Shout Out Out Out Out Rock Ock Ock Ock Ock

Lee's Palace

Toronto, ON

on Apr 25 2009

Scott Bryson (CHARTattack)

04/27/2009 3:47pm

There's truth in the stereotype that Torontonians are unwilling to shake a tail at concerts, but The Cansecos had the stage area more than half-filled with dancing patrons by the end of their opening set.

Shout Out Out Out Out (hereafter, Shout Out) really hit the jackpot when they landed the hometown quartet as a warm-up act. They're capable, laid-back rockers, but they have no qualms about occasionally morphing into a synth powerhouse.

The Albertan headliners took to the stage soon after and promptly lined it with an expected wall of technology: Korg, Roland, Moog, Korg, Roland, Moog.

Their act is noticeably electronic, but Shout Out have the organic side represented as well. Question: How many bass players are too many for one band? Answer: Not four, apparently. The six-piece also had their customary two-drummer set-up in place and, as usual, choreographed maneuvers and high leg kicks were rampant.

While Shout Out construct all of the music that appears on their albums, someone viewing their show has to wonder — based on the number of times singer/keyboardist Nik Kozub stepped away from his synth rig and the music kept going — just how much of their performance is a press-play affair. Over-computerization doesn't have much bearing on sound, but it affects showmanship. It was perplexing to see several songs start with synthesized drum lines while two perfectly capable drummers sat behind their kits and waited.

This inquiry is secondary to the fact that Shout Out have an uncanny ability to kick an audience's ass. They had almost everyone in the near-capacity club dancing and even came close to inciting a mosh.

The sextet blew through a mix of tunes from both their Not Saying/Just Saying debut and the newly released Reintegration Time. Tracks from both albums found renewed life when treated to the live experience. Shout Out's show is a must for anyone who thinks the fun has gone missing from performances.