The Slew

By Dean Belder

After The Heavy finished their set at the Vancouver Jazz Fest on Tuesday night, Kid Koala took the stage to play a short DJ set before the rest of his group joined him.  He noted his connection to Vancouver, growing up here, and delivering news papers in Marpole.  It was a resounding set, full of charisma, flair, and modesty.  He even noted that his mother was in the near capacity crowd at the Commodore Ballroom on this evening, and played his remix of Moon River for her.  I must say it made me want to call my mom, and it was wonderful to experience.

Once complete he briefly walked off stage and retrieved his band.  The Slew.  Consist of Kid Koala, Dj Dynomite D, and Aussies Myles Heskett and Chris Ross, from Wolfmother, and began what would prove to be a stunning performance.  It was an example of everything coming together right for a live performance of what is essentially electronic music.  My last outing to an electronic show was in April for the Fuck Buttons, a talented duo, who proved themselves capable, but lacking in charm, and on-stage personality was an example of the opposite.  I appreciate the Slew.  Kid Koala often playing to the crowd, not just for them.  Chris Ross adding flair as a bass player bouncing across stage, or playing keyboards with a certain madness not often seen on keyboards, driving his energy out to the crowd.  Dj Dynomite D much like Kid working the turntables and giving signals and cues to the crowd, and Myles Haskett a great drummer, who through a channeling of Keith Moon signaled the night was over when he kicked over the drum set and walked off stage with the band.

The Slew only have one album, and it’s incredibly well constructed, easily consumable and above all else fun, and the band played it from start to finish, leaving nothing out.  They had the crowd on tuesday night incapable of standing still, there was not a single person that wasn’t grooving in some way to the beats and the rhythm being pumped out of the commodore sound system.  What Kid Koala and the Slew have helped to create is a style of electronic music, a blending of turntablism and rock and roll that translates well to a live audience, executed with brilliance, and delivered with out pretense.  It was the icing to The Heavy’s cake, by far the best show Tuesday night in Vancouver, and I can’t wait to see what the Slew bring next.