Thursday, 20 November 2014
Monday, 15 September 2014
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Barenaked Ladies w/ Moon vs. Sun
September 6th, 2014 - Malkin Bowl, Vancouver, B.C.
Seeing the Barenaked Ladies has been a 'bucket list' item for me since I was a teenager. They always seem like the epitome of Canadian bands to see live. When Steven Page left the band in February 2009 I thought that this wouldn't happen, but the band played on and here I had a real chance to see them. While they did perform at the Medal Ceremony at the Olympics in 2010 here in Vancouver and I did attend, it was a short set and a different vibe.
Starting with the start of the night, the opening band, to my surprise, was a group I'd never heard of, 'Moon vs. Sun'. Once they came out on stage, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Moon vs. Sun is composed of Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida, her husband and front man from Our Lady Peace. They opened with 'Clumsy', one of my personal favourite OLP songs and this acoustic version was just awesome. This was the highlight of the set for me.
The couple alternated singing songs that featured piano with Chantal and then acoustic guitar with Raine singing which gave a disjointed feel to the performance, as if it were two acts competing for stage time but accompanied by the same back-up cello. The pair had written songs together, they said two in two years and since this was their first official gig as Moon vs. Sun (Pronounced Moon verse Sun, not versus apparently) they were going to share them. A few songs in they worked their way into one of their compositions and immediately had a train wreck. It left the audience wondering what had gotten into Maida as he just jumped in and started singing the wrong words, which a confused Kerviazuk trying to back him up. Then they stopped, had a laugh and started again. The chart was sound enough once they were into it.
They worked their way though a few more covers with banter back and forth that left the audience wondering if we were witnessing an inside joke or the crumbling of their marriage on stage. Finally, they got to their second new team-composed song only to have another total disaster as the song started. They wound their way though the long intro Kreviazuk started a one-sided discussion with the audience and then left Maida to try and make his entrance. He got a little ways in before Kreviazuk stopped and demanded, 'What are you doing?' toward her husband. He stammered a non answer about her talking to people and they started again only her to say that she was wrong, he had been right to start with.
That part of the show was somewhat overshadowed by what appeared to be a display of the exact reason that artists tend to not marry other artists.
After an amazingly short break we were on to the big show, BNL.
They came out, as expected, to Limits. They used some recorded backgrounds in this and a few other tracks during the show. It's a necessary evil since they use so many effects in their music but it always gives me a little bit of a sour taste since I feel like I'm always in search of authenticity on stage but here the use was minimal and made the show better.
Ed Robertson is still Ed Robertson after all these years of singing the same songs, he still makes them feel fresh and exciting for the audience. Jim Creeggan is a show-stealer, bouncing around and taking up the whole stage, switching between string bass with and without a bow as well as electric bass. Watching him, a thought occurred to me. I wonder how many miles are on that string bass? Lots I assume.
Light Up My Room has always been a BNL favorite of mine and I was elated when it was in the set list. Not long after that they brought out a guitarist from backstage, introducing him simply as 'Arvid' who played with Kevin Hearn in the past with Lou Reed's band. They laughed about how crappy of an intro that was and joked asking, "Who are you?" to him. The jokes quit, though, when during Keeping It Real Arvid laid down an epic, bluesy, less is more, guitar melting solo while trading licks with Kevin Hearn. Ed Robertson appeared to be enjoying himself to the nth degree while the audience was shocked and appreciative. Wow.
Somewhat disappointingly, the mysterious 'Arvid' disappeared after the one song, I for one, hoped he'd return. The Ladies went to their acoustic set with the boys crowded around one mic and Hearn playing guitar and wandering the stage. Always comedic, they had a great time with Sound of your Voice, at one point the background vocals becoming progressively more insistent until they were yelling, but then calming right back down. Great showmanship but maybe affected some of their harmonies. A worthwhile tradeoff in my opinion.
During this acoustic portion they also each did solos on various instruments, finally ending with a triangle solo by Tyler Stewart, after which Robertson commented on the bravery of doing a solo on an instrument with one note.
They did a great job of interacting with the crowd and working the entire stage while keeping the energy level up. Creeggan seems to really enjoy being a rock star and has all the poses down. Musically it was a sound performance with only Easy in the first set feeling a little unusual. I wasn't sure if they took it down in key or what, but it just felt a little off vocally.
The end of the set pulled a variety of hits into the ever popular Barenked Rap incorporating songs like Royals, and really pulling off the meshing like arrangement experts.
They left the stage to rabid applause and the roles had been switched when they came back on with Robertson sitting down comfortably at the drum set and Stewart moving to center stage to lead the band through the entire finale.
It started with Alcohol but the version was vastly different and felt much less musical than the album version. They didn't seem to add too much substance to the live version. Whatever Alcohol lost, though, their cover of 'Blister In The Sun' regained. After jokes about the ferocity of a night when Stewart wears a teal shirt, they went out strong. Finishing with a somewhat surprising Led Zeppelin cover of 'A Whole Lotta Love' was a strength and after they bowed and Robertson threw his drumsticks in a very particular fashion they left the stage. Roberson had joked that his favouite thing to do to unwind after a show in Vancouver was to take a red-eye to Montreal leaving those of us thinking about autographs knowing that he wouldn't be sticking around to meet fans.
Highlights: Clumsy, Raine Maida, Arvid, beautiful scenery, triangle solo, string bass, bongos.
Lowlights: Marital strife, introductory screw ups, no additional guests (apparently Sarah McLachlan was backstage), no DSLR's in the venue, Alcohol (song, not beverage)
Setlist:
Created with flickr slideshow.
Starting with the start of the night, the opening band, to my surprise, was a group I'd never heard of, 'Moon vs. Sun'. Once they came out on stage, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Moon vs. Sun is composed of Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida, her husband and front man from Our Lady Peace. They opened with 'Clumsy', one of my personal favourite OLP songs and this acoustic version was just awesome. This was the highlight of the set for me.
The couple alternated singing songs that featured piano with Chantal and then acoustic guitar with Raine singing which gave a disjointed feel to the performance, as if it were two acts competing for stage time but accompanied by the same back-up cello. The pair had written songs together, they said two in two years and since this was their first official gig as Moon vs. Sun (Pronounced Moon verse Sun, not versus apparently) they were going to share them. A few songs in they worked their way into one of their compositions and immediately had a train wreck. It left the audience wondering what had gotten into Maida as he just jumped in and started singing the wrong words, which a confused Kerviazuk trying to back him up. Then they stopped, had a laugh and started again. The chart was sound enough once they were into it.
They worked their way though a few more covers with banter back and forth that left the audience wondering if we were witnessing an inside joke or the crumbling of their marriage on stage. Finally, they got to their second new team-composed song only to have another total disaster as the song started. They wound their way though the long intro Kreviazuk started a one-sided discussion with the audience and then left Maida to try and make his entrance. He got a little ways in before Kreviazuk stopped and demanded, 'What are you doing?' toward her husband. He stammered a non answer about her talking to people and they started again only her to say that she was wrong, he had been right to start with.
That part of the show was somewhat overshadowed by what appeared to be a display of the exact reason that artists tend to not marry other artists.
After an amazingly short break we were on to the big show, BNL.
They came out, as expected, to Limits. They used some recorded backgrounds in this and a few other tracks during the show. It's a necessary evil since they use so many effects in their music but it always gives me a little bit of a sour taste since I feel like I'm always in search of authenticity on stage but here the use was minimal and made the show better.
Ed Robertson is still Ed Robertson after all these years of singing the same songs, he still makes them feel fresh and exciting for the audience. Jim Creeggan is a show-stealer, bouncing around and taking up the whole stage, switching between string bass with and without a bow as well as electric bass. Watching him, a thought occurred to me. I wonder how many miles are on that string bass? Lots I assume.
Light Up My Room has always been a BNL favorite of mine and I was elated when it was in the set list. Not long after that they brought out a guitarist from backstage, introducing him simply as 'Arvid' who played with Kevin Hearn in the past with Lou Reed's band. They laughed about how crappy of an intro that was and joked asking, "Who are you?" to him. The jokes quit, though, when during Keeping It Real Arvid laid down an epic, bluesy, less is more, guitar melting solo while trading licks with Kevin Hearn. Ed Robertson appeared to be enjoying himself to the nth degree while the audience was shocked and appreciative. Wow.
Somewhat disappointingly, the mysterious 'Arvid' disappeared after the one song, I for one, hoped he'd return. The Ladies went to their acoustic set with the boys crowded around one mic and Hearn playing guitar and wandering the stage. Always comedic, they had a great time with Sound of your Voice, at one point the background vocals becoming progressively more insistent until they were yelling, but then calming right back down. Great showmanship but maybe affected some of their harmonies. A worthwhile tradeoff in my opinion.
During this acoustic portion they also each did solos on various instruments, finally ending with a triangle solo by Tyler Stewart, after which Robertson commented on the bravery of doing a solo on an instrument with one note.
They did a great job of interacting with the crowd and working the entire stage while keeping the energy level up. Creeggan seems to really enjoy being a rock star and has all the poses down. Musically it was a sound performance with only Easy in the first set feeling a little unusual. I wasn't sure if they took it down in key or what, but it just felt a little off vocally.
The end of the set pulled a variety of hits into the ever popular Barenked Rap incorporating songs like Royals, and really pulling off the meshing like arrangement experts.
They left the stage to rabid applause and the roles had been switched when they came back on with Robertson sitting down comfortably at the drum set and Stewart moving to center stage to lead the band through the entire finale.
It started with Alcohol but the version was vastly different and felt much less musical than the album version. They didn't seem to add too much substance to the live version. Whatever Alcohol lost, though, their cover of 'Blister In The Sun' regained. After jokes about the ferocity of a night when Stewart wears a teal shirt, they went out strong. Finishing with a somewhat surprising Led Zeppelin cover of 'A Whole Lotta Love' was a strength and after they bowed and Robertson threw his drumsticks in a very particular fashion they left the stage. Roberson had joked that his favouite thing to do to unwind after a show in Vancouver was to take a red-eye to Montreal leaving those of us thinking about autographs knowing that he wouldn't be sticking around to meet fans.
Highlights: Clumsy, Raine Maida, Arvid, beautiful scenery, triangle solo, string bass, bongos.
Lowlights: Marital strife, introductory screw ups, no additional guests (apparently Sarah McLachlan was backstage), no DSLR's in the venue, Alcohol (song, not beverage)
Setlist:
- Limits
- Grade 9
- Pinch Me
- Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Bruce Cockburn cover)
- Gonna Walk
- Light Up My Room
- Keepin' It Real
- Sound of Your Voice (Acoustic)
- I Can Sing (Acoustic)
- Blame It on Me (Acoustic)
- Brian Wilson
- Did I Say That Out Loud?
- Easy
- Odds Are
- Big Bang Theory Theme
- One Week
- If I Had $1,000,000
- Barenaked Rap
Encore: - Alcohol
- Blister in the Sun (Violent Femmes cover)
- Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover)
Created with flickr slideshow.
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Jack White Concert: Deer Lake Park
August 28th, 2014 - Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, B.C.
Whether you like is music or not, you have to admit Jack White is a musician. The show he put on in Deer Lake Park showed not only musicianship, but how true artists are. A little bit unusual, a little bit obsessive compulsive about their art form and dedicated to their craft. He was an artist always on the periphery for me until I saw It Might Get Loud. The documentary showcased that he is a true musician, a student of music and no matter what your opinion of the music he puts out, he has studied the history and craft of the guitar. He can sit across from two masters, The Edge and Jimmy Page, and be seen as an equal.
