Oh Honey Watch That Man: The Chain Gang Of 1974 In Toronto

By Less Lee Moore

The Phoenix, Toronto ON
October 6, 2011

If you haven’t yet heard of The Chain Gang Of 1974, that’s likely to change very soon. Based on last night’s Toronto show at The Phoenix, they’ve got a big future.

Sandwiched between the exceedingly earnest (and exceedingly fresh-faced) White Arrows and New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous, Chain Gang were almost anachronistic. White Arrows sound a bit like The Strokes with a more sunny-California, reggae quality; while they weren’t exactly my cup of tea, they were so obviously thrilled to be on stage, it was fun to watch them. They made their own tie-dyed T-shirts for the merch table and singer Mickey Schiff encouraged everyone to “come talk to us after the show; we’ll be around all night.” It was quite sweet and endearing. I’m sure that The Naked and Famous played a great set, but I didn’t stick around to see it (no offense, guys and gals).

While The Chain Gang of 1974 is just the one guy—Kamtin Mohager—the music is much bigger and needs a full band for a live setting: enter Brandon Anamier on drums and Jacob Bond on guitar and keyboards. (There was also a bass player whose name I don’t know.)

After the youthful naïveté of White Arrows, Chain Gang’s made-for-arena-rock stage presence was a real eye-opener. No doubt the young (as in “making out by the stack of amps” young) crowd in attendance didn’t know what to make of it when Mohager leapt into the crowd during the beginning of the set. Like everything he does, it’s grandiose, and all the kids could do was snap pictures with their iPhones and stare.

Lest you think Mohager is “just a singer,” he’s not. Besides having a lush voice with an impressive range, he also played keyboards, bass, and guitar (and at one point, cowbell). Watching him grip the mic stand with passion and dance wildly—he even broke into an ’80s style Goth skank a few times—I kept thinking he might want to pace himself, but he managed to keep up the energy level for the entire set.

The band played most of the songs from the new album Wayward Fire, and they were all excellent, though I do think the sound in the Phoenix was a bit muddy because I couldn’t hear the finer details of the songs. (White Arrows had the same sound issues.) The place was packed (sold out thanks to headliners The Naked and Famous) but I was the only fool in the front dancing and singing along like a maniac, probably coming across a bit like Cillian Murphy watching Gavin Friday’s band in Breakfast on Pluto. I just wanted to do the Molly Ringwald dance, damn it! But the kids just didn’t understand. At one point, I thought I might have broken a toe. (I didn’t.)

The Chain Gang of 1974, as personified by Kamtin Mohager himself, does not affect the surly, antisocial qualities of other bands influenced by ’80s and early ’90s hitmakers, but still has a massive presence. By this I mean they know they’re destined for bigger and better things, while still giving 110% percent as an opening act. While setting up and sound checking, Mohager kept flipping up the collar of his tattered trench coat and playing with his hair. Such affectations have both disgusted and delighted others who’ve reviewed their live shows.

Maybe these detractors have a point, but come on: when you are as talented and ambitious as Mohager obviously is, why shouldn’t you swagger a little bit? I kept thinking of Brian Slade in Velvet Goldmine, envying Curt Wild’s stage performance, remarking both wistfully and with calculation, “I wish I’d thought of it.” Besides, sincerity trumps all, and Mohager has got that in spades.

Kamtin Mohager didn’t think of it first, either, but he has taken hints from some of the best, and those who don’t want to learn from the best, are selling themselves short. The Chain Gang of 1974 is incredibly impressive and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

If you want to catch The Chain Gang of 1974 on tour, get tickets early; most of the shows have been sold out.

Tour Dates (* w/The Naked and Famous):

October 7: Chicago, IL @Metro*
Ocober 8: Minneapolis, MN @First Avenue*
October 11: Vancouver, BC @Commodore Ballroom*
October 12: Seattle, WA @Showbox at the Market*
October 13: Portland, OR @Roseland Theater*
October 15: San Francisco, CA @Mezzanine
October 16: Solana Beach, CA @Belly Up Tavern*
October 17: Los Angeles, CA @Music Box at the Henry Fonda*
October 18: Phoenix, AZ @Crescent Ballroom*
October 20: Dallas, TX @Granada Theatre*
October 21: Austin, TX @La Zona Rosa*
October 23: Atlanta, GA @Masquerade*
October 24: Philadelphia, PA @TLA*
October 25: Boston, MA @Paradise Rock*
October 27: New York, NY @Webster Hall* (SOLD OUT)
October 28: Washington, DC @9:30 Club* (SOLD OUT)
October 29: Chapel Hill, NC @Local 506
October 31: Baltimore, MD @Golden West
November 7: Los Angeles, CA @Echo (Free – Residency Show)
November 14: Los Angeles, CA @Echo (Free – Residency Show)
November 16: San Diego, CA @Casbah
November 17: Costa Mesa, CA @Detroit Bar (w/Static Jacks)
November 21: Los Angeles, CA @Echo (Free – Residency Show)
November 28: Los Angeles, CA @Echo (Free – Residency Show)