Lee's Cup a Sheezer

The Canadian University Presses was holding its national conference and journalism students have descended on Toronto. Thursday night, they could be found at Lee's Palace for a dance party thrown by Young Lion's Music Club.

I don't wanna be an old man (anymore), but you forget how long you've left behind your university days until you are surrounded by college students. Was I ever that young, callow, and have such smooth skin? This age gap was apparent during the DJ sets especially from members of the band Rural Alberta Advantage. For every Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend, there were several that killed the groove on the dance floor and led to mini-exoduses. Even old hits such as Pulp's Common People and Jay-Z's Can I Get A fell a bit flat.

So how will this crowd react to headliner Sheezer, an all-female Weezer cover band? These kids were toddlers when Weezer came on the scene in the 90s. Amazingly, a large percentage knew most of the songs and not just big hits like Buddy Holly. And unlike typical Toronto audiences, they were into the live music. There were dancing, singing, crowd-surfing, and even some stage dives (although more of stage-lower-myself-gently). Weezer hand symbols appeared and morphed into spontaneous Sheezer symbols. Whether it was booze, youth, or foot-loose (80% came from out-of-town), they were there to have fun.

Sheezer opened the night with "The Sweater Song", replacing the song's banter with talk relating to the ongoing seminars and meet-ups. They ran through their standard set: Holiday, El Scorcho, The Good Life, and so on. But a heresy! Contrary to their oath to only play from Blue and Pinkerton, they debuted their cover of Hash Pipe from the 3rd Weezer album. The best quip of the night came from Dana Snell, who in response to a couple of over-enthusiastic moshers, dead-panned: "Don't touch my mic. I don't touch your typewriter". Nice one Dana (but they'd only use a "typewriter" if there was an app for that.)