:: The Von Bondies / The Mess Hall / Remake Remodel live at the Corner Hotel - April 2004

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

The vibe was there for a pretty good gig. It was Good Friday Eve and fans wanted to let their hair down, and the bands were revved up for a big night. The Corner Hotel was in full swing with a good crowd, including keen industry observers, and local band Remake Remodel were up for two sets as the venue’s “alternating stage routine” was in operation. They duly played two sets before and after The Mess Hall. There has been some improvement in the Remake Remodel stage show. They let fire with good energy and power and showcased material from their very good 12345 Accelerate EP.

Two-piece artists The Mess Hall continues delivering their brand of blistering rock. Fast gaining a good reputation that has seen them have great support gigs, Jed and Anthony unleash substantial power and ferocity in their performance. They are very much their own style in these days where more and more two-piece indie/alternative bands are popping up. The guys appealed to the attentive crowd and they played with much confidence. The “Feeling Sideways” CD from last year has seen their elevated status well-deserved and their proficient rocking set laid the groundwork for the headline act. These guys are now looking to extend their excursions overseas and with an album later this year.

The Von Bondies is from Detroit and they epitomise the growth in that region’s rock, punk, and garage stylings over the years. The band comprises two girls and two girls and they performed pretty well in the sweaty atmosphere that had built up. They belted out some well-crafted music in aggressive manner. The girls added backing vocals and instrumentation (rhythm guitar and bass) with calm and they looked the part – shy but confident. They were quite a revelation to the fans and we should be seeing more of them in the future. Their album ‘Pawn Shoppe Heart’ formed the thrust of their set tonight and no wonder it has been well received. The album had been three years of hard work. Their commitment to the crowd was total and it was straight from the heart honesty. The highly charged musicianship and power beats ensured a satisfied crowd.