August 2nd

  On August 2nd, 2012 I saw Canadian metal legends Anvil play the Pawn Shop here in Edmonton. Always a fun show seeing Anvil live.

Anvil Live in Edmonton July 2nd 2026

 

 I am so far behind in my concert reviews that I will be keeping them short in order to try and keep up, that, and I suck at writing reviews.

 Anyways, a few weeks ago my buddies A-Bomb, Nazz, Buzzard and I saw Anvil on their Pounding The Past Tour at the Dive Bar in Edmonton. This would be my fourth time seeing Anvil in concert. This was gonna be a cool place to see Anvil.

 Opening the show was Edmonton heavy metal band Powerload, a band I have been looking forward to seeing finally. Powerload had just released their debut album In The Pocket, which is awesome by the way. With an old school 80's inspired style of heavy metal, their music is super fun and reminds me of when heavy metal was about sex, drugs and rock n' roll. The three piece band consist of Shel Shock on bass and vocals, drummer/vocalist Hellhammered and Brett Michaels on guitar. You know you are in for some fun when the drummer and guitar player come out on stage wearing only leather thongs, fucking hilarious.

 They were very fun live, loose yet tight if you know what I mean. Reminding me of Raven, Motorhead, Bad News, Anvil, just good old school 80's metal. Playing songs with such titles as "1-900-HOT-LOAD", and from their new album "Tons Of Tail", "Stakes Are High (So Am I)", "Defenders Of The Eighth", "Bad Girls" the hilarious "The Ballad Of Shit Faced Tony", and the single from the new album "Drunk In A Taxi Cab". So much fun, I also loved Shel's in between song banter. Looking forward to seeing this band again. Oh ya, almost forgot to mention how full the bar was already for the opening band, don't always see that.

Powerload.

 Next up on this four band bill was the three piece Calgary band Divine Apprehension. They sounded like a death metal band, talented musicians for sure but when I can't understand the lyrics it's not my cup of tea. Needless to say I didn't listen to much of them and went outside for a smoke.

Divine Apprehension.

The third band of the night was Midnite Hellion a trio from New Jersey who have been on the full Anvil tour. Their music is best described as thrash metal. They were alright, near the end of their set that went on too long they were doing covers of Motorhead, Megadeth and others.

Midnite Hellion.

 It was finally time for the Canadian heavy metal legends Anvil, and yes another three piece band led by founding members Steve "Lips" Kudlow on guitar and Rob "Robbo" Reiner on drums and now long time bassist Chris Robertson who has been with the band since 2014. They have been slugging out since 1978 and still playing shitty bars. With 22 albums under their belt, this tour dubbed Pounding The Past they performed songs from their first three albums only (Hard 'n' Heavy, Metal On Metal, Forged In Fire), which was fucking awesome. of all the times I have seen Anvil live (4X) this was by far the best I have seen them. maybe because I recognized all the songs played but not only that, the bar was full with die hard fans, the band was having fun, especially Lips, but he seems to always be having fun when I have seen them. Opening the show with "March Of The Crabs" and ending the set with "Metal On Metal" and all the other great songs from them first three albums like "666", "Mad Dog", "Bedroom Game", "Winged Assassins", "Forged In Fire" and of course "Mothra" in which Lips did his guitar solo with a vibrator as always.

 Lips was super fun and engaged with the fans all night, first song of the night and he was in among the crowd playing, telling some great stories between songs. My favourite story of the night was him talking about Lemmy of Motorhead who gave then their first big break when they opened for them in the UK in 1981. he talked about hanging with Lemmy and doing speed for days on end and drinking and not even noticing that he had been up for that many hours straight. 

 At 70 years old Lips still brings it every night, he rocked out through the whole show, his vocals were great as was his guitar playing, drummer Robb is no slouch either, doing a cool drum solo half way through the show. Lips joked about being 70 and now having a bald spot on the back of his mop of hair.

 Through out the show I slowly made my way to the front of the stage, waiting for openings to slip my way up front. When Lips said the last song of the night, the one you have all been waiting for "Metal On Metal" I started to make my way to the back of the crowd to meet up with my friends that I came to the show with when all of a sudden there was Lips among the crowd playing and he was right in front of me, we shook hands, he thanked me for coming to the show, I thanked him for coming to town as I fumbled in my pocket to get my phone to snap a picture. it was a very cool way to end the show and night. Good times!!!

Anvil.

