The Automatik

Spitfires & Mayflowers/Old Soul/The Meligrove Band
The Mod Club Theatre
January 13, 2006

Friday night’s Meligrove Band CD release party for their new album Planets Conspire was mind-blowing. It was held at the Mod Club Theatre, a large venue that’s bigger than the Horseshoe or Lee’s Palace. The place is swank: it has several video screens, a huge bar, cordoned off areas with chairs and tables, a dance floor, and a super fancy light system.

There were about a gazillion people there, definitely more than I’d ever seen at a Meligrove show before (though I haven’t been to as many as Shaun “39 Shows” Hatton). There was a DJ (and here’s the part where I mention that he played the original “The Light Pours Out of Me” by Magazine which I’d never heard before and which is way better than the Peter Murphy version that’s already damn good) and two opening bands.

Spitfires & Mayflowers were first and were quite good, particularly the songs that Andy Lloyd performed with his fey voice (you know I’ve got a weakness for those). Then it was Old Soul, who were also good, but by that point I was practically salivating for the Meligroves to start.

When Our Boys took the stage the place was packed. The familiar sounds of “Everyone’s A Winner” were heard and suddenly, the new video was up there on all the big screens. I became so giddy that my hands were shaking, my face was tingly and flushed, my stomach had butterflies, and I almost started crying.

When the band actually came on, to a cascade of bubbles from the ceiling, I could barely hold in the tears. The light show! The smoke machines! THEY SOUNDED SO GOOD AND SO LOUD. Members of The Bicycles and Henri and the Adorables came to help with brass arrangements, whistles, handclaps and background vocals. There were even violinists and a cellist in attendance to recreate the beauty of songs like “Feversleep.” We got to see Jay play keyboards! We even got to hear Darcy sing on “I’m Easy” and “Delivered From All Blindness of Heart.”

The show was totally surreal, like I was watching a movie of myself watching it. I couldn’t (and still can’t) believe that it was actually them up there totally owning the whole night. It’s well-deserved but it’s still incredible. To see and hear “Before We Arrive” played live, complete with Andrew’s assistance on the gorgeous harmonies, was a real treat. And there was even an encore (I wish I had a photo of the expression on Mike’s face when he came back on stage for that).

Afterwards, it was a madhouse, with t-shirts, CDs, and vinyl copies of the album flying off the merch table, everyone and anyone congratulating the lads, grabbing them, hugging them, shaking their hands, and generally acting like crazy, star struck fools. It’s rather amazing to witness this: a band on the verge of what looks to be a hugely famous and successful career. It reminded me of the pre-1964 fan interview from the Beatles Anthology video: they don’t belong to us anymore. It’s a beautiful thing.

Planets Conspire is available at Canadian music retailers on Tuesday, January 17th. If you live in the U.S. and would like a copy, I will mail one to you if you send me the money. No really. I will.

Listen to “Everyone’s A Winner” here.

Pictures from the CD release party/show can be seen here and also here.

My review of Planets Conspire.

The Meligrove Band Website