DIEMONDS

Diemonds @ the Bovine Sex Club, April 29
By: Adelaida Kolaj
May 4, 2010

These Toronto hard rock/glam rock revisionists deliver a powerful adrenaline-dripping punch-in-the-face of a set that oozes filth, sleaze, and attitude. Their Aerosmith and Motley Crue-esque tunes are aggressive, surprisingly pretty and positively catchier than an STI.

Headed by vocalist Priya Panda, guitarist C.C Diemond, bassist Cuzo and drummer Al Biddle, the band’s stage presence and command of the audience is rock ‘n’ roll divinity incarnated.

Despite some critique regarding their aesthetic, Diemonds has little, if anything, in common with the cliché, formula, spandex-clad hip-thrusting crotch-grabbing misogynists of the 80’s LA cockrock scene that have come to be so despised. They have even less in common with foolish contemporary Guns N’ Roses wannabe acts such as Steel Panther.

Once you see them in action non-ironically attacking their shimmering dirty wonderful indulgent jams, you will completely and non-ironically have your mind blown. You will be converted to their church of sleaze and pure balls-to-the-wall rock ‘n’ roll. Watch out for their debut album In the Rough, as Diemonds could potentially leave a dent in the world. Or at least your eardrums.

For more information, check out: www.myspace.com/diemonds. - Toronto Music Scene

Diemonds @ the Bovine Sex Club, April 29
By: Adelaida Kolaj
May 4, 2010

These Toronto hard rock/glam rock revisionists deliver a powerful adrenaline-dripping punch-in-the-face of a set that oozes filth, sleaze, and attitude. Their Aerosmith and Motley Crue-esque tunes are aggressive, surprisingly pretty and positively catchier than an STI.

Headed by vocalist Priya Panda, guitarist C.C Diemond, bassist Cuzo and drummer Al Biddle, the band’s stage presence and command of the audience is rock ‘n’ roll divinity incarnated.

Despite some critique regarding their aesthetic, Diemonds has little, if anything, in common with the cliché, formula, spandex-clad hip-thrusting crotch-grabbing misogynists of the 80’s LA cockrock scene that have come to be so despised. They have even less in common with foolish contemporary Guns N’ Roses wannabe acts such as Steel Panther.

Once you see them in action non-ironically attacking their shimmering dirty wonderful indulgent jams, you will completely and non-ironically have your mind blown. You will be converted to their church of sleaze and pure balls-to-the-wall rock ‘n’ roll. Watch out for their debut album In the Rough, as Diemonds could potentially leave a dent in the world. Or at least your eardrums.

For more information, check out: www.myspace.com/diemonds. - Toronto Music Scene

Priya Panda is no shrinking violet. When she takes the stage as lead singer of Canadian indie blues/rock/thrash band Diemonds, she is fierce with big hair and high kicks. But in her recent TORO Woman photo shoot with photographer Phil Brideaux at Toronto's One King West Hotel, we think we detected a hint of vulnerability. - Toro Magazine

When Priya Panda decided to start a band, she got her closest buddies together and tried to make it work. But just like living with your best friend, being in a band with them isn’t all slumber parties and feathery pillow fights either. Within the last four years, things (and people) have changed, she says, but she’s definitely found her rock n’ roll family with Diemonds bandmates C.C. Diemond, Cuzo, Yeti, and Al Biddle.

This month’s Bitchin’ Babe - True Dirty Rocker - Priya Panda, talks to Bitchin’ Lifestyle about fronting her band, Diemonds, gives us the lowdown on her musical influences (some of which we’ve never heard of), and of course, rants about her insane obsession with food.

Bitchin’ Lifestyle: Your Twitter page describes Diemonds as ‘True Dirty Rock n' Roll’. What does that even mean - where do you fit in, musically?

Priya Panda: Diemonds is definitely influenced by classic rock, punk and metal all the way, man! We don’t really fit into the music world in a way that can be categorized. All of us will agree to disagree on some bands, but there is no denying you’ll hear our influences from bands like AC/DC, Guns n’ Roses, Aerosmith and Black Sabbath. We’re a dirty rock band cause we really don’t care about mainstream “success”– we play music because we have to. We’d go literally insane without rock n’ roll and tours. It’s what I wake up in the morning thinking about and the last thing that crosses my mind before I pass out at night.

BL: What would you say is your biggest musical influences – how have they shaped you?

PP: Personally, I love Paul McCartney. Although our music doesn’t really sound anything like the Beatles his songwriting is freakin’ tops! Other than that, I’ve taken cues from everyone from W.A.S.P. to The Plasmatics to RATT. I’m all over the map, but electric guitars drive me wild!

