This article was originally published on beingtheremag.com, an independent music and film magazine that ran from 2004 to 2007. It is presented here as part of the Being There Magazine archive.
By Adam Anklewicz | Being There Magazine, March/April 2007
Venue: the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Date: February 25, 2007
The past year has been a whirlwind for Cuff The Duke as they saw the departure of guitarist Jeff Peers and the addition of guitarist/pedal steel player Dale Murray. Having not seen their newest line-up perform yet, I was excited to see what the former-Guthrie could add to this great rock-country outfit. First up, however, were the supporting acts.
Adam Puddington has released a record on Hay Sale Records (owned and operated by another former-Guthrie, Serge Samson), a country album that bleeds from the heart of his homeland; songs that speak of the Canadian experience. Puddington’s performance was mostly solo acoustic and showcased his songs well, but it wasn’t until he was joined by Kelly Sloan and Dale Murrary that the singer-songwriter really shined. With Murray on pedal steel and Sloan’s harmonies there was something ready to capture the rock and roll fan base of Cuff The Duke.
Following Puddington was a duo known as The Sunparlour Players, Andrew Penner and Dennis Van Dine create a bigger sound than one will ever expect from a duo. Sharing between them guitar, bass, banjo, drums, organ pedals and a lot of screaming (usually at the same time) the audience can only be in awe of the sheer entertainment of such an act. Their songs are fun, contagious and can get anyone dancing; at least for 15 minutes. After that short time, it becomes repetitive, and while their impressive multi-tasking can keep one amused, the music will not hold your interest.
The crowd, however, wasn’t there to see either of those bands. The sold out show was jam-packed for Cuff the Duke who are two years into the promotion of their self-titled sophomore release and ready to begin work on the next.
Cuff the Duke’s set was filled with familiar songs and new material as they prepare to enter the studio. The geeky and scrawny Wayne Petti spent most of the night displaying his guitar chops while the rest of the band stayed in the background providing a solid backdrop to Petti’s songwriting talents. With the addition of Dale Murray, Cuff The Duke were able to add a new layer to their country tunes with the addition of pedal steel, while also keeping with their indie rock cred.
The highlight of the evening was their performance of “The Ballad of Poor John Henry” a country song propelled by a simplistic, but catchy bass line. Their performance was spot-on, including the addition of a guest vocalist, who unfortunately I didn’t catch the name of.
The show was a great mixture of three performers who play in very different styles, but seemed to reflect well off of each other. The only large detractor was that usually the Horseshoe Tavern is reliable for a good sound mix, but it was extremely loud that night, making it uncomfortable to be there.