Hardcore at The DH This Weekend
In the wake of The Blind Dog’s demise earlier this month, a new all-ages venue has cropped up. Well, the establishment itself might not be exactly “new”, but the fact that it is now beginning to book shows regularly is news .
Located at 3140 Sandwich St, The Dominion House Tavern, or The DH, is actually the oldest continuously running tacern in the area, with it’s doors having been open for over 140 years.
Sixty years ago the basement was used for poetry reading and classes held by university professors. These days it is the site of one of Windsor’s very few all ages venues. With people of all ages being welcome down there, the upstairs portion of the tavern is where those of age will still be able to find and consume their adult beverages.
This weekend in particular The DH will be taken over for a two-day punk, hardcore, and metal show.
Starting on Friday, December 2nd, you can catch 4 bands for $5, or pay $7 and have access for both nights.
On evening one Windsor punk outfit Get Bent will be one band taking the stage. Their sound is aggressive and upbeat. A bunch of skateboarders with instruments, these guys are about partying and causing trouble.
Hardcore group Dead Weight, also from Windsor, will be performing this night as well. On the sludgier side of hardcore, these guys have a sound that is deep and thick, characterized by short songs, fuzzy, chugging guitars, and a perpetually trudging beat.
A newer band on the scene, Autumn’s Autopsy has been together less than six months, but their goal in creating music is to preserve the essence of true death metal in a scene whether genres incest. With the goal of their shows being simply to have fun, and taking influence from the likes of Impending Doom and Lamb of God, they’re sure to put on a great set.
The final act of Friday night is Ad Nauseam, a noisecore group who have released at 3.5” floppy split with London genre pioneers Disleksick. Noisecore is definitely a niche market, and requires a bit of effort to acquire a taste for it. But given the chance, it can make for some interesting listening. The tracks are very harsh sounding, and end so quickly you barely have time to register what is going on before it’s over. Incomprehensible vocals, guitars full of feedback and buzz, and spazz-tastic drums help to define Ad Nauseam.
Doors for Saturday, December 3rd open at 7 p.m., and this night features bands on the more metal end of the spectrum.
First up is hardcore group,Seven Out. Featuring member’s of Kill List and Dead’s Elite, these guys take some cues from Cold as Life and First Blood.
Come from a show at The Coach and Horses the night before, Leamington’s metal-headsReason’s Lost will be making an appearance to showcase their brand of chugging, pounding, head-banging inducing heavy stuff.
A name that I keep hearing over and over again, and with good reason, Blackheart will be joining in on Saturday’s fun as well. Heavy with hardcore influences, and a relatively clean sound, there is something epic about their tunes that comes from their use of gang-vocals and effectively placed reverb. Highly recommended you catch this band Saturday night.
The last band on the bill for this two-day event is another metal act from Leamington,Dead Man’s Will. With members from The Strike and Blackthorn City their music is heavy with melodic tendencies.
Get Bent, Dead Weight, Autumn’s Autopsy, and Ad Nauseam on Friday, December 2nd, and seven Out, Reason’s Lost, Blackheart, and Dead Man’s Will on Saturday, December 3rd. Both shows take place at The Dominion House Tavern (3140 Sandwich St.), doors ope nat 7 pm, all ages, licensed upstairs, $5 for one day, $7 for both.
Emerging Artist: The Swillingtones add a little soul and lotta funk to the local scene
Windsor has long been known for it’s bone crunching metal scene, it’s quirky indie pop waves, and it’s fascination for sweaty rock and roll. Even it’s hip-hop scene – although seemingly unnoticed in comparison to the more amplified six-string brethren – gets its fair share of combatants from the 519. But considering Windsor’s connection – both physically and lovingly – with Detroit, it’s a wonder Windsor never ventured deeper into the soul side. I mean, we’re practically Motown’s little brother. Bands like the Spy’s were practically (and literally) weaned on Detroit punk rock like the Stooges and the MC5 (Spy’s guitarist Dale “Elad” D’Amore jamming with MC5′s Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith was a launching moment of The Spy’s). So why did no one in Windsor draw from the soulful side of Motown like Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye or Diana Ross? Huladog has come close, but they’re closer akin to some of the jazzier side of funk and soul, while MicLordz & Sauce Funky‘s powerfunk is more akin with Rage Against The Machine‘s “Renegades of Funk” than Afrika Bambaataa‘s.
Well, this Saturday, we’ll get a glimpse of a new combo outfit made of some local veterans who hope to do just that. Emulating some of the sweet soul and bop that made Motown world famous as well as some of the funk that moved generations of hips and bootys, The Swillingtones are making their live debut this coming Saturday night at The Dominion House Tavern (3140 Sandwich St.) on the West Side in Olde Sandwich Towne.
Lead by the powerful voice of Aaron Stanton (whose been more known lately for his gig behind the drums for Kenneth MacLeod & The Distinguished Gentlemen), The Swillingtones have chosen well as far as finding themselves a golden throated crooner. With a voice as silky as Marvin’s, Stanton (who also toiled in the ’90s as a member of Ruckus) could melt the pants of a statue of Mother Theresa. Scott LeGrand and Dan Carpino flesh out the stringed instruments that dance in the sexy funky pocket filled by veteran drummer Damien Zakoor (The Vaudevillianaires, The Tyres, The Golden Hands Before God, Eric Welton Band, Stephen Hedley & The Busstop Minute Band). The smoothness of the band’s chemistry is due to the fact that they’ve all played together in various combinations over the years – Stanton and LeGrand were both in Ruckus, as well as Blue Hawaii with Stephen Hedley back in the ’90s (pre-Busstop Minute Band); alongside Zakoor they were in The Serious Problems. Carpino previously hooked up with Stanton and LeGrand in a band called Winx Wonx. Years of musical brotherhood has lead them to this sweet soul system of a bring-it-down.
If you’re looking for something a little funkier this weekend, why not take a trip to the West End and see if you’ve still got that money maker your mama gave ya and give ‘er a little shake. What’s the worst that could happen? You just might have a little fun…
The Swillingtones, The Dominion House (3140 Sandwich St.), Saturday April 23, 9pm
