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MUSIC
REVIEW
By
Kelley Lyne
54.40: Casual groovin'
 If
you came a knockin’ the house was most certainly a
rockin’ Saturday night at the Dakota Creek Roadhouse,
formerly 2 Louies’ Ballroom.
54.40, one of Canada’s most beloved rock bands was
on hand to play a special gig in support of their recent
release Casual Viewin’ U.S.A. The CD unfortunately
fell prey to an ill-timed September rollout, but their new
U.S. label Nettwerk America, based in Beverly Hills, hopes
that adding some tour dates in cities like Buffalo and Detroit
will help renew interest stateside. The band has been in
the forefront of Canadian rock music for almost two decades
but has yet to break into the U.S. market.
A testament to their popularity in the Pacific Northwest,
everyone in the jam-packed crowd interviewed had nothing
but great things to say about “the guys from Tsawwassen”
as they’re known. “I’ve been a big fan for
over 10 years”, said Kathleen Carswell who traveled
from Tsawwassen, B.C. to make the show. Laura Curtis, there
to celebrate a 30th birthday with friends had this to say:
“I remember following 54.40 around Ontario four or
five times when I was a student at the University of Ottawa.”
All were able to recall the names of their favorite songs
in a flash.
“We’re mixing a Greatest Hits CD that will contain
two new tracks for release in March,” said 54.40 bass
player Brad Merritt backstage before the show and above
the din of the awaiting crowd. He also directed us to “check
out” what he calls their “sophisticated and jazz
influenced alter-ego” band at Paloma.ca. By far the
most personable member of the group, it’s easy to see
why Merritt was chosen over his sullen and sarcastic bandmates
as the group’s mouthpiece. They may be dynamite onstage
but might want to reconsider their offstage attitude, especially
if they are looking for one more crack at what seems to
be an elusive U.S. market.
A few kinks still apparently need to be worked out for the
Dakota Creek Roadhouse. I got stuck in about a foot of mud
after being directed to “the overflow parking lot,”
which in reality was a pitch-black field.
An industrious employee finally got the car towed, resulting
in yet another entrenched casualty of the evening. With
what must have been a capacity crowd, if not beyond, the
venue did do a good job of crowd control.
Bouncers ejected a pair of young men who had a physical
dispute, while management continually called cabs for patrons
unable to drive home safely.
The next big performance at the Dakota Creek Roadhouse will
be 70s gothic rockers Blue Oyster Cult January 31.
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