From the Vault: "Pop Went Halifax, Part Two: Ancestors, Devil Eyes and Japanther"

Ian Vanek of Japanther

October 23, 2009
The Seahorse Tavern
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Preface: I crashed at my friend Steve's place during Pop Explosion weekend. The weekend peaked on Friday, the day that would become the fourth best show of my entire freaking life (behind the two times I saw the White Stripes and the time I saw Les Savy Fav).


Pop Went Halifax, Part Two: Ancestors, Devil Eyes and Japanther

The show started with a hardcore screamo band called Ancestors. Maybe it was my previous summer of warming up to and even liking hardcore, scream-heavy music, but I surprisingly enjoyed them. Unfortunately, Ancestors probably spent more time setting up than actually playing. The singer into the crowd and started shoving people around (note: he only joined an already-moshing crowd), and pretty much right away, security shut them down. Well, that pissed off pretty much everyone, but the next band, Montreal barrage rockers Devil Eyes, lifted the entire room's spirits. This band was great - so energetic and just good, old-fashioned rock and roll. The best parts were 1) when the Chinese drummer sang their last song entirely in Cantonese (I never thought I'd hear Cantonese in a punk song (live)) and 2) when the guitarist smashed his guitar to bits. Unfortunately, I didn't get one of the several pieces he handed out to the crowd.

Finally ... FINALLY ... after all the smoke cleared and all the dust settled, the stage was set for another band I never thought I'd have gotten to see and the highlight of Friday night's show: Japanther. This was, without question, without hyperbole, the single greatest punk show and most energetic show I'd ever been to. I was three feet away from drummer Ian Vanek whom I told to make me deaf. I also got a bottle of water from him which I regretfully mindlessly left on the street. I've never been able to sing along to a band like that except, again, for The White Stripes. I left that show bloody and bruised. My knees were constantly shoved against the edge of the stage. I could barely walk afterwards, and I kept getting shoved really hard into the concrete wall. My arms and the back of my neck and shoulders were all scraped and bruised, and my neck was totally kinked the next couple of days. At one point, a guy suddenly turned around and spat beer in my and another guy's face, and I could not have cared less and just kept dancing. Obviously, the crowd was really rowdy, but it was one of those times when being rowdy was totally appropriate and only added to the experience.

I'd really looked forward to Japanther, but I'd never thought it'd have been THAT good. I didn't think it'd have been the highlight of the weekend, let alone of all of the concerts I'd ever seen.

After a fucking wicked night, Steve and I went back to his place, sweaty and smelly as all hell, and fell asleep with our ears ringing (it was the first time I had to wear earplugs). His roommate Kyle, who works in the restaurant above the bar, came down near the end of the show and said he'd never smelled the bar that bad. Needless to say, first on my agenda the next day was one of the most thorough showers of my life.