Ska! Ska! Oi! Oi!
By Sara Saab
Issue date: 3/17/05 Section: Film & Music
Big D and the Kids' Table, known to fans and lazy scribes simply as 'Big D,' were an opening band at the Toronto Ska Is Dead show just shy of one year ago. This February sees them headlining their own tour across the United States and Canada. This comes as no surprise. To anybody who has witnessed Big D's live show, or listened to their recent twenty-song-thick release entitled How It Goes (Springman Records 2004), no progression could appear more natural for this ska septet than to take on a headlining international tour.
Take it on they did. In fact, Big D were kind enough to bring out some of Canada's finest undiscovered talent to partake of the skanking and sweaty, all-ages fun. First up were Pickering's Green Division, who sound like a token third-wave ska band, except that they've got a rather interesting brass section, are a bit lower tempo than, say, The Planet Smashers, and wear matching green ties over black outfits.
Next up were The Flatliners, from Richmond Hill. These four guys were incredible, especially considering that they are still in high school. Although their music is technically a fast-paced melodic punk rock, their lack of brass instruments does not stop a deep ska influence from coming through in their songs. The Flatliners' shattering, speed-of-light vocals, courtesy of singer Chris Cresswell, were probably my favourite part of the show.
The Know How and Crowned King rounded off the opening acts, in that order. The former are a Floridian ska group whose strongest assets are their vocalist's unique honeyed croon and their energetic stage presence. The latter, Crowned King, were the odd ones out on the roster. The Vancouver natives offer an inoffensive fusion of pop-punk and alternative rock and an endearingly interactive live performance. Trombonist Jonny Biggs contributed unusual but pleasant sounding solos to this charismatic group.
Big D themselves played a zealous set, but their sound was off for the entire duration. Because vocalist Dave McWane spends most of his live performances breathless due to his onstage gymnastics - watching his rubberbandlike antics are worth the shittier singing, any day - there was nothing to compensate for the weak instrumentals. Still, the audience seemed to feed off their stored knowledge of Big D's discography and danced around enjoying every moment. Crowd favorites included "She Won't Ever Figure It Out," "Checklist," and a cover of The Specials' "Little Bitch." It's pretty hard not to enjoy a Big D set, actually. Even when they're not playing their instruments as well as one would expect of these graduates of a fairly prestigious music school, they're still fun, passionate, and raw.
Take it on they did. In fact, Big D were kind enough to bring out some of Canada's finest undiscovered talent to partake of the skanking and sweaty, all-ages fun. First up were Pickering's Green Division, who sound like a token third-wave ska band, except that they've got a rather interesting brass section, are a bit lower tempo than, say, The Planet Smashers, and wear matching green ties over black outfits.
Next up were The Flatliners, from Richmond Hill. These four guys were incredible, especially considering that they are still in high school. Although their music is technically a fast-paced melodic punk rock, their lack of brass instruments does not stop a deep ska influence from coming through in their songs. The Flatliners' shattering, speed-of-light vocals, courtesy of singer Chris Cresswell, were probably my favourite part of the show.
The Know How and Crowned King rounded off the opening acts, in that order. The former are a Floridian ska group whose strongest assets are their vocalist's unique honeyed croon and their energetic stage presence. The latter, Crowned King, were the odd ones out on the roster. The Vancouver natives offer an inoffensive fusion of pop-punk and alternative rock and an endearingly interactive live performance. Trombonist Jonny Biggs contributed unusual but pleasant sounding solos to this charismatic group.
Big D themselves played a zealous set, but their sound was off for the entire duration. Because vocalist Dave McWane spends most of his live performances breathless due to his onstage gymnastics - watching his rubberbandlike antics are worth the shittier singing, any day - there was nothing to compensate for the weak instrumentals. Still, the audience seemed to feed off their stored knowledge of Big D's discography and danced around enjoying every moment. Crowd favorites included "She Won't Ever Figure It Out," "Checklist," and a cover of The Specials' "Little Bitch." It's pretty hard not to enjoy a Big D set, actually. Even when they're not playing their instruments as well as one would expect of these graduates of a fairly prestigious music school, they're still fun, passionate, and raw.
