Hundreds descended on Babylon Jan. 4 for some good old filthy, sweaty fun.
Ottawa bands Average Times, Boyhood, and New Swears took over the nightclub along with 300 of their closest friends.
The festivities kicked off with Average Times ripping through a large portion of their debut self-titled album. Average Times plays fuzzy punk sing-alongs and gave everyone a taste for what was to come later on in the evening.
Boyhood was the odd one out of the show’s lineup, but their dark pop tunes got the club moving. They are a band that plays with thickly-layered instruments and soft haunting vocals that blend together in an amazing way. Boyhood’s performance was entrancing and garnered them some new fans.
At 12:45 a.m., New Swears took over the stage. Dressed in boxer briefs and fishnet tights, the band launched balloons into the crowd to bounce around while they played.
Audience members flocked to the front, a mosh pit forming in a matter of seconds. Despite the large crowd, it really was a show for the band’s closest friends, a relationship formed between fans and the band—primarily through their year at the Fun Boy Club House, where the band lived.
The band recently abandoned their practice space and home, which was located at 96 Plymouth, but its legacy is still evident in their first show of the new year.
“It is sad but it is nice not to live in garbage anymore,” New Swears bassist Sammy Scorpion, said.
The Fun Boy Club House had gained a reputation for being a party palace from their music videos and in-house antics.
Their tendency to throw rowdy parties meant they were constantly replacing furniture, guitarist Beej Eh said, and all their windows were broken in after weekends spent smashing beer bottles, added Scorpion.
After a while, the house also started having problems with animals, due to their “open door policy” for critters.
The broken windows and cold weather led to a rat infestation.
So with rat problems, and a house full of garbage and party remnants, it was time for the band to move on. The band said farewell with their traditional flair, throwing one final party. The next day, the Club House’s basement, where they stored all of their gear, flooded.
“There was 3 inches of water in the living room dripping into the basement,” vocalist and guitarist Scru Bar said. “My amp got totally fucked. It got sprayed on and I let it dry for like a month before turning it on. My guitar got super fucked. Everything was soaked.”
But the band didn’t let a wrecked house, a flood, and water-clogged gear stop them from making music. The band started recording their new album which will have 10 songs, all recorded at Yogi’s Meatlocker, a local venue and recording space on Merritt Avenue.
The show at Babylon was the first of the year for the band, but they were in top form. Crowdsurfers were passed around the audience while the band showered fans with silly string.
The close relationship was present not just between the band and fans, but also the three bands who played. Bar said it was great to play with Boyhood and Average Times, bands who are really good friends of theirs.
He said the band was going to have a lot of fun ”playing with our best friends.”
