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By Elaine Corden
Staff Writer
Photos by Sprout

Jet Set @ The Brickyard
Sep 6/00

It’s Wednesday night at the Brickyard, I've been sent to review Nettwerk rockers Jet Set Satellite whose irritating little ditty, "Best Way to Die" got stuck in my head for about three weeks back in May. My friend is with me purely on the promise that she will be able to throw something at "that little troll lead singer".

After being rocked by openers The Nasty On, whose lead singer struck some of the best poses I’ve seen in a while, some questions started to rise in my mind. Do Nettwerk bands really play the Brickyard? Will my friend succeed in hitting the well coifed Trevor?

At 11:00 these and many other questions were answered as a band who was decidedly not Jet Set Satellite took the stage. And as I was starting to get over my sudden, and unexpected reprieve, I thought I recognized Ben, the singer, from a band I'd seen at the Columbia about four years ago. But wasn’t Simon Collins drumming with them? What were they called again. Oh right - Jet Set. Hmmmm.

Jet Set, who retain only Ben from their original membership, face this problem a lot. With names so similar for two Canadian bands, it is easy for promoters (and admittedly, Citygigs,) to mix them up. Here’s the difference: Jet Set rock.

With a sound miles away from the made-for-Much campiness of The Satellites, Jet Set deliver hooky, melodic pop-rock, with apparent influences ranging from Eno to Sloan. With riffs that are straight forward, fun and utterly disposable, Jet Set earn their place in the venerable Can-Rock cannon, alongside Treble Charger and Rymes with Orange.

Although Jet Set would probably link themselves more with 70’s glam than 90’s pop, their sound is undeniably current. Their cover of 20th Century Boy was decidedly more Placebo than T-Rex, and their most straight ahead tune, King Of Rock ’n’ Roll, emanates the hedonism of 90’s punk.

From pain-in-the-ass goth-rock to refreshing power pop, the mix up of bands was a pleasant surprise.

See Nasty On, Jet Set Bookmark Nasty On, Jet Set

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