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Feel The Love: Pre-Valentine's Day Bash at The Opera House
2002-02-08
Additional Acts: The Mike Robins Band, Monx, Filmore Slim
Ticket Price: $12 at the door, $10 if you were wearing red or pink
Set List: Weather / Fast Funk / Nejuan / Static / Little Ditty / New Reggae Song / Two Tales / Sublime's "Santeria" / Swimming In Chlorine with Guns N' Roses' "Paradise City" plug / Girl Next Door / Sting / Father / Drop D / GreenRoot / The Flower Song / C
Set Length: 1.5 hours from 11:30 - 1am
Rough Attendance: 850 - 900
Caught on tape? no audio, but plenty of video footage from two cameras... should be available for view on our website soon.
Poster: Funky gunslinger Flower Man flyers and posters
Notes: Ah, Opera House V. How appropriate. Our fifth venture onto the stage of the Opera House in Zygote's recent phase of evolution (yes, there were dozens of Zygote Opera House shows waaaay back in the day when they allowed inexperienced neophytes with no audience to play there on a regular basis, but those days are no more....) and this was one of the best. All kinds of cool hookups on this one.
First, the Trojan Gambit. This was our extremely successful ploy to have our Valentine's Day show sponsored by an appropriate corporate entity, and lo and behold our very first choice came through for us, and big time. Trojan unloaded about a million condoms and wicked prize packs on us which we then distributed to a sexually active-yet morally responsible audience. I am set for life on the prophylactic tactic, if you know what I'm saying.
Second, mood-influencing decor. We splurged on visuals (gotta accessorize) and hit the place with a strong lighting setup, reflective streamers all over, and an armada of balloons hovering over the audience area. Onstage was the Zygote Lounge, a funky leather loveseat that band members yanked spirited fans out of the audience to chill on for a song or two, enjoying the 'Gote's-eye view of things.
Third, Tripped-out costumage on the band. Yes, we know it's Valentine's Day and not Hallowe'en, but the wardrobe advice for the evening was RED, so we took it to the extreme. This show found Jer in a cool Sgt.Peppers/tin soldier-looking jacket, Amir in a flowing crimson velvet cloak, Brian painted up in a Satan/Darth Maul visage, Ovakim toffed to the nines in full pimp regalia starring an AWESOME faux red leopard-print smoking jacket with zebra collar, and Shlag spandexed all over in a too-tight Spiderman costume. (As my brother put it: "I can see Shlag's outline.)
Fourth, sweet and tasty snacks. Sno-cones and Cotton Candy. People started really shoveling the Sno when things got hot and heavy for the second half of the 'Gote's set, but the Cotton Candy simply was not feeling the love. Too bad, because it would have supplied the militia with valuable glucose, sucrose, and maybe even fructose, all valuable sources of energy. Energy which they could have used for:
The Show. Smokin'. Opening bands were in top form. Filmore Slim went on early but played a tight set and brought a bigger early crowd than we've ever seen at the Opera House - there were two hundred people in the room by the end of their set. Monx put on a strong show and managed to hold the attention of a relatively unfamiliar audience, and The Mike Robins Band (which contains bits and pieces of our former stagemates Jimmy's Groove) showcased a smart set built on catchy songs with tight musicianship.
Zygote. Opened strong with the unanticipated arrival of Weather, the ultimate set-CLOSER. The look of shock registered on the faces of the faithful for about five seconds, then the floor erupted into your typical frenzy of activity. From the balcony (where the huge 19+ crowd was sequestered with their chosen beverages) the dancefloor was a red sea of gyrating bodies, all thrumming to the same beat. Next up, Fast Funk and its instant frenetic drive, taking the massive grinding outro of Weather and coverting it into the breakneck staccato footrace of Funk. From there the band rattled off song after song in excellent form, including a whole bevy of new material - Zygote's imminent studio effort is obvious from the flood of unreleased songs on this setlist.
SOUND GEEK SECTION - Notice that the stage was a little sparse? - Notice the earpiece monitors that the band was wearing? Ahh technology. These little beauties let the band hear exactly what they wanted to hear onstage. Too much of Ovakim's guitar in your ear? Turn it down. Not enough of Shlag's walnutty shaker thingies? Turn them up. This level of customization meant that things, specifically vocal harmonies, were bang on the money. If you noticed Jer and Amir grinning at each other occasionally, this was the reason. You should have seen them during soundcheck, they were giggling like schoolgirls. ALSO - How about a little Remote Mic technology for Shlag's Djembe? Finally wireless, Shlag got the opportunity to roam around a little bit onstage. (I think he stayed behind his congas for most of the night to camouflage the aforementioned "outline", though.)
