Every once in a while a Band comes along that really catches your attention, and I had the good fortune of being in the audience as Mass Undergoe took the stage at the Rusty Cage Sept 4th, 2008.

Already enjoying great popularity on Vancouver’s underground scene, this rising rock n’ roll entity are a band poised for world domination, and here are a couple of reasons why . . .

They have the musical chops: These guys can play, and I’m not just talking about technical chops, they also know how to write interesting songs that demonstrate a versatility in rythmns punctuated by tight, sonic blasts that can suddenley segue into a soothing melodic vocal or soft guitar texturing. They’ll come charging at you like a Musical Force to be reckoned with, and the intensity of their live show leaves you feeling a little like you’ve been assaulted, but in a good way.

They have the Look: They look completely natural on stage, and let’s face it, stage presence and showmanship go along way  in making you stand out from the rest. Singer David Isbister has the confidence and swagger of any veteran Front Man when it comes to transforming the songs visually on stage, as well as the requisite charisma necessary to keep an audience engaged. And Guitarist Alan Calimbas doesn’t need a spotlight to draw your attention as he pulls ferocious power chords out of his guitar as it’s held high in the air, propelling himself 360 degrees in stages with a series of well timed karate kicks. This would make Pete Townsend proud …….. yes, they are a fun band to watch!

They have a good product: Most of the time bands don’t like to be compared to anyone else, but if Alexis-on-fire, Sublime, and Incubus had a baby ………

I haven’t heaped this much praise on another band since we opened for Van Halen (uh … no, wait, that was a dream I had …) so needless to say they were a hard act to follow … which didn’t really matter because they showed us great support during our performance, so they’re not only a great band but a great bunch of guys as well.

You can preview some of their tunes on their MySpace page.

* Originally posted by Jeff Burns on TheBurnsyBlog.com, Sept. 9th, 2008