Emery/Moneen – Manchester Roadhouse – 26/3/2010
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Tonight events of music in the Roadhouse starts super early (6.30pm) meaning I missed Def Havana. I did hear that they only got to the venue a couple of minutes before hitting the stage, but still put a good show. Crowdsurfer have covered these guys before so it aint all bad news.
Ontario’s Moneen hit the small stage next hoping to leave there fingerprints on people’s music minds. There drummer took advantage of the empty spaces in the crowd by coming off stage and proceedings to drum around most of the roadhouse…at the very least a cool picture taking moment for everybody. As for the band themselves? They sounded decent enough a bigger venue would suit there sound better as it felt very contained here. They did well considering they had most of Deaf Havana equipment. The lead singer asked if any Canadian would let him stay over, surely the Holiday Inn inst that much?
Rating: 
Before tonight headliners Emery hit stage the Roadhouse speakers blasted out plenty of Queens Of The Stone Age ‘Songs For The Deaf’ tracks. To my sheer horror all I saw was confused faces not knowing what music was around them. (I must be getting old).
After that moment of clarity Emery hit the stage and instantly open with one of the high points of latest album ‘In Shallow Seas We Sail’s', ‘Butcher
Mouth’. The song however was kind of ruined by the simply awful vocals of ‘Toby Morrell’ who unfortunately killed of any spark that Matt guitar created as I was focused totally on the out of tone sounds of the vocalist. Where is the guy who sings the songs on the record ‘Devin Shelton’? oh wait he playing bass…huh? (Maybe his voice inst too good this evening). Well after a few songs the two swap places as Devin comes to the fore, and his voice, sound fine?? (Who’s next as lead singer, the drummer?). Half way through the set and already there a clear difference to how each singer delivers. When Devin sings everything sounds tight, and very easy to get into. When Toby sings it’s more of a bothersome challenge and you’re just waiting for him to go back to the bass, he just spoils all the good work behind him.
The other main difference where in the songs themselves. Older songs where played which kept the hardcore fans happy, but put up against newer material this made the older songs look bad. The newer songs stole the set (when sung by Devin) they had plenty more meat on the songs both vocally and in melody even if they didn’t get the crowd as giddy as the older material did. The vocals where complemented well by the screaming tones of singer which sounded just like they do on the record. He also got up close and personal with a crowdsurf or two and he was generally the most charismatic of the crew.
Overall I was left slightly disappointed mainly to the ahem, vocal aspect of the set. When it is clear that one vocalist holds the songs better than the other, it would be a good idea for him to just do all the songs, or at least the majority. It’s a shame as besides that Emery where solid this evening with only one or two hiccups in the tech department, and a set list that was never too short or too long.
Rating:
Here’s what the boys played:
Butcher Mouth
The Party Song
Listening to Freddie Mercury
Rock-n-Rule
Playing With Fire
The Ponytail Parades
Fractions
The Smile the Face
In Shallow Seas We Sail
Can’t Stop The Killer
Edge Of The World
Walls
So Cold I Could See My Breath
Studying Politics