Day 1: Lungless, Great Lakes, (U) the Band, and Dog Fashion Disco
Calum Ferrall
The show started on time, beginning with Lungless, a band from Pickering. They were a stereotypical, post-hardcore/metalcore band through-and-through. From multiple breakdowns to generic stage banter, what really made Lungless stand out was the authentic energy they created. They kept the banter short and were interesting to watch. They were genuine in their playing and gave a good show. The singer was sick during the performance with a soar throat, but it wasn’t noticeable for a first-time listener—his vocals were good. If post-hardcore/metalcore is your scene, then these guys are definitely something to give a listen.
Second up were Great Lakes from Toronto. This five-piece began their show with a high five and some choreographed jumping. Located at the frontstage was their own personal stomp box—a wooden box with a clear top that lights up when pressure is put on it. Similar to Lungless in style, Great Lakes subscribed to the same formulaic method of the generic post-hardcore/metalcore music.
Third up was (U) The Band. This powerful trio of brothers was an explosive force with aggressive and engaging music. Not only was their music extremely technical, but they were also a high-energy band. They flew around the stage and crowd, accompanied by eclectic music. Their music can only be acquainted through a vast influence of musical tastes including hardcore, jazz, waltz, punk, metal, and even some swing influences. Each member is a talented singer and they use their talent to its full potential. It’s not something you would find on the radio, but there was never a dull moment when they played. It was impossible to predict what came next, keeping the anticipation high. This Guelph band is certainly something worth checking out. Not only is their music exciting and unique, but they are also charismatic and entertaining.
The final band was Dog Fashion Disco, from Rockville, Maryland. This band set the mood with a carnival-themed stage. They brought a lit crescent moon set behind the drums, as well as blue and white lights to give a carnival tent feel. They incorporate heavy, aggressive music accompanied by a keyboard playing carnival-esque sounds. The singer sounded similar to the likes of Mike Patton. Halfway through their set, they decided to calm down the room with a nice, smooth waltz for people to relax and dance to. They were a high-energy bunch who engaged with the audience well. Though they were nowhere close to generic, they were a little more streamlined than their comparable counterparts, (U) the Band. They put on a fantastic show and are definitely worth seeing the next time they come to Guelph
As for the show as a whole, it was an enjoyable, high-energy night. In terms of complaints, I was disappointed with the pairings of bands—there was little cohesion between the first two and last two bands. It felt like two fundamentally separate shows happening in the same night. That is not always a bad thing—variety is good—but it seemed like there were no real overlap for fans of the bands, because they were too different.
Day 2: The Boom Booms, Juice, KC Roberts and the Live Revolution
Dana Bellamy
Sandwiched between a metal show and a punk show, Friday night at DSTRCT brought the funk. With an average of seven members per band, the night was rich with percussive grooves and choreographed horn sections.
All the way from Vancouver, The Boom Booms set the tone with an uplifting wave of soul and reggae. Even though the audience started out small, it was hard to ignore the positive vibes being emitted from the stage. From smooth dance moves to conga solos, each band member seemed to be having the time of his life. By the end of their set, The Boom Booms left with a crop of new fans wanting more of the band’s infectious worldly rhythms.
From the moment the next band hit the stage, Juice had the audience dancing along to their rocked up R&B sound. Topped off with a rapping trumpet player, this crowd-pleasing group from Toronto was fun and fresh, but also quite skilled in blending traditional jazzy instrumentals with the latest in popular music.
KC Roberts and the Live Revolution closed the night with some hard-hitting funk. The eight-piece band from Toronto showed off their dynamic range with a heavy instrumental opening, funky guitar and bass driven riffs, as well as accents of hip-hop and soul throughout their extremely tight set.
The best part, however, was seeing the musicians whole-heartedly support each other in what they do. Through each performance, the other bands’ members were always the most enthusiastic dancers in the crowd, with many sporting one another’s merchandise, or helping the other band members communicate their needs to the sound booth mid-performance. It was incredible to witness that kind of camaraderie within the independent music scene, and it definitely contributed to the upbeat tone of the evening.
Day 3: Dead Broke, Dilly Dally, and The Dirty Nil
Danielle Subject
Having recently graduated and moved back to my hometown, I couldn’t wait to get another taste of Guelph’s music scene. Feeling nostalgic for Guelph’s downtown core, I eagerly burst into DSTRCT and was reminded of how much I love the city. Guelph’s nightlife is incomparable to any city in the GTA. It’s unique, welcoming, and communal. DSTRCT never fails to host a great night, and Saturday, May 23, was no exception.
Dead Broke, Dilly Dally, and The Dirty Nil took the stage for another successful night at DSTRCT. With a few fans trickling in at the start of the night, Dead Broke opened the stage and gave the crowd a teeth-kicking performance. The frontman took to the stage in formal wear, looking spiffy and ironic for the lead singer of a punk-rock band. As people slowly trickled in, the band got the crowd bobbing their heads and moving to the music. From Oakville, Dead Broke was wonderfully loud and beautifully aggressive, starting the night off with high-energy and setting the stage for the next few bands.
Toronto’s Dilly Dally took the stage next. At this point, the crowd grew thicker and more excited, with a few dudes attempting to start a mosh pit next to the stage. Katie Monks, sister to Tokyo Police Club’s David Monks, showed off her visceral, untamed, and ferocious vocals. She screamed, she sang, she yelled, and she roared. The emotion that flowed through her vocals was unmistakable, making it impossible not to feel the power behind the band’s noise-punk music. They played hits such as “Candy Mountain,” which Monks humbly explained to the crowd, “This song’s about candy”. With Jimmy Tony on bass, Liz Ball on guitar, and Benjamin Reinhartz on drums, Dilly Dally gave Guelph a butt-kicking performance.
The Dirty Nil closed the night, and, by this point, the rest of the crowd had piled in. Fans traveled from The Dirty Nil’s hometown, Hamilton, to watch the show. “Cinnamon” was an ultimate favourite, and rightfully so, getting the crowd to shout “You can be pissed off if you want to,” along with Luke Bentham’s lead vocals. Their original drummer, Kyle Fisher, was absent from the show due to unfortunate circumstances, however, they brought a fill-in that did a rad job. With Dave Nardi on bass and vocals, The Dirty Nil blew up the rest of the night with a wonderfully ’90s nostalgia, catchy punk-rock sound, complete with full mosh-pit and a heavy atmosphere.