Buckle Un, In-Flight Safety is Taking Off By Alec O’Hanley, A & E Editor

(Curtains open. John Mullane, lead singer of In-Flight Safety (opener for the Trews) stands just outside a crowd of rabid would-be groupies who sur- round the Trews' drummer. A girl strays from the crowd and approaches John.)

Girl: Will you sign my ticket?

John: (eyes light up) Sure, I'd

be... Girl: Are you from Newfoundland?

John: No, I'm actually from New Bruns...

Girl: Sean, your drummer, is

from Newfoundland.

John: Actually, no, Sean is the drummer from the Trews. I play in In Flight... ©

Girl: I'm from St. John's. You know, Newfoundland. JUST LIKE SEAN!

John: Uhh...

(Girl runs over to Sean, forget- ting her ticket. John looks to the heavens for a sign. He finds nothing. Exeunt.)

Opening for a popular band is a tough job. You get paid less, you’re lucky if the venue sets

you up with a place to stay, and

you’re often playing for some- body else’s crowd. Needless to say, Halifax band In-Flight Safety had their work cut out for them when they came onstage at UPEI.

The real show started around 10:30 when In-Flight Safety took the stage. Though their brand of mid-tempo rock was somewhat mismatched with the Trews’ riff-heavy guitar rock

aesthetic, IFS have done well on their current maritime uni- versity tour. “All the shows are packed with frosh eager to rock out,” says frontman John Mullane.

The UPEI show was no excep- tion. There was no mistaking the band’s presence on stage. Kids who were pressed up front

to get a good spot for the Trews’

ended up being treated to a show the likes they hadn’t anticipated. PEI is more reputed

for its partying crowd than its listening crowd, but IFS adapt- ed to this well and responded with a high-energy perform- ance.

“The Trews are giving us a les- son in how to make five hun- dred people shake it,” laughs John.

Their mid-tempo rock filled the student center with a warm

_ glow. IFS specialize in well-

crafted tunes that build to tow- ering heights. There are definite hearts and minds behind this band’s songs. And what a full sound! Mullane’s signature reverbed guitar lines highlight gorgeous layers of rhythm and

piano.

In-Flight Safety flew out to Vancouver earlier this year to record their upcoming album with Matt Good producer Warren Livesy. His production influence can be seen in the form of a tighter and more com- pact delivery with fewer instru- mental breaks.

After their stint out west, their long-time pianist Jon Sheen amicably decided to leave the band for personal reasons. Before leaving, Sheen was con- siderate enough to work with the new keys player (Danny Ledwell) to ensure the band would be able to quickly pick

MAUS

gang sti tidy mam . Pe

up where they had left off.

When asked what frustrates the band in the record industry, John replies, “It’s discouraging to not be able to get [your] songs finished the way you want them finished without having to go through a bunch of people. It’s not discouraging to not be on a major label because in the end it'll come out one

UPEI Cadre September 14, 2004 page 13 —

way or another... it’s more dis- couraging waiting around for people to make stuff happen.”

Though one of In-Flight Safety’s main goals is to secure a major record deal, the band is at least equally focused on get- ting extending their fanbase. “A lot of people come to see us play in Halifax, Moncton, Sackville, and even Toronto, but I still want to focus on building a grassroots follow- ing...,” explains Mullane.

IFS may have had a slight edge in getting a crowd out here on the Island — half of In-Flight Safety are homegrown PEI kids. Drummer Glen Nicholson

grew up in Summerside and new keyboardist Danny Ledwell has strong Charlottetown tiés. &,

I hope John, *Biad, Glen, and Danny don’t have to wait too much longer to get their new album out because many more UPEI students will be keeping their ear to the ground for it.