A Trophy Life — Canadian band named for a Spinal Tap referance, which they say, often goes unnoticed. Oh well. Check them out at the AFU, Sunday. - Courtesy Photo/A Trophy Life
Courtesy Photo/A Trophy Life
A Trophy Life — Canadian band named for a Spinal Tap referance, which they say, often goes unnoticed. Oh well. Check them out at the AFU, Sunday.

WEEKEND WROCK | A Trophy Life and more obscure Spinal Tap references


March 6, 2009 · Updated 11:31 AM 

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A sexy and sinister Seattle bunch, a 'hillbilly jam grass’ band, A Trophy Life and more Spinal Tap references in this week’s docket of rock.

FRIDAY

Neutralboy, The Valkyries, Triple Forte at Winterland, 1220 Sylvan Way in Bremerton, 8 p.m.

This Seattle band The Valkyries — though not the actual choosers of the slain from old Norse mythology — to see them live, they’re pretty damn close.

Counted as one of Seattle’s fiercest bands by reviewers from both The Stranger and Seattle Weekly, the all-female, old-school heavy metal ass-kickin’ quartet brings their slaying vocals and thunderous rock to the West Sound for a devilish date with a Bremerton band of punks that is truly “tougher than a $2 steak” — Neutralboy.

Triple Forte opens, turning the amps up to 11.

21+ at Winterland, $5 for dudes, ladies get in free. Info: www.myspace.com/winterlandrocks.

SATURDAY

Deadwood Revival at the Pegasus, 131 Parfitt Way on Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m.

A lot of these songs sound like they could’ve been written more than a century ago somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains back when America was declaring its independence.

But the co-founders of this old time, bluegrass jam band amalgamation weren’t even all that into the old-timey style back when they actually lived near the foothills of the Appalachians in Georgia.

At that time they were into the folk rock jam band scene.

It wasn’t until they moved to Port Angeles and hit up one of the local open mics that they found their roots as Deadwood Revival.

“We’re not really bluegrass, we’re not old time folk, we’re a real mish mash that has that rootsy flavor that comes from the old time,” guitarist Kim Trennery said of the band.

All ages, by donation at the Pegasus. Info: www.pegasuscoffeehouse.com.

SUNDAY

A Trophy Life, The F’nA’s, Sour Diesel and Puke Rocket at the AFU, 318 N. Callow Ave. in Bremerton, 7 p.m.

The West Coast tour which brings A Trophy Life to Bremerton will be the Vancouver, B.C., band’s first foray into America. But they’ve been busy up North.

Last year they embarked on five different tours across Canada spreading the seeds of their debut album “This Is A Trophy Life,” (wherein lies the obscure Spinal Tap reference).

Toward the end of the 115-show run, they were starting to find that there are only so many places to play across Canada. So with the release of their sophomore EP “Go On Tour,” the band looked to the south.

In the states, they say, there are 10 times more people and 10 times more venues, which means 10 times more chances to get your music heard.

“We fall into the category of music that doesn’t get noticed unless you are the son of a rock star, or if you tour non stop,” A Trophy Life guitarist Joshua McDaniel said. “And none of us are the sons of rock stars, so ... .”

The post-pop-punk group came together in 2006 to “quit their lives” and take their “symphony of melody and misery” permanently on tour. What’s more, they’ve done it all by themselves up to this point. The booking manager they’ve hired for their first foray to the states is more of a precaution than a luxury.

“Getting lost in Canada is one thing,” McDaniel said. “But you don’t wanna get stuck in the southern states with no shows and no money and no way to get back.”

All ages, beer and wine w/ ID, at the AFU. $5 cover. Info: myspace.com/artfreeunity.

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