You Say Party! We Say Die! killed at the Canadian (photos)

If ever given the opportunity to meet You Say Party! We Say Die!, please take my advice and do not compare them to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

As I sat and chatted with YSP!WSD! following their Sunday-night performance at the Canadian Night Club, the mention of this constant comparison by music critics was met with cries of disgust.

Not that there's anything wrong with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

"It's just an inappropriate comparison," said keyboard player Krista Loewen.

They seemed happy when told they are a unique blend of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Jesus and Mary Chain and the B-52s.

"We love you," said singer Becky Ninkovic.

More difficult than defining their sound is determining the origin of their name.

"We chose not to be a 'the' band," explained bass player Stephen O'Shea, even though he admitted they were almost called the Clap.

Try explaining that to your parents.

O'Shea said they wanted something unique that portrayed the audience-focused intensity of their live show and the exclamation points look cool.

Multi-phrased, punctuation laden band names like the Vegas-based Panic! at the Disco and the UK's Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. are no longer that unusual.

"People are trying to be original and yet the Internet can make it a trend immediately," said O'Shea.

Unfortunately the individual who came up with their name in the first place is no longer a member, so the true origins may never be known.

Yes, their sound is unique and yes, their name is definitely original.

But the most unusual thing about YSP!WSD! is their determination and the constant upward trajectory of their relatively short career.

After playing their first live gig in April 2004, they have released one EP, two full-length albums, have toured Canada, the USA, the UK and Europe twice, are a new addition to the Paperbag Records family and have no intentions of slowing down.

"It takes an album to really tour," explained O'Shea.

"We did a tour a year after we'd made a name for ourselves in Vancouver and still, all across Canada we played some really awful shows. Had we gone any sooner, I'm sure we would have broken up just because of how hard touring can be.

"The first test of a band is to go into the studio and record. If you can make it through that, you're on your way to something. And if you survive a tour after that, you've made it and you can carry on."

The all-ages audience at the Canadian Night Club was happy YSP!WSD! decided to carry on as their irresistible sound won over many who had never heard them before and strengthened the love of those who had.

Although the band arrived late to the gig due to time-change forgetfulness, transportation issues and navigational miscalculations, the fatigue of the road had no effect on their performance.

It was a great show by a great band.

They may have fed from the energy of the Revue who opened the night with an amazingly powerful performance, setting the stage for a night of booty-shaking.

So what's next for You Say Party! We Say Die!?

As O'Shea put it, "We just wanna keep playing shows, keep touring and pay our rent."