BL: Your latest video is on rotation on Much Music and Much Loud. What can you tell us about the first time you saw your video on TV?

PP: I was beyond excited!!! It was an amazing experience to have our hard work pay off. It was extra cool because our guitar player C.C. almost died while filming the video so the fact that he came back from a coma on life support to finish the video, play in the band and live life holds special meaning for me.

BL: In your bio it says you and your band toured in India and were the first-female fronted rock band to play there. That’s pretty Bitchin’ in our book. Can you tell us about the experience?

PP: We’re the first female-fronted act to ever play in Shillong, India – the self-proclaimed rock capital of India. The whole trip to India was unlike anything we’ve been used to on tours. Armed guards took us around town, crowds formed when we were trying to buy a Chai in the markets and we played a massive stage with huge crowds.

When I decided to dive into the pit, I was terrified after an AK-47 slammed into my back. I’m pretty sure that would never happen in Canada. Most females there asked me if I was married or had children – because for the most part, the culture and conditioning that goes on leads women to believe that is the only thing that they are meant to do in life. And who knows…maybe they’re right, but it ain’t right for me for now.

I’m glad we went and showed them how we do it! It was extra cool for me, because my parents are from India and it felt good to connect that way.

BL: If you weren’t in a rock band, what line of work would you see yourself in?

PP: If I weren’t a musician I’d definitely still be in a creative position. I have a degree in Journalism. I am currently trying to write a screenplay for a movie. Writing, making movies, documentaries, or writing a cookbooks is something I can see myself doing. The list is endless; there are a lot of things I want to do before I die.

BL: What would you say has been the biggest reality check for you?

PP: I think the biggest thing has been time and money. It takes years to get on the radar of music fans and promoters and other bands. And once opportunities arise, you kind of have to have dough to make the next move. It’s tough but I don’t really think I’d want to spend my time or money doing anything else.

BL: Answer truthfully: Musically who is the biggest poser and who is the real deal?

PP: I’m usually not one to make judgment calls like this, but someone like Lady Gaga is just… lame. Lady Gaga is disguised as an actual artist that has created this persona and music for herself. Ok yeah, she can play piano and maybe write songs, but she has been svengalied by record labels and handlers to the point where whatever you see is so far removed from the ideas in her own head. I call bullshit.

Any band that just tours, and tours and still plays the same types of bars that we do is the real deal. It’s not about anything but the music. It’s wild seeing bands whose album you have on vinyl playing at the same venues as the small club bands that are still starting out. - FOOD Network's Bitchin Kitchen

Mumbai, Maharashtra, December 8, 2009 /India PRwire/ -- Toronto, Canada's premier rock n' roll band Diemonds is coming to tour India December 11-23, 2009, where they will bring their fun party music to a brand new country! The tour will celebrate the Indian release of their debut CD/Album "In the Rough" on Percept Networks, as well as a released their video "Highway." They will be in Shillong at Polo Ground December 12, with Dimapur, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune & Goa dates awaiting confirmation. They will be representing Canada on the Bombay Rock Association's City Rocks festival in Shillong. To see Diemonds live in an absolute MUST!

The band features sassy, young, Indo-Canadian singer Priya Panda, whose parents immigrated to Toronto from Mumbai in the 1970's. Born in Canada, yet fluent in Marathi, a great Indian cook and a true rock star, Priya is the perfect blend of East meets West. Diemonds playing in India will be a life-changing experience. Diemonds is following in the footsteps of other rock acts, like The Scorpions, Mr. Big, and Iron Maiden who have played at Polo Ground in the past. "It'll be a spiritual journey for me. I've wanted to come to India with a band since I read about the Beatles coming here when I was a small child. This will be my first time out with Diemonds and I know it won't be the last. Get ready India!," says Priya Panda.

2010 will see Diemonds continue to establish themselves as an international touring band, sponsored by Jagermeister. Diemonds is proud to see their video "Highway" in rotation on MuchMusic in Canada. Their album SOLD OUT in Canada as soon as it was released.

"Residing in the nether-region between '70s glam-punk and '80s hair metal" Diemonds has taken cues from veterans like Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and KISS and created their own loud rock n' roll.

Powerhouse and Indian beauty Priya Panda takes centre stage on vocals, C.C. Diemond is lead guitar slayer and a thunderous rhythm section is rounded out by Cuzo on bass guitar and Al Biddle (ex-Toxic Holocaust/Rammer) on drums. They've been called "Young, Tough, & Canadian" and this band of party animals prove that there's no such thing as too loud. Long Live Party Rock & ROLL!

