The Treblecasters

Friday, January 26th

Cat and Fiddle

No Cover

Entering the reopened Cat and Fiddle, I was surprised and comforted to find that not much had changed under the new owners. The place was quite busy, and food and drink were being served in all directions. The atmosphere was still a comfortable one, but I must admit that I didn’t recognize a single face, having worked there for some time in the nineties. I bellied up and ordered a pint of Guiness (well poured, and eight dollars and change—beer corner).

The Treblecasters had just started their first set, and I had walked in during their first or second song. A very pleasant surprise— “Bang a Gong” by T-Rex! Not many bar bands cover that one, especially not the stellar treatment the Treblecasters gave the tune. I immediately made note of this in my dollar store notebook and the bartender asked if I was reviewing her! A thousand cleverly cheeky replies swirled in my brain until I began to feel too much time had elapsed and all I could answer was “Er, no. I’m reviewing the band”.

Unfortunately, due to prior obligations I could only stay for one set, but, barring that, I would have stayed the night.

Full admission—I generally do not enjoy bands that play purely cover tunes. I can understand that people enjoy the live aspect, and that doing cover versions is the bread and butter of many working musicians, but all too often it seems to lessen the possibilities a good band has, to do at least some of their own material.

The Treblecasters handled their selected covers with a fantastic grace and sense of style, such as I had never heard before. Pleasantly surprised, I moved a little farther down the bar to get a better look and take a few of my patented “Crap-O-Vision” band shots. The band had a good mix and excellent players, two guitars, bass, and drums. Obviously seasoned pros, their interpretations of the tunes they covered stayed true to the originals but added some interesting musical twists and turns. The dual vocals of guitarists Ty Price and Gary White were well matched and complementary, and they had a solid rhythm section of Robin Pirson on drums and Carrie Clark on bass, also contributing backing vocals.

It would be difficult to pick out standout songs of the night, because as mentioned, the freshness of their approach to the song list made nearly all the songs stand out. At times, the band veered off into semi-psychedelic jams that complimented the tunes and (thankfully) seemed to end at just the right time. Their version of the Rolling Stone’s “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” breathed new life into the, and let’s not mice words, dusty slice of classic rock. I’ve never been a fan of rock guitar solos, but Gary White really shone with his own interpretations of the lead parts of the songs. He’s got a great touch and a unique sense of style.

Unfortunately, duty called at the end of the band’s first set, and I had to depart. A quick chat with the band revealed that they played the Cat and Fiddle about once a month and had a residency at The Casbah on the first Tuesday of each month, from 8 to 11pm. If you want to see an “original” cover band, then make it The Treblecasters.

Their next gig will be Tuesday, February 5th at The Casbah.

Lastly, the only shame in this is that, according to Ty, the band does not do original music. What a waste! If you ever have the good fortune to check out the band, tell them they played a great set and ask if they have any CDs of original music. Perhaps if enough people do it, The Treblecasters will get the hint!