The Special Guests @ NXNE 2000

Horseshoe Tavern

Toronto, ON

on Jun 10 2000

Brian Pascual (CHARTattack)

06/14/2000 12:00pm

Hometown: Victoria, BC

Background/Composition: Four-piece standard power popsters from the West Coast.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Band exceeds skill and knowledge expectations. Rocked us so hard we peed our pants.
70-79: Band achieves required skills and knowledge. Meets rock 'n' roll standard.
60-69: Demonstrates some skills. Approaches rock 'n' roll standard.
50-59: Band demonstrates some required skills and knowledge in a limited way.
Below 50: Band has not demonstrated required skills or knowledge.

Grade: 80

World Domination Status:
Comment: Well-executed power pop from these kids who bring energy, and love their music on the sunny side of things. Some really great crunchy pop tunes here with some head-bop inducing bouncy basslines delivered by one of the cutest female bassists I've seen in a while.

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

Oral And Visual Communication
Eye Contact: E
Pronunciation: G
Stage Presence: E
Stage Banter: E
Image: E
Appearance: E
Use Of Stage: E
Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Next Step: Constant dialogue maintained with the audience by the lead singer. While playing, the band was energetic and really played it up for the young Hawaiian shirt-wearing crowd that had seemed to gather just for them.

Musical Analysis
Cooperation With Others: G
Level Of Participation: G
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: E
Work Habits: E
Organization: G
Audience Participation: E
Sound: G
Composition: G
Songs: G
Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Next Step: Really tight-sounding as a group, the Special Guests looked really comfortable with each other onstage. Cute bassist kept bopping along up and down the stage that had no one complaining. Audience was completely into these guys as not Plaskett, not O'Neill, and not Wheat were able to get people semi-moshing - which the Special Guests managed to do. It's possible alcohol was a major factor, but still.

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: E
Sexiness: E
Haircut: G
Indie Rock Footwear: G
Nods To Disposible Fashion: G
Cool Equipment: G
Level Of Inebriation: G
Actual Ability: E
Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Next Step: The crowd just ate these guys up, loving their infectious charisma. That had a lot to do with the lead singer's ability to charm the crowd with his in-between song banter; the bassist's overall cuteness (folks, she had a Fan Club that was there specifically there for her); and the band's overall ability. No one went home disappointed. Biggest "huh?" of the festival for me: The Special Guests doing a cover of The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love." It wasn't that bad either.