From the “Better late than never” department: photos from the Fresh Meat gig at the Lava Lounge two Sundays ago. They opened for The Centimeters, a very experimental art/goth/probably-need-major-therapy-rock band from L.A. I’m a little busy at the moment, so I’m adding more text later.
Heaven Lee. Fresh Meat’s very own hostess with the mostest. She introduces the band and provides meat-based snacks. Last time, it was hot dogs, this time, a special treat: proscuiutto with melon. She also tossed out a couple of prize packs, which include topless polaroids of herself. I concede the title of “Toronto’s best Asian self-promoter” to her.
The fans! From left to right: Holly, Laura, Leila and half of Will. But as Will would say, “half of me is plenty, baby!”
Mandra spanks the plank. Fresh Meat’s bassist Mandra tears into the opening number.
Q: What does it mean when the drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth? A: It means the stage is level. But seriously folks: in the past, I’ve been neglecting to mention or get photos of this member of the band, Mark the drummer. Mark, take a bow.
Mark the drummer: the portrait shot. Did I mention the drummer’s name was Mark?
Relaxing on the patio before the gig. Mark (I mentioned he’s the drummer, didn’t I?) suspects that Tina’s stiffed him with the bar tab again.
Album liner note photo #1. Here’s a photo of Mark (he’s the drummer, you know) taken using only the available light in the room.
Tina (who is not the drummer) sings Star Quality. The pink fingerless cocktail gloves are a nice raffish touch.
Dorian: “I am standing up!” Tina enhances her already serious height with platform shoes; Dorian has this “I can di happy now” kind of expression.
Post-gig celebrating. When The Gap break into the codpieces-and-dog-collar market, they will use this photo in their advertising.
Rock! It might be an artifiact of the picture being reduced in size and compressed, but doesn’t it look as if Mandra is staring wide-eyed at the audience, trying to hypontise them into become his evil army of the night?
Album liner note photo #2. This time it’s Tina and Mandra, and not Mark, who happens to play drums.
The Centimeters. When art school students go wrong. Actually not that wrong — when they venture into Gary Numan territory, they sound all right, but when they try to go Diamanda Galas or Stockhausen, it’s like a cheesegrater on your soul.
Nora from The Centimeters. Stage presence is sometime all about the Bela Lugosi-inspired “Bleah! Bleah! I want to suck your blood!” hand motions.