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Moneen / The End

live in Guelph, Ontario (2003)
Tours

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: at_the_drive_in_21
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on March 25th 2003

I was really looking forward to this show. Its been a little while since I've seen Moneen, they used to play local Guelph and Toronto shows all the time, but it seems that all the work has finally started to pay off for them. First - longer tours into the U.S., and now they're signed to Vagrant. Couldn't have happened to better guys, and if you've ever seen their live show you'll know what I'm talking about. How this band went so long without getting picked up by somebody bigger than Smallman Records is beyond me.

Onto the show, I had class late that night so I unfortunately didn't catch the opening acts - aside from The End. Mayor Mcca, Pettit Project, and Chore - sorry I couldn't make it in time. Sociological Theory is just too good to pass up sometimes...

The End cranked out a pretty solid set with lots of gravelly screams and grunts. Kinda hardcorish metal, I've never heard them before, but a lot of people seemed to be really into them. The singer was this little guy that surprisingly delivered a bellowing guttural roar - I don't know where he pulls it out from.

As Moneen was setting up, the tension in the room was clearly rising. I was getting a shoulder pinch in my upper back/neck area that I get when I'm at shows... Is it just me or does that happen to anyone else? Anyways - Moneen started into a set with a new song that sounded really good. The raw emotion that explodes out of this band when they are on stage is a rare spectacle. Animated would be a terrible understatement, energetic is close, but still innapropriate. Out of control will suffice for this review.

Its hard to think of a band that sounds similar to them, but I've heard them say they are influenced by older Jimmy Eat World, and At the Drive-In type sounds... Like I said, its hard to come up with a better comparison.

LOTS of energy and jumping around are staples of this band's live show. At one point one of the guitarists, Kenny, jumped off the wall and spun around in midair, landed on his feet, fell to his knees and began to roll on the stage all without messing up the song at all. Hippie - the other guitarist, and just as berserk, swung his dreads around, also falling to the stage a couple of times - lost in the bedlam of their sound. Peter, the drummer, kept the band driving forward with solid fills and splashes technical brilliance.

Their setlist was unfortunately heavy on new material, fitting in only 4 or 5 songs from their previous 2 releases. I say unfortunately because I prefer to hear songs I know when I see a band play live. Not that their new songs didn't match the fantastic work on their other albums, its just harder to get into. As the crowd calmed down during these newer songs, I'd say they shared my sentiment.

The songs they did play from their recorded repertoire were all awesome. "No Better Way to Show Your Love than a Set of Broken Legs", started out great, but as the song was reaching its end, I think a couple of the band members went in a different way than the rest and it brought the song to an abrupt, hilarious halt for a few seconds before they picked it up and told the crowd that it was just their imagination. "Wrath of the Donkey Remix" was an older song and was unexpected with their emphasis on the newer numbers. "Tonight I'm Gone" (my personal favourite song by them), sounded really heavy when played live, and the recorded version almost doesn't do it justice. The crowd clapped along with the staccato riff. The highlight of the night however was their usual finale of "Passing of America", where Hippie did a stage dive into the crowd to sing the final verses.

You have no excuse not to see this band as they are ahead of most musically and in songwriting. You'll hear a lot more from this band now that they're upcoming album will be released on Vagrant. I strongly suggest you listen.

5 stars - all for .moneen.

Catch them in support of The Get Up Kids in Toronto on March 28th. As long as you're coming, bring me something. Its my birthday that day.

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at_the_drive_in_21 (April 18, 2003)

Dude - that's just what she told me. I mentioned that the truthfulness was questionable.

Anonymous (April 17, 2003)

dude I just talked to peter and I don't know who you guys think he made out with at the guelph show but you're all wrong apperently...this is like how the girl i was talking to said her cousin had lived with kenny as a roommate(and I know for a fact that kenny hasn't lived outside of his house ever...

this is what I feared when people talk about getting bigger as a band people around them just get stupider...it's sad, really...

nic

at_the_drive_in_21 (April 10, 2003)

Snap.

Anonymous (April 8, 2003)

yeah, that's awesome
just wanted to say goodluck on your exams...I can't wait till they're over...I hate this...

Alysha

at_the_drive_in_21 (April 7, 2003)

Holy cripes, I got a link from moneen.com! Thanks guys!

at_the_drive_in_21 (April 2, 2003)

Major sociology - minor marketing management.
Future - Advertising Whore

Anonymous (April 1, 2003)

Wow, youre about as exciting as Pam Dauber.

betterthansex,
-feedmynightmare

shindo (March 31, 2003)

computer science w/ a minor in sociology.

adam

Anonymous (March 30, 2003)

I'm in zoology, and you?
Alysha

shindo (March 30, 2003)

So what course are you guys taking? I'm too lazy to scroll down and see if you said.

adam

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 30, 2003)

Ha! Good old Mountain Caf. Somebody in there has good taste - last year I would always hear Sublime, old Reel Big Fish, and other ska bands of that ilk. Now Taking Back Sunday, someone definitely has good taste.