DIEMONDS INDIAN TOUR DATES:
Sat, Dec 12 - Shillong: Polo Ground
Sun, Dec 14 - Dimapur: Dimapur Stadium
Mumbai Dec 16
Pune Dec 18
Bangalore Dec 19
New Delhi Dec 20 - India PR Wire, Mumbai, India

Toronto hair-metal group Diemonds have a serious problem: they’re a real band that everyone thinks is a joke. “It’s because of the fact that there’s other bands who are doing a similar style of music and are actually a joke band,” says the band’s feisty lead singer Priya, who's often compared to Tia Carrere’s hard-rocking babe in Wayne’s World. “For example, they wear wigs and write songs that are clearly hokey caricatures of the type of music we like. We don’t see ourselves that way - we write songs, we tour. We would never write a song like Steel Panther’s ‘Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’.”

Having modeled herself on KISS' Paul Stanley ('80s era) and The Plasmatics' Wendy O. Williams, Priya leads a quartet that includes C.C. Diemonds on guitar, Cuzo on bass and Al Biddle on drums, creating major head bangers that veer every so slightly into The Darkness. With the band currently on a cross-Canada tour with Santa Cruz rockers Dirty Penny, EYE WEEKLY spoke to Priya about being called “tomahawk rock,” her love of Ratt and the band’s Jägermeister sponsorship. Diemonds plays Wrongbar (1279 Queen W.) tonight.

How did your love of metal blossom?
I first started listening to it in high school, mostly to hard rock like Guns N’ Roses, KISS; the first bands I ever liked were always image-based. Then I found it was hard to leave hard rock behind. It’s become an obsession over the years and I haven’t outgrown it; I have to be around loud music all the time, it’s like a drug. Even if our band isn’t playing shows, I’ll spend all my money on all the big arena concerts. I end up spending a lot more on music than I make.

Do you find it difficult to lead a heavy-metal band as a woman?
I like anyone who’s a strong upfront personality, Paul Stanley from KISS in the '80s, Doro Pesch from Warlock, Wendy O. Williams from the Plasmatics. But I’m much more influenced by men. Our van broke down on this tour, and I found myself sitting with 11 other guys. This is just a different life I’ve chosen for myself. I’m used to being the only female who’s not the audience for the most part.

Do you find that Toronto’s kind of myopic and indie-centric? Do you have more of a response in smaller towns like Thunder Bay?
We just played Thunder Bay this week. People called us “tomahawk rock,” which was a really cool compliment for us. I think while Canadians really relate to our music, Torontonians don’t necessarily get it. It’s like, they may have heard of us at one time, but when people make up their minds, that’s all you get. In Thunder Bay obviously we’re the only show going on in town, so we are it.

It must be frustrating to play a show in your hometown where everyone has their arms crossed.
Exactly — you got it. For the people who don’t generally listen to heavy metal, I think Toronto is sort of coming around. It’s funny because people from all over Canada will move to Toronto thinking it’s the centre of heavy music in Canada. Heavy metal is not the type of music where you spend the show looking around to see who’s in the audience. It’s about saying, “Fuck yeah, that fucking rules, let’s stay out until 7am to take on the night.”


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BY Chandler Levack March 26, 2010 15:03

Toronto hair-metal group Diemonds have a serious problem: they’re a real band that everyone thinks is a joke. “It’s because of the fact that there’s other bands who are doing a similar style of music and are actually a joke band,” says the band’s feisty lead singer Priya, who's often compared to Tia Carrere’s hard-rocking babe in Wayne’s World. “For example, they wear wigs and write songs that are clearly hokey caricatures of the type of music we like. We don’t see ourselves that way - we write songs, we tour. We would never write a song like Steel Panther’s ‘Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’.”

Having modeled herself on KISS' Paul Stanley ('80s era) and The Plasmatics' Wendy O. Williams, Priya leads a quartet that includes C.C. Diemonds on guitar, Cuzo on bass and Al Biddle on drums, creating major head bangers that veer every so slightly into The Darkness. With the band currently on a cross-Canada tour with Santa Cruz rockers Dirty Penny, EYE WEEKLY spoke to Priya about being called “tomahawk rock,” her love of Ratt and the band’s Jägermeister sponsorship. Diemonds plays Wrongbar (1279 Queen W.) tonight.

