Well, it’s that time of year again: Faceplant Studios will be holding their 14th annual showcase June 6th at the Railway Club. With a thirty band line-up assembled from the community of a rehearsal/recording studio the show is eclectic to say the least. To give you some idea of the range, here are some of the more notable acts:

Local punk legends Aging Youth Gang are a staple of the event, and of the west coast punk scene generally. Formed in the early 90’s from the ashes of Curious George they have written more than a few pages in the history of Vancouver punk.

Motorama are my favourite Vancouver punk band. They are a juggernaut of unadulterated sonic fury, a punk maelstrom and an incessant touring machine; the hardest working band in Vancouver. What more need be said?

Moving on to something completely different, we have Natural Flavas. One of the top reggae bands in Vancouver, you may know these guys as the opening act for most major reggae acts visiting the city. They are nothing short of uplifting.

Waltz Darling is a rock’n’roll thrill ride. Formed in 1997, these guys are just returning from a break in 2008, while bassist Rich was in exile on the Greek island of Ikaria. This will be their second appearance at Facefest, having taken an Axl Rose-like ten year Facefest Hiatus. Their motto is “Drink, Dance, Fuck”.

Ford Pier is a cornerstone of the alternative music scene in Vancouver. His resume reads like a history of Vancouver underground music. Add Bradford Lambert and Eric Napier and these guys are probably alumni of half of the bands I’ve ever seen. Perhaps the “must see” band of the night and that says a lot.

No Facefest would be complete without Evan Symons. Evan is a guitar wizard whose bag of tricks ranges from psychedelic guitar alchemy to haunting acoustic ballads and everywhere in between (and beyond). Evan has probably played every single Facefest and is currently on a cross-Canada tour.

There are too many bands performing to be give a comprehensive list here, but in the spirit of shameless plugging: Minto have just finished recording with Steve Albini…E-Spliff is a musical giant… The SickSickSix are the best band you will ever see, and I only say that so as not to over-hype them… In the category of Facefest veterans we have: Captain D-Hab, Huskee Dudes, This Thing, Rumsfeld, The Tels, Los Fantasticos, Chris Williams and The Rain and The Sidewalk, who have just completed their third release. Member Shannon Hallett will be notably absent this year. Shannon has been a driving force behind Facefest and Faceplant from the beginning, playing a major role in making this event and this community what it is today. Thank you Shannon, you will be missed. Posted: May 24, 2009