Although the band, in an interview I had with them, likes to state they rarely play two lead guitars, on this night, Aaron and Steve were pounding out aggressive music that if not a reminder sound-wise of Iron Maiden, was reminiscent of Maiden’s two guitar lead.

Keeping to their penchant for speed changes in their music, most songs were rollercoaster rides bringing you up slowly with Jon’s acoustic guitar only to drop you at light speed with Steve and Aaron’s electric counterparts.

Although Jon, dressed in a beige blazer looking like he would be comfortable engaging Sting in a conversation about the history of western music, took over most of the lead vocals when he joined the band way back in ’98-‘99, you can’t really consider this band as one dimensional vocally. Steve has penchant for popping his head over to the lead mic and giving us another reason why this band is pregnant with talent.

But, for your humble reviewer, Chris was the center of attention. Pounding out the beat like some throwback to the ‘70s punk era, with his short hair spiked up in a pseudo Mohawk from his removal of the sweat from his energetic brow, Chris, even located at the back corner of the stage makes you take notice.

With all my bantering about punk drums and heavy metal lead guitars, you would think this band is some hybrid from the late ‘70s early ‘80s but it is not. With influences like Radiohead, the Flaming Lips and A Perfect Circle, the band is steeped in the sound of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Occasionally you will hear Steve pop over to the keyboards and tap out an addition that Mercury Rev wouldn’t mind plagiarizing. Although the keys are still minor to their overall sound, their addition expands the bands versatility.

With serious looks on Jon’s face while he is screaming out a verse (it was difficult to decipher what he was singing, but more on that later) and the teeth grinding of Chris’s concentration to hit the perfect skin, where is all the fun? Conor, the man who has been playing bass since before grade 8, doesn’t need too much attention paid to the strings of his guitar; his competence is obvious. With his goofy tie-less shirt that reminds you of the worse fashion coming out of Seattle in the early ‘90s or at the least from your local Salvation Army thrift store and his attempts at the signature jump that all the famous guitarist use for sheer entertainment (legs joined at the knees flailing in opposite directions) Conor gives the band its humour and its heart.

But what of the drawbacks; does this band walk on water? Does good ole Mick Jagger invite them onto his cloud for some good company? Unfortunately, the answer would have to be a demure no. Whether it was the acoustics the of room or the volume of the instruments, the biggest drawback to the band’s exposition was the difficulty in hearing what the lead vocalist was saying (at least on the faster numbers). The two electric guitars drown out Jon or Steve’s voice no matter how loud they scream. Don’t get me wrong, you will hear the voice, you just won’t understand what the hell they are saying. This is always one of the major obstacles a band must overcome in order to make their show unforgettable.

Also, Jon has an unneeded love of playing his acoustic when both electric guitars are being used. You do not hear it and whether the band wants the acoustic involved or not it should be dropped as it just looks superfluous. At times the tempo of a number slows down mid-song and the acoustic takes lead, so there is an understanding why Jon needs the guitar on his shoulder. But as much as possible the instrument should be dropped to free up Jon’s movements as he is the center of attention when on lead mic.

After the play list finishes the band leaves the stage and moves into a side room for a short time. After I talk with Conor to clarify a couple of items from my previous day’s interview, I sit back and watch the band members come out into the hall proper. Friends and fans come over and congratulate the members for an awesome show. Steve, with his red tuque still on his head looking like a beacon in the semi-luminescence for the hangers-on, moves to the bar for a much needed drink. Chris is out of sight, off to find that perfect woman per-chance, and Jon also quickly disappears. Finally Aaron, who hates when anyone touches his equipment, moves onto the stage to pack up his gear.

Another night at Barrymore’s ends successfully and I leave the bar with a thought and a copy of Procedures… and a pre-release 3 track EP from their upcoming CD due out in July. The thought is that if KYGC is one of the examples that prove there is a vibrant music scene in Canada’s capitol, then who cares about Toronto or Vancouver (the two cities that receive all the indie press), Ottawa is doing just fine, thank you very much!