Bend Sinister bring ’70s arena rock to a small bar

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It is beyond me why Vancouver rock band Bend Sinister aren’t huge. They have stunning four and five part vocal harmonies any crappy boy band would kill to have and musical chops that would have topped the charts 30 years ago.Bend Sinister playing the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Sept. 18. Photo by Richard Amery
 They put it all on display at the Owl Acoustic Lounge for a special paid show which attracted approximately 60 people, Wednesday, Sept.19.
 As expected they focused on their new album “Foolish Games.”


 They kicked it off with a couple uptempo singles from the CD including “Show My How To Love,” which sounded like the Dudes even without Dan Vacon adding vocals as he does on the CD. “ Heard it all before” was another early highlight as was the too catchy for it’s own good “Shannon, as frontman Dan Moxon cried,” hey operator, I’ve got a quarter, get Shanon on the phone.”


 In addition to principle members, keyboardist/vocalist Dan Moxon, guitarist Joseph Blood, hyperactive bassist Matt Rhode in his usual Daniel Boone hat and drummer Nick Petrowitz, who made enough catchy noise on their own, they were joined by a fifth member adding extra keyboards, percussion and guitar and vocal harmonies when needed.


They had a huge ’70s  and ’80s style arena rock sound referencing progressive rock. pop rock bands like Supertramp,  Styx and Elton John which blasted through the Owl.

They went back a couple albuBend Sinister playing the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Sept. 18. Photo by Richard Ameryms for “Feeling Fine” and “Got You on my Mind.” They had audience members singing along with most of the songs including the new one, but especially “Walk Away.”


 As the show drew to a close they teased the audience  with a few bars of Elton John”s “Tiny Dancer,” for one of their older songs before Moxon confessed he didn’t know the whole song, but brought a few bars back in the middle of their own song. He advised the crowd to wait until the end for something really special.


 But first they played some of their more popular older songs including my favourite “Teacher” and “Rock and Roll” from their last CD.


 The something special was really special— a high spirited take on Van Halen’s hit “Jump,” which they managed to make their own. Blood even nailed most of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo.

—by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 26 September 2018 10:41 )