The Supers are the kind of band who could save pop music... okay, maybe that's going too far. The Supers are the kind of guys who make pop music look easy. That's right! They made it look so easy that I thought I could get up and join them, but then I doubt that the ladies would shake their stuff like they did that night if I was trying to sing!

Yes, I said the girls were dancing, not like maniacs but like they just finally heard something they could move their hips to. That's because The Supers make music that's not as bland as pop and not as heavy as rock and they have a kind of melody that never gets old. That is in part thanks to the fact that the band has two lead singers, Maury LaFoy, who also plays bass, and Graham Powell, who plays guitar. Behind these two dynamic singers are Jeff Macpherson, on drums, and Tim Bovaconti, playing guitar.

They're all great performers and even though they come off looking like one of those university bands who all shop at The Gap, they are much more than just some amateur group. They are very tight on stage and combine music with lyrics that are poetic and fairly personal, while still looking like they're just a relaxed, clean cut bunch of guys. Almost makes me think they should call themselves the "Clark Kents" since they do seem to have the energy of Supermen, but they're hiding it all under the calm demeanor of an alternate identity.

In a way, their sound reminded me of a few bands ranging from Guster to Starling, but where Guster is a wacky band, The Supers capture something a little more intelligent without taking it somewhere that just isn't very fun. In that way they really are almost a combination of sounds that melds very well together but is fairly hard to pull off.

Out of all the songs they played, I have to admit that I was really anxious to hear them do "Turn", a song that I know I've heard before but I really don't know where. It's such a fun, crunchy tune that it was an instant attraction to get a lot of people shaking and dancing around the room. Like all good pop anthems, "Turn" has lots of layers and a tight, crunchy feel that's all about the riffs and the vocals.

Altogether, the guys played a great set that blew me off my feet and even though I would have loved to see them improvise a little more on some of the songs, I was still really impressed. In fact, I loved their show so much I went home and started listening to their CD and ended up playing it 3 times before I finally went to sleep.

Right now they are a strong band, and getting some good airplay in the U.S. from what I hear, but I think they are possibly one of the cooler bands I've been introduced to in a while that deserves all the attention they can possibly get. Hopefully, Canada will catch on to these guys and their music before they move away to a mansion in L.A.

Review & Photos Copyright The GATE & W. Andrew Powell, 2001