Fans of heavy, energetic, and psychedelic guitar music are in for a treat when Vancouver’s Brass visit Cumberland on Friday, April 19 to headline Bad Friday, a four-band night to usher in the holiday weekend. Nanaimo’s Moths and Locusts share headliner status of this playful fun night.
If two internationally renowned bands weren’t enough, Cumberland’s own Diode are celebrating the release of their locally produced self-titled four-song EP. Completing the bill will be a short set from Courtenay improvisational art punk duo Thunder Lizard, who change their name every show they play. It will be a wildly diverse night of original guitar-based music and visuals loosely unified in whatever the spirit of Easter means to everyone in attendance.
Some may be surprised that Vancouver’s Brass has no trumpets, trombones, or horns of any kind, but is actually a high-energy East Vancouver punk band made for dancing and celebrating freedom of expression. Known for their bombastic style and engaging shows, Brass stirs up crowds and keeps things chaotic.
Brass has toured in Europe and Canada with the likes of fellow Canadian punks PUP, as well as supporting acts like IDLES, H09909, Pink Mountaintops and Fucked Up.
Rather than taking on conventional “punk” anti-establishment or obvious political themes, Brass seems more about reckless spirit, not caring what anyone else thinks, and physical liberating self-expression through fun and fast music.
“The world is ending guys, we have like what - a single generation before the planet is literally uninhabitable? At this point you gotta pick your battles, and we just want to play rock ‘n’ roll, dance our asses off and have a good time with the people around us while we can,” said Brass frontman Devon Motz. “ I guess we don’t have any notion of changing the world with these songs, we just want to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable letting loose and being a weirdo. The kids just wanna have fun.”
Counter to the confrontational chaos of Brass, expect Nanaimo’s Moths & Locusts to bring a much weirder psychedelic vibe. They have collaborated both live and on recordings with Damo Suzuki, the legendary singer of 1970s Germany’s krautrock kings Can, as well as the UK’s Twink (Pink Fairies, Tomorrow, The Pretty Things, T-Rex, Bevis Frond). Moths and Locusts have been releasing mind-expanding albums since 2013.
What of the Bad Friday name of the event? Event organizer Keith Parry of CVGBs elaborates: “It’s all about fun and absurdity,” said event organizer Keith Parry, of the “Bad Friday” moniker for the event. “I safely could say all four of the acts on this bill are anti-establishment in different ways, so the word ‘bad’ is simply just that, a word. This is not an anti-religious or anti-Easter event in any way. ‘Bad’ can also mean ‘sexy and fine.’ All that said, I can’t promise there will not be bunnies, candy, crosses, or a showing of Life of Brian. There’s one way to find out.”
Bad Friday takes place April 19 at the Cumberland Masonic Hall (2687 Dunsmuir Ave.). Tickets are $10 and available at the door, or at Bop City Records in Courtenay. Doors open at 8 p.m.