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By Elaine Corden
Staff Writer
Photos by Sprout

Another overwhelming turnout for Music Waste then? Well, not really, but who cares? The artists of Music Waste turned in some stellar, suprising and sometimes downright scary performances, proving that the music scene in Vancouver is far from fledgling.

The three day long indie fest kicked off Thursday night, with Solarbaby's Marq Desouza turning in an inspired performance at The Bourbon. Despite the fact he was playing directly to the venue's handicapped toilet, Marq rocked the joint with his Dylan-inspired tunes. The newly solo DeSouza's songs are somewhat less rocking than Solarbaby's efforts, but as always, they are chock full of intelligent, cutting lyrics. Witness the power of DeSouza's gritty poetry: "Negative Prayer" threatened to bring the Bourbon's 15 patrons to a standstill.

Post-show, the Vancouver troubadour expressed some frustration at the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the crowd and the local music scene itself, which seemed to be a common gripe throughout the weekend. One can't help but feel that The Bourbon, not reknowned for live music, may not have been the best venue for an indie festival seeking fan support. It is worth noting that Solarbaby's Saturday show at The WISE hall was met with a considerable amount of support and enthusiasm.

Friday night, which at a glance appeared the least enticing Music Waste lineup, proved a pleasant surprise for those indie fans who weren't drawn away by the Makers at the Brickyard. The Picadilly Pub saw the most kicking night of the weekend, with Jesse's Girl, The Feelies and ZEN strutting their musical talent for an audience of about fifty people.

The Feelies, who boast MusicWaste promoter Ross Brewster among their ilk, kicked it off with fearsome cacophony, threatening to alienate an audience teetering on the brink of extinction. However, they quickly found their groove and delivered the kind of high energy rock ‘n' roll which has become Music Waste's trademark.

Jesse's Girl, who have become the workhorses of the Vancouver music scene, proved that they deserve to be so much more. Dingo, Impy, Sean and The Kid showcased sharp, well honed tunes to a relatively strong fan base, blending punk, country, jazz and rock into an easily digested package. Jesse's Girl are a band who do what they do extremely well, whether it be mugging for the camera or covering The Cars.

While all three bands proved their worth at The Pic, the highlight of the evening was up and comers ZEN, who stole the show. ZEN perform the kind of hook-laden, catchy pop-rock that makes you glad you came out. Improving ten-fold since their last performance, the local foursome have a cache of radio-friendly tunes that fall somewhere between The Tragically Hip and The Pixies. Frontman Jason has a voice perfectly in tune with the band's style, and bassist Bobby is postively kinetic. To witness Bobby frustratedly smash his bass to bits and storm off stage was alone worth the five dollar cover charge. Watch for Zen to hit next year, with a slot opening for Treble Charger and a single release in November.

The final night of Music Waste was absolutely indescribable. A host of talented bands, such as Solarbaby, HissyFit And Morning Maker blew up the scene while one venue, The ANZA club erupted in chaos. JP5, who are more of a peep show than a band, turned the ANZA into a wild, acid-trip strip club, with no rules and no talent (besides drinking) to speak of.

Openers Blem de la Blem may well have been playing their first gig, with broken strings and forgotten lyrics. The closest approximation to their sound is imagining a garage band composed of your local Camaro ‘n' mullets set having their first practice in the apartment above you. "Hey you bleeders! Turn it f$%-in down!"

It would have to be Geri-Jenn's propensity towards drunken tequila nudity that brought out the fans Saturday night for JP5. It could not possibly have been the music. For all their "rock ‘n' roll" posturings, only the drummer seemed to know how to play. While the band comes equipped with flying-V guitars, neon pink wigs and vinyl clothing, they do not apparently come with musical skill. Their attempt to cover the Day-Glo Abortions was laughable, and not just because Geri-Jenn fell into the drumkit while singing.

While the first ten minutes of watching JP5's frontwoman drunkenly stumble about the stage was admittedly entertaining, it quickly descended into feelings of sympathy for the young girl being fed tequilla by pervy rockers hoping for nudity. Memo to the small group of trenchcoats at the front: you are old enough to be her father, and four people does not make a mosh pit.

All in all Music Waste proved once again that contrary to popular belief, there are talented bands in Vancouver who are working hard to build a scene. While an exploration into the musical unknown can turn up atrocities like Blem de la Blem, you can also find genuinely enjoyable rock ‘n' roll without giving your paycheque to Ticketmaster.

See Hissy Fit, Marq DeSouza, Solarbaby, JP5, The Makers, Morning Maker, Jesse's Girl, Zen, FLOOZY Bookmark Hissy Fit, Marq DeSouza, Solarbaby, JP5, The Makers, Morning Maker, Jesse's Girl, Zen, FLOOZY Go to The Piccadilly Pub, Anza Club, Bourbon St. 50 Pub, Columbia Hotel Bookmark The Piccadilly Pub, Anza Club, Bourbon St. 50 Pub, Columbia Hotel

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