The Day Street Brothel

The Day Street Brothel - show review by Matt Hartwick
Entertainment Editor
March 22, 2009

Sunday night proved that Kingston supports its local acts as the Day Street Brothel rocked the Sh*t out of the Time To Laugh.
What was interesting about this show the most to me was the fact that this was Day Street Brothels first live show and also served as their CD release show as well. When I talked to the band backstage I asked them why they chose to go this route and their answer made sense. They just wanted to get this big show out of the way and instead of playing one show and then in a couple of days play a CD release show.

What really drives me into loving DSB is the vocals and guitars. Vocals and Guitars is the driving behind the band. I can’t remember hearing a band where the vocals and guitar standout like they do in DSB. If the band looses Doug there is no point in trying to carry on. If you listen to the album and think that the vocals have been tweaked by the soundboard, you are sadly mistaken, they are as rock solid and kick F’n ass live as they do on the album. I probably could go on for about an hour about how much the Vocals kicked ass.

DSB was also the only band on the bill as they played for over an hour. They took about a half hour break during the middle of their set to go and thank everybody who came out and supported their release party. I will admit that the audience looked like it was going to be a small one at the start of the night but people started to filter in throughout the night and ended up with a nice sized audience on a Sunday night especially for Kingston.

The lighting in the Time To Laugh has improved since the last time that I was there and it did help with the stage presence. I wasn’t all that impressed however with the little laser designs that they shot across the stage but luckily they only were on for a couple of songs. I think Danko Jones said it best when he said all the lighting sucks just give me the main three lights!!

DSB played a couple of cover songs throughout the night. Cumbersome they were requested into playing the song again in their second set because of how well they performed the song. They also played Godsmack Alive which sounded awesome, The vocals again is what made this songs shine. What Kingston show would really be without a Tragically Hip song, DSB chose to play New Orleans Is Sinking. Another song that DSB played twice and also used the song to finish out their show with this song is Heaven Sent. They also had the song played on K- Rock a few minutes just before the doors were about to be open.

One last quick thing that I have to mention is Jonathan broke his first guitar string on stage but it ended up being a good thing. While he was switching guitars each member of the band had a chance to go a small solo. Each of the Solos sounded great but it was Doug who came out with the line of the night. About halfway through his solo he asked if Jonathan if he was done yet and then said “I can keep this up all night long” the timing of the line was the best because he was in a mid string bend when he said it.

www.daystreetbrothel.com

Matt Hartwick
m.hartwick@partyinkingston.com

- Matyt Hartwick - Party In Kingston.com Entertainment Editor

The DSB perform their first show since their CD release party in March. The band rocked to their own music as well some well done covers from Godsmack, Cracker, The Tragically Hip, Ac/Dc, and closed out the show with a smokin cover of Neil Young's Keep on Rockin in the Free World...

A memorable moment on the night.. about half way through the show when the band was in between songs I noticed a younger couple walk in at the back. The expression on their faces was "whats going on in here?" and "oh.. theres a band in here", you could tell they were debating on staying or leaving. Then the DSB started on one of their own tracks and the young couple started the head bobs showing their approval and went to the bar for a drink... - Robert John Boucher

