Panurge Tests Your Endurance

Run Chico Run is the kind of band that I'll listen to recorded and I'm not that pleased, but when I see them live I think, "I should listen to these guys recorded more." It's a vicious cycle but on it goes. The two-man band from Victoria opened up the show at the Media Club on Saturday night as the last stop on a cross-Canada tour with The Old Soul and Panurge. I guess it's their somewhat meek stage presence that makes their live show a bit endearing. Or that they make pleas for 'Bass for the Children.'

Next up was The Old Soul (photo above) and quite frankly, I thought they stole the show. It's happy stuff, and I'm a fan of melodies, I know that much. They're from Toronto and sound a bit like a mix of the Beach Boys, Raffi and a bar mitzvah band - but in the best way possible.

Finally, Panurge was up. They were the locals on the bill and brought in sponsorship for the tour from CBC Radio 3. These guys have been getting some pretty good press from the mainstream media as of late. Who knew? The Old Soul had some Raffi in them, but Panurge is what I imagine would happen if Raffi started to hate kids and joined the Mamas and the Papas and acted in slow motion all the time. I was bored, so bored. They can play their instruments, and they can write music that sounds melodically pleasing but their songs are predictable and boring. By the time it ended, I was seriously beginning to think they'd drop their instruments and Ashton Kutcher would run out and punk us all for paying $10 to endure that. I just punked myself instead.