The Smugglers: The Beez Is Back

The loveable and legendary Vancouver bad boys, The Smugglers, are invading Ontario for their Don’t Mess Around With Beez Tour at the end of February, and they’ll be taking their rightful positions onstage at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern for Canadian Music Week. Lead singer, Grant Lawrence says that the boys are excited to make the trip. Touring gives them a chance to reminisce about all the Smuggler weirdness that inevitably happens on the road. "We just repeat the same old stories we’ve heard a thousand times," Lawrence says. "You know, ‘Beez, tell the one where you got beat up in Denver, again.’ And we’ve heard it like, 10, 000 times but it’s kind of like a campfire mentality. It gives us comfort to hear them again." Grant explains that beloved bass-player Beez, made an effort to retire a few years back when he decided he was getting too old for rock 'n' roll. But, when The Smugglers went on tour sans Beez, even the musical talents of New Pornographer bassist John Collins weren’t enough to keep the rabid fans from protesting Beez’ absence. "We came back to Vancouver and we’re like, ‘Beez, sorry, you’re out of retirement. You’re the Mario Lemieux of rock 'n' roll. You’ve gotta come back. The kids love you.’" So, Beez came back, despite his propensity for paranoia and serious bad luck. According to Lawrence, poor Beez has been mugged, pick-pocketed and beaten up numerous times. It’s not surprising then, that the guy is a nervous wreck. "Especially in airports, he is just a basketcase," Lawrence says. "He just assumes we’re going to miss every flight… He has literally run through the airports of the world with his arms above his head, screaming because he’s afraid that he’s going to miss the flight." One can only hope that Beez, Grant, Dave, Nick and Graham will arrive in Ontario unscathed. When they hit your town, just a word of warning, Don’t Mess Around With Beez. February 27 Ottawa, ON @ The Dominion TavernFebruary 28 London, ON @ Call The OfficeMarch 1 Toronto, ON @ The Horseshoe TavernMarch 2 Hamilton, ON @ The Raven—April Labine