Modey Lemon - Bumpers Roadhouse, Ottawa, 29/10/2003
by Andrew Carver
published: 11 / 10 / 2003
intro
The last time Modey Lemon came to Ottawa their show ranked as the loudest Andrew Carver had ever seen. This time around he finds the sci-fi bluesists on mellower form
Miserable weather accompanied Modey Lemon’s second visit to Ottawa; about two dozen people dragged themselves through the rain and gloom to experience some heavily bastardised high volume sci-fi blues. The first band on the bill was Pollux, one of several bands (along with Castor, Burning Lodge and the Valiha Experimental Orchestra) who have swallowed up the influence of slo-mo stoner rock, Bob Log III, Acid Mothers Temple and Malagasay, then run it through a half-dozen effects pedals. Their downtuned riffs (actually, an octave pedal was the culprit) and heavy fuzz made it evident that guitarist and singer Dave “Rave” Reford’s Electric Wizard T-shirt was no affectation. The music has cool, but after more than an hour it was time to hoof them of for the headliner. Modey Lemon first came to town as the opening act on a bill that included the Immortal Lee County Killers and Dan Melchior’s Broke Revue. They were loud. Brain-stunningly, eardrum-rippingly, run-for-the-exits-while-you-still can loud. I feel very certain that the only thing that didn’t prevent the audience from stampeding for the exits was that Ottawa’s newly instituted no-smoking bylaw had already propelled them out onto the Dominion Tavern’s patio for a ciggy. Only the stupid and non-smokers remained to experience tinnitus ground zero, a performance, which still ranks as the loudest I’ve ever attended. The nearest competitors were shows by superheavy volume merchants Isis, High on Fire and, oddly enough, French garage-pop revivalists Les Sequelles. But they all have several decibels to go before they matched Modey Lemon’s literally painful volume. Between guitarist/sound manipulator Philander Boyd’s atonal squalls and the drumming of Paul Quattrone, who manages to combine the noisier side of both Keith Moon and Jon Bonham, my ears were ringing for weeks. For their show at Bumpers I came prepared with earplugs, but they proved unnecessary. Either I’m deafer, or they’re quieter. The Lemon had also expanded their lineup: Jason Kirker, who produced their latest album 'Thunder and Lightning', has joined the band. Like Boyd, he ran his Telecaster through a keyboard ( a Moog, in his case). He also had a touch-sensitive bad that allowed him to drag out and distort his sound. Weird swoops and swirls accompanied the bands thumping riffs and jabbing leads. Quattrone’s drumming was as impressive as I’d recalled; he’s both a swift and exceptionally powerful player, whose kit has an unconventionally wide floor tom: 22 inches, compared to his bass drum’s 20-inch head. His steady rumble, combined with the two guitarists spacey riffing and energetic stage moves made for a mindblowing show.
Picture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
previous editions
Microdisney - The Clock Comes Down the StairsWorld Party - Interview
World Party - Interview with Karl Wallinger
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EP
Ain't That Always The Way - Alan Horne After The Sound of Young Scotland 2
Steve Harley - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Ruts - Life After Death ? : A Profile
Leprous - Photoscapes
most viewed reviews
current edition
Serious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning DewRod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Marika Hackman - Big Sigh
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart