It's late Friday afternoon and snowing, a perfect time to bag the Christmas tree. FIVE MINUTES! A new family record! With the conifer stuffed into the back, The Reet and I slide on over (it's really snowing) to Billy O's English Tavern for a bite to eat, where we meet barkeep Jeff, an acquaintance of GZ's boys (not to be confused with JZ's boyz). Chicken pot pie (packaged, but they will be baking their own pies shortly) and Boddington's for me and a burger/diet coke for the young lady as Jeff relates, with a touch of awe, what a great athlete GZ was in his day. I ask Jeff how he came to know this of the QU hall of famer and he says GZ told him. Not surprised.Watched the Celtics destroy injury-riddled Toronto while awaiting G-Man's return from his SHS coaching duties. Upon his return, with the Celts safely in the W column, we renewed our quest to find The Next Great American Band. I started watching this show with high expectations and, though bitterly disappointed with it, I'm going to see it through no matter how bad it gets! G has been on board for the last couple episodes, while Jonathan and The Reet want no part.
We are down to five bands - Sixwire, The Clark Brothers, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, Dot Dot Dot, Light of Doom. Much as I dislike The Dots, it's really time to get these Light of Doom kids off the show. Good, talented kids, but the novelty has run its course. Okay, host Dominic Bowden, who adds little to the show, announces that in addition to covers of Queen (here's the promo), the bands would also be performing original songs. What a concept! Too bad they waited until now (originals were performed in qualifying and the first week, but since then nothing but crappy covers), for bands like Tres Bien and Franklin Bridge would have benefited. But we plod on.The Clark Brothers are selected first, showing off the newly-added drummer/bassist per Dicko's suggestion, performing Queen's These are the Days of Our Lives - and nail it. These guys are the most interesting, entertaining band in the competition. It's not only their talent, but their passion and intelligence that separates them from the pack. Their original Homestead, performed in a second round, was uptempo, catchy, but the lyrics (agreeing with Dicko's assessment) were cliched.
Light of Doom. Shit. We are forced to endure a metal version of We Will Rock You (Freddie must be bummed in his box), then their own A Matter of Time. Not good, the judges kill the poor little bastards. Just make them go away. Please. Next is Sixwire, the most polished group in the competition, doing a great Fat-Bottomed Girls (you make the rockin' world go 'round) and the original Go On that the judges fawned over (Dicko said they found their inner naughty boys, which creeped me out a little). Look, these guys are very good at what they do, I just don't think they do anything unusual. They may win though.
Who goes, Denver or Dot Dot Dot? Which band gets to practice all week and not get to perform? It's Dot Dot Dot. Hugs all around as DMHO gets to go on, performing Sleeping on the Sidewalk and their own Big White House. I'm feeling guilty about this, but I find them boring now, while the judges, including the extremely annoying Johnny Goo Goo Doll ("it had a little grease on it"), are getting into them more lately.
Well, we got through another episode. Not sure what lucky composers will be covered next week, but maybe they'll go for something edgy like the Monkees. Or, Great Scott, no covers! Hang in there, it's almost over.
The Clark Brothers:
Sixwire:
Previously, on The Next Great American Band:
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