For a city suffering from a weighty post-Olympic hangover, the idea of throwing two raucous bands together in a tiny venue must have been exactly what the doctor ordered. The kids showed up early and crammed the dance floor in an effort to get the best of the Strange Boys, celebrating the release of Be Brave, their latest full-length. And though it paled in comparison to the two-week binge that was the Olympics, the Media Club felt a little like a house party just waiting to be busted up.
The Austin six-piece worked their way through their garage-heavy set with the kind of youthful vibe you'd expect. But their relentless touring looked to have worn down the young act, taking the stage looking rather road weary. But once the crowd showered them with the attention they deserved, things took flight. The stoned, building groove of "They're Building the Death Camps" late in the set came off sounding as timeless as Nuggets-era garage rock should; relentless touring may have worked in the band's favour after all.
With the club now packed to the brim, Chain and the Gang took the stage, with Vancouver remembering how to party once again. The band's funky and equally snotty tunes were delivered with an enthusiastic, bombastic flair. Lead singer Ian Svenonius owned the stage, parading with the panache of a once-caged tiger. The Gang's set was made for clap-a-longs, as the crowd and Svenonius worked in unison to help the Media Club find its mojo. The Olympics may have ended in Vancouver, but both bands adherence to keeping things old-school with a greasy, perverse flair helped the crowd through what was beginning to feel like a Friday that would never end.
The Austin six-piece worked their way through their garage-heavy set with the kind of youthful vibe you'd expect. But their relentless touring looked to have worn down the young act, taking the stage looking rather road weary. But once the crowd showered them with the attention they deserved, things took flight. The stoned, building groove of "They're Building the Death Camps" late in the set came off sounding as timeless as Nuggets-era garage rock should; relentless touring may have worked in the band's favour after all.
With the club now packed to the brim, Chain and the Gang took the stage, with Vancouver remembering how to party once again. The band's funky and equally snotty tunes were delivered with an enthusiastic, bombastic flair. Lead singer Ian Svenonius owned the stage, parading with the panache of a once-caged tiger. The Gang's set was made for clap-a-longs, as the crowd and Svenonius worked in unison to help the Media Club find its mojo. The Olympics may have ended in Vancouver, but both bands adherence to keeping things old-school with a greasy, perverse flair helped the crowd through what was beginning to feel like a Friday that would never end.
