Nestled somewhere between a chicken slaughterhouse and the prostitution district, you will find “The Sweatshop”, a little indoor
skate park found in East Van. Maybe not the best neighborhood for a romantic stroll, or any kind of stroll really, but definitely a great neighborhood for live music, especially if that music is metal.

I walked into “The Sweatshop” (and indeed it is, dress lightly or bring a change of clothes) the first band already in full swing, boys
on skateboards already with their shirts off, and my friend handing me an ice cold beer, the night was off to a good start.

The bands were loud and entertaining. Playing their first show in over a year, Dove Hunter blessed us with some electrifying psychedelic rock. As good as they are instrumentally, they could use a singer, and of course some more live shows under their belt. The next band was Jakartah, named after a city in Indonesia with the most crime activity worldwide…however they are not criminals, they seem like pretty nice boys from nice homes who happen to play hardcore music. They didn’t rock my world but obviously they are rockin’ someone’s world…signed to Torque records after being together for only 10 months, set to release
their debut album in September and hit the road in October…they have been busy. Apparently they have quite the fan base as well, but you wouldn’t know it judging by the turn-out. I think Dove Hunter had the biggest draw and although the crowd was amped, it was meager. Promoting and drawing a crowd in Vancouver is a tricky thing, but that’s a whole other article. The last band was “A Thousand year Plan”, definitely the most hardcore of all the bands. The singer, donning a button up shirt and dirty blonde curls, looked more like a cherub than the lead singer of a metal band. That’s one thing I like best about this band. All three members are unassuming dudes but as soon as they hit the stage they rock-the-fuck-out! It was good to hear some serious heavy metal from a local group that is garnishing some serious respect from musicians and metal heads alike. If you’re into metal, keep an eye on “Dove Hunter” and definitely check out “A thousand year Plan”.

Come support your local bands & venues: Jakartah will be playing a few shows in Van, before they go on tour – check their myspace www.myspace.com/jakartah – A Thousand Year Plan www.myspace.com/athousandyearplan – and Dove Hunter www.myspace.com/therealdovehunter

For more info on “The Sweatshop”: www.myspace.com/144940844