There were a lot of really good acts at NXNE this year. Unfortunately I was too busy/broke to get a wristband, but I did manage to catch The Most Serene Republic when they played at The Courthouse on Thursday. And man, was it good.

I’ll get the bad stuff out of the way so that I can get to the awesomeness faster. The only real problems were venue-related, like the process (and it was, for some people, quite a process) of actually getting inside the Courthouse. Wednesday was apparently the worst, although Thursday was pretty slow as well. The small size made for intimate contact with the show-goers – including one very frightening-looking fellow in a plaid jacket who will probably find me and kill me when he reads this. Oh well. The music they played in between bands was pretty awful too, although I can’t really describe it. Picture the worst dance music ever, being fed through a wood-chipper.

Then lights went out and the band began to take the stage. People started going nuts, and although the silly hats and keffiyehs blocked my view fairly well, after a few seconds I could see Adrian Jewett and Emma Ditchburn take form, followed by the remaining members; Simon Lukasewich, Nick Greaves, Ryan Lenssen, Sean Woolven and their new drummer Adam Balsam. They wasted no time in getting going, and launched into their first song with an intensity I would have never pictured listening to their albums.

The actual show was a blur of lights and sound and hilarious dancing that I can still not recall completely. What I do remember, however, is that the band was spot on – both in stage presence and musical ability. They were hilarious/fun to watch, especially Adrian Jewett’s nerdy jokes and intense staring into the cameras. Every member of the band seemed into it, despite wavering attention from the crowd and awkward lighting cues. They played a few songs from Underwater Cinematographer, but the balance of the show was split down the middle between fan favourites from Population and guaranteed hits from their newest effort, …And The Ever Expanding Universe. The instrumentation was precise and clear, translating their fuzzy noise-rock perfectly to the stage. Adam Balsam was like a drum-playing robot, and the vocals were amazing on both ends. Eventually the lighting became quite enjoyable too, as the disco ball combined with spirals and psychedelic colours to provide the perfect layer of energy and hippy-charm. When the music finally stopped, I was left wanting more, and stood for a few seconds hoping there would be an encore. Unfortunately, the crowd (probably burned out and apathetic from several days of shows) wasn’t in the mood, and filed out around me at a consistent pace.

I’d have to say that despite the shortcomings of the venue and the crowd, this was a great example of the raw skill and potential these young artists have. They keep changing and growing, besting but not overshadowing their past attempts. I am really excited to see what these guys do in the future, and I am definitely looking forward to the new album. The band is heading off to the U.S. for a while, and I would encourage anyone even remotely close to their stops to go and see them. You will not be disappointed.

The Most Serene Republic’s new album …And The Ever Expanding Universe comes out Tuesday, July 14th and is available from Arts and Crafts.

For more from the Most Serene Republic,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/themostserenerepublic
Website: http://www.arts-crafts.ca/themostserenerepublic/index2.php

By Steve Brunton