With the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down the touring lives of musicians and fans, many artists are releasing live albums to both support their careers financially and also capture that addictive “in the moment” feeling we are all craving. The Canadian duo Japandroids have followed suit and their first live release Massey Fucking Hall was recorded at the historic Toronto venue during their 2017 tour.
Brian King and David Prowse traffic in exhilarating rock and roll that fuels climactic moments throughout the course of a live show and on this night, the two musicians pulled tracks from all three of their upbeat studio releases. That stated, this live capturing does not improve on any of the songs presented on Post-Nothing, Celebration Rock or Near to the Wild Heart of Life, yet for the duo’s fans, it will recall fond memories of shows past.
Beginning with an accelerated snare roll and power chord intro the duo blast into “Near to the Wild Heart of Life” with gusto before blazing through “Fire’s Highway” as the energy runs high. “Heart Sweats” switches the full-on rock assault with a more swaggering cool groove while “Arc of Bar” inserts digital effects into King’s guitar layering.
One of the band’s best songs “Younger Us” is dedicated to their long time Toronto fans, but it also shows the limits of a live album from Japandroids. Large echo production and the chaotic energy from King and Prowse forces passive listener’s towards raspier vocals and missed backing ‘woah’s and ahh’s’. While in the pit at the show the vocals are shouted by all, on record the missteps from King and Prowse are all there is.
Fans (who Massey Fucking Hall was released for) will not care though as they will be shouting along while the group dips into old favorites like “Young Hearts Spark Fire”, the huge arena rocking “The Night of Wine and Roses”, “North East South West” and the band’s thesis statement “No Known Drink or Drug”.
Encore “The House That Heaven Built” finds the thankful band wrapping up the energetic set while one of the best tracks here is the more understated mid-set “Continuous Thunder” which breaks from the supersonic beats and rising guitars to deliver a tense static-filled slow burner with deep drumming.
Live records are notorious stop-gap releases and this recording is no exception; however, when the whole world is on pause they serve as exciting reminders of in the moment celebration while art is being communally created. Massey Fucking Hall by Japandroids makes the yearning for a return to live performances, sweaty mosh pits and the majestic power of live rock and roll all the more vivid.
