Monotonix puts on fiery freak show

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Monotonix

      At the Emergency Room on Saturday, February 23

      If there’s one thing that can be said of Israeli garage-rockers Monotonix, it’s that they definitely know how to wake up a crowd. Even though the band’s Vancouver gig was criminally under-advertised and took place at a semisecret underground venue, a healthy-sized group of kids still came out for the late-night rock ’n’ roll extravaganza. Raring to go, the group had two tried-and-true goals: to party hard, and to freak everyone right the fuck out. And that it did. Lighting its drums on fire at precisely 2:45 in the morning, the trio made converts of the previously bleary-eyed collection of drunks and hipsters at Strathcona’s Emergency Room. Those in the crowd were forced to keep their eyes open wide, if only to watch out for impromptu pyrotechnics, flying drumsticks and beer cans, and, most of all, the unpredictable antics of high-energy frontman Ami Shalev.

      While the collection of frizzy-haired weirdos that make up the Tel Aviv outfit were all cartoonishly captivating, Shalev was indisputedly the main attraction. With the group set up on the venue’s floor, the singer spent the first song clowning for the handful of photographers on-stage. Tossing his long, curly tresses, the absurdly mustachioed vocalist pulled out classic-rock poses in his yoga pants and fitted-shirt ensemble.

      The stoner-friendly rock riffage of “Summers and Autumns” found guitarist Yonatan Gat banging his Afro while walking through the audience before paying homage to Jimi Hendrix with a fleet-fingered, behind-the-back solo. During the tune, a crowd surfer was propelled toward the combo, inspiring the wiry Shalev to launch himself off Haggai Fershtman’s kick drum and onto the fan.

      The bond between the singer and his Borat look-alike drummer has got to be pretty strong. Otherwise Fershtman might not take his frontman’s abuse, of which there was plenty. Adorned in swim goggles and a Seinfeld-issue puffy pirate shirt, and boasting a mile-wide smile, the percussionist took Shalev’s pranks—from yanking pieces of his drum kit away midsong to dumping a garbage container full of ice water and Pabst Blue Ribbon cans onto him—like a total pro. Fershtman never missed a beat, even with parts of his set strewn across the room and commandeered by rhythm-challenged yahoos.

      Monotonix was too focused on delivering the rock to get hung up on stage banter. However, after removing his shirt and unveiling a full-frontal chest wig that would make Robin Williams envious, Shalev did talk about some wild times he’s had on tour.

      “Yesterday in Seattle I was in her bed, and look what she done to me,” he said as he laughed and pointed to a lengthy claw mark on his extravagantly hairy back. Getting back to business, the performer lit a roll of paper towels on fire and unfurled it into the audience.

      Monotonix capped the night by gleefully dismantling what was left of Fershtman’s kit. The drummer sat on his kick drum as an inebriated throng lifted him overhead. With others holding his snare drum and cymbals up high, Fershtman played in midair while his bandmates watched in delight. Soaked in beer, sweat, and lighter fluid, the Tel Aviv rockers bashed out their finale just past 3:30 a.m.

      Though Shearing Pinx delivered a decent set of screeching punk noise, the Vancouver trio couldn’t compare to the headlining act. An intro of squealing guitar feedback and screaming found drummer Jeremy Van Wick grabbing a red Jiffy marker and scrawling This Is Boring on the drab white wall of the Emergency Room. Despite the occasional moment of inspired, freeform no-wave bliss, it was hard to argue with the musician’s astute observation.

      Comments