Review – Zeus at the Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, Oct 28 2009

– text by eugene osudar

it’s 5:30 PM
i’m in Into The Music
(a must-shop
indie CD/Vinyl
music store)
and i’m explaining
to Dan Mangan
why it’s unlikely
that i’m going
to show up at
The Lo Pub
later Wednesday
night.

“i’m seeing Zeus
open for Metric
and i Really
have to get
some sleep.”

Dan’s eyes light up

Great! Zeus!

(his eyes light up
a lot) and he tells
me, he’s been listening
to the new Zeus EP,

Sounds Like Zeus

(it so happens
i’ve been listening to it
too),

and he says,

“Beatles.”

and that’s the first thought
that came into my head

that first song,
How Does It Feel
is So Beatles

Great Beatles!

Great! Zeus!

and then, like he’s reading my mind,

“what is that cover
they do?”

well, it’s
That’s All
but we couldn’t
think of the title or who wrote
it, made it into a hit.

of course, when Zeus
actually plays the cover
at the Burton Cummings

i know it,

i say to a photographer
i’m talking to
Steph Miller
isn’t that
Phil Collins?
Genesis?

we were stumped.

(of course
it’s Phil’s Genesis)

and, it’s a wonderful cover.

wonderful like Zeus.

now, you’re not hearing
John
or Paul’s Beatles
in the lead vocals

it’s George Harrison’s
voice/from his
post-Beatles
journey

with
the gorgeous
Beatles harmonies
and
there’s something more…

when Zeus played The Lo Pub
a short time ago

on Facebook,

i read so many
of my (trusted)
musician friends
messaging about
how Great Zeus is

instantly
in the now
as they were jamming

and that’s what they do

the(y) jam

they
kick
out

the jams

they have their pop
song,
their
layered
Beatles
pop
melodies
(you know,
George Martin’s
Rubber Soul
Beatles)

and then
as the song
seems nearing
a

conclusion

they suddenly
explode
into a jam

and

go
go
go

instruments
spirits
flow
flow
flow
i
n
g.

that’s when Zeus
is

m
a
g
i
c

10 songs
38 minutes

Kindergarten
I Know
How Does It Feel?
The Renegade
Heavy On Me
Marching Through Your Head
Greater Times
River By The Garden
That’s All
You Gotta Tell Her

Zeus are
Mike O’Brien
Carlin Nicholson
Rob Drake
Neil Quin

so, they’re an opening
band
and most
opening sets
at the Burton are 30 minutes

Zeus had a few extra minutes
a couple more songs
than most openers get

(Emily was very gracious
in her praise
of Zeus)

the jams
weren’t in every song

but when the jams
were there

Zeus

k
i
c
k
e
d

the release
is
orgasmic
and
sincerely
Loving
Sexy

it’s
Beautiful.

the audience…

Metric’s audience
is young. High school
university
and very female.

they
Love Dancing
(me too).

after their set,
and as i waited
to talk
to Zeus
at the merch table

the line was long.
CDs moved
were signed
pictures
snapped
(i even took one)

and when i talked
to the Zeu(sir)s
working the table,

and mentioned
The Beatles
and the
Dan Mangan story
from just a few hours earlier

well, there was no hiding,
no denying,

their (obvious) influence and (proudly their)
Love
for The Beatles

Zeus knows the entire
Beatles back catalogue.

so, when you see Zeus
open for Metric

you’re not going to get
what they give at their
smaller venue shows

(their longer shows)

The Jams
most every song.

The Explosions.

The Hot Kick Out
s were in,

the Billy Preston keys,
Kindergarten
the jams in How Does It Feel?
The Renegade

the intelli(pop)
of I Know

the Queen-like
Marching Through Your Head
hot anthemic jam!
and
River By The Garden.

great songs

great band

Great Zeus!

October 28
Burton Cummings Theatre.