Forget the bylaws, ‘musical pirates’ out to plunder region
Rockers employ guerrilla tactics to skirt parking rules and set themselves apart from other bands
Welcome to Flash Tour 2018, and you’re invited to the rock show — whether you know it or not.
Classic rock cover band Wicked Truth has been playing impromptu performances outside Waterloo Region bars and pubs from the beds of pickup trucks for the last month, hoping to book gigs and make a name for themselves by standing out in the crowded bar band scene.
Their sets are short, usually three or four songs, and when it’s over they take a few minutes to chat with their new fans and take a few selfies, then they pack up and head to the next location.
Their so-called Flash Tour is a unique approach that’s turning heads and helping them book venues across southwestern Ontario — even if it is getting them in hot water with local municipal parking and noise bylaws that the band skirts on a nightly basis.
“We’re musical pirates,” said lead singer Matthew Blunt ahead of their first concert of the night in the parking lot outside the Duke of Wellington in Waterloo last Thursday.
Blunt is joined by Wayne Unruh on bass, Anthony Nalli on drums and Brent Perez on guitar.
Their set list includes many of the rock staples from the last 40 years: Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Foo Fighters, Rush and more.
They plan to start writing their own material down the road, but for now they’re busy keeping up with fan requests for the classics.
“Kitchener loves Metallica,” said Unruh, though they only have one of the band’s songs in their repertoire.
Thursday was their third tour of Kitchener and Wa-
terloo over the past four weeks.
After they wrapped up at the Duke, they drove north along King Street to Chainsaw for another quick show, then headed to the Boathouse in Victoria Park.
They’ve also played outside the Edelweiss Tavern and Bobby O'Brien's Irish pub in Kitchener, which is where they ran into some bylaw trouble about two weeks ago.
“We were parked pretty much on the sidewalk, and we shouldn’t have been there,” said Blunt.
A police car drove by. “I said ‘OK that’s the last song’ and we started packing up,” said Blunt. The officer “turned his car around and just watched us. He didn’t even have to get out.”
Just as they were about to leave, a City of Kitchener bylaw officer arrived and threatened to ticket the band.
“She was not as cool,” said Blunt.
Gloria MacNeil, director of bylaw enforcement with the City of Kitchener, said that’s the only complaint the city has received about the group, and it’s the first time she’s ever seen a band go to these lengths to be heard.
Wicked Truth is breaking the city’s noise bylaw, which carries a fine ranging from $300 up to $10,000 and a court summons for multiple infractions. Blocking a city sidewalk is another $25 ticket. And they also need permission from private property owners to play in their parking lot.
MacNeil isn’t opposed to Wicked Truth continuing its tour of the region, but she said the band should apply for a noise bylaw exemption in the future. The exemption is free, and a request can typically be turned around in a day or two.
“I think (the tour) can be done, they just have to go about it the right way,” she said.
Shayne Turner, director of bylaw enforcement with Waterloo, said the city hasn’t had any complaints about the band, which is violating the city’s noise bylaw (a $490 ticket and a court summons on subsequent offences), and potentially the public nuisance bylaw (a $300 ticket).
Turner also encouraged the band to obey the city’s bylaws. “There’s a place and time for everything,” he said.
So what does Blunt think about those buzzkill bylaws?
“Bylaws are made to be broken,” said Blunt, who sports a red beard, a bald head and brown sunglasses. He flashes a smile and quickly adds, “but we’re not here to start trouble or to get fined.”
The bandmates come from diverse backgrounds. Blunt is a contractor, Unruh is a retired police officer and both live near Acton. Nalli is a Toronto-based television producer and Perez — who lives in Cambridge — buys and sells lumber. They range in age from their 30s to early 50s.
Wicked Truth first formed in early 2016 with Unruh, Blunt and two other bandmates, but they split about a year later and Blunt posted an ad on Band Mix, an online platform that helps connect musicians across Canada.
The current version of the band played their first gig together last Labour Day.
It was during rehearsal one day a few weeks ago that they decided they needed to find a way to get the attention of bar owners aside from email, and that’s when Perez came up with the idea of doing a live audition.
“They (bars) get emails from hundreds of bands every week,” said Blunt. “So (Perez) said ‘What’s stopping us from bringing the show to them?’ Nothing.”
Aside from Kitchener and Waterloo, Wicked Truth also has played outside bars in Brampton, Erin and the Greater Toronto Area.
“The first time we did it we booked a gig right there on the spot. The owner of the bar just happened to show up and liked what she saw,” said Unruh.
They’ve also had random strangers come up to them after their shows and offer them cash for their efforts.
Duke of Wellington general manager Martina MacNeil happened to be working last Thursday night and she approached the band as they were setting up their gear.
“That’s amazing,” she said after hearing their pitch, adding she might consider booking the band in the future.