Is is possible to feel nostalgia for something that hasn’t even gone away yet? If so, that would explain why I made the kind of dumb decision to stay out til late night/early morning on the last full night of CMW to take in the last few acts of the night. After all, only nostalgia for the days when a 4:00 am last call and bands playing almost all night long seemed more appealing than an early night in with a good book could explain why I’d be willing to stay out ’til all hours. That and the fact that the Silver Dollar will soon be no more than a memory.
Following sets earlier in the night from Japanese Breakfast, Liam Betson, and others, B-17 took to the stage for the 2:00 am slot. The Toronto psych rockers gave a shout out to Dan Burke for “making this shithole the best place in the city for the past 15 years,” adding that they’ve played “literally hundreds” of shows there over the years. The band ran through a raucous set of tunes from their latest album Goodbye before saying their own goodbye to the Silver Dollar. “Alright this is it. The moment that us as a band don’t play here anymore. You’re gonna feel foolish if you don’t dance.” said singer/bassist Clint Rogerson as he introduced the band’s last song, a fantastic version of The 13th Floor Elevators’ “You’re Gonna Miss Me.” A fitting farewell to the Dollar.
Following them for the last set of the night were Japan’s Zoobombs, the undisputed MVPs of Canadian Music Week. Having already played The Silver Dollar earlier in the week (as well as a couple of other CMW shows elsewhere), the band was back for one more show at their Toronto home. After wishing the crowd a good morning, Don Matsuo added, “This is why we love Toronto. 3 am! Such a crowd. Such a stupid crowd.” He’s got a point – it is a bit stupid to take in a rock show at three in the morning, but they absolutely made it worth our while, and if anything’s going to keep you awake at that time of night, it’s The Zoobombs.