Remy Zero

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/remyzerooct7.jpg" alt="Remy Zero" />Remy Zero are on a short tour in tribute to their late drummer, Gregory Slay. ...
Remy Zero

Remy Zero : Live

Remy Zero returned for their first show in eight years playing Dante’s in Portland, OR on Thursday, October 7th, 2010.  This show was also the first of a short, four-date tour that is a tribute to their drummer Gregory Slay who passed away New Year’s Day 2010 from complications of Cystic Fibrosis.  The band consisted of vocalist Cinjun Tate, guitarist Jeffrey Cain, and bassist Cedric LeMoyne, as well as touring guitarist Leslie Van Trease and drummer Chip Kilpatrick.  Guitarist/keyboardist Shelby Tate was unable to make this string of dates.
Sanders Bohlke & Remy Zero

drum circleThe night started with a film clip by Nina Parikh featuring Slay that was shown at his memorial.  Shortly afterwards, Remy Zero and friends (including Slay’s brother) formed a drum and percussion line and wove themselves back and forth in front of the stage.  LeMoyne was playing a cocktail glass that broke part way through the procession and it was clearly evident that emotions were taut.  Sitting at a table near the stage was Slay’s parents and a host of friends.  Everyone then kneeled down on the stage as opener Sanders Bohlke sang a very touching song before Remy Zero got up to play.

Cinjun TateIt was a poignant night as well as a celebratory night.  The band was obviously grateful to the audience for joining them in this experience.  There was a little tentativeness here and there, but that was understandable all things considered.  As Tate’s soaring voice took hold of opening song “Gramarye”, the band’s adrenaline kicked in and things were underway.  By song three, “Prophesy”, Remy Zero were locked in.  Cain’s soaring guitar was swirling around Tate’s vocals, Van Trease was augmenting Cain, and LeMoyne and Kilpatrick were laying down the heavy groove.  The band may not have quite felt it just yet, as the lyric goes, “Find yourself home again,” but the audience did.  LeMoyne would say, “this is a very self-indulgent, cathartic thing, so I hope that’s okay,” and it was.  Remy Zero played three new songs throughout the night that were available on a new CD they had just put together for the tour.  Tate said that one of them, “Anger”, was his favorite new song that they’ve ever done.  Another new one, “‘Til The End”, was hauntingly beautiful and is available on their website (http://remyzero.com/) as a free download.

Jeffrey CainCedric LeMoynePrior to singing “Hollow”, Tate said, “normally my best friend would have something funny to say, but he’s not here.  He would say something that would wow everyone.”  And though the song wasn’t written about Slay, when he sang, “As they lowered you down my heart just jaded / In that moment the earth makes no sound / But you were there / You helped me lift my pain into the air,” you could feel the sadness in the room.  But this night was a celebration as well.  It was a band of brothers, bruised in their hearts but not broken, lifting up their departed friend.  “Save Me” brought the cheers back into the room, and the band ripped through it with vigor.  This night was a moving tribute to Gregory Slay and, for Remy Zero, it was also eight years of rust burning away.

“And I’ll remember you

And the things that we used to do

And the things that we used to say

I’ll remember you always”
Gregoy Scott Slay, 1969-2010

Set list

missing memberGramarye
Hermes Bird
Prophesy
Bitter
Anger (New)
Belong
Motorcycle
‘Til the End (New)
Life in Rain
Hollow
Perfect Memory
Nothing Remains (New)
Fair
Save Me
Chromosome
Remy Zero

Categories
Concert Reviews
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