the open window. We’re celebrating Capitol Music Club’s 10th Anniversary and it's a regular sweat-fest. I mean this place is packed. “Yo! Who’s fucking stoked for Wheatus?” yells the lead singer, Matt Stinn, of Greenwing who are just getting started. Tonight’s high energy kicked off with Dirty Sanchez Orchestra who opened the show with their brand of punk.
Dirty Sanchez Orchestra
After opening their set with a high-octane song, Barrett Prokopie, lead singer and guitarist, says “We’re a punk band. That’s our slowest song”, you know the party’s started. Hailing from Prince Albert, Dirty Sanchez Orchestra comes complete with a teenage dirtbag of their own, Charlie Prokopie, whose fierce drumming had patrons tapping their fingers along the tables. Our very own NSMZ writer, Will Yannacoulias, rounds out the trio on bass. While they haven’t yet recorded their first album, I hear they will be in the studio later this year. While likely the heaviest band of the night, the audience enjoyed what they had to offer as they headed to the front to get closer to the action. Songs to watch for: my personal favourite “1933”, “First Blood” which featured some epic riffs, and the one that had punk rock members of the audience itching to mosh, “Just Dead.” Yes, I saw you struggling to hold back. When phones all over the room are out recording the band playing, you know they’re a group to watch.
Greenwing
Saskatoon native band, Greenwing, was the perfect opening act for the night’s headliner, Wheatus. Where Dirty Sanchez Orchestra revved you up with their playing, Greenwing amped up the energy with their sheer physical stage presence. How do they keep it sounding so smooth while they dance around like maniacs? Inquiring minds want to know. Their sound could easily appear on some of my favourite 90s and early 2000s TV shows. In fact, during their song, “Come Clean” I thought, “This could fit right in on the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Soundtrack.” My teenage heart was super into it.
If I turned, “Every time you see someone wearing a Greenwing shirt” into a drinking game, I would have been crawling out the door. Saskatoon loves Greenwing in a big way. Having just released their sophomore album, Eatin’ It, this past March, it was surprising how many people already knew the words to every song. And the new album comprised the majority of their set. Songs I loved: “Consequences” had a fun vibe, “Little Regret” had the most audience participation, and “Late Bloomer” from their first album felt like a complete story. If people only made it this far, they'd already had an excellent show. Our Saskatchewan bands know how to entertain.
Wheatus
“So listen. There’s no setlist. Call out the songs.” Brendan B. Brown, lead singer of Wheatus, announces when he takes the stage. You mean there’s more than “Teenage Dirtbag” to listen to? Well damn, Saskatoon, you impressed me with your Wheatus knowledge, calling out at least half, if not more of, the songs that got played. Shouts of "Sunshine" and "Lemonade" can be heard. The screams were deafening when “Break It Don’t Buy It” began. Brown had fun with us saying, “I had my cake and trolled it too” when he teased us with a few verses of “Jesse’s Girl”. We’re loving every minute of it. Wheatus is here to play, and not just music.
Everyone knows the words to “Leroy” and when Brown gives us a choice between Rush or The Tragically Hip to cover next, he’s impressed. “You’re serious about The Hip!” Recounting for us the first time he heard The Tragically Hip. He wondered if they were the “Canadian REM” but soon realized that The Hip was far better. He treated us to his favourite Hip song, “Music At Work”. Everyone knows that one too.
“BMX Bandits” about when Brown broke his collar bone sparked some discussion on what a real bike is. For him, it's "one gear, one brake, no shocks, real bikes." The “heavy rocker” he needed to play was “Fourteen”. And another shocking teaser cover, “Shake It Off”. Considering the number of people who sang along to that one, Brown’s hope for everyone to love all genres is making some serious headway tonight.
Saving the fan favourite for last, their rendition of “Teenage Dirtbag” is nothing short of a musical communion. Bantering back and forth with us over the song Brown says “no one got over” is a powerful experience. Giving us space to sing it and then telling us it’s his turn and playfully telling us we need to shut up, “I’m watching you Saskatoon” before allowing us to join again, “K, Let’s sing it together.” And sing our hearts out we did.
You might think that’s where it ended, but Saskatoon wasn’t having it. Screaming and screaming for an encore, fans shouted “One more song! One more song!” until the band returned. Ending the night with “People”, it was an epic show. When Brown mentions they are in Edmonton the next night, fans “boo” pretty loudly. I wonder if my hometown can compete with these fans. Brown says, “We’ll see if you’re better. So far you take the cake.”
Be sure to catch the rest of Capitol Music Club’s Anniversary celebrations. There are still some awesome acts to come.
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