Photos and a review of Black Pistol Fire
[Zachary Resnick was there for us in Ottawa. – AC]
The Toronto-born, Austin-based duo Black Pistol Fire played Ottawa’s Bronson Centre as the last Canadian stop on their tour on October 23rd.
This was a fairly small, intimate show – balcony seats weren’t open – which speaks to how modular of a space the Bronson Centre is. With a bar set up on either side of the room, a row of seating at the very back, and a small VIP area and pit at the front, it really felt like being in a cozy New York venue.
Speaking of New York, Brooklyn’s The Thing opened the night with a fantastic, energetic set that got everyone grooving. Taking the stage at around 8:30 to a hearty pop and some pulsing pink lights, the band kicked off explosively with the raucous guitars and drums of ‘Above Snakes.’
The thunderous drums and flashing lights continued in ‘You’re the One,’ ‘I Wanna Go to the City,’ and ‘Dave’s TV,’ before bassist and frontman Zane Acord took a breather to tell us this was their first time ever playing Ottawa.
The Thing continued to belt out high-octane tracks like ‘Neptunne,’ ‘Holy Water,’ and the aptly named ‘No Thing.’ If you’re a fan of New York rock, they’re right up your alley.
A particular highlight of their set for me was their cover of Television’s 1977 hit ‘See No Evil.’ A quick chat with the lads after the show revealed that they plan on dressing up as Television for Halloween, and I certainly appreciated their dedication to that upcoming bit.
The Thing closed out their time with ‘Can You Help Me?’ and earned themselves at least one new fan (me) in the process. I have a feeling these guys are ones to watch.
After a brief wait, the boys of Black Pistol Fire – guitarist and lead vocalist Kevin McKeown and drummer Eric Owen – made their entrance onto a pitch-black stage to the tune of some Irish folksong. When the rear stage lights lit up in autumnal orange, the crowd blew up as well.
Opening with the high-energy ‘Hipster Shakes,’ the duo followed up immediately with their newest single, ‘Low Twang.’ Their two-person energy really reminds me of early White Stripes offerings.
When I tell you they sounded good, I mean it. Both these musicians are masters at their craft, and they were playing in almost studio quality harmony. For an act with only two instruments, their sound is so rich you don’t miss a bassist at all.
Next up was ‘Pick Your Poison,’ and by this time Owen had lost his shirt in true rock drummer fashion. McKeown treated us to an absolute melter of a solo, and the fans ate it up.
Things slowed down a touch for ‘Level Up,’ but the velocity returned with ‘Bad Habit,’ all pulse-pounding opening riffs and another screaming solo.
‘Lost Cause’ had yet another sonic avalanche of a start. The tempo then slowed again for the gritty, melancholic ‘Speak of the Devil.’ McKeown led the crowd in a chant-along of “see me cry” over and over mid-number before a baroque-length extended bridge which saw him descending into the pit to play.
After that mammoth track came the groovy ‘Suffocation Blues,’ which was more shades of early Jack and Meg, especially with the drum beats shaking everyone’s bones.
McKeown took a moment to announce an upcoming new record, before launching into ‘Look Alive,’ itself morphing into a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box.’
The crowd called out for BPF to play ‘Bad Blood’ (and one attendee calling out for Rod Stewart), which the band obliged to great appreciation.
The show closed out to the tune of ‘You’re Not the Only One,’ but another big tune was yet to come as the duo returned to the stage for an encore of ‘Run Rabbit Run,’ another BPF tune to morph mid-song, this time into The Rolling Stone’s ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’
There’s nobody out there mixing Southern rock with garage punk quite the way Black Pistol Fire does it. I can’t wait to catch them – and The Thing – again, as soon as possible.
