Posted by On May 9th, 2006 I walked down to Maverick’s on Rideau Street for a Drums & Tuba show with Dave Lauzon opening.
I don’t have the wherewithal to check, but I believe this might mark the last time I saw Drums & Tuba, a quirky-by-definition trio (not by definition) that first came to my attention at an Ani DiFranco concert on this exact date in ’99 – precisely seven years earlier. I had a good run with D&T; I saw them plenty, plus the band I used to manage shared the stage with them several times. I can confidently report that all three band members are solid dudes and they always put on a good, high energy show.
I don’t remember any specifics about their set at Mavericks which means the band must have been as manic, curiously unique and sonically satisfying as they always were, otherwise the show would stand out like a sore thumb poking into my memory.
This was, however, the show where a pipe above the stage burst raining who-knows-what down on the band*. The set ended early as we watched the trio frantically trying to keep their equipment dry with rapt entertainment.
Speaking of nero (aka “the band I used to manage”), this was during a brief time window when the band’s smokin’ guitarist and my very good friend Dave Lauzon was testing the waters as a solo act. I can tell you from experience that playing solo instrumental music is a tough gig (and a tough sell) and it takes a lot of ideas to work up a complete set, but Dave was up to the challenge and he put in a solidly entertaining fifty minutes in front of a wide-eared and attentive local crowd.
Of course Dave did a great job. He’s a fabulous guitar player with endless ideas and he’s a heck of a nice fellah taboot. He went on to book himself a handful of gigs both in and out of town before hanging up the solo act and re-teaming up with nero’s drummer Jay McConnery to form a power-duo called Deathcake that plays occasional gigs to this day (no longer, as of this edit), and conversely a ‘yacht-rock’ easy-listening ’70’s and ’80’s cover band called Pleasure Craft that had about nine band members, sounded amazing and made several isolated piles of cash before fading away like decorum at a Jimmy Buffett concert.
*Geez, now I’m second guessing myself. I know this happened to The Sisters Euclid once at Maverick’s…could it be that it happened to Drums & Tuba as well? I think the answer lands somewhere between maybe and probably.
Todd Man Out 