Tokyo Police Club Set Short But Very Sweet

The Mod Club

Toronto, ON

on Apr 4 2007

Matt Littlefair (CHARTattack)

04/05/2007 3:00pm

It may have been testicle-retracting cold outside, but inside the sold-out Mod Club Wednesday night, a sold out crowd of indie kids, parents, hipsters, wannabes, industry folk and jocks with popped collars and Hollister tees collectively embraced in loving, open arms Toronto's latest batch of homegrown heroes, Tokyo Police Club. Even a lack of Bud at the bar wouldn't keep this audience down.

I talked to some of the guys from Cold War Kids before the show and they were exhausted (I hear constant touring will do that), so I was a little worried. That was foolhardy. All the laudatory tales I'd heard and read of concerts around the U.S. and Europe were apparently an exercise in understatement. The band are easily one of the best live acts I've seen in ages.

The Kids opened with the banged out piano chords of "We Used To Vacation," a sordid little tale about an alcoholic family man trying to rationalize his behaviour to himself. These guys were just getting started. Bassist Matt Maust, wearing a toque that made him look like a deranged 14th century abbot, wielded his instrument like he wanted to hurt something. I'm kinda surprised he didn't, considering the way he jittered all over the stage.

Cold War Kids flew through a pile of cuts from their Robbers & Cowards full-length debut, getting a rousing bit of crowd appreciation out of the oft downloaded "Hang Me Up To Dry." When they were joined on stage by Tokyo Police Club for an apoplectic version of "Saint John," they nearly brought the whole house down. It was a tough act to follow for sure.

There was a time not too long ago (they may still do it in other venues, I don't know) when Tokyo Police Club would announce their presence by waving a giant red flag, but no more. Instead, it was all pulsating lights and good honest rock 'n' roll. The band opened with new single "Cheer It On," during which the crowd lapped up Dave Monks' snarling opening quip about an operator and the president of the world.

TPC get better every time I see them. Guitarist Josh Hook played like a hummingbird hopped up on meth, the drumming was furiously propulsive, and TPC's ability to get nearly everyone in the joint to collectively clap out the beat for "Citizens Of Tommorow" only added to their appeal. The group's new material has a bit more girth than the tracks on A Lesson In Crime, but it retains the controlled frenzy they're so fond of. Even so, it was Tokyo's best track to date, "Nature Of The Experiment," that really lit the Mod Club up, even though Hook appeared to be a little frustrated with his guitar while they played it.

The band barely paused between their rapid-fire songs, winding down the set after a little more than 30 minutes. They busted out only one encore song, with Monks noting, "We're kinda new to this encore thing." I suppose it's a bit much to expect anything else from a band whose only proper release is an eight-song, 16-minute EP, but I'd hoped for a little more.

Short set aside, Tokyo Police Club really delivered on their first of two hometown headlining shows. They're back in town on April 14 for another gig at the Mod Club. If you haven't got your tickets, you're SOL — that one's sold out, too.