FFWD Weekly
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Music by Aubrey McInnis Street Sounds The Night Gallery has been called the last bastion of live music in Calgary while others regard it as a comfy rumpus room for the play-hard-or-go-home music junkies in town. It’s been a tried ’n’ true hangout where one can enjoy a few spirits and a load of bands (or a load of spirits and a few bands). Offering a wide variety of music seven days a week, this Friday the folks at The Night Gallery Cabaret are celebrating their fifth anniversary with a party. Here are a few of The Night Gallery regulars – who just happen to be local musicians – describing their favourite shows at their favourite joint in town. • Pat Andrews (Wagbeard): "Chris Truch – it was basically Little Canada. I couldn’t believe that there was a guy in Calgary who was writing such incredible songs (who) had such a great voice. Chris Truch number one, Primrods number two – I was made an honourary member of the band, P6, and I was awarded a trophy (during the gig)... that’s a true story, I’m very proud of that – and number three would definitely be the Superfriendz." • Tom Bagley (English Teeth): "Girl Trouble at one of the Boat and Trailer nights. There was a groovy feeling all around, man." • Doug Boland (Von Zippers): "The Lazy Cowgirls the first time they were around. They were boss, totally in control, it was awesome. They played like they meant it." • Jon Sawyer (Primrods): "The A-Team – Operation Calgary Tower. I never realized just how far you could push things before I saw that. They pushed it to the fuckin’ top is where they pushed it. It was amazing." • Paul Coutts (New 1-2): "Yr Scapegoat and the Von Zippers, they’re unbridled mercilessness. Those two bands just haul ass. It was just so rock and roll, like stuff getting kicked over, stuff falling over... intense rock and roll. It’s funny, they’re both local bands, but they just do it." • Kimberley Jones (Janesville Pop 4): "Trenchmouth – they’re from Chicago. I remember being totally enthralled. All I remember is the singer, Damon, playing bongos through this one song. It was really intense." • Kieran McAuley (Bionic VI): "Unsane." • Michael Paton (Ex-boyfriends, The Drapes): "The Lazy Cowgirls. It was a cheery good time." • Richie Ranchero (Huevos Rancheros): "The Boat and Trailer Show when Maow played and they wore nurses outfits. Hubba hubba." • Tom Atkinson (Shinolas, Ex-boyfriends): "The Mono Men. It was such a powerful rock ’n’ roll show. They had an enormous presence. They were a three-piece at that time. I really found my appreciation for really good garage rock." • Andrew Henry (The Mants): "Frankly, I think a lot of the earlier Night Gallery shows that I saw I probably had too much fun and couldn’t really remember what was going on. The Stinkies were pretty frickin’ good. Actually, that whole Boat and Trailer Show (’97) weekend was totally kick-ass ’cause Girl Trouble played too and they’re wicked." • Cam Hayden (Massive Ferguson): "My favourite thing was the Thrush Hermit show last year when (Rob Benvie) was totally hanging from the rafters and cutting himself up with a beer bottle. The German Knights would have been my favourite had they cut themselves up with bottles... maybe next year." • Chris Temple (Earthquake Pills, Wagbeard): "Nikki Sudden was quite enjoyable because he was a big rock star that nobody knew about and it was fun. And The Primrods when they did the no-music (gig) where they just took questions from the audience about anything. I really liked it because it completely overstated the fact that the audience doesn’t know what the fuck is going on." • Gregg Baekeland (Night Gallery head cheese): "Nova Mob."

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