You learn something new everyday. Making my way to the show, I was wondering what was driving the hype behind Canadian outfit Hot Hot Heat. At first glance, they look just like every other indie-rock-pop group of the moment, working the circuit and riding the new wave. I have been educated – these guys know how to do live music. Blistering, electric, infectious, the name says it all.
What comes across as lackluster and repetitive on the new album Elevator translates into sparkling Technicolor sound on stage – think Dorothy before and after the red shoes and you are getting the picture. Recording devices just aren’t technologically advanced enough to convey the sheer energy that radiates from the tips of Steve Bay’s fingers to the end of his spiraling curls.
That said, the rapturous crowd reaction wasn’t a very reliable indicator at the Corner Hotel on Tuesday night, as the venue was brimming with the air of expectation that only a group with a median age of 18 can pull off. In fact, the bar was so deserted and the faces so fresh, I was left wondering whether it was an all-ages gig.
Wolf & Cub were followed by Faker, both top quality local acts, but the crowd weren’t biting and barely shifted their feet. Strangely, in the grip of some sort of mass psychosis before the main event, they did get worked up singing along to the Muse track that was playing on the PA. Their word perfect recital didn’t stop there. It was a sing-a-long, foot stomping, hand clapping affair all the way.
Steve Bay’s twangy vocal style makes much more sense when he’s brandishing a microphone at the front of the stage. It looks and sounds as though the words are involuntarily bursting out of his throat. Friendly banter became superfluous once the music was flowing, as Bay communicates so expressively, using his whole body and projecting every ounce of energy he’s got out into the audience. In profile he looks almost reptilian, as his tongue seems to do most of the yard work.
There was just one hairy moment mid-set when the bass player Dustin Hawthorne took crowd control into his own hands. Taking advantage of the break in the middle of ‘Naked in the City Again’, he stepped forward to yell at a punter for elbowing the girl next to him, and almost had to be physically restrained from taking things further. After words from the other band members, play resumed, but the crowd was shell-shocked and noticeably subdued for the next few songs. The culprit headed for the exit a few minutes later, looking bloody miserable. He probably deserved the abuse, but a public dressing-down from the band has got to make it into the Top Ten list of Humiliating Experiences at a Gig.
Anger management issues aside, Hot Hot Heat proved their stripes and kept the momentum going, throwing both new and old material into the mix. The frenetic pace made any set list redundant, as they ripped through nearly all of the material from their last two albums. Songs like No, Not Now and You Owe Me an IOU reflect the channel surfing attitude of their core audience – teenagers with short attention spans. But hey, a little instant gratification never goes astray. The only misfire was title track Elevator, a waffle-filler that should never have escaped the studio. It was a nice touch to have the crowd lit up at various stages in the set – you get the feeling that Hot Hot Heat just want to make sure their fans are having as much fun as they are.
Wrapping up with an extended encore, the band members were reluctant to vacate the stage. Bay cheekily made a date to see everyone again on Thursday night. It might just have been the bright lights getting to me, but I was ready for more. Maybe shelling out another $40 isn’t such a ridiculous idea after all…
