The Trews, however, took the stage without any fanfare and proceeded to drive through an hour of their hits with pure stroke. Heavy on the riffs and light on the experimentation, they plied their craft in such a concise manner that one wouldn’t be surprised to learn that as a group, they’ve been playing together since their high school days.
Though the smallish crowd might not have been familiar with all of The Trews work, their set relied heavily on straight-up radio singles with choruses to stomp, sing and drink along too. Not Ready To Go and Tired of Waiting in particular gave the liquored-up crowd a reason to rush the stage. A few girls even took it upon themselves to take to the stage and dance (albeit awkwardly) along. But The Trews didn’t miss a beat, staying focused on their task at hand. I get the sense that this is a band in the music business not for the fame, fortune or other delicacies that come along with playing rock and roll, but simply for the opportunity to play rock and roll.
Promoting Hope and Ruin, their latest, the band broke from their stride only slightly. Mid-set, lead singer/guitarist Colin McDonald opted for an acoustic guitar, slowing things down with Highway of Heroes, a touching tribute to fallen Canadian soldiers. The slower numbers of the evening allowed for the pitch perfect harmonies with guitarist (and brother) John Angus Macdonald to shine through. It was Saturday night though, and save for a few ballads, The Trews knew it was their job to keep the party rolling. And judging by the swarm of people crowding the band directly after the gig, it’s safe to assume that it was a party most were happy to attend.
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
