Review of The OBGM’s at Osheaga: Energy up to the roof

Tweet

First band I saw at Osheaga? The OBGM’s. Not bad at all! I arrived ten minutes late – it’s ridiculously long to enter the site and find the stage is another story — but I could finally hear Denz’s voice in the distance, the lead singer. I could not tell which song they were playing, as I am still getting familiar with this band. The boys from Toronto rocked the Scène des Arbres. Literally. 35 minutes of punk, R&B and rock. The punk quartet totally surprised me. The energy was high, start to finish. Crazy is another good word to describe the band’s performance.

As I made my way through the trees and the crowd, I heard Denz proclaim that he did not know how they came up with the band’s name, probably by watching too much pornography. If you are not aware, OBGM’s stand for The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores. Ok. What to expect from these guys? The band was already pumped after ten minutes. Denz then asked people to grab their lovers. There were over a hundred people, and the crowd was very receptive. People wanted to have fun. They raised their hands in the air and repeated after the group according to their requests. The crowd even repeated an offensive word beginning with f… but it did not matter. It was sunny, the guys were giving their all on stage. What else can happen from letting go and having a great time? Denz and Joe the bassist were continually seeking to interact with the crowd. They even sang happy birthday to some spectators before interpreting a song about birthdays.

Throughout the set, the energy kept getting higher. Denz asked who was in a relationship. Some people raised their hands. He continued saying the next song was about “blowin’ them up”. The guitar riffs were heavy, multiples. The drums were loud. The guys were jumping everywhere. They also played a new song called Murder. The drums were still pounding. The ground shook. My heart could have escaped my chest. I enjoyed the experience thoroughly, giving free rein to my musical exploration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaY5bUEb-Gw

The OBGM’s  finished their performance dramatically. They asked the crowd to grab their lovers one again, while at the same time taking the opportunity to invite the crowd to Osheaga’s after party. “Epic party,” according to the guys, “sexual favours as bonus”. This gives you an idea of the tone of their show and the personality of the band. Harmless. The boys are crazy, careless and yes, talented. As the final minutes ticked by on stage, the band engaged the crowd one last time. Denz even allowed himself a walkabout. Overall it was a great performance. There was smoke and good lighting effects. Energy was up to the roof. When 3:25 p.m. finally rang, the band thanked the crowd, repeatedly, without sparing them many expressions of affection. Yes, they love you. Very much!