The Hook Up formed in January 2010 with the singular mission of playing rock and roll the old way: through tube amps, drenched in reverb and grit; soaked with sweat and occasionally, blood. Their intention has always been to get dirty and not be “cool”. Inspired by the energy, sounds and performance antics of The Stooges, Chocolate Watchband, The Real Kids, Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, Flat Duo Jets and Thee Headcoats – to name a few – the band has a sound rooted in 1960s garage and psychedelic without being retro. The trio began gigging in early 2010, playing as much as possible anywhere that would have them and quickly developed a reputation as a band that could consistently deliver the kind of rock show you don’t often see anymore. Guitarist David Gilbert is renowned for his ability to direct the band, while wailing a guitar solo, while spinning circles on his back, while drenched in sweat – not to mention his catchy as all hell songs. The thunderous and rock solid rhythm section features the ravishing Jaime Haraldson on bass and the staunch and uncanny Josh Peters on drums. Together the threesome put on a no-holds-barred show with everything from surf sounds to punk rock wailers rounded out with surprising three part harmonies and killer vocals by both Gilbert and Haraldson.
A bassist pullin’ double duty, kickin’ a snare while beatin’ out the rhythm – a guitarist not thinkin’ much beyond keepin’ the chords live as they fly by and a young, drunk, explosion of nervous energy up front , barely able to hold the acoustic guitar in his hand as he chokes out the words.
Raw. Nasty. Right. That’s the Greasemarks.
Cutting their teeth in the bowels of The Shadow, Guelph, Ontario’s dingiest club, The Greasemarks have worked their way up to spots on Toronto’s top rock-a-billy shows and bars, playing to packed houses at The East End Rockabilly Riot, and the Black Dice Cafe! On the road they’ve greased up car shows, Montreal’s Rock-a-billy Weekender -Red Hot and Blue, and Montreal’s Jive Night, St. Catharine’s Hot Rod Hootenanny, and Ottawa’s Tattoo Convention; can’t forget the cross border parties in Buffalo & Detroit – making friends wherever they go. Called on to support artists such as The Alley Dukes, Bloodshot Bill, The Matadors, The Royal Crowns, The Creepshow, Sarah Blackwood, The Brains, The Aggrolites, Three Blue Teardrops, and legend Robert Gordon the ‘marks are constantly humbled by the show offers they receive.
Saturday January 28
“…a post-punk tinged slice of shit-kicking power pop. …the irresistibly effervescent ‘Downtown Is Awesome’, is a love letter to a city by Torontonians The Dickens, from their 2007 self-titled LP The Dickens. The band is comprised of John MacDonald on drums, Duncan Blair on guitar, Simon Lewis on bass, recent addition and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Gregory, and singer-songwriter-guitarist Paul Emery.”
http://www.myspace.com/thedickenstoronto