6 Day Riot @ NXNE 2008

BACKGROUND/COMPOSITION: With a name like 6 Day Riot, the first thought is that this band is going to be the musical equivalent of a high school bully, kicking the shit out of unsuspecting concert goers and stealing their lunch money. But don’t be so quick to judge — the British quintet are headed by Tamara Schlesinger, an adorable five-foot munchkin with a voice and smile so sweet you may burst into flames if you look at her hard enough. She’s that girl from school that no one realized was gorgeous until Senior Prom. Then she walks into the room and every guy there wishes they had asked her. But other than the looming potential for a broken heart, 6 Day Riot wouldn’t hurt a fly. Their music is buoyant folk-pop, complete with trumpets, violins and ukuleles. Once they start playing you’re going to wish you had the courage to ask Schlesinger for a dance.

Grade: 77

Comment: It is slightly ironic that 6 Day Riot played their first NXNE show in Pearson Airport — they had just gotten off a plane from England not long before the performance, but worked through the jet lag as they attempted to draw an audience from the stressed, frustrated and tired individuals walking by their sorry excuse for a stage. They get an ‘A’ for effort, but the airport is simply a lousy place to play (and see) a show.

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: E
Pronunciation: G
Stage Presence: G
Stage Banter: S
Image: E
Appearance: E
Use Of Stage: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:
Accepting that their performance would not involve a lasting audience of eager onlookers, 6 Day Riot made the best of the situation and turned the performance into a tutorial in busking. "Spare some change for us poor Londoners!" begged Schlesinger from behind her miniature guitar. I almost ran to the closest ATM and extracted my life savings — that’s how cute this girl is. But on they played, cheery as can be, turning to one another to exchange bursts of laughter and music. When a small child walked up and dropped a Toonie in their open guitar case, all five musicians stopped what they were doing and looked on in heart-felt humility. 

Musical Analysis
Level Of Participation: G
Problem Solving: E
Teamwork: G
Work Habits: G
Organization: S
Audience Participation: S
Sound: G
Composition: G
Songs: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:
Imagine walking out of the baggage claim after a 12-hour flight and getting hit in the face with a horn solo. Needles to say, passerbyers looked mighty confused. But 6 Day Riot held nothing back, filling the terminal with a rocking blend of accordions, cellos and electric guitars. It may have been the band’s impressive energy or Schlesinger’s equally impressive good looks, but 6 Day Riot managed to gather a significantly larger audience than Great Lake Swimmers, who had played there several hours earlier. Unfortunately, that didn’t require much — I counted 10 people who were actually watching rather than waiting for someone to come out of the automatic doors to the left side of the band. 

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: E
Problem Solving: G
Teamwork: G
Sexiness: E
Haircut: E
Indie Rock Footwear: G
Nods To Disposable Fashion: G
Cool Equipment: G
Level Of Inebriation: N
Actual Ability: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Step:
Dressed like they were coming from a 1940’s funeral, 6 Day Riot added a nice touch to the Brit-folk dynamic with dress pants, suspenders and vests for the guys and a frilly dress and head-piece for Schlesinger. She really did look bloody fantastic. Have I mentioned that yet?