USS Seek Synergy At Sound Academy

Sound Academy

Toronto, ON

on May 1 2009

Bianca Marcus (CHARTattack)

05/04/2009 12:58pm

Concertgoers arrived at the Sound Academy anticipating a few tricks up the sleeves of Toronto-based electro-rockers USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker), who were celebrating the release of Questamation. With a poster that read "Let's Get Weird," the show promised to be anything but bland.

The range of genres covered by the opening acts was enough to make your head spin. Etobicoke natives The Good Times, winners of a contest to open for USS, had already finished their set by 9 p.m. while the venue continued to fill up.

Up next were Coweta, Okla. breakout band Crooked X, who grinned and grinded their way through a solid set of hard rock anthems. While other 15-year-olds spent their Friday night at home playing Rock Band, these kids didn't have to pretend to be rock stars. "Nightmare," one of their three tracks featured in Rock Band, was a crowd favourite, as was "Rock N' Roll Dream" (which the band turned into a reality show of the same name).

Although aspects of their stage presence could use some fine-tuning — as much as lead guitarist Jesse Cooper's hair rocked, it would've been nice to see his face a little more frequently — a couple lessons from the band's past showmates KISS and Ted Nugent would likely tighten it up.

Blackie Jackett Jr. took over next. With a cheeky smile on his face, mohawked frontman James Black was joined by fellow Finger Eleven member Rick Jackett and a slew of characters who fleshed out their authentic country sound. In a matter of minutes, kids who'd been hardcore dancing to Crooked X were transformed into a swaying mass.

Especially endearing were the harmonies between Black and back-up vocalist Sandra D. "Stuck In Rewind" brought her to the front of the stage to sing alongside Black, bringing to mind old Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash duets. Lyrics about whiskey and women resonated with the crowd, who heartily joined in the refrain of "fuck me!" during "Burned." The playfully self-aware BJJ ended their set with a cover of Kenny Loggins' "Footloose."

Something weird, wonderful and slightly confusing happened immediately before USS took to the stage. A "workout squad" wearing various combinations of spandex, denim and face paint came out to pump everyone up, leading the crowd in a series of not-so-subtly sexual moves (the vag dig, anyone?). After shouting "Let's get weird!" the squad scurried off, leaving the audience in a stupor. It was time for USS.

The duo were on-point from the moment the curtains opened. DJ Jason Parsons (Human Kebab) worked up more sweat than the sexercise squad with his headbanging, handstands and occasional leaps off of his rig (including one with a life-sized cardboard cutout of Albert Einstein in tow).

Vocalist/guitarist Ash Buchholz (Ashley Boo-Shultz) kept stationary for the most part, but his audience rapport made up for what he lacked in moves. "Laces Out" had everyone dancing and shouting along, and a call for couples to slow dance on stage during "Porno Star Trek" heightened the intimacy of the show.

Frustrating, however, was the stop-and-start pacing of the set. Every few songs, the curtains would close, leaving the audience unsure of whether the show was over.

USS were joined on stage throughout the set by a revolving door of friends who'd play one or two songs with the pair before heading backstage again. Members of Alpha Galates filled out the expansive stage for a few cuts, and bar balladeer Peter Judd (who USS claimed to have recently met in a Kitchener, Ont. pub) was given full attention while he played covers of Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash. The Good Times even came up to make and enjoy a smoothie with the pair (yes, there was a blender on stage).

USS' enthusiasm was high, but seemed to go off in every direction. Better focus and less interruption would have made for a smoother performance. An A+ for energy, though.