by JOHNSON CUMMINS

New rock 'n' roll promoters in town Bon Sound have started booking the quaint St-Denis bar Quai des Brumes and decided to get off on the good foot, hosting Canada's greatest Stax-styled rockers, Shikasta, this past Friday, March 25. Taking the abrupt arrangement turns of the Minutemen, the muscle of Humble Pie and the sanctified soul of Wilson "Wicked" Pickett, Shikasta have cooked up a hearty brew, and live? Well, you wouldn't believe they're from Toronto. Guitarist Dave Samuels managed to sneak in raunch with his Steve Cropper comps, while drummer Wade Sheedy locked into the least trod-upon groove, but it's Russell Fernandes's soul howl that's guaranteed to rattle that soul bone. With eyes firmly clenched shut, Fernandes worked the hell out of his white patent-leather shoes, and managed to sweat more than Barry White on the fourth of July. If you dig the heavy soul sounds of the Belrays, Delta 72 or any of Greg Oblivian's many efforts, you have to check out this band. Quai des Brumes also seemed to have the makings of a great venue. Despite a shaky start on the sound and a stage the size of a postage stamp, with Bon Sound taking the reins, this should prove to be Valhalla for the underground rocker.

I love shows at Petit Campus, but you have to wonder why a bill as stacked as the Hot Springs (launching their debut CD) and We Are Wolves was happening at such a small place last Saturday, March 26. By 9 p.m., the show was officially sold out and droves of people were turned away, so why didn't this happen at a bigger venue? With their hypnotic, Suicide-style grooves, We Are Wolves showed much improvement over previous shows. Despite being steeped in style, they managed to let substance prevail and kept the card-carrying death-disco punters firmly in their palms.

The Hot Springs opened up their set with their pop gem "Bacteria" and, from the first utterance of the chorus, this was easily their night. The band's penchant for penning a pop hit seemed to be effortless and despite a couple of technical difficulties off the top, easily wrestled free of the trappings of their shoegazing brethren by way of Paul Stanley power pointing ("makes me want to woo-yah!"), guitar solos played on bended knees and between-song banter about, uh, rocking or partying or something like that. Now, not to give these youngsters big heads or anything (and in the case of the gigantic noggin of The Hills Have Eyes bass player, I'm being literal here - you could show a movie on this guy's forehead!), but for my money, the Hot Springs are probably one of Montreal's most exportable bands. From the word go, they exuded star power that would have most ponytailed A&R men drooling.

If you got turned away at the door for this show, you can try to be an early bird when the Hot Springs play with Malajube and Donkey Heart at Divan Orange on Tuesday, April 5. These Mandatory Moustache nights have been packed to the tits lately, so don't say I didn't warn ya.

WILL BUYING THE BASS PLAYER FROM THE HOT SPRINGS A BEER DISSUADE HIM FROM KICKING MY ASS? jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

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