In a world where perhaps people and society tend to take themselves way too seriously, it’s nice to hear a band like Calgary redneck punks Puttin’ On The Foil, who aren’t afraid to be all about getting drunk, stupid, rowdy, then stupid, rowdy and drunk all over again.
The trio tore up Inferno for their first Lethbridge visit, May 21, sounding like a mix of Motorhead and Mojo Nixon.
They are unapologetically all about having a good time and showed it.
Frontman/ bassist Train Rekk cursed, laughed and howled about drink, drugs and all manner of hedonism.
I arrived near the beginning of their set as they played “Ode To Drunk,” the last song off their latest album “Fired Up Ready To Roll”— a song so nice they had to play it twice by request, ending a more than an hour long set for 20 some people with the encore of the song.
But at first the night looked like it was going to turn into a night of drunk karaoke as they launched into a series of covers, some good, some bad and some just ugly.
One of the highlights of these was a solid punk style cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads,” featuring lead guitarist Tim Tim singing lead vocals in addition to supplying all of the head banging riffs and searing solos a drunk punk could ask for.
They attempted “Cadillac Ranch” and tried to get the audience to sing along as Train Rekk couldn’t remember the lyrics. They welcomed Lethbridgian “Kelly the Bastard” from local band Money Penny on stage for a cool version of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” as Tim Tim manned the mic and impressively hit some of Ozzy’s high notes including Osbourne’s sinister cackle. He kept on going with a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.”
But they shone the brightest, even when hidden behind billowing smoke blowing all over the room, when they played their originals.
Songs examined all combinations of drunk, including “Drunk and Stoned,” “Drunk and Stupid” and “Drunk and Horny.”
On a slightly different note “It’s a Hit” was a highlight” for which Train Rekk got the audience singing along.
“Let’s Get Pissed” had a more Celtic punk sound to it.”
They played several of the songs from their latest album including “Sweet Prairie Vixen” and the singalong single “The Fishing Song.”
They were beginning to outlast the audience, but in between songs of debauchery, the band took time to autograph a CD for one of their new fans who had to leave.
Local thrash metal band Penitentz opened the show to no people around 9 p.m.. The band played a set of riff heavy originals, which were influenced by early Metallica. So there were plenty of galloping rhythms and a four on the floor beat. I hadn’t seen them play for a while, so it was good to see them again.
Bob Scallywag followed with a set of energetic acoustic punk. I missed Seth Anderson who followed him.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
