Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us

Concert Review: Male Bonding, Sept. 2, Horseshoe Tavern

Posted on
6 Sep 2011
by
Paul

Toronto – As I walked into The Horseshoe Tavern for Male Bonding’s Friday night show, I immediately noticed that Dinosaur Jr. was playing over the PA.  This was notable for a couple of reasons – for one thing, Dinosaur Jr. is a great band.  But it was also notable because the London band’s latest album Endless Now was recorded in the same studio and with the same producer as Dino Jr’s Where You Been.  This probably isn’t just a coincidence as Male Bonding’s noisy punk stylings sound like they could have come from some time in the early to mid ’90s.

Also drawing on the musical past were openers Love Inks in the form of a cover of David Essex’s “Rock On.”  I’ll admit that they didn’t quite capture my attention during their brief set, but what I did hear sounded alright.  The headliners sounded quite good as well, but there was a bit of a sameyness to their performance.  Sure, fast paced, grungy, poppy punk songs sound good, but I wouldn’t mind a bit more variation in tone or tempo.  Still, I knew what to expect going in and I got exactly what I expected from the band.  The band showcased songs from their latest album as well as their debut and also showed off a bit of a self-deprecating sense of humour.  “This place is legendary, in case you didn’t know,” said bassist Kevin Hendrick before mentioning a few of the legendary bands that had played there.  “Rolling Stones?  Talking Heads?  Strokes?  Then we came and f*cked it all up.”   The band also claimed that they were “offically not punk anymore” when they came back for an encore.  It’s true, encores may not be very punk, but sometimes you’ve gotta give the people what they want.

Male Bonding – Tame The Sun by subpop

PrevPreviousConcert Review: Memoryhouse, Peter, Bjorn, and John, September 2, Lee’s Palace
NextSong of the Day: New Young Pony Club – We Want ToNext

SEARCH

FOLLOW US

Facebook Twitter Flickr Foursquare Rss Inbox

THE PAST

Archives

TAGS

Tags
British Music Embassy (10) Canadian Music Fest (11) canadian music week (20) cmf (10) cmw (42) concert (9) el mocambo (9) fringe (26) Great Lake Swimmers (10) guelph (9) horseshoe tavern (23) hot docs (103) jazz (12) Joel Plaskett (10) jukebox the ghost (15) lee's palace (27) marina and the diamonds (10) Massive Attack (10) mod club (12) NXNE (94) of monsters and men (11) Phoenix (15) play reviews (11) Pulp (11) Roskilde Festival (16) rural alberta advantage (10) sharon van etten (10) suede (12) summerworks (34) SXSW (479) SXSW 2022 (11) SXSW 2024 (11) SXSW Online (18) the antlers (11) the cure (9) the national (10) the xx (11) Tokyo Police Club (9) Toronto (25) toronto fringe (14) Toronto Jazz Festival (55) turf (13) tweeview (10) Video (9) zeus (10)
The Panic Manual

We are a collective of individuals bringing you the latest in concert reviews, indie, britpop, Canadian, twee and all sorts of other music, movies, tv and everything else you like. Follow the manual to live a pleasant and fulfilling life.

All rights reserved