How did your love of metal blossom?
I first started listening to it in high school, mostly to hard rock like Guns N’ Roses, KISS; the first bands I ever liked were always image-based. Then I found it was hard to leave hard rock behind. It’s become an obsession over the years and I haven’t outgrown it; I have to be around loud music all the time, it’s like a drug. Even if our band isn’t playing shows, I’ll spend all my money on all the big arena concerts. I end up spending a lot more on music than I make.

Do you f - Eye Weekly

By Scott TavenerIt's a shame that "wail" -- à la Wayne's World -- never entered popular vernacular. Sure, babies and banshees are constantly wailing, but never in a good way. Bob Marley's band wailed, though on a different plain entirely. Despite always wanting to use the word, there needed to be exactly the right moment. So, without further ado: like Crucial Taunt, Toronto's Diemonds really do wail. The conceit -- glam/hair metal revival -- is a tricky line to toe, constantly careening toward parody, but Diemonds were dead serious and the commitment worked as they blazed through an afternoon half-pipe set. It didn't hurt that frontwoman Priya Panda has the perfect stadium-metal DNA: big voice, fantastic snarl and leather pants. And boy, does she ever wail. - EXCLAIM

Priya Panda purchased new white leather pants to kick off Diemonds' Loud N' Nasty cross-Canada tour on Saturday.

Evidently this did not limit her mobility, as she swayed and strutted sexily, howling her staccato Axl-inspired phrasing through a concise set of tunes from their In the Rough debut.

Stuffed into awfully tight pants himself, the stylishly malnourished CC Diemond provided his usual vaguely iconic riffing, thrusting towards an adoring contingent of rock and roll ladies who appeared more than open to his suggestion.

The highlight was bassist Paul Mancuso's take no prisoners vocal turn on Dee Dee Ramone's "The Crusher."

Most Diemonds media coverage can't help but focus on Panda's extreme sex appeal. It should be noted that her charm goes beyond the immediate hormonal reaction she provokes in males. She glares over the microphone with large brown eyes and manages something strangely familiar to the Dylan death mask. Her natural stage presence is considerable. Men desire her yes, but women admire her. This should help Diemonds develop the countrywide fan base they covet.

These shiny, image-conscious Diemonds have screeched to the converted for the past couple years. The sycophantic Bovine faithful in their highly appropriate Bad Company cut-offs jostle for room on the Diemonds bandwagon because they sound like the bands immortalized in their too-tight t-shirt collections.

It will be interesting to see how they are received in towns like Sault Ste. Marie where small crowds of hardcores and punks with a lot of suburban rage to exorcise in one night will make up their audience.

With familiar-sounding crowd pleasers like "Highway" and "Free N' Easy," expect tour stops big and small to feel Diemonds' sleazy brand of noise. - Exclaim

Forget new music -- Diemonds prefer to relive the '80s, when punks were punks and rockers were hedonists, complete with the babes, beer and rock n' roll ruckus.
"We're about good times and a cheap buzz," says guitarist C.C. Diemond, perched in the back corner of dingy east-end strip club Jilly's with the rest of the band.

Diemond not only looks the part but acts it too, still recovering from a "near fatal" accident filming their YouTube video for Highway, wherein a guitar solo out the door of a speeding van turned ugly.

"Rock n' roll wouldn't let me die. I haven't left my mark yet," he laughs.

The Toronto-based four-piece are staunch devotees of classic rock, in life and in sound, mixing Ramones-era punk and '80s hair metal. The cowbell and scissor kicks of the infamous Girls Girls Girls Motley Crue era are in there, with one key difference: Their lead singer is a girl, albeit a unique one.

"I guess I typically have hung out with males more so than females," says the 22-year-old Priya Panda -- lover of pinball and hot sauce -- shopkeeper by day.

Amused by the so-called sleaze rock of idolized band Kiss, Panda made it onto MuchMusic last year to ask guitarist Gene Simmons how she should deal with male groupies, to which Simmons replied, "It's different for girls and guys -- you know that. You should be careful who you even let say hello to you."

Panda's bandmates, at least, think of her as one of the boys.

"Priya is the nastiest one of all of us ... but it's definitely a paradox to see her sing 'lock up your daughter, lock up your wife' (an AC/DC cover)," laughs bassist Cuzo.
"There's an element of male chauvinism," says C.C. "But we don't want to be categorized with Warrant."
Cuzo agrees: "We don't want to be the Cherry Pie guys."

Panda has run into machismo attitudes outside the band, as the one in charge of promoting their self-released debut EP, In the Rough.