Here is one album where the live show compares exactly to the album version of the songs. Usually the live version of the songs sound a little off and you can tell what has and what hasn’t been tweaked in the control room but when you put in this album and watch their live show there is not one lick of difference.
The Day Street Brothel is a guitar and vocal driven band. If the vocals were to change or the guitars were to change at all I think the band would be hurting in a big way. When you listen to the album you probably will not get over the vocals or the guitars at all they are top notch and especially when the album was self funded. The vocals have a variety of influences that all blend together to give their songs one hell of a punch. A couple of the influences include Godsmack, Metallica, and a little bit of eighties and nineties metal.
For a first album The Day Street Brothel put on a full album worth of songs instead of a E.P. The album contains 15 songs and only one is a cover song which is a Seven Mary Three song Cumbersome.
“Cumbersome” is one of my many favourite songs off of the album. The Day Street Brothel brings Justus to the song. The band didn’t really change anything in the song but to me it sounds a lot different when Doug adds his vocals and the heavier guitars the song goes into a new level. Basically they took a great song and made it better.
“Revolving Door” is probably the easiest song to get into on the album. The bass level of the song is kept at a nice deep level. The song rips right into your ears it takes a couple of seconds for the song to get into the groove but when it does you know. The main riff of the song is really catchy and with the addition of Doug’s out of the blue guitar riffs this song is easily my favourite original song off the album. The vocals also have a different vibe to them as well, they seem to be a little deeper in this song than other the other songs. I also like how there is the addition of backing vocals; they add that little bit extra to the song.
Now I have heard and have read my fair share of song titles some that I have liked and some that I haven’t liked but when I came across the fourteenth track titled Knockin On Her Back Door.
And then there is the song called Pink Goodie Boxxx. Pink Goodie Boxxx is now a new classic song title in my mind. Not forgetting to mention that the song title is awesome so is the song that goes along with it. The backing vocals really hold their own in the song they have the Kiss touch to them. The tempo of the song is a little slower compared to the other songs off the album but the heaviness of the song makes up for it. Doug also doesn’t let the song go untouched without his added guitar solos.
You can pick up your copy of The Day Street Brothel at any of their shows or you can hop over to their website and follow the links www.daystreetbrothel.com.
Matt Hartwick
m.hartwick@partyinkingston.com
- Party In Kingston.com - Matt Hartwick

The Day Street Brothel and Ape Kicked the sh*t out of everybodys eardrums at The Time To Laugh on Saturday night.

This was the first time that I have watched Ape and the second time that I have watched the Day Street Brothel and I am still asking myself why I haven’t seen these bands more. For the Metal Fanatics that were in attendance last night they were showed what Toronto and Kingston Rock Metal is all about.

If you haven’t heard any of Ape’s music before and you’re a fan of Metal I urge you to visit their myspace and have a listen, but when you see them live GET READY because their music is in your face and pretty much loud enough to make your eardrums bleed. There wasn’t one song that Ape played that didn’t rock the place out. Ape played songs from their album that is out now as well as their album that is upcoming, and I can’t wait to hear what the new album has in store. One of the things that impressed me the most about their performance was how tight they were, especially their timing between the three of them. My favourite song for timing was their last song Friend Or Foe. The way the guitars stopped and left just enough time for one crash of the cymbals, and the drums solo at the very end was sweet. I liked the bass players strap setup for his first Bass. I don’t usually see them all that often but it was a waist and over the shoulder strap. He also uses a five string Bass as well, another I find it is not so often used Bass. The length of Apes set was eight songs which included.


1. Beyond The Depths
2. Man To Machine
3. Sell Out
4. It’s All My Fault (This Time)
5. How You Left Me
6. So Lonely
7. It’s Not
8. Friend Or Foe


Just as Ape left the audience hanging and trying to regain a little bit of hearing back DSB came to the stage and picked up where Ape left off. DSB was just as loud if not louder but f’n good. This was a great night to be hearing both bands because they both were playing songs off of their soon to be released albums so the audience got a nice sneak peek at what is to come. DSB didn’t play Cumbersome which I was surprised at because at their first show ever they got a request to play it twice. They did however throw a Black Label Society cover tune in. One addition to their set from the last time that I watched DSB was the addition of the starting to “Knockin On Her Back Door”. This song has now made its way into one of my favourite songs to listen to in my truck, but listening to them play compared to the album version, the live version sounds better. After listening to the new tracks I can’t wait to hear the new album when it is finished. The one thing that I can’t get over is how Doug is able to sing the way he does and he is able to do it all night. You really have to get yourself a listen to the vocals to see what I mean. My second favourite song that DSB played was their first song on the album which they also used to open up their set called “Tales from The Day Street Brothel”. At the end of their set they were about to walk of the stage but were cheered on for a encore song which they obliged and finished out a great night of Local and Toronto Metal.
- Matt HArtwick - KingstonMusicReviews.ca