Review and photos - Hot Live Guys at the Royal Albert Arms, Winnipeg, Dec 23 2009
– by Eugene Osudar/photos by Tammy Kimmel
sad endings and
happy beginnings
www.myspace.com/hotliveguys
i am told
Kids On Fire
were oh-so hot
so very tight
flaming it their first
time on stage
where to go
from this
the
incendiary
place
the rock n roll
cauldron
witch’s brew
hot bitch stew
from the hottest
place to be
these glorious
hot live guys
these bastards
of young
just ask
The Replacements
what it means
to be greatER
and not to be
greatly appreciated
until you’re
gonER
packed solid
Royal Albert
Arms
for the last
time ever
The Hot Live Guys
selling it out
blazing it
never again
don’t wait ten years
for the reunion
show
bring back
the no mercy
rock n rule
two years down
the line
Kids On Fire
i’ll have to feel you
for myself
my sources
Darwin of Subcity
and
The Crooked Brothers
and Jay
he who organizes
Winnipeg’s
Skate 4 Cancer
unimpeachable
so from the ashes,
of yet another
burned/out
great Winnipeg
band
The Scene
in Canada
rises
Kids
On
Fire
i saw a kid
he was writhing
on the stairs
to the stage,
head banging,
possessed by
Julian
Von Bargen’s power
scream overdrive
Sterling Stardom’s
banging thunder
cymbal sticks,
venomous
snake bite
snares
Kurtis Wittmier’s
night terror
dream within dream
within dream
bass
jumping it
from the drum stand
back
flipped
to the beer
soaked slick
floor
and The Maniac
of (dis)possessed
rock n roll
maniacs
(Joe Warkentin)
came down
to the writhing kid
Joe fell to his knees
banging his head too
with the writhing kid
praying and thanking
this bastard of young
and Joe took
the kid’s head and held
him
there
this is the last time
head to head
banging it
writhing it
praying it
and when Joe let go
the kid rose up
and his t/shirt
caught my eye
held my heart
(still)
The Quiffs
(crushed)
my favorite band
when i returned
in the summer of
2004
Erica was there
last night too
the lead singer
of The Quiffs
she’s rocks harder
than any man
can
(period)
now,
i’m listening to the last
(feeling
the amazing rush)
Hot Live Guys
CD
External Culture
for
Internal Barbarians
and i’m moving here
in my writer’s
chair
as i stare
into the nothingness
of letters
flowing
onto screen
what can i write?
there was no set list
okay there were
several set lists
but they didn’t make it
through the 65 minute set
not a one survived
the carnage
the rage inside
The Albert
just before xmas
they were torn apart
shredded and drenched
blurred
by the beer soaked stage
rolling bodies on the stage
there’s rage in the machine
65 minutes
no encores
just broken
hearts
holy tears
gut shot
doubled over
dry heaves
Joe’s on the stage
spent
done
get up and gut up
there are more songs
to breathe
from your dragon soul
fires
65 minutes
the perfect set time
length
born from my first
ever concert
Elvis Costello
and The Attractions
in November
1978
at the Playhouse
65 perfect minutes
there were too many
people at the Albert
for Joe
to smash land
safely into crowd
there had to be blood
and bruises
there had to be broken
bones
broken beer bottles
broken phones
gut groans and sweat moans
of the crush
to the stage
ribs breaking
faces aching
fancy fists
lips kissed joy
smiles
and the lifting
Joe body surfs
into the mayhem
carried by raging waves
as he plays
i joked about decapitations
and blood
and another beautiful
ana (are all anatasia’s so beautiful?)
joked about live goat
sacrifices on stage
the mosh pit
was Furious
ana from The Angry Dragons
knows i write
this guuetrsnipe
trash
can
poetry
disposable
hip hop
rants
her eyes
wide
she yells
over the furious over
drive
vocals
screaming
thunder
feedback groaning
guitars
ecstatic lightning
lead guitar
lines,
Bob Stinson
smiles in the room,
i feel his presence
Bastards Of Young!
The Hot Live Guys are better than
anything you have
Vancouver
Toronto
Montreal
Holy and Fark you
too!
i feel sorry for you.
in your pitiful
bored rooms
come quick
to the minus 40
and feel the rolling
doom
spilling thunder squall
snow beer blizzard
frigid spit, heat soul tears
burning sweat bombs
licking eyes like
acid waterfalls.
Winnipeg
is the Nuclear
ice age
plain
ana yells,
“I have some great shots!
from the pit.
i took punches to the head,
there’s beer all over
me.”
Joe flies
and charges
and he rolls
blindly
into the chaos
and back flip
rolls
on the PA
back to the stage
legs splayed
and he snakes
slithers
down
the stairs
we’re moving as One
Winnipeg United
this is the football
club
i am proud
to be part of
Love of
rock n roll
indie punk
style
Julian says
he’s found Jesus
that rock n roll
needs to be sworn off
so F#ck you
i yell/
it’s all a joke.
The Hot Live Guys
aren’t
calling it quits.
they’re signing a million dollar deal
and taking Britain
and the USA by storm.
they’re invited to lunch
with President Obama
and
Werner Herzog
wants to make a documentary
called
Glory Hole Bang Bang.
it’s a dream.
all a dream.
i’m here
writing
this in a dream.
wake me up.
now.
please.
don’t say it’s over
first, The Quiffs
now, The Hot Live Guys
you’re still here.
in my heart.
always.
i’ll never forget
you,
Joe,
the time
you sealed it for me
it was at The Albert
there were so few people there
no record execs
that’s for sure
but you were on stage
and you saw three tables
all in a row
five feet from the stage
and there you were
in the moment
possessed
and you
took off
you jumped
for those tables
guitar on your belly
your body twisted
and turned
as you landed
on those tables,
i could feel
your ribs
your spine
your aching synapses
screaming Fuck You!
and you crashed
back
to the hard
wood
and for a moment
time
stood still
you didn’t move
the band played on
and then
your fingers
resumed
playing
you didn’t move quick
you hurt yourself
for no one really
just us.
that’s why i Loved
you
from that moment.
The Hot Live Guys.
the hottest live band
this city
has ever seen.
you are
(were)
our Monotonix
only
your songs are way better.
Joe stands
on the monitor
board
he’s just above
me,
i turn my head
for a fraction of
an of
and
there’s a blur
and bang
and Kelly and Ruth
have been hit
Joe jumps into us
i didn’t see him
coming
and his guitar
neck
nearly decapitates
Ruth.
she’s checking her temple
not once not twice
like four, five times
for blood
she’s stunned
Joe’s sorry
he’s on his knees
he takes her head
and apologizes
this isn’t a dream
it’s really over
he holds her
“i’m sorry.”
this is the mayhem.
this is the danger.
The Hot Live Guys
are no more
it’s all safe again
to be part of an audience
until,
the next band
Joe’s
in!
now
that
‘s
rock n roll
punk style.
The Hot Live Guys
The Albert
December 23rd.