The Slice rocked with alternative sounds and big riffs, Sept. 8 with local alternative rock band the Supervoid, local rock duo Cope and Calgary riff rock band Woodhawk can be best described as loud, louder and ear bleeding loudest.
I arrived just in time to get my eardrums torn out by one of many ear piercing screams from the Supervoid frontman Jon Vornbrock, who let loose a bellow to be proud of just as I walked by the giant speaker on the edge of the Slice stage. Vornbrock, drummer Dean Wilson and bassist Christian Nelson played a tight set or original, mostly older material I haven’t heard them play for years. There were plenty of Foo Fighters/ Smashing pumpkins alternative rock energy, though this show featured a little more Radiohead than usual.
There were plenty of ’90s style riffs and shrieks as they ended with “Take My Life.”
Tyson Wiebe and Mickey Hayward played a strong set of riff laden instrumental rock with weird, lengthy song titles. They’re always fun to see and a power to behold.
They ended with the three songs from their most recent EP as Tyson Wiebe wound things down by crouching down his bank of effects and fiddled with the knobs to emit shrieks and other strange noises.
Woodhawk were up next with an impressive set of huge riffs from frontman Turner Midzain, a huge bottom end from bassist MikeMike Badmington, lots of intensity and drummer Kevin Nelson beaming ear to ear as he tossed his sticks up in the air and catching them.
They began with their new single “High Priest,” and didn’t let up for about an hour. They sounded like a blend of Black Sabbath with more modern acts like Monster Truck and in places, Midzain sounded a lot like Ian Blurton of C’mon and Public Animal.
They played most of the new CD “Beyond the Sun” and finished their set with a couple of older songs including the outstanding “ Don’t Wake the Witch.”
