A night of live music excellence
Surefire Sweat returned to Guelph on Nov. 3 after playing the recent Guelph Jazz Festival in September. This time, the band played at Silence, delivering a fiery two-set show to an intimate audience. I was there, and would like to tell you that this band played its butt off.
The five-piece Toronto-based band plays a mixture of Afrobeat, funk, jazz, blues, and brass music with great fluidity, energy, and passion. The band played originals, along with some covers.
The audience was bobbing their heads along to the music, and afterwards, I heard one audience member exclaim, “Wasn’t that amazing, aren’t you glad you didn’t miss this show?” Thank the live music gods I was there.
The band played it mean, as in, these musicians have serious musical chops. From my seat I could hear Elena Kapeleris take in a big breath before unleashing saxophone savagery onto the audience. Paul MacDougall played his guitar with crisp, clean-toned, hold-your-breath, bite. Liam Smith played the bass with a tight, groovy, punch. Drummer Larry Graves and palm drummer Dave Chan supplied duel-percussion symbiosis with zeal. And, most importantly, they all listened to each other play and pass the moment. They pulled and released.
I talked to Surefire Sweat after the show and got the sense that this is a real, honest, and committed live band. And as the night ended I looked out at the tiny room where the audience had been and I thought, wow, I bet everyone that was here is going home happy.
To paraphrase something Graves said during his set: live music is where it’s at. Amen to that.
Story & photos by Adam Maue