by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Just got back from the le Nombre/Kosmos show at Petit Campus, and I’m still reeling. I wouldn’t wish a show on the final Stanley Cup night on my worst enemy, but Kosmos’s heavy prog easily lit up the thin crowd. Having more in common with ’70s prog-lodytes Van Der Graaf Generator, Jeff Beck, Jan Jammer and Mahivishnu Orchestra than with current prog sensations the Mars Volta, the Fucking Champs and Don Caballero, Kosmos stand out a little bit, even in prog-friendly Quebec. Featuring members of Groovy Aardvark, Voivod, Paradise and Tricky Woo, this is unabashedly classic progressive rock, with analog Moogs setting the tone for a series of instrumentals. The highlight was when Xavier Cafeine lent his pipes to a cover of the New York Gong’s no wave/punk nugget “Much Too Old.”

Le Nombre followed, and proved why they are, with the possible exception of Tricky Woo, probably the best high-energy rock ’n’ roll band in the city. With help from Jean Bélanger of my band Bionic and Pat Sayers from Tricky Woo, le Nombre have definitely reached new heights and, fresh off a month-long tour of Europe, they proved to be on fire this past Monday night. Some new material would’ve been nice, but Sayers’s injection of energy and finesse seemed to breathe new life into the dusty chestnuts. Extra points go to singer Ludwig Von Wax, who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he was playing to an audience who could’ve easily shared a party pizza.

This Tuesday, June 27, the amazing documentary We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen, directed by Tim Irwin, finally gets a release on DVD. I admit I’ve already yammered on enough about how much I love the film in a previous column, but it’s only now going up on video-store shelves. The Minutemen are easily one of the great unsung post-punk bands, and their insular musical style, lefty sloganeering and independent spirit may never have been replicated, but they have gone on to influence everybody from Sonic Youth to Fugazi. If you haven’t heard this incredible band and want to get your feet wet, go out and buy their seminal two-record set Double Nickels On the Dime right now.

Another rockumentary that blew my mind this week was Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways directed by former Runaways bassist Vicktory Tischler–Blue (née Vicki Blue). Almost unreleased due to Joan Jett trying to put the brakes on the film, this rockumentary features amazing vintage footage of the queens of noise, but really scores points for opening previously closed doors on just how dysfunctional these teenage girls were. The film really hits the mark when it lets us peek voyeuristically at intra-band squabbles that continue to this day, and shows how a band of teenage girls with so much potential frayed so quickly at the seams. The interview with drummer Sandy West is positively heart-wrenching, while the interview segments with svengali manager and notorious control freak Kim Fowley will have you just dumbfounded. This is a 2005 release, so unless your video store is super hip, better check out Amazon.com for this one.

I’M GELLIN’… jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

>> Music Listings