"When I call to book shows, as a girl, it's harder for me -- it is. It may just be inexperience, but we've played hundreds of shows," says Panda.

Politics aside, the band look forward to more experiences as they take the van cross-country for the Loud 'N' Nasty tour, hitting the Rickshaw Theatre on June 24. - 24 Hours Wknd Edition

Say hello to Diemonds direct from the Canadian gutter. They sent us their EP In the Rough. But that reads better when you include their name, "Diemonds' In the Rough."

It took me over two weeks to do this review because I was mostly jerking off looking at lead singer Priya Panda. I first put the EP on my iPod and it kicked me right in the testicles and took my breath away. Diemonds sounds like Motley Crue fucked Guns N' Roses and that resulting band was fronted by a smoking hot woman. From note one of Start Over, you can tell this EP will be dripping with the cum stained residue of Glam metal bukkake and all sticky in 70's punk attitude.

The main riff of Start Over is the obvious successor to any bluesy riff from Appettite for Destruction. It has the ballsy guitar, the thumping Duff McKagen like bass, and Izzy Stradlin like guitar work. Diemonds definitely studied their heroes and are ready to take up the rock mantle.

The second song Highway is the best music the Union Dead never made. It doesn't have the creative lyrics of Dresden James, but it has the cutest, playful, yet dirty vocal stylings of Priya. C.C. Diemond rips through solos after solos. In fact, the songs are just held together by solos after solos...and there isn't anything wrong with that.

Most songs on this seven song EP boot-to-the-gut are not longer than three minutes. That moves in on Ramones territory - get in, say what you want, and get out. Just like my Friday night fling except I am left crying.

I can't decide which song on this EP I prefer more. I guess it depends on what I am doing. If I am like Nikki Sixx and raping a girl in the closet, I would choose Free N' Easy, Highway, or Start Over. All fast paced anthems with a throbbing rhythm section great for helping me keep the pounding.

If I am outrunning the cops, I need a bad ass chase song, so I would go with Head in the Clouds. That song makes me want to stomp on the gas and fly down the bike only path slamming into pedestrians and announcing "SLEAZE ROCK IS BACK!"

This is a great EP and you need to buy it if you are fan of sex, sleaze, this website, and/or Guns N' Roses. If you are not a fan of those things go back to China, you fuckhead. You don't belong!

You can buy the EP directly from Diemond's MySpace site. You can also check them out on tour which I am sure is dripping with sweat, glitter, and cum. If they play Philadelphia, we will be sure to grab a show review.
- Blogs n' Roses

First off, I want Diemonds to know how much I appreciate their DIY approach to marketing. In the Rough is wrapped in a hand-screened digipak with old-skull Xeroxed lyrics nearly folded in (they're unreadable unless you've got tiny fucking eyes, but whatever) and topped off with a once-inch button to pin on the lapel of your leather jacket. It's obviously a labor of love, and I salute 'em for it.
And here's the even-better news: they play sleazy, hook-heavy flash-rock, and they've got a hot, pint-sized front-fox with arena-rocking pipes. Young, tough, and Canadian (C'mon, it's possible), Diemonds have clearly spent many ruinous nights chugging whiskey and listening to crackly old Crue and GN'R tapes, and this is the result of their misspent youth, a seven-shot battering of slithery guitars, fuck-on-the-floor glam-metal, punk-snarl, and radio-ready pop-hooks.
If I was the dude in charge, I'd flood the airwaves with White Walls, an epic bout of panicky, Blondie-meets-Guns awesomeness that it so, so shamelessly fuckable that it's practically pornographic. A stellar debut that'll sleaze everybody from Donnas fans to Sunset Strip holdouts.
- Sleazegrinder

Eye Weekly - Toronto
http://www.eyeweekly.com/music/ondisc/article/47405

Diemonds: In The Rough
Independent
By Chris Rolfe
Editorial Rating: 4/5

Residing in the nether-region between ’70s glam-punk and ’80s hair metal, Toronto’s Diemonds mine all the headbands N’ mirrored sunglasses stuff that initially made Guns N’ Roses such a gas.
Luckily, singer Priya Panda has no problem reaching the high notes, and her coiffure looks infinitely better than you-know-whose. Indeed, the line “Can’t you see I’m a real motherfucker?” (on “Free N’Easy”) might just be directed at
Axl himself.
Regardless, Diemonds’ genuine ass-kickingness amid a sea of mediocre indie (and outtie) hair bands makes this act very much welcome. Catch them in a jungle near you. - Eye Weekly

EXCLAIM - Canada's Music Authority
http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=128&csid2=850&fid1=35041

Diemonds
In The Rough
By Keith Carman

Toronto, ON’s Diemonds may be too young to have seen hair metal’s first incarnation or even to have caught the resurgence boat a few years ago but it hasn’t stopped them from carving their own sea-worthy vessel.
Snotty L.A.-inspired cock rock that pulls heavily from the likes of early Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses, one wonders if this is the work of a new band or a collection of unreleased songs re-recorded with a female singer.
Thankfully it’s the former and Diemonds’ dedication to their
craft, coupled with the fact that neither of the aforementioned bigwigs have released anything with this much snot and piss’n’vinegar since their salad days, ensures In The Rough has all of the coarse edges, energy and enthusiasm such music requires to truly stand out.
With upbeat rockers featuring plenty of the “Hot For Teacher”-esque rhythm shuffle, ballsy, blues-based solos and singer Priya Panda’s sultry/brash vocal shifting, Diemonds are easily on the right track, making uneven edges cool again. (Independent) - EXCLAIM

Review By Cameron Miller / Photo: Diemonds MySpace
Exclusive to Rockstar Weekly

Diemonds are a recent product of the endlessly talented Toronto metal scene. They played the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver on their first ever Canadian tour. Although the show took place on a Wednesday night with little notice, energy was high and those with enough knowledge of the scene to have heard about the show or listened to the band excitedly lined up at the door.

The Rickshaw Theatre, for those who have not yet had the chance to go, is a renovated former movie theatre opened earlier this month, which has been sitting idle and unused since 1984. WIth a capacity over 500, a balcony, and convenient location just off Main and Hastings, this venue has the potential to remedy Vancouver's lack of decent sized inexpensive local venues. The sound is good, the staff are friendly, and the ceilings are 40 feet high. While the partially seated floor admittedly detracts a little from the rock 'n roll vibe, it also greatly lowers the risk of the Rickshaw being booked up by pseudo-ironic hipster DJ dance nights, as has been recent the fate of so many other live music venues.

Local act Hugenelk (Pronounced 'Huge-Nelk,' not 'Hugen-Elk' or 'Huge-Neck' like I originally thought) played before Diemonds. Although they seemed a little uncomfortable on the Rickshaw's large stage, they had a professional sound and played tightly together. Their brand of heavy, 70's psychedelic inspired rock got the crowd out of their seats and a few beers in, although I probably would have appreciated it more if it was '73 and I was tripping on acid.

When Diemonds finally took the stage, Vancouver's community of glam/sleaze metal fans was finally brought together in a way that no current local act has yet been able to accomplish. For the first time in years, there was not a hipster in sight. Headbangers with teased hair, tattoos and skin tight jeans all emerged to line the stage from...where? I haven't seen many of them at other local shows, I haven't seen them at parties, and I sure haven't see them on Granville Street. Diemonds drunken, hard-partying energy, along with the mysterious, magical atmosphere of the Rickshaw seem to have genuinely brought the 80's back to Vancouver for one night only.

As the band burst into their first song, the less-than-packed theatre filled to the brim with excitement. All of their songs are loud and catchy, impossibly crammed into less than 3 minutes each. The band collectively looked like they should be playing a stadium. The beautiful lead singer Priya Panda strutted the stage and teased the audience like a true performer, drawing an unavoidable comparison to Cassandra, the singer and dream girl from Wayne's World. Guitarist C.C. Diemond played with the confidence and feel of a seasoned veteran, and the rhythm section was locked in.

Perhaps the best thing about Diemonds is how legitimate and true to their genre they remain, in an age and local scene that largely doesn't know what to make of them. I've heard them compared to the popular LA jokeband Steel Panther, but the difference is, Diemonds are completely serious about what they do. No changing out of their 'costumes' and laughing about it in the dressing room after- these guys live and breathe what their music stands for.

Those who say that Diemonds are stuck in the 80's couldn't be more wrong. Recent rock 'n roll has become safe, tame, watered down and faceless through mass production and the media. The current hipster trend has been to appreciate musical genres and movements only ironically or as jokes, while remaining safely unattached to any subculture, lest it become uncool. Diemonds are ahead of their time, as one of the few bands confidently pioneering and fully devoted to the genre they love, without worrying about the reaction it might get them. Look for this band returning to Vancouver to play a packed Commodore Ballroom in a few years, once people wake up and realize that the joke is actually on them, because this music is 100% real.

www.myspace.com/diemonds - Rock Star Weekly