Cuff the Duke Smiles Through a Tough Night in Guelph

[Deeps]

Went to the show @ the Vinyl in Guelph last night.

Though the opening band had to bail due to illness and Wayne Petti (the lead singer for Cuff the Duke) had major voice issues also due to illness, I had a great time.

This was the first Cuff the Duke show I'd seen in a long while where I wasn't left thinking that they lacked energy.

Despite some people around here and numerous other places both in an out of cyberspace reporting that with the replacement of their original guitar player Jeff Peers the band lost some heart and energy, I found the new lineup to be refreshing and exactly what CTD needed.

They reached levels of excitement that I'd never seen them reach in 4 previous shows over the last 2 years and the tightness of the band has far surpassed what I saw as early as last September.

All of this on a night where they had a replacement drummer due to Matt Farris being injured and as I said Wayne fighting with his voice.

At a key loud-to-dead-quiet dynamic shift in their encore tune. Wayne's guitar amp died. It crackled for a bit and then he just said "My amp just died" into the mic. He put his guitar down and signalled new guitarist Dale Murray to cover the part. Once the band kicked back in Wayne hops off the stage with the mic in hand and with his voice trying to push out whatever it can he sings his ass off, the crowd drew nearer to him jumping with excitement. Awesome.

The last time I saw CTD in Kitchener at the Starlight I thought that it might be the last. I saw tension and lack of inspiration. I also heard shoddy guitar tone and absolutely offputting stage presence from Peers. Last night I saw inspiration, excitement from everyone and heard some solid pedal steel playing from Murray whose tone on both pedal steel and regular electric guitar is broad, dynamic and powerful.

I will definitely go see this band again.

Deeps

[NewRider]

shit, I'm sorry I ended up missing this show. Hope everything is better by the time I get to the London show on Friday.

glad you had a good time deeps.

[zero]

I resent Jeff being asked to leave the band. People keep referring to it as the guitarist leaving but Jeff and Wayne were the cofounders so I would liken it to Cuddy kicking Keelor out of the band. The comparison works on a couple of levels, CTD has inherited the Sadies mantle from Blue Rodeo likewise Wayne is a pretty boy frontman and Peers is a laconic dark horse. He truly was 70% of what I loved about the duke but it was really what I loved about his caustic, sarcastic and brooding humour reflected in his stage dynamic. Deeps your observations are sage and I take them at face value. I hesitated to go and see CTD: Mach 2 but mainly just to lay low. Knowing Dale is in the band, infusing some of the Guthries east coast spirit not to mention his aunt Anne's, is a comfort and I can see the fit better now. Still there is a story there that hasn't been told and I will get to the bottom of it I assure you.

[Deeps]

I talked with Wayne after the show and he essentially said that there was a bad vibe in the band and it came from direction of Peers. Wayne seemd like a nice person who probably doesn't enjoy having to manage someone's moodyness. After a while moody players are a liablility to those who aren't.

Being in a band and not fucking it up is mostly dependant on the members not gettin under eachother's skin and being able to communicate. Judging by seeing Peers around Guelph and on stage I don't think he's capable of those 2 things and for the sake of the band he had to go.

Keep trying to get to the bottom of it though. I'd be interested.

Deeps

[zero]

Peers has more class in his pinky finger...

[NewRider]

I remember a similar discussion when Ginger left the Spice Girls. I don't think it affected their career very much after she was gone. It will be interesting to hear new material to see just how much Peers was involved in the songwriting. Luckily the Spice Girls didn't write their own songs.

[Deeps]

Maybe he's just not much for smiling....I'm going to stop speculating on this...I really don't know. I just enjoyed last night's CTD show more, sans Peers, mainly for musical reasons.

Cheers Zero

Deeps

[bONES]

Last night I saw inspiration, excitement from everyone and heard some solid pedal steel playing from Murray whose tone on both pedal steel and regular electric guitar is broad, dynamic and powerful.

I will definitely go see this band again.

cool. good to know. I think i'll give them another chance.

He truly was 70% of what I loved about the duke but it was really what I loved about his caustic, sarcastic and brooding humour reflected in his stage dynamic

I really liked Jeff's contribution as well.

[M.O.B.E]

Wayne is a pretty boy frontman and Peers is a laconic dark horse

that about sums it up. Cuff The Duke 4-5 years ago were a fantastic band. Ever since they left Oshawa they have gone downhill and Wayne's head has expanded to 3 times its size. I guess as people I have known for a long time, it's hard to deal with an ego that suddenly exploded. When the shy queit Wayne comes back, I'll go see CTD again. Most people here in Oshawa will say the same thing, that is if more than 5 or 6 people show up to one of their shows. It's pretty bad when you cant even get your own "friends" to come out and support.

[hamilton]

I saw them in Hamilton the two weeks ago and I thought they sounded great.

[Deeps]

This morning I woke up to CFRU 93.3.

They had Jeff Peers on and asked him what went down.

He said I was dropped of at the end of a tour and told that I musically wasn't on the same page or something, I wasn't really given a choice or anything so yeah I guess I was kicked out.

The host (Vish Khanna drummer for the Nate Coles Outfit) stated that he felt Jeff was the friendly face of Cuff The Duke...he said this a number of times.

I guess to those who know the band this may be the case. I do not know the band and my impression was quite different, as was the case some others I've talked to about this.

Peers has a band called Anagram playing tonight at the Albion...I think I'll check this out.

"Goddam sun thinks it's better than us" is the tune that was played at the end of the show...check it out.

The interview with Jeff starts around the 48 minute mark.

Mich Vish Interacial Morning show with Jeff Peers. March 8th show!

Deeps

[M.O.B.E]

Anagram is a decent band. They play alot of gigs around here. The Mark Inside plays with them alot. Glad to see someone finally ask Jeff what happened.

[Jaimoe]

Peers is a fantastic musician. When I was at last fall's Cuff The Duke CD release party, Jeff's playing was superb, but still a little constrained. The band has huge shoes to fill and will find it hard to replace his Telecaster that can sing so mightily.

[zero]

Dale Murray is the one musician in Canada I can see ably filling Jeff's shoes. Interested to see Anagram, part of me thought Jeff might start a hardcore band (as in hardcore music not 'that was really hardcore').