Prozzäk a reflection on millennials
Band entertains crowd with combination of animation, storytelling and music
Wednesday’s Prozzäk concert proved illuminating, not just for the unusual combination of animation, storytelling and musical performance but for the entertainment tastes of millennials.
The 100-minute show at Kelowna Community Theatre resembled the adrenalin-fueled performances — by both artists and audience members — at the Centre of Gravity beach festival but it lacked the open-air, summer atmosphere so crucial to that perennial success.
Perhaps that was why attendance was only 370 young adults, less than half the downtown theatre’s 853 capacity.
However, it was appropriate that Prozzäk’s latest album is called Forever 1999, the last year of the decade in which most of these Gen Net fans were born.
For an older reviewer, it was fascinating to not only watch the antics of Prozzäk creators Jay Levine and James Bryan McCollum on stage with SimonMilo cartoons behind them but the behaviour of their fans. It was “next level” to sit in the back row of a half-empty theatre with your “friends.”
Young women were still practising how to descend the aisle stairs in high heels without spilling any beer.
The two members of the critically acclaimed multi-platinum Canadian neo-soul band, The Philosopher Kings, gave adoring fans exactly what they were looking for — a fantasy cartoon starring Simon and Milo, Prozzäk Karaoke with the lyrics of Tsunami flashing on a huge screen, and flashing imagery that was almost hypnotic.
And of course, they played their electric guitars behind their trademark cartoon Simon and Milo heads.
Their DJ/cheerleader/female vocalist encouraged everyone to immediately stand up, shout back whatever she asked, raise their hands in the air and even to touch their toes. On the screen, the Statue of Liberty also waved her arms.
The encore continued that theme with “girls” encouraged to sing: “Sucks 2 B U” with “boys” responding: “I know. I know.” Utter millennial silliness. For those unfamilar with the perpetually heartbroken, British-accented Simon and his Austrian wingman Milo, a voice from the heavens transports them from a swordfight on a brig to the present era where the now-best buddies search the world for perfect love, all in a series of animated dance/pop song videos.
Prozzäk burst onto the scene in 1998 with their debut album, Hot Show, a commercial and critical blockbuster. It went multi-platinum, producing chart-topping videos, including two MuchMusic number ones (Sucks To Be You and Strange Disease) and was nominated for five Juno Awards.
In 2000, they released their Juno-nominated album Saturday People, and in 2005 their third album, Cruel Cruel World. After a 10-year haitus, the band returned in 2015 for a sold-out reunion show at Atomic Lollipop festival in Toronto that led to the release of two new tracks, Baby I Need Your Love (Pussy Cat) and Love Fools Anonymous. An 11-stop Canadian tour is now promoting Forever 1999, released on March 31 with its first single, Love Me Tinder.
Expectations were low after warm-up act K.I.D (Kids In Despair), a garage pop band from Toronto. Lead vocalist Kara Lane, attired in shapeless long shirt and baggy pants, made numerous low-brow sexual references which produced the expected howls from the crowd. Say no more.