Forgery League

We saw Camper Van Beethoven at Lee’s Palace tonight. It was great to finally see them, since they’ve been such a big influence on us as songwriters and instrumentalists. They broke up just before I discovered them, back in high school, so I never thought I’d actually get to catch them live.

Eszter Balint was the opening act. Both she and Camper pulled off a terrific show despite having lost their entire trailer full of touring instruments to thieves in Montreal the night before. They didn’t get the trailer itself, as it was parked in front of Lee’s earlier in the evening, with bumper stickers such as “WE ARE MAKING ENEMIES FASTER THAN WE CAN KILL THEM” and “I WOULD DIE FOR HIPPY CHICKS.”

Yes, with the election looming they’ve become more political than ever. Their new album, New Roman Times, is rife with a peculiarly twisted sort of Americana (in part, a concept album about a soldier from the Christian Republic of Texas and his travels in California).

It’s damn good to have them back.

(Prelude / Sons of the NGW / 51-7 / All Her Favourite Fruit / Sweethearts / O Death / Eye of Fatima (Pts. 1 & 2) / White Riot / Balalaika Gap / Wasted / Shut Us Down / Skinhead Stomp / Take The Skinheads Bowling / Payed Vacation: Greece / Militia Song / RnR Uzbekistan / Might Makes Right / Lassie / Club Med Sucks / Interstellar Overdrive / Civil Disobedience / Matchstick Men / Sad Lovers Waltz / One Of These Days / Life Is Grand / The Long Plastic Hallway // Encore: L’Aguardiente / Hippy Chix)