Apollo Suns returned to the Slice, Sept.27 to kick off another tour with a raucous, loud, sweaty and horn fuelled set of instrumental jazz influenced rock.
They had a decent crowd for a Wednesday, who were getting just as sweaty at the Winnipeg band, who were playing as a sextet for this show.
I caught the end of an incendiary set and tasty repast of throbbing bass and unstoppable rhythm that got the audience dancing, with ear-splitting horns providing the tasty flavourings . I recognized a few of the songs from their new album “ Departures.”
The band channelled the brassy energy of ’70s soul and R and B groups like Earth Wind and Fire, but instrumental, though the obvious comparison was to Five Alarm Funk. A Strong ’70s feel could have been the soundtrack for any mid ’70s/ early ’80s police show.
Frontman/ guitarist Ed Durocher observed mid set that this was going to be the last song of the set, but they decided to play though with a hot, horn powered version of Jimi Hendrix’s “ Voo Doo Chile (Slight Return) though Durocher did get to show off his best Hendrix licks.
A keytar came out for the “last ” song of the show. They were called back for an encore as bassist Bryn Herperger stood behind a second set of keyboards.
I missed Static Shift’s opening set, but they will be back to play the Slice’s Halloween howler, Oct. 28 with Decadent Phase and Vancouver’s Brass Camel. Tickets are $22. 63 from Eventbrite.
—By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor