Serfs on the what?
If you don’t know who these guys are, that’s what you’re probably thinking. As a guest attending their first live show, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. That was probably the case for everyone, unless you were there during their practices, since these boys have only gone public for a couple months and are still without any videos or recordings.
That doesn’t mean they weren’t there to impress. As their first venue, they chose to play at Shiloh Hill, which was located all the way out in Mission, BC. I wasn’t looking forward to the one-hour drive from Burnaby–especially since the thunderstorms decided to come out and play that night. But despite that, I was surprised to have been welcomed to the estate; which was a 100 acre land (owned by good friend of the band, John McCarthy), containing a golf course, a large three story mansion with a pool, a barn, and their own recreation field which was all accented by the wonderful scenery. The only downside was learning that the boys’ hard work on building a stage, set next to the pool, had been compromised due to the gloomy weather. Instead, they had moved the equipment to their barn, which ended up being a suitable location.
Serfs on the Manor consists of four guys: Jordan Wong on the lead guitar, Shayne “Shed” Edwards on the lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Jordan Michael Edwards on the bass and Lucas Benjamin Gedak on the drums. They began to play late into the evening with a minimal, but eager, crowd of friends. True to any concert, they played loud and with a purpose. They opened their act with a couple of covers, starting with “Gone Away” by the Offspring, and “Hand that Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails to name a few. Soon after, they finally introduced one of their first originals, “Bison on the Tundra”, which was inspired by their long-time friend Andrew Bround–who was their one-man mosh-pit for the night. A second original entitled “Fallow Times” followed after. They continued with covers by Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson and Gerry Rafferty.
In the middle of the set, they introduced two more of their own originals, entitled “The Veteran” and “Mass Grave. They ended the night with “Rise and Stand", another one of their originals.
I’ll be honest; it was hard to judge these guys due to their lack of efficient equipment. These boys meant to play loud, but it proved difficult since their sound system couldn't handle the heat. Still, they brought their own kind of energy to the stage with Jordan Wong ripping up the solos–especially when he gave Andrew Bround a face melt (see photo)–while Shayne “Shed” Edwards showed great potential as a lead singer, displaying his ability to hit all the right notes. Meanwhile, Jordan Edwards and Lucas Gedak held the beat down on the bass and drums respectively, keeping the energy high and mighty.
I would like to highlight my favorite part of the night: Their cover of “Toxicity” by System of a Down. Their performance of this song gave me chills as they played with great intensity–something that made the night awesome. This song featured Jordan Wong on the drums.
When these boys could be heard, it sounded really, really good. It’s just too bad that their performance was obstructed by unforeseen factors, but anyone could tell that the crowd had a goodtime. These boys have the potential to start walking the line, as long as they keep doing what they’re doing.
So, I’ll end with this review with a definition of Serfs on the Manor:
n. “Four guys that out-performed the thunderstorms on Shiloh Hill”
So, definitely look out for these boys at local bars! You won’t regret it.
Michelle Devera.
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