Miscellaneous - Dominion, Ottawa, 10/10/2004
by Andrew Carver
published: 11 / 10 / 2004
intro
Icelandic rockers Singapore Sling have something of a history with Ottawa, but until now have never played a club gig. Andrew Carver watches them play a confident and much improved set at the Ottawa Dominion
Singapore Sling have something of a history with Ottawa. The Icelandic rockers' appearance at the 2003 Ottawa Bluesfest was one of their earliest shows in North America, and they repeated at the festival in 2004. So while local audiences had seen them before, this was their first opportunity to catch the group in a club setting. A decent-sized crowd turned out despite the chilly evening and the holiday (Thanksgiving in Canada) to catch the gritty and glowering group in the appropriately gritty setting of the city’s premier rock dive. Ottawa post rock instrumental group Expatriate opened the show. Their Tortoise-on-steroids rhythms seemed heavier and more focused than an earlier performance I saw at Club SAW where they opened for Cerberus Shoal. The group’s heavy thump could almost be called post-stoner rock, and one of the songs was appropriately entitled 'Sabbath'. At Singapore Sling’s first Ottawa showing, the youthful group seemed slightly ill at ease, with only bassist Toggi Gudmundsson getting into the physical side of the performance. A year and a half of gigging has made a huge difference with the whole band swaying and shaking to the groups Jesus and Mary Chain-influenced narcopsychedelia (though drummer Bjarni Johannsson was stuck behind his kit, he rolled his eyes up into his head for extra zonked-out effect). Band mastermind Henrik Bjornsson’s flat voice added shades of Lou Reed’s affectless drawl to downbeat rock noir lyrics.With three guitars and a tambourine player rounding out the group’s sound there was also more than enough volume to go around - grinding drones and guitar jangle coincided like Spacemen 3 on a bad trip. After a very brief break the group returned to the stage for an encore performance of their cover of The Standells’ 'Dirty Water' and 'Listen' from their first album, 'The Curse of Singapore Sling.' A fine performance from a much-improved bunch of performers.
Picture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Liam Gallagher and John Squire - Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 16/3/2024
Secret Shine - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPMichael Lindsay Hogg - Interview
Pere Ubu - Interview
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
Soho Dolls - Interview
Big Black - Profile
Barrie Barlow - Interview
Peter Paul and Mary - Interview with Peter Yarrow
Echo And The Bunnymen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadKula Shaker - Natural Magick
Ian Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Dark Rainbow
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