Die Mannequin at the Bovine Sex Club

Care Failure of Die Mannequin

September 18 – Die Mannequin played a surprise show at the Bovine Sex Club on Saturday the 15th. The show was announced only days earlier in the week but the band’s fans didn’t miss the announcement and crammed the Bovine to its limit.

Tony Bleed of Die Mannequin

From the opening chords of Intruder, Die Mannequin’s aural assault of the Bovine was on. It was the loudest show in recent memory, a rocking performance to a raucous capacity crowd. The crowd near the stage had a full on mosh pit going on. It was clear the moshers were having a great time, when they got knocked down, even the smallest girl got right back up and started shoving again.

Care and Stacy Stray of Die Mannequin

Singer/guitarist Care Failure and Die Mannequin were the subject of the recent movie Hard Core Logo II by Bruce McDonald. In the sequel to the 1996 original, filmmaker Bruce films a fictionalized Die Mannequin in the process of recording their next album. He was lured to the band under the pretense that Care Failure was possessed by the spirit of Joe Dick (played by The Headstones’ Hugh Dillon in the original), who committed suicide at the end of the mockumentary. In the movie version of Die Mannequin, bassist Tony Bleed had been replaced by Jules (played by Sera-Lys McArthur). In real life, Tony Bleed is still very much part of the band. Set mostly in a wintry setting in northern Saskatchewan, Hard Core Logo II is a great piece of Canadiana. Highlight of the movie was a one minute 20 second version of Orson Welles & 2012, renamed “Parasitic Motherfucker” in the movie.

Tony Bleed

A high energy punk/metal band, they have continued to improve over their 6 year history. As always, the band is all about Care Failure, the leader and focal point. Fiercely intense, her performance is full throttle from start to finish. Highlights included Orson Welles & 2012 and Do It or Die, where Care invited fans up to help sing the choruses.

Care and fans during Do It or Die

Also on the bill were A Primitive Evolution who played a great set.

With Die Mannequin’s radio airplay only building their already huge fan base, the band may be growing out of clubs like the Bovine. The band is playing venues like the Sound Academy or the Mod Club these days so it was a treat to see them in the intimate surroundings of the Bovine.