The Real McKenzies are a relentless touring machine. When I saw them at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids, MI on June 18th, they had been on the road for nearly four months. If they were any worse for the wear, it didn't show on this night. It was actually my second time catching them on this tour, as they continue to weave back and forth across the continent. I even got an answer to that age old question: What does Paul McKenzie wear under his kilt?
The Hex Bombs from Kalamazoo were supposed to open the show, but had to drop out at the last minute due to health issues. Fortunately, Grand Rapids' own The Waxies, with a little help from Don from The Tosspints on guitar, were able to fill in on short notice. The makeshift band tore through a half hour set of mostly traditional Irish tunes including "Come Out Ye Black and Tans" and "Finnegan's Wake". Musically the band featured mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar, bass, tin whistle, and even accordion, which gave some of the songs a bit of an eastern European feel. The band also has multiple singers, including some nice female vocals. The Waxies did a great job of getting the crowd fired up with their punk influenced, foot stomping folk.
By contrast, Boids were a straight-up punk band. The Montreal quartet was playing the last show of their first ever US tour. Their songs were generally short and fast with lots of backing vocals. I feel like I also detected a slight 50's vibe. Although they played classic style punk, I probably have socks older than three of the four guys in the band. Boids were good. I liked them enough to buy their record.
On their albums, The Real McKenzies are capable of musical subtlety. They sometimes use acoustic instruments to play ballads or old folk songs, along with the faster, louder stuff. Live, they are a full-bore punk band with two electric guitars, bass, drums, and of course, bagpipes. They are six guys in kilts led by charismatic front man Paul McKenzie. He's a strapping lad with his knee-high boots, black denim jacket (with no shirt underneath), and highlands hat. He's funny, he's a ball-buster, and he's an all around wise-ass. The band played a few songs from their excellent new LP Rats in the Burlap, including "Midnight Train to Moscow", "Up On a Motorbike", and the anthem for Scottish independence, "Yes".
McKenzie dedicated "Dropping Like Flies" to "the biggest asshole ever", referring to early DOA and long-time Real McKenzies guitarist Dave Greg, who died in 2014. "Nessie", a song about the Loch Ness monster, was a big hit with fans. "Bugger Off" got the crowd singing along while flipping the bird. The best responses were for the songs about drinking like "Pour Decisions", and especially "Drink Some More". The encore was the band standing at the front of the stage and singing acapella versions of traditional Scottish songs. It may sound anti-climactic, but it's actually really cool.
The Real McKenzies must be seen live to be truly appreciated. Paul and the boys always deliver a no-holds-barred performance. It's nice to see young spikes and studs punks dancing and singing next to pot-bellied middle aged men in kilts. It feels like a musical celebration and it's fun to watch. As for what's under Paul McKenzie's kilt: Absolutely nothing. I hope that one day I'll be able to get the image of his boney ass out of my mind.