Charlottetown pop-rock band Two Hours Traffic’s farewell tour hit Zaphod Beeblebrox on Saturday, bringing Toronto’s Grounders with them. Two Hours Traffic has released four full-length records and three EPs since 2003, and won multiple awards. Meanwhile, Grounders just released their first EP, Wreck of a Smile.
After Grounders opened the evening to an empty floor, frontman Andrew Davis urged the still-arriving crowd up to the stage, where the band impressed them with their catchy indie-pop sound. Between songs, Davis shyly joked with the crowd and talked-up their merch table.
“If everybody here buys one of our tees, Mike can get his blood transfusion,” he said, motioning toward bassist Mike Searl.
I got the chance to talk to them before the show, (all very nice guys) when I informed them that they were sharing the stage with The Rolling Stones, who filmed a video at Zaphods in August, 2005. Jackson quipped about it near the end of their set, when he talked about the departure of Two Hours Traffic.
“They’ll be heading to that green room in the sky. Like that other band, The Rolling Stones. Oh wait, they’re still going. Dickheads.”
By the time they launched into their final song, “Grand Prize Drawl,” Grounders had won the crowd over completely with their sharp melodic sensibilities. I have a feeling Ottawa will be seeing more of this band, and soon.
After Grounders said hello to Zaphods, Two Hours Traffic said goodbye to the predominantly female crowd that showed up to sing along. They played the hits from all of their records, though perhaps the most crowd-pleasing of them was a newer song, “Amour Than Amis.”
“Why don’t I do it to ya,” lead singer Liam Corcoran sang, to the gaggle of young women who begged to differ.
The song, together with “Audrey,” is from their latest record Foolish Blood. The success of the songs gave the evening a regretful undertone. It’s hard to see a more-relevant-than-ever band forced to quit because of the lack of sustainability of today’s music industry.
Though this was Two Hours Traffic’s last tour, they leave behind an impressive body of work.