Anonymous (March 30, 2003)

I agree...moneen is definitely a band that suits a more intimate setting. Maybe that's partly because they feed off they're friends being close to them and the fans reciprocate that energy...they're so true to their roots - always shouting out to the brampton crew. Kenny is seriously the friendliest person I have ever met. I've never heard him speak ill of anyone and, although I don't know him very well, friday night he gave me two of the biggest hugs anyone has ever given me.
That's so funny that you wanted to ask peter about his supposed makeout session - I totally wanted to do the same thing. But yeah, a little too forward.
TGUK surprised me too. I actually cried during "Don't hate me" but for personal reasons (the song parallels my brother's relationship with his ex-girlfriend, appropriately named, Amy). I just have too much empathy for my good!
I did really want to go see taking back sunday tonight, but alas, I'm stuck doing stats homework. I'll just have to wait for warped tour. Last night I was delighted to hear tbs blasting from the dish room in mountain - I wanted to go see you was listening to it, but lost my nerve.
Anyway I'm rambling and procrastinating, so stats' time it is.
Bye for now
Alysha

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 30, 2003)

Also, it was unfortunate that I didn't get to talk to them before the show, and didn't get a birthday wish. I talked to Hippie after though - such nice guys in that band.
I wanted to ask Peter about making out with my friend but it seemed overly gossip-py to bring it up. Oh well.

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 30, 2003)

Hey cool another Guelphinian.
Yeah, I wanted to see Recover open for Taking Back Sunday, but alas it is not to be.
The show in Toronto was alright, but paled in comparison to the one I reviewed. Their sound was off playing in the larger venue Warehouse. The drums had a lot of echo. It seemed they didn't go off as much either - even if Kenny did jump off an 8 foot amp stack (that was sweet). The Get Up Kids played well too - I wasn't expecting much but was impressed (they even played "Close to Me" by the Cure. That was sweet).

Anonymous (March 30, 2003)

at the drive in - you're hilarious! So did you enjoy the show? I didn't hear any birthday wishes, so I guess that didn't work out for you, but I hope you still had fun. I had an amazing time and it wasn't evening my b-day! Now I just have to decide if I'm going to go to tbs tonight....

shindo (March 30, 2003)

Ooh Ooh! Adam's from Guelph! He wants to banter too!

adam

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 28, 2003)

Your secret's safe with me as long as you don't let on I'm not a froshie. I'll just ask the guy at the door where the "Brass Taps" is, instead of The Keg. That'll convince them. Then I'll go to the Palace and have a really really good time... Riiiiiight...

Anonymous (March 28, 2003)

not quite....who are you?

Anonymous (March 28, 2003)

Alysha? is your last name petrashyk?

Anonymous (March 27, 2003)

ah - I wish moneen could've played my frosh week...at least I got the constantines - even though I missed most of their set...maybe I'll just be sneaky and pretend to be a frosh again - you'll keep it a secret, right?

Alysha

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 27, 2003)

Ah ha, really? That's funny. His girlfriend does the merch right?
What you said about Peter, that's why I was skeptical if she actually made out with him. He doesn't seem like the rock star type, but I guess I don't know him at all.
My friend Kim is the social coordinator for some Engineering thingajig next year and wants to book them to play during frosh week. That would be rad.

Anonymous (March 27, 2003)

was your friend wearing a white t-shirt and jeans b/c I saw that...but making out with peter? I'd be surprised, but if it's true - good for her!
That would be cool for them to dedicate a song to you - but kenny once forgot to even mention his girlfriend's birthday, so don't feel too badly if he forgets yours.

Have an awesome birthday!

Alysha

at_the_drive_in_21 (March 27, 2003)

Right on U of G.

I'm going to get them to dedicate a song to me at the Get Up Kids show because its my birthday. My friend Kim got them to do that during the moneen show my review is for. Then again she is a girl and I am not. She even tells me she made out with the drummer after the show. Whether or not this is true remains speculative...

Anonymous (March 27, 2003)

This band has some fucking cool song titles

Anonymous (March 26, 2003)

Ive been watching Chore for years now. Great studio band, terrible live.

always loving,
-feedmynightmare

hungryjoe (March 25, 2003)

missing Chore is your loss. The Coastaline Fire is awesome. throw Tool, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Constantines into a blender, and that's what you get.

Anonymous (March 25, 2003)

Your review of the show was perfect - my thoughts exactly! I'd been looking forward to it for sooo long and it lived up to my high hopes (as .m. always does!)
This is my first year at UofG and I'm so thankful for the Trash and it's always nice to hear of other students who love moneen as much as I do.
I'll be at the TGUK show too, but since I have no idea who you are, I'll just send birthday wishes into the atmosphere - or maybe just across Johnston Green :)
Peace
Alysha

Anonymous (March 25, 2003)

Hey, it's my birthday that day too. 23 years young

Anonymous (March 25, 2003)

I'll bring ya the same thing i brought you last year.....

Nice review though. That'll get you a link from vagrant......

irish_joo (March 25, 2003)

i think this is the venue with the best name ever, trasheteria

Anonymous (March 25, 2003)

I was at this show. I love raising some hell with The End. And my boys from Moneen always put on an amazing show. Brampton represent!

-feedmynightmare