Cover Me

The last Young Lions Music Club show I attended was a sparse affair at the El Mocambo. This time round they got a hit at the Horseshoe Tavern. The venue was packed to the rafters with Saturday night revellers for cover band Dwayne Gretzky.

First up was opening band Rouge. Benefitting from a later start, they got an appreciable crowd bopping to their synth-pop. With presence in the gay community, there was a strong contingent of lesbians at the front. The all-girl trio also did covers tonight but have switched from Britney Spears songs also done pop style to rock songs with one of the keyboardist moving to bass and adding a guest guitarist. But their own songs were much more fun to dance to.

When Dwayne Gretzky took to the stage at 11:20, there were still lots of girls at the front, though these were now swooning over the hunky male singers. But there were also hipsters, bros, MILFs in tight dresses and heels, and middle-agers. The band was 10 strong tonight, with Allie Hughes and Robin Hatch on back-up vocals and keyboard. From the opening numbers "Let Me Roll It" and "The Boys Are Back In Town", the band was energized for the entire two sets. The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and even some Can-con, it was a parade of hits. As usual for their concert, the cheesiness of cover tunes was missing due to the high energy, talent, and enjoyment exhibited by everyone on stage.

The sound at the Horseshoe was exceptional and the songs left everyone, on stage and off, drenched in sweat and in search of some liquid refreshments. A great night for some dancing to ward off that January freeze.