May 27th

 

On May 27th, 2011 I saw Canadian metal legends Anvil play The Starlite Room in Edmonton.

 In concert news...Anvil will be playing in Edmonton on Thursday July 2nd at Dive Bar. Tickets available by clicking here.

Anvil Live in Edmonton June 1st 2019

This Anvil show was almost three weeks ago now but am finally getting around to writing about it. Anvil was playing Rendezvous Pub on tour for their 2018 album Pounding the Pavement. This would be my third time seeing Anvil in concert.

Forty-two years in and Anvil still put on an entertaining show. It was exactly what I expected, old school heavy metal, with the band playing lots of their old stuff like "March Of The Crabs", "666", "Mothra" and "Metal On Metal", "Winged Assassins" and throwing some newer stuff as well from the Pounding Pavement album "Bitch In The Box" and "Doing What I Want".

The three piece band led by Lips on guitar and vocals with Robb Reiner on drums and yet again a new bass player. All three times I have seen Anvil they have had a different bass player. The guys were in fine form with Lips telling some great stories about hanging with Ozzy and Lemmy. and telling some cheesy jokes that got a few groans from the audience. I just love how Lips looks like he is having a blast playing live. Robb sounded great on the drums. All and all this was a fun show and am very happy that Karie talked me into going, even though I probably should have stayed home after a day of drinking, but what the hell you only live once, right! Good times!!!

Anvil at Rendezvous Pub.

Throwback Thursday...Anvil

A few posters from the times I have seen Anvil in concert.

5 Years Ago Today...August 2nd

It was five years ago today that I saw the hardcore band Terror play at the Starlite Room here in Edmonton.

Also, it was a year ago today that I saw Anvil play the Pawn Shop in Edmonton.

18 Years Ago Today...May 27th

It was eighteen years ago today that I saw Furnaceface play the New York Theatre in Vancouver.





Also on this day three years ago today I saw The Sadies with openers Pack A.D. play the Starlite Room here in Edmonton.



As well on this day two years ago I saw a couple of shows, the first one was a band called The Details play an in store performance at Permanent Records here in Edmonton.



And then in the evening of the same day I made my way to the Starlite Room to see Anvil play.





It was a very busy day as earlier in the day I also went to Axe Music for a meet and greet with Anvil.

Anvil at The Pawn Shop in Edmonton Aug.2nd 2012

On Thursday night my buddy Leo and I went to see Anvil play at The Pawn Shop here in Edmonton. This was the second time in 14 months that Leo and I have seen Anvil. We missed opening bands Titans Eve and Bad Acid. Timed it perfect thought for Anvil, enough time to grab a few beers, find a decent spot on the dance floor, which wasn't hard as there were only maybe 150-200 people there. Then the curtain opened and Anvil started with 'March Of The Crabs' with Lips jumping off the stage and playing the whole song in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by his adoring fans, pumping their fists and banging their heads, what an awesome way to start the show.

Lips ripping it up on the dance floor.

After 35 years it's so good to see Lips and drummer Robb Reiner still banging out the old school metal to the old bangers like myself and to some of the youngsters in the crowd who weren't even born when Anvil released their first album 'Hard N'Heavy' back in 1981 (the band formed in 1977). Lips gave a shout out to the baldies,the grey beards and the young ones. Even with a small crowd Lips still looked like he was having the time of his life,smiling,slapping hands and telling awesome stories. I loved his story of running into the late great 'Ronnie James Dio' whom we all lifted our beers, gave the devil horns salute and gave a huge cheer to. Anvil have been riding the success of their 2008 documentary 'Anvil! The Story Of Anvil' (a must see) and touring all over the world. I thought the band sounded even better this time then they did last summer. They have a new bass played since then, his name is Sal Italiano and holds down the back end very well. The only thing that kind of bothers me is drummer Robb Reiner, he still kicks ass on the drums, but would it kill him to smile once in a blue moon, especially when you see how happy and how much fun Lips is having. Smile Robb, it would do you a lot of good.

Robb Reiner, it's so hard to get a good picture of him with him wailing away constantly.

Bass player Sal Italiano.

Some of the songs played on this evening were '666', 'School Love', 'Winged Assasins', 'Thumb Hang', 'On Fire', a newer song from their last album 'Juggernaut Of Justice', 'Mothra', 'Fuken Eh' which had everyone singing along, and of course their biggest song 'Metal On Metal'. An excellent evening of some old school Canadian metal. Good times!!!

T-shirt front.

Back.