A Real McKenzies show is solace for the soul, a salve for the psyche and an enema for the brain.
Once you experience them, no matter how ugly things seem, when the show is over, you feel refreshed and you feel like you can take on the world, even if you are moving a little slowly the next morning.
Because even though some of the lyrics are of a serious nature, basically the popular Vancouver based Celtic punks are a celebration of life.
They are also a great way to get a head start on St. Patrick’s Day. So as expected, it got a little drunk out March 16 at Studio on a busy night with Montreal punks the Boids and the Lethbridge Firefighters Pipes and Drums. The “Pour Decision” of a Wednesday night on the town ended up being a really great decision. One of my favourites, “Pour Decisions” came early in the set.
I was on the air so I missed apparently great sets from the Boids and the Lethbridge Firefighters Pipes as Real McKenzies frontman Paul McKenzie called out repeated toasts to both the Boids and the Lethbridge Firefighters Pipes and Drums in between scampering around the stage like a man half his age while borrowing eye-glasses, hats and beers from the frothing front row as security dove in to remove some of the more exuberant celebrants.
“That’s not good enough, they (the Boids) traveled all the way from Montreal to play for you,” he shouted after each toast.
While I can’t remember the specifics of the setlist, it included songs from throughout the Real McKenzies’ 25 year career, lots of bagpipes and lots of guitar.
“Chip” was an early highlight, which sounded like Bad Religion incorporating bagpipes into their music. I had expected there to be two bagpipers, possibly three, but they only brought one.
“I Do What I Want,” from their 2012 CD Westwinds was another highlight early on in their high octane , beer fueled set, as was “ Burnout” from the same CD, which McKenzie dedicated to the tax man.
“Nessie” was a crowd favourite as always as were a few songs from their most recent CD “ Rats in The Burlap,” including the latest single “Stephen’s Green” which had the crowd shouting along with the chorus “ the hangman’s noose is calling.”
They also happily sang along with one of their older and best known songs, seafaring Celtic punk anthem “Mainland,” which launched about midway through the set.
McKenzie was in his element during a raucous version of “Drink Some More,” during which he knocked glasses with the folks in the front row.
While they had several new members in the band, they showed how well they sing together with a couple of crowd pleasing a cappella numbers, including their always popular version of “Barrett’s Privateers” which they played as their encore after officially ending the show with the aptly titled “Bugger Off” just after midnight.
McKenzie sang one more on his own to end the show.
— By Richard Amery,L.A. Beat Editor