The rest of the show - I'm afraid that most of the show went unseen by myself except for brief patches here and there. We had a new light guy on the balcony, Soundman Ron running an imported sound board from the floor, an expanded merch situation, door issues, and a ton of other shit which basically kept me running around all night. Also I was stressing hard over the launch of THIS VERY WEBSITE which I'd spent the previous two hundred hours straight slaving over. (And I'm still picking the bugs out, yes I KNOW the track selector on the homepage doesn't work yet, I'm only human here.) So I didn't see much. Frankly I'm counting on you guys (plus the upcoming video footage of the show) to fill in the blanks for me in the Fan Comments section. Things I managed to pick up on:
1) Ovakim fell during Girl Next Door. Really fell. Like, fell down and had trouble getting back up again, with Jer standing over him pointing and laughing. I didn't see this personally but it was reported to me from several sources. I've always said that Ovakim has the best moves....
2) Awesome audience. Awesome awesome. There was never any drift in the crowd. From beginning to end, the entire audience was presseed up towards the stage, actually creating a need for security to be stationed at stagefront. Wild. Same situation along the railing up on the balcony (minus the security), but the crowd along the rail was three or four bodies thick from end to end and you were shit outta luck if you wanted a glimpse of the band from up there and arrived late... Awesome audience reaction to the show in general, and a very warm reaction considering the high level of unfamiliar material in the set.
3) Sublime's "Santeria". A rare full cover from the 'Gote. Came off pretty sweet with some innovative harmonies in the chorus and hoots of approval from the Sublime-savvy members of the audience.
4) Nejuan. The lifespan on this song is incredible. It's been on nearly every set list since it was created, and it never gets tired. Periodic overhauls of structure and style keep it fresh, but I think this latest "whisper & shout" dynamic on Ovakim's solo is just incredible. Boo-ya.
I think that's about everything, from my limited perspective anyway. Overall, the show looked great, sounded great, felt great. The band and the audience had a blast, and all of our hard work was once agin worth every second. Mail in soon (hit the "Contact The Band" button at the bottom of the page) and let me know what YOU saw at the show. Thanks to everyone who Felt The Love with us, big big props to Trojan and to The Opera House (especially Athena), and we will see all of you next time. Same 'Gote time, same 'Gote channel.
Friday, February 3rd, 2006 : Come In From The Cold at The Opera House
Friday, March 15th, 2002 : The Rivoli
Friday, March 1st, 2002 : Havoc in Hamilton VI at The Hudson
Wednesday, February 20th, 2002 : Rafter's Pub in Sudbury
Friday, February 8th, 2002 : Feel The Love: Pre-Valentine's Day Bash at The Opera House
Saturday, December 8th, 2001 : Call The Office in London
Friday, December 7th, 2001 : The Hudson in Hamilton
Saturday, November 24th, 2001 : Kool Haüs with Big Sugar
Friday, November 23rd, 2001 : The Trasheteria in Peterborough
Thursday, November 22nd, 2001 : The Foundation in Barrie
Thursday, November 8th, 2001 : The Shot in Kingston
Friday, November 2nd, 2001 : The Opera House with Choclair
Saturday, October 27th, 2001 : The Cage in Oakville
Friday, October 26th, 2001 : The Hudson in Hamilton
Friday, October 19th, 2001 : The Capitol Theatre
Saturday, September 8th, 2001 : The Opera House
Friday, August 10th, 2001 : Molson Amphitheatre with Dave Matthews Band
Saturday, July 28th, 2001 : The Hudson in Hamilton
Thursday, July 26th, 2001 : Club Abstract in Kitchener with See Spot Run
