Not Loving It

Sometimes you want to hear new music, but now and then we all have a hankering to listen to some "classic hits". I've been hearing about the "supergroup" cover band Loving In The Name Of. Apparently going to their occasional concerts and dancing to live covers of hits from the 80s, 90s, and 00s is quite a fun experience. But it turns out their gig Friday night at The Great Hall was a let-down.

The night started with a DJ spinning lots of great tracks. Everyone was dancing and having a good time, but people were getting restless as the clock ticked on. The band didn't take the stage until just 12:30 am and played only about 12 songs. It was a half-assed effort, which is great if you were hanging out with your musician buddies in the garage. You can't fault their talent, but they played with the energy of a karaoke set, often missed each others' cues, and ended a few songs raggedly. Between every songs, the minutes dragged on as the MC exhorted for more claps, gave shout outs and thanks, and made unnecessary song introductions. The night was only fun in the "I know that song" way. Only the last two songs "Whatcha Want" and "Sabotage", done in tribute to Adam Yauch, had sufficient power to wow.

In contrast consider Dwayne Gretzky, another occasional side-project cover band. From their 3-month residency at The Dakota Tavern last summer to their Horseshoe gig earlier this winter, they treated each gig seriously. It came through in the intensity of their performance and often the length of their sets. They would often cram 20 songs or so into a set, and play 2 sets. Sometimes, feeding off the crowd's energy, they'll add a 3rd set! They came to play, not play around.