SNFU Concert Review!!

Hey everyone, it's time for our review of last night's SNFU show at The Rockstar Bar! Sadly, the attendance was only about medium, but trust me, the fans that were there were largely diehard fans, and they made it feel like it was a lot more packed, especially for the headliners! Nice setup too, with SNFU having loads of merchandise on sale, but how did the bands do?

Opening last night's show was local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements in their first show since April, and for the occasion, the guys went all out by inviting prolific local saxophonist Josh Norling as a guest performer for their whole set, which was a nice touch! Playing a very abbreviated set compared to what their setlist had, the guys roughly split their time between covers of bands like Primus and Sublime with originals like "G20" and the debuting, possibly-to-be-retitled "Triple H". Musically, The Elements were in good form compared to their most recent shows, with Rob Speers making the most of his range, Jesse Cook shining on guitar, and Alex Hagerman solid in his return after time off following the birth of his first child (congratulations to him!) This wasn't the lengthy, full-on Elements show that some fans may have been expecting, but they delivered nicely in their return, especially with Josh providing a ska touch, and hopefully we hear much more from them!

Next was local punk/metal quartet Jack Spades in just their second local appearance with their current four-man lineup, and they acclimated well despite Tiffany's absence (it helps that Jack Spades debuted as a quartet, so having just one guitarist isn't new to them.) Drummer Johnny Belanger picked up the slack on backing vocals, with the guys tearing through originals like "To The Left" and "Breakneck Speed", plus the debuting "Kingdoms", and covers of the likes of The Ripcordz and, in another debut, Cheap Trick's "Surrender"! Everyone sounded good, with J.D. Pearce exploring the stage and adding his usual edge on vocals, but I do want to give special props to bassist Justin Lam, who played very strongly and enthusiastically last night, especially considering the sudden loss of his brother earlier this week. Kudos, you knocked it out of the park! Jack Spades had a fun set, as usual, and hopefully we hear more from them this fall!

And your headliners last night were Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU in their first local appearance in just over a year, and they got a raucous ovation from fans in their return! Playing familiar originals from their run like "Big Thumbs" and "She's Not On The Menu", the crowd level arguably peaked when they broke out the fan favourite "Drunk on the Bike", with fans rushing to the stage to sing along! Of course, Ken Shinn (a.k.a. Mr. Chi Pig) was the star of the show, and don't let the loud clothing, pig hat, and masks fool you, he was in full command, singing each song with conviction, and while his singing wasn't always audible, diehard fans were eager to give an assist! Randy Steffes and Kurt Robertson were also solid on guitar, dipping SNFU into metal territory at times on certain riffs, and everyone flowed together nicely on these hardcore punk favourites. SNFU sure delivered in their third local show in the past 7 years, and here's hoping they're back soon!

Overall, this was a very fun concert, and while the crowd could have been bigger, those who came out sure made it feel like a packed house! Kudos to J.D. for bringing SNFU back, and this was a great way to kick off the fall season! You can check out our photos from the show at this link or via our official Facebook page, and as for our videos, here's The Elements and Josh Norling playing "Liar", Jack Spades playing their new song "Kingdoms", and SNFU playing "Voodoo Doll Collector" and "Rusty Rake"!







Just as an aside, I do want to give a shout out to local artist Patrick Le Duc (a.k.a. Rockafella), who had set out free artwork and short stories in the foyer of The Algonquin Hotel for people to have, and I did partake in the offer. He has talent, especially with his shark paintings, hopefully he keeps at it! That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post and a new news post soon! Thanks everyone!