Kicking off a lineup that included East coast favourites the Stanfields and Matt Mays, in a room with a capacity that was never going to come close to meeting demand, Halifax's Like a Motorcycle had the pleasure of playing to a full house despite being the first of five bands on the bill. As ticket seekers were already being turned away from the Legion's doors, those who were inside at 8:30 p.m. watched four women take the stage under the watchful, knowing eyes of Queen Elizabeth's portrait and proceed to come damn close to blowing the roof off.
Like a Motorcycle have come a long way in the past couple of years: from a lean and promising garage rock trio to a four-piece assault of a punk band. They're lost none of their efficiency — a well-timed phaser effect is their frilliest of frills — but have gained an immense amount of heft. Credit the blistering rhythm section of bassist Kim Skelding and drummer Michelle Skelding, who also handles the bulk of lead vocal duties; few shows I've seen at Nova Scotia Music Week thundered quite like this one.
Not that their two-Gibson guitar game is slacking off on a song like "Slipping Away," in which the band broke apart its three chords and built them back up again over and over with a thrilling relentlessness. Set-ending single "Hands" felt like a statement of arrival for the band: bold, brash and bound for great things.
Like a Motorcycle have come a long way in the past couple of years: from a lean and promising garage rock trio to a four-piece assault of a punk band. They're lost none of their efficiency — a well-timed phaser effect is their frilliest of frills — but have gained an immense amount of heft. Credit the blistering rhythm section of bassist Kim Skelding and drummer Michelle Skelding, who also handles the bulk of lead vocal duties; few shows I've seen at Nova Scotia Music Week thundered quite like this one.
Not that their two-Gibson guitar game is slacking off on a song like "Slipping Away," in which the band broke apart its three chords and built them back up again over and over with a thrilling relentlessness. Set-ending single "Hands" felt like a statement of arrival for the band: bold, brash and bound for great things.