Sweet Thing @ Katacombes
By: Maria Giuliani
You could count on your fingers the number of people who surrounded Toronto's Sweet Thing at Katacombes on Thursday night. Don't let this sparse image fool you, this band is definitely sweet. And by sweet I refer to both the rock-on factor (a low-pitched Sweeeeet) and the cuteness factor (think teenage girl with a crush).
A five-man band, these boys have an obvious sense of humour about themselves, an attribute that is as contagious as the songs themselves. From the Elvis-legs of Owen, the lead vocalist, to their "Da da da/Da da da" lyrics, you can't help but smile. By the start of the second song the crowd had somehow moved from standing halfway down the room to dancing right up at the front of the stage.
So alright, they're a music-driven band who know how to put on a show, but what about the sound? With songs ranging from stomp-your-feet rock to '60s-style pop to something sounding like the Kids in the Hall theme song, I won't say they have a wholly original sound, but what they play, they play really well. The songs are so energetically composed that they define what upbeat is all about.
I have heard that Sweet Thing has quite a following in their native town, with regular gigs at the popular Mod Club. Although they've played Montreal before, this was their first Pop performance and, by qualitative standards, I'd say it was a successful one.
They're fun. They have stage presence. And, well…they're sweet!
