Jets Overhead @ NXNE 2006

Hometown: Victoria, BC

Background/Composition: Skillful and willful trance rock five-piece.

Grade: 81

Comment: Jets Overhead have found their place – sending a bustling club to hipster heaven with ringing guitars and confident harmonies. In one of the band's few displays of emotion and/or speech, frontman Adam Kittredge capped the show with an enthusiastic "Horseshoe, baby! We did it." They totally did, too.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Exceeds skill and knowledge expectations, i.e. rocked us so hard we peed our pants.
70-79: Achieves required skills and knowledge. Meets rock 'n' roll standard.
60-69: Demonstrates some skills. Approaches rock 'n' roll standard.
50-59: Demonstrates some required skills and knowledge in a limited way.
00-50: Has not demonstrated required skills or knowledge.

Learning Skills: E=Excellent, G=Good,S=Satisfactory, N=Sad Really

Oral And Visual Communication
Eye Contact: G
Pronounciation: E
Stage Presence: G
Stage Banter: S
Image: E
Appearance: E
Use Of Stage: G
Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:  You know the phrase "strong silent type"? That's Jets Overhead. They back-up proficient modern rock with radio-ready melodies, a MuchMusic-ready look and maybe three words to the audience all night. They might want to speak up a bit more in the future, especially when they seem to communicate so well with each other onstage. Nice spectrum of rock attire spread across the band – from guitarist Piers Henwood at the most "suit-y" extreme, to drummer Luke Renshaw at the most punky.

Musical Analysis
Level Of Participation: G
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: E
Work Habits: G
Organization: G
Audience Participation: N
Sound: E
Composition: G
Songs: G
Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:  For a band with the word "trance" in their chosen genre, these guys know when to switch things up. Unlike many, Jets' instrumental jams never run exhaustingly long, and the songs benefit from careful composition and variation. Kittredge's vocals range from a Sam Roberts croon to a Thom Yorke whine on the higher end, and Antonia Freybe-Smith's accompanying voice was welcome, if underused – sometimes drowned in the mix when she was left to back-up harmonies.

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: G
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: E
Sexiness: E
Haircut: E
Indie Rock Footwear: N
Nods To Disposible Fashion: G
Cool Equipment: S
Level Of Inebriation: S
Actual Ability: E
Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:  Bass player Jocelyn Greenwood did her tousle-haired, stage-stomping best to rock it out on her end of the stage. Unfortunately trendy crowds don't dance, they do that boring zombie sway like in the Lollapalooza episode of The Simpsons. At least one of the Shoe's fun waitresses saw fit to shake her tailfeather.