On the Road Again
Live Reviews:

NORTH BY NORTHEAST 1999
Featuring: Cyclefly
June 11, 1999
Lee's Palace, Toronto, Ontario

I don't know if Ireland can lay claim to cornering the market on self-aggrandizing, ego-maniacal lead singers, but there's only room for a few, and Bono already has at least two spots reserved for himself. So it was with a mixture of dismay and boredom that I sat through the ridiculously silly set by Cork's own Cyclefly at Lee's Palace Friday night. Perhaps it's unfair of me to condemn the entire band for the sins of the singer, but on the other hand their stuff was not particularly memorable or original, although they certainly put out a pummeling, heavy sonic assault.

But the frontman couldn't resist the narcissistic rock star shtick, and I couldn't stifle the yawns. Slinking about in tan leather pants, platform shoes, sans shirt and constantly shaking his bright red locks between each line, this guy's whiny vocals made me think that Cyclefly's chain was badly in need of oil. In any event, their set was definitely stuck in one gear. But if it's any consolation, my friend Julia liked the singer's ass. Too bad it's not an ass festival.