Von Bondies Show Heart

The Von Bondies played for a ragtag audience of longtime fans and curious concert-goers in Toronto on Friday night. The band brought an authentic garage rock ambience to the venue, and their energetic but not over-eager set made the night feel more like a rowdy house party with The Von Bondies as the featured act.

The Detroit foursome — who consist of vocalist/lead guitarist Jason Stollsteimer, drummer Don Blum, rhythm guitarist Christy Hunt and bassist Leann Banks — have been touring in support of their latest album, Love Hate And Then There's You.

The record follows 2004's Pawn Shoppe Heart, and is the band's first with the new lineup featuring Hunt and Banks. (Guitarist/keyboardist Alicia Gbur and guitarist Matt Lannoo both left the band in March 2008, bassist/vocalist Yasmine Smith and founding member and guitarist Marcie Bolen left in 2006 and bassist/vocalist Carrie Ann Smith left in 2004.) It's also The Von Bondies' first release through Majordomo Records.

The Von Bondies proved true masters of their craft. They remain a steadfastly garage rock revival band, and successfully harness the youth, grit, lust and angst of the genre's original period.

Nearly every one of their remarkably short songs had an instrumental break, which gave the members a chance to rock out — Stollsteimer would toss his too-long bangs, Hunt stomped her pink heels, Banks bobbed her head sharply and Blum kept it all together with his aggressive-yet-controlled drumming.

The band played a set of new and old songs, and Stollsteimer maintained a remarkable rapport with the crowd. "C'mon C'mon" was an expected audience favourite — it was the single off of Pawn Shoppe Heart and has been featured in various video games. Unexpected favourites were "Pale Bride" and "This Is Our Perfect Crime," from Love Hate And Then There's You.

The Von Bondies have some truly loyal fans for a band who have just put out an album after a five-year break. "Pawn Shoppe Heart" was by far the band's sexiest track; it ground slow and steady and revealed their strong blues roots. Stollsteimer dedicated the song to Amanda, a girl I happened meet earlier in the night. She threw her bra onstage at a VB's show a few years back and the band haven't forgotten. It turns out the Detroit rockers are loyal to their fans, too.

Those in the audience who weren't longtime followers of the Bondies were quick converts, and the house demanded an encore after the band's 13-song set. Stollsteimer and Banks came out to play "No Sugar Mama," a slow, haunting song that brought to mind "Summertime" from Porgy And Bess.

Hunt and Blum then joined the two to play "It Came From Japan," one of The Von Bondies' first singles and a reference to Guitar Wolf, a Japanese band who were the inspiration for Stollsteimer and Bolen to start their own group nine years ago.

When all was said and done, The Von Bondies exceeded expectations and left their hearts on the stage and huge grins on the faces of concertgoers. The VBs are a welcome and refreshing example of what a real rock 'n' roll band should be.