Nov ? 1999

The Straight Goods
Alternative to the alternative Big Wreck rocked hard
By MIKE ROSS -- Edmonton Sun

How refreshing it is to go to a rock concert without any tags dangling off it.
Last night's triple blast at the Shaw Conference Centre wasn't "grunge," it wasn't "alternative," it wasn't "goth" rock. No poseurs. No tricks. No gimmicks - just solid, straight-ahead elemental rock 'n' roll brought to you by the Watchmen, Big Wreck and a terrific newcomer called the Mayfield Four.
The more than 4,000 people who turned up to party their faces off didn't need no stinkin' labels.
Denizens of dance music say things like "rock is dead" and hail turntables and DJs as the wave of the future. There were none to be found last night. Just the basics: bass, drums and guitars for three solid hours. Each of the bands, in its own way, stretched the rock genre while invoking the seminal spirit of greats like Ozzy Osbourne and Led Zeppelin. The "double devils" (the split-finger salute) was the gesture of the night.
There's no stopping the Watchmen. The Winnipeg quartet continues to increase its following with a hard-driving and soulful brand of rock. With singer Danny Greaves and guitarist Joey Serlin - the no-hair twins - leading the way, the band opened with Stereo, the song that's breaking the band worldwide. Another track from the new album, Silent Radar, followed, kicking off what promised to be an intense show - which is what the band is famous for. It was scheduled to play until well after The Sun's deadline.
Up second, Big Wreck delivered a swampy and deafeningly loud set, despite occasionally becoming distracted by their own skill. The crowd's attention wavered during self-indulgent guitar solos, but raised the roof with solid fare like That Song and the hit that launched the band, The Oaf. (Ironic that a band so hard on "imitators" would record a song that sounds suspiciously like Big Sugar, but we'll let it go. It's a great tune in any case.) At the risk of laying a label on Big Wreck, it pulls elements from almost anywhere: southern rock, middle eastern sounds, Pink Floyd spaciness and Stevie Ray Vaughan rockin' blues - sometimes all in the same tune.
Singer Ian Thornley, being the only Canadian in a Boston band, revelled in the crowd's enthusiasm: "It's so f---ing nice to be back in Canada!" he said. And there was much rejoicing. Much appreciated was an encore presentation of Zeppelin's The Immigrant Song. The fact that Thornley didn't know the words didn't stop Big Wreck. He just made them up - and still managed to keep the spirit of the tune intact.
As for the opening act, probably 99% of the audience started with "Mayfield Who?" and ended with, as Thornley put it, "the Mayfield Four kicked some serious ass!" You might hear a lot more from this Washington foursome if they keep up work as excellent as last night's. Singer Myles Kennedy was especially amazing.
These guys don't need a label, either. Being great is enough.