THE SUICIDE MACHINES + The Sainte Catherines @ Salle L'X

By Oli Pulleybank - Boozehound Radio - 2004-09-04

The Suicide Machines, Detroit's finest mid 90's punk-skacore outfit, returned to Montreal in September to rock Salle de L'X like they'd rocked many times before. Basically they played every song off 1996's Destruction by Definition and you know what? It was exactly what everybody there wanted to hear. Some would say it's pathetic to go see a band that is playing their entire 8-year-old debut album but when you can still put a shitload of energy into it, it comes off almost fresh. Granted, it does say something about their output over the last 8 years that there were so few songs the crowd wanted to hear, but at least they didn't shove their new stuff down anybody's throat.

So the songs were old, but the show definitely rocked. With Montreal's gritty the Sainte Catherines opening, the crusty crowd, which was older than I expected, was geared up and ready to go. When the Suicide Machines came out, taking the stage humbly without any flashy entrance, the crowd gave them a warm if not overwhelming welcome, but then went crazy as soon as they smashed into "Break the Glass". It was like the crowd really wanted to hear the old songs they knew, and didn't think they would get to hear many of them, so every time the band played one, they went off and as the band kept playing more old hits, the crowd kept getting wilder. The venue was perfect for the show, as the graffitied concrete and cheap beer gave the night a raw feeling that fed both the band's and the audience's energy.

Ultimately, what the show was about was having fun and rocking out. The Suicide Machines have always been a fun band, and they showed again that September night why after 8 years, their shows still draw a lot of people. Nothing amazing, nothing disappointing, just something kind of right, and for a band that's been from Detroit to Seventeen Magazine to Hollywood Records and back, it is a pretty respectable to be able to put on a legitimate, entertaining and energetic punk rock show in a small Montreal club (L'X RIP).