I should give pop music another chance.

 While it seems to me, for the most part, to be pretty vapid and empty, I really enjoyed a fantastic show from KO and Daniel Wesley and the Stone, May 21.

 A lot of that was due to backing band the Rebel Emergency, who backed both Toronto based rapper/ folk singer KO as well as Vancouver’s Daniel Wesley.

They didn’t have a great crowd and deserved many more, but the ones who were there were really into the show.

I arrived mid-way through KO’s upbeat set. The Rebel Emergency were tight as a backing band, while KO added excellent vocal melodies and a lot of acoustic guitar.

 He jumped into the crowd and sang with the dancers, swaying in front of the stage.

Thanks to sharing a backing band, there wasn’t much delay between acts so Daniel Wesley, took the stage right away, guitar in hand, and brought out the big guns right away including the hits from his latest CD. He got the party started with “Drunk and Stoned,” followed it with “Cocaine and Cops,” and continued into an older hit “You Ain’t Shit.”

 

Most of his lyrics revolved around partying and having a good time and was happy to deliver the soundtrack to that a party.

 The bassist and drummer from the Rebel Emergency delivered a rock solid reggae flavoured groove.

 Their guitarist returned to the stage for a little bit extra oomph for a couple songs, but Wesley commanded the show, cold or no cold, and brought the party and then some for a tight, but almost too short set which ended just past midnight.

 Even though he was complaining of a cold, he was happy to return to the stage for one final encore of “That Girl is Naughty.”
I liked the fact that this stage was low and that the view wasn't blocked by massive speakers like many Stone shows tend to be.