The Ataris with the Juliana Theory, Further Seems Forever and Damone at Kool Haus, May 5. Tickets: $16.50. Attendance: 1,700. Rating: NN Rating: NN
It was the last show of the tour for the Ataris, and lead man Kris Roe wanted – no, needed – to see everyone’s hands. The fans didn’t disappoint. The Ataris play that pop/punk that’s sweeping a suburb near you. Good, clean music that wouldn’t offend your grandmother and will have you humming all the way to Old Navy.
While starting almost every song off with “One, two, fuck you” made the Ataris appear to possess a capacity for making fun of themselves, it was clear from the look in the eyes of every band member that they were serious. Which kinda scared me.
After only 40 minutes, they packed it in. As the underage kids fled to waiting parents in the parking lot outside, it became obvious that this wasn’t so much a case of “meet the new boss” as it was “same as the old boss.”Fortunately, openers Damone ran through one of the better Nirvana covers thus far heard, doing justice to Territorial Pissings.
Further Seems Forever played an abysmal set redeemed only by a lead singer who was ” happy to be rocking Canada for the first time,” slagged Avril and had studied every move in the Henry Rollins posturing handbook. Brilliant.Up-and-comers the Juliana Theory offered songs with more layers, depth and understanding than the other bands, with chiming guitars, solid choruses and programmed orchestration à la early-80s U2. Interesting set.
