By: Jason Daniel Baker
February 16 2008
Toronto band Witch Ever brought it’s A-game to Kensington Station on February 16 and it was a real jaw-dropper of a show for those of us able to have found our way there despite the labyrinth of high snow banks. Absolutely nothing went wrong and they simply rocked in the most exquisite set I have ever heard them play.
If you haven't heard Witch Ever I can describe their sound as being kind of bouncy, having an almost circular composition but all of it is consistent with what the Gods of Rock & Roll would recognize and embrace fully as their own. A blending of so many influences creates an aural hybrid immediately identifiable with the genre but not really with any specific time or place.
Stephen Sirisko, the singer/guitarist, has a kind of Roger Daltrey quality to his singing. There is often a husky and angry touch to it, which suggests a pitbull catching site of a mailman. It punctuates the lyrics he sings in a way that neatly sets off the sound. You can't miss it even coming as it does amidst such a catchy musical backdrop. He also accompanies himself with some marvelous and inventive guitar playing.
"I like almost any kind of music provided it isn't fake," said Sirisko, who composes much of the band's original repertoire. "In general the spiritual inspiration is that of Lennon/Cobain/Morrison," he said of Witch Ever's sound, which people can take home with them when the band's CD comes out in spring 2008.
Resilient drummer Wilson Macleish proved to be in fine form right from the band’s opening number to its show-stopping finale. After hearing a few performances by Witch Ever, one can tell the groove of the band he plays in depends very much upon in the infectious rhythm he helps create. He makes a loud percussive sound like machine gun fire, but keeps time with a light and precise touch. The approach undoubtedly requires considerable stamina. It makes one recognize then appreciate the athleticism that Keith Moon and John Bonham must have had."This guy can do anything," Sirisko raved about his keyboardist Bob Hails, who shifted back and forth between playing rhythm guitar and keyboards. The familiar rhythm section drive gives their overall melodic structure an uncommon depth. This outfit combines a workmanlike efficiency with eloquence in their instrumentation and a kind of versatility allowed by their clever and irreverent keyboardist.
Keeping up the low-end is bass player Cal Woodruff whom his bandmates refer to as "the glue that binds it all together.” He lays down a good, steady bass line.
Kensington Station (aka Neutral) is an underrated venue with excellent acoustics provided by its aged stone environs. The club could very well have once been a transit station and so much the better given how a band's sound can carry within its space. This is a quality I appreciate in a club a great deal more when the act on stage is worth listening to.
For more information on Witch Ever goto: http://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomwitchever
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