A raucous sound will fill the air at the corner of 22nd and Chestnut St. tonight as scores of people line up to see Tokyo Police Club open a sold out show for the Cold War Kids. Hailing from Newmark, Ontario, Club personifies the dreams of all high school garage-bands with their quick rise success and recognition in the indie music scene. Barely into their twenties, the four tight-jeaned youths that make up Tokyo Police Club are still humble suburbanites, slightly overwhelmed with their constant tour schedule. As Graham Wright, the purveyor of Club's rich Casio keyboard tones and supplementary vocals, remarks, "We were on the verge of breaking up, we got back together for a gig. It snowballed, and here we are touring with just an EP. Its almost a surreal joke to me."
Club have the enthusiasm, vibrancy and willingness of youth in their corner. This exuberance manifests itself in shows Wright hopes "leave the crowd winded and wanting more." Their first EP, A Lesson in Crime, an energetic 16 minute long collection of seven songs echoes that goal. While some critics argue this brevity doesn't leave the band much material to play on stage, Wright counters that any good band should have a few tricks up their sleeves: "We have about four old songs and three new songs that we generally throw in to make a good 45 minute set, and anyways too much of something isn't a good thing."
Keeping tours simple, Club pack into vans and road trip anywhere they can: "We tour at as many venues possible to create a name for ourselves, so the next time we come around, more and more people will want to come to our shows." Still, the band's tour is guided by its own taste in music, opting for a schedule that also allows it to enjoy the shows of a few other artists. Playing the SXSW festival recently in Austin, Texas let Club check out and learn from some of their favorite bands. Besides networking, Wright points out that "advice from bands with more experience" is a boon of the festival circuit.
Meanwhile, Club set out to prove there is still some novelty and fun to be had in the music industry. "Even though we still get paid shit, we kind of like that," Wright admits. "The road is exciting because we get to know the places we go through, and come across indie music scenes in places where we didn't think they existed." This road trip mentality, combined with dynamic music and imaginative lyrics that evoke suburban fascination with literature and science fiction, allows Club to appeal to an adventurous crowd.
Ultimately, Club just happen to be in the right place at the right time. With Canada as today's hot spot of indie music, Club credits bands like The Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene for paving the way: "10 years ago, Canadian bands could only play in Canada. But now, Canadian bands are a welcome commodity." Still, Club's innovation will allow it to shift and mold its sound to changing times. By the time the spotlight hits another scene, Club can only hope that the success they reaped was done on their terms.