Saturday, July 21st, 2001 : Lees Palace
Friday, July 13th, 2001 : Woodstick Festival at Kee to Bala
Friday, July 6th, 2001 : Two Tales II at the Comfort Zone
Friday, June 8th, 2001 : NXNE at The Reverb
Friday, May 4th, 2001 : In Concert at The Warehouse
Friday, April 6th, 2001 : Federation Hall at U o f Waterloo
Saturday, February 17th, 2001 : Lees Palace
Friday, January 19th, 2001 : The Opera House
Saturday, January 13th, 2001 : The Embassy in London
Friday, January 12th, 2001 : The Hudson in Hamilton
Friday, November 17th, 2000 : Zygote Into The Fray at The Rivoli
Saturday, November 11th, 2000 : The Haunt in Ithaca NY
Friday, October 6th, 2000 : In Concert at The Opera House
Saturday, September 2nd, 2000 : Two Tales at The Rivoli
Saturday, July 29th, 2000 : The Rivoli
Sunday, July 16th, 2000 : Molson Indy
Saturday, June 17th, 2000 : The Rivoli
Thursday, June 8th, 2000 : NXNE 2000 at Clintons Tavern
Saturday, May 20th, 2000 : All Ages at The Comfort Zone
Thursday, May 18th, 2000 : Rock Search 2000 at Front 54 in Thorold
Friday, April 21st, 2000 : The Rivoli
Friday, April 21st, 2000 : La Luna in Hamilton
Sunday, March 26th, 2000 : Whiskey Joes in Hamilton with The Headstones
Friday, March 17th, 2000 : St Patricks Day Bash at The Rivoli
Thursday, March 2nd, 2000 : Canadian Music Week at The 360
Saturday, February 12th, 2000 : The Rivoli
Saturday, January 22nd, 2000 : The Hudson in Hamilton
Saturday, November 6th, 1999 : The Opera House with Wide Mouth Mason
Saturday, October 16th, 1999 : The Rivoli
Friday, September 3rd, 1999 : The Rivoli
Friday, July 23rd, 1999 : The Reverb
Saturday, June 26th, 1999 : The Rivoli CD Release
Friday, May 21st, 1999 : The Rivoli
Friday, April 30th, 1999 : The Rivoli
Thursday, April 15th, 1999 : The Reverb
Saturday, December 5th, 1998 : The Rivoli
Thursday, November 19th, 1998 : The Gordon Best Theatre Peterborough
Friday, October 9th, 1998 : The Comfort Zone
Friday, October 2nd, 1998 : The Horseshoe Tavern
Saturday, September 5th, 1998 : The Horseshoe Tavern
Saturday, July 11th, 1998 : The Comfort Zone
Saturday, May 30th, 1998 : The Regency Hotel
Friday, May 29th, 1998 : The Comfort Zone
Saturday, May 23rd, 1998 : The Opera House with The Headstones
Saturday, May 23rd, 1998 : The Big Bop
Thursday, May 14th, 1998 : Lees Palace with Humphat
Saturday, May 2nd, 1998 : The Comfort Zone
Saturday, April 18th, 1998 : El Mocambo Upstairs
Thursday, April 16th, 1998 : Unplugged at The Silver Dollar with Brian Gladstone
Friday, March 20th, 1998 : The Big Bop
Friday, February 6th, 1998 : The 360
Saturday, January 31st, 1998 : Call The Office London with Zuuls Evil Disco
Friday, October 31st, 1997 : Halloween at The Original Six Sports Bar
Friday, October 17th, 1997 : El Mocambo
Friday, June 6th, 1997 : The Generator w Ron Hawkins of Lowest of the Low
Friday, May 23rd, 1997 : The Comfort Zone
Friday, April 25th, 1997 : The Comfort Zone
Saturday, March 29th, 1997 : The 360 with Black Cabbage
Saturday, March 15th, 1997 : AE Pi Frat Party at The Reverb
Friday, January 31st, 1997 : The Comfort Zone with Andru Branch
Saturday, January 25th, 1997 : The Warehouse with Fishbone
Thursday, January 23rd, 1997 : Red Dog Tavern Peterborough with Tied To The Tracks
Monday, November 4th, 1996 : The Horseshoe Tavern
Friday, September 27th, 1996 : The Generator
Saturday, July 27th, 1996 : The Honey Pot
Saturday, June 8th, 1996 : El Mocambo
Friday, April 5th, 1996 : El Mocambo
Friday, October 7th, 1994 : The Opera House with Infinity
Thursday, June 23rd, 1994 : Classic Studios
Friday, June 10th, 1994 : The Shamrock
Saturday, May 8th, 1993 : Rock n Roll Challenge II at The Spectrum
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24/05/03 |
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