Japandroids (Hillside 2010)

Whether it was the coveted Saturday night Island Tent closing slot or simply their preceding rep I can't be sure but people were pressing themselves to the stage in frantic anticipation of the Japandroids set. In fact rather than leaving the already full pit area following The Beauties, people were actually packing themselves in further. I use the word pit since soon after all the stage prep was complete for this powerful two-piece they launched into a mosh-pit inducing set. It was loud, it was distorted, it was incredible.

Introducing themselves by first names, Brian and David started out strong and carried that energy throughout the entire set - most of which Brian spent perched on an equipment case set at the foot of David's kickdrum. Speaking of the kickdrum, each pound reverberated through my chest as the wall of amps (and everything else) was cranked up to maximize the output from this small band that loves to pack a big punch. And with hard rockin' music, frenzied fans and a small, sweaty tent we had a volatile mix of elements. Security did their best to contain us, while the stage manager wore an intense expression throughout, but the crowd wasn't to be stopped. Crowd surfing, shoving and stumbling en masse ensued, though with this being Hillside everyone was simply out to enjoy themselves so no one would be hurt.
In celebration the boys popped champagne and after a couple swigs asked the audience to pass it back to their sound guy. In true Hillside fashion fans stopped their moshing to calmly pass the bottle along and I thought it had a shot of making it until Brian gave the OK to have "a little drink" along the way and so the bubbly started going down.
It was wild, the most wild I've seen a Guelph-lake crowd get and it made it a uniquely awesome set. With lyrics like "I don't wanna worry 'bout dying, I just wanna worry 'bout sunshine girls" and "Remember saying things like 'we'll sleep when we're dead'" it seemed appropriate to join the melee and belt them right out too.

[Set list consisted of the latest two singles, Art Czars and Younger Us, plus the majority of Post Nothing with highlights being Boys Are Leaving Town, Sovereignty, Wet Hair and a stellar version of Young Hearts Spark Fire.]