We're Not Worthy

Saturday night, despite the record-breaking cold (-12.5C) and first snowfall of the year, I headed over to the Phoenix for a night of covers with Dwayne Gretzky called Dwayne's World. They claimed this was their biggest venue (though they have played at Kool Haus). Perhaps it was the biggest with an audience there specifically to see them.

With the pristine sound of this venue, they thrilled the packed audience with Psycho-killer, 10th Avenue Freeze-out, and You Can't Hurry Love. It was a mixed crowd compared to their usual gigs at the Dakota. In addition to the usual hipsters, there were recent teens sighing over some Gretzky-ites (who have had previous careers in "boy band" Sweet Thing, Popular Mechanics for Kids, TV spots), bros, and a range of aging attendees: some were around when those 80s songs first came out, and some were even around when those 70s tunes first played. Dwayne Gretzky also played songs new to their repertoire: Foxy Lady, I Am The Walrus, Rosanna, Sledgehammer, etc. Perhaps in tribute to Tyler Kyte's Aerosmith t-shirt, they covered them too, although it was the maudlin 90s Aerosmith with Crying. No matter, that's the kind of song that has the crowd singing.

It was too bad Allie Hughes couldn't make it. Robin Hatch did a great job with Hughes' usual numbers (Barracuda, I Want You Back). Hatch has a nice voice, but if she sounded as big as Hughes at the Phoenix, the latter would have blown the roof off. They did bring on a red-head to do Hughes' soprano part on Bohemian Rhapsody. After that huge closing number (of a second set), the crowd still demanded a 3-song encore. At more than 2.5 hours of music, Dwayne Gretzky may possibly be the hardest working band in Toronto.

There's a lot of fun in being at a large venue, but downsides too. Exhibit A: the drunken dude who dove into the crowd from the stage (nobody caught him). Exhibit B: the immensely disgusting floor after the show, covered in beer, probably vomit, and littered with empty bottles and cups. I made my way gingerly through the detritus and hailed a cab home, all the while humming: "slip out the back, Jack. Make a new plan, Stan"