MUSIC by Amber Goodwyn
Every summer, rural citizens across our agrarian province risk everything — aches and pains, a good night’s sleep, quiet, pleasant evenings with Netflix — to make sure the crops don’t fail. Even city folks are called to make ritual sacrifice to the farm gods. I suggest a little red offered up to the heavens — perhaps a cut lip from uninhibited thrashing at a concert, or at least a dribble of shiraz on your blouse after enthusiastically mom-dancing at the back of the room. Ahem.
The point is, I’m breathless with anticipation because Beat Cops are coming! To play The German Club (727 St John St)! On Saturday, June 20 at 8 p.m.! This superbly named, Montreal-based good-times supergroup is fronted by Mikey Heppner (Priestess) who was last in town in 2013 when he toured through with his fucking excellent band U.B.T. (R.I.P.). And now he’s back! And Heppner’s heart-thumpingly enthusiastic rock ‘n’ roll guts are splattered all over this new band that plays smart, infectious garage rock.
Beat Cops also has heavyweights Tim Fletcher (The Stills), Max Hebert (Les Breastfeeders, High Dials) and Pat Bennett (Trigger Effect). The band will release Mean Streets, its first full-length record this July — just shy of its one-year birthday.
What makes this news even better is that Regina’s premiere dark-stoner-garage-rock band Black Thunder is also on the bill! Happy day! The wheat and canola gods will be sated mightily by these offerings.
Black Thunder is currently in studio with engineer Orin Paquette at Down The Hatch, putting the finishing touches on its third full-length album, which is stuffed with all the lovely proggy riffs we’ve come to love and expect from them. Singer/guitar player Tony Frank says that while he listens to “everything from Neil Young to technical metal,” he’s been into funk lately. Hey, please help a band out by sending album name suggestions to ag@prairiedogmag.com.
Rounding out the ritual is the ’60s-inspired Herb & The Humans, fronted by Herb Exner — a tall drink of water and drummer-turned-guitar-hero who towers over his microphone. Show up before 9 p.m. and pay $5; show up after and it’s $10.
In my ears: Beat Cops’ Hit It Again from the forthcoming album Mean Streets
Check in: ag@prairiedogmag.com
