March 6, 2024 – Club Soda, Montreal Quebec
It was a wet and rainy Wednesday evening yet also an abnormally warm day for March in the frozen tundra of Montreal when the Mad Caddies rolled into town, with suitcases filled with Californian sunshine – and good pals K-Man & The 45’s in tow. And while it was all doom and gloom outside; it was happy music and good times inside Club Soda.
Week days shows are a tough draw in any town or city, and given the eight o’clock start time, Montreal’s punk rockers would have been forgiven for taking a pass of this gig – but that’s not how we do things ’round these parts. It may have taken a little while, but in time the room filled out to the point where even the balcony that was supposed to have been closed off for the night, opened up the late-comers, stragglers and seekers of a good time.
See Also: Twin Temple at La Tulipe, Montreal
Being an all ages show meant that it was probably cheaper to bring the kids along for a soiree of good tunes than it was to hire some ditzy babysitter, so the gathered crowd was a mash up of all ages and walks of life. How it should be, in fact. We suck at politics in this province – but we know how to have a bloody good time. Always.
K-Man & The 45’s
Montreal’s own K-Man & The 45’s were the first to saunter out into the limelight, primed to get the dance floor glowing – and of course they did just that. When don’t they? These lads enjoying bringing happy, feel good tunes to anybody willing to listen and they do it well. With a fresh set on tunes to show off, from their new record Primed To Go!, out on Stomp Records, the boys were ready to party.
With more than a few young kids in attendance, Kristin Daniels wisely chose to point his finger at some of those close to the front of stage while singing Stand With The Youth. K-Man may claim that he doesn’t know shit (that’s an in joke, for anybody wondering, Type those words into your favorite web browser, folks!) but he clearly does. How to include the next generations, how to make the kids feel special and how to get a whole room energized, pumped up and dancing. Of course, the combined energy of the 45’s goes a long way in that regard too.
In fact, the whole troupe bring enough energy to a stage that I get dizzy just trying to keep up with their movements. He’s here! He’s there! He’s everything fuckin’ where! That sort of thing. You know, Ted Lasso! No? Ah hell.
I quite enjoy the covers that the 45’s play live – whether its from back when they were a Ramones cover band, called The Skamones, or a daring rendition of Hank Williams III’s Rebel Within. Of course, the lyrics to that one, which the band encouraged people to shout along to, sort of undoes all the kid-friendly stuff from a few moments prior but that’s the price you pay to expose your kids to punk rock, and I don’t really think that’s a bad thing. They’ll learn these sort things in the playground soon enough anyway so why not them have a little chuckle about the profanities now. I’m sure they all loved it.
Mad Caddies
Sometimes it takes years before the Mad Caddies return to Montreal – and other times we get them twice in less than a year – thrice if you count their stop at Redbridge festival (which was in Pont-Rouge so, yeah, not Montreal). Frankly, they could play every three months and people here would show out to dance their night away, under the supreme guidance of the Caddies. Just the way it is.
Credit where due, though – when the Mad Caddies do come to town, it is always a great time, filled with energy and positive vibes. And it’s not just the crowd either, as the band genuinely look to be loving life while here – if I had to wager, it’s because the quality of poutine available. And the weed probably too. Or the beer. Sold out crowds that come out and cause a rowdy good time on the floor right in front of them. Just guesses.
While it was great to see them play She, the Green Day cover off of their superb covers album, Punk Rocksteady, I really wished they’d play more off that album – that’s partially on me though, for missing them when they toured for that record. At the same time, I understand not wanting to play too many covers when you have so much catalog to pick from – even if their renditions are far from straight up copies of the original material. It is what it is, isn’t it?
In total, these Mad Caddies churned out twenty-three tunes on the night, which is mighty impressive really. A lot of older tracks too, including six that were played in quick succession; Contraband, Monkeys, Road Rash, Weird Beard, Villains and Falling Down. They also played their new song Arrows, the title song from their new album that drops in two weeks – yet was for sale at the merch tables! A little heads-up for anybody going to the rest of the shows on this tour. You’re welcome.
A lot of the guys in the room looked more like the sort of people you’d find at a metal show over a ska gig, but that just speaks to power of music; good tunes is good tunes. The days where a music aficionado would stick to just one genre of music seem to grow more and more distant with each passing day, and rightfully so. There is too music great music floating about to limit ones mindset to just a solitary sound.
Watching the crowd was almost as much fun as watching the bands tonight – a lot of of dancing and crowd surfing was going on. Some people moshed, others broke out swing dancing moves with their significant others – and some just wobbled about under the influence of too many beers. All of it was amusing. It really is a pleasure to watch the Mad Caddies though – of all the bands I am lucky enough to see on a consistent basis, they are the ones that look like they’re having the best night of their lives each and every time. I appreciate that level of passion.
Read More:
>> Redbridge Festival 2023 at Pont-Rouge, Quebec
>> Redbrige Festival 2023 in images
>> Mad Caddies “Punk Rocksteady” Review
As the crowd spilled out the night air, thoughts of springtime danced through my mind. That is normally reserved for Pouzza weekend, but now that gentrification has taken away the outdoor stage that was the key to the whole festival, and of course the bizarre weather this year, where winter never really took root – it looks like we’ll soon be back out on the terraces, enjoying pints in the sun.
The Mad Caddies and K-Man & The 45’s are off on the road together currently, hitting everywhere around Quebec, and you’d be a fool to miss out on such a good time.
