Trench Town Oddities are now one of my most favourable bands to see and hear live. They played live in Kingston at The Merchant Tap House on Thursday night. 

For people who don’t already know who the Trench Town Oddities are they are a five piece acoustic band. But they are not your ordinary acoustic band, they are a party Rock Acoustic Band, they play songs that are not ordinarily played by acoustic bands, just to give you an idea of what you will encounter when you see the Trench Town Oddities live, Sublime, Black Crowes, Tragically Hip, Jack Johnson, The Cure and Ben Harper. These bands are just a taste of the great mix of artists that Trench Town Oddities Cover. They also don’t just play cover songs they also play songs off their album entitled Days & Nights.

Thursday night was a night that I have been waiting patiently for about a month now to come. The first time that I saw the guys play I knew right away that the next time they came to town I was going to make sure that I was going to be there. It is unusual to see a all acoustic band the band includes Sean Hurley on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Steve Restinetti on Guitars and Backup Vocals, Nick Kalil on Acoustic Bass, and Backup Vocals, Randy Lalonde on Percussion and Drums, and Todd Harrington on Drums and Percussion. 

Trench Town Oddities opened up the night with (Kingston’s own) The Tragically Hip's “Bobcaygeon”. I believe that was a good choice to open the night up with. They followed “Bobcaygeon” with one of their own songs “Sometimes”. Their own songs blend in perfectly with the cover songs. After hearing the first couple of songs you immediately forget about wintertime and the weather outside and you let the Trench Town Oddities bring you into their “Summertime Beach World” as they stay true to their feeling sound of “Summertime Fun with Cocktails”. 

I find one of the best parts about hearing the Trench Town Oddities play is the fact that pretty much all of the songs that they play are songs that you know, and the fact that they have done an excellent job of revamping the songs into acoustic versions.

There was a small attendance for this evening which was very unfortunate, but that is the problem with this time of year people are still not over the Christmas hump yet and all the students who would normally cram the Merchant Tap House are still absent from the city. There was however people waiting to see the band play as they were sitting down waiting for the band to play as I walked into the bar. Due to the lack of people there wasn’t people dancing like there was the last time that they played here in Kingston.

There were three songs that I was hoping to here in their set list and I only missed hearing one of them due to the fact that I was still wiped from Christmas and I had to work the next morning so I only stayed for the first two sets. Two of the three songs are actually the bands own songs and the third is Weezer’s “Island In The Sun” The first song of Trench Town Oddities that I wanted to hear was “Working Again” The entire song has an upbeat feeling to it. The opening to the song is what captures your ears and attention immediately. You could get away with saying that the song also has a Caribbean sound to it. The second song of theirs is “End Up Here” the lyrics in the song are just classic in my mind.

“...We both knew that I would end up here 
So why don’t you just pass me my beer...“

I also like the play and stop method in the way all the instruments play in the song. 

Sean also does a really job by playing the crowd even though he didn’t really have much to work with he was still able to pull it off nicely and played the crowd as if the place was packed full of people. Usually bands seem to play and act in a low key when there isn’t a lot of attendance at a show but the guys didn’t show any slowing down at all.

One thing was missing from the stage was Sean’s flying V Acoustic guitar, this is the first thing that I mention to anyone when I start talking about the band. It has to be the best acoustic guitar that I have or probably will ever see. 

There are a couple of videos that I shot of the night but they are pretty dark but they are worth the listen mostly just prove my mentions about the band.
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