The songs in the set were interesting choices and admittedly, I didn't know a few of them. I was somewhat disappointed not to get to hear 'Love Interrupted' or 'I'm Shakin'', but I blame the rules of Deer Lake Park, situated solidly in the 'no fun' Vancouver area where a curfew limited the length of the show. I can't see White sacrificing his vision of his artistry for time. He knows what he wants and if it coincides with what the crowd wants, so be it. If not, I don't think he's too worried about it. So cutting the 'hits' probably didn't bother him all that much.
For the first time at a show I've been to, before the headliner came out the crowd was instructed to not take photos. He explained the show "spans the 40 feet in front of you" and seeing it through a 3 and a half inch screen will not give you the whole experience. Fans were directed to the web site where their professional photographer would be posting photos after the show for free. I have to say I liked this and while they didn't stop people from taking their own photos, (I took a few as well) it did allow the crowd to invest in the show and not the little buttons and glowing screens in front of them.
Like many greats, White had very little to actually say to the crowd. He wasn't rude, but said more with music than anything else. His best line of the night came at the end, "You've been great and I've been Jack White". Indeed he was.
The opener, Curtis Harding, said that White should be bedridden with a badly sprained ankle. When I first heard that he was advised to cancel this set of shows because of the ankle I had visions of B.B. King playing on a stool for a crowd, or even Clapton or the Eagles who tend to sit a little bit. I rather would have had that than a cancellation. Also, part of me wasn't to sympathetic. Having had messed up appendages before and played sports, how hard can it be to sing and play the guitar?
However, after seeing the performance and the unrelenting way that he presents himself, I can see how White would rather cancel then attempt to half-ass his way though a gig. From the moment he walked out casually and started to play he covered all of the stage, climbing on speakers and amps to get to members of his band. He showed little sign of his injury and in the first half of the show wore dress shoes with a heel that could only have made the alleged sprain worse. The only time he stopped was when he sat briefly at the piano. However, after a short break when he took the stage again, from our angle at the front he was lit as he re-entered, visibly limping badly and without shoes at all. In the professional photos, the bruising and swelling along his heel can be seen as he sports one skinny, bony foot and one in a brace and tensor bandage. Lumpy, swollen and bruised. Immediately the basketball player in me empathized with him and was impressed with the lack of care he seemed to give the injury. He sat quickly 2 or 3 times in the encore half, once to adjust the slipping tensor. The man is a warrior.
The musicians he performed with had an interesting vibe from the stage. The drummer in particular seemed to be friendly with White but when the band bowed at the end, the band grouped three on one side with arms around each other and then two on the other in a hug with White in the middle. There is a physical space there. One would think that they would jump to get an arm around him with the ankle injury but they left him on his own. Read into it what you will.
The show is a show, from end to end, everything was showered in blue and white light. Every detail was attended to from the blue hue of the drum heads to the silver dipped string bass and violin. There was a screen buzzing to sound waves, round lights that look like they were re-used from a show from my past, a funky sound bender that was played by the band master and white covers for the monitors. Roadies didn't dress in black jeans and t shirts but suits and jazz hats, complete with ties. I mistakenly pegged them as musicians waiting in the wings before the show but I was incorrect. They were testing, tuning and mixing looking like they should be on stage performing. Meanwhile, White's band looked sharp but he himself wore what looked like pinstriped jeans and a plain black t-shirt. The artist strikes again.
In a Bob Dylan way, pretty much every song was different than the recorded version, again showcasing his musicianship. It's not a complaint because it's who he is, but sometimes it's nice to find a chart or two in a set that you can sing along to. He's just not kind of that musician. 'Steady As She Goes' had some interesting changes in it. Whether it was key or just a different vibe it was unusually hard for me to pinpoint, but I liked what they did, whatever it was. Usually I shudder at the 'big hits' at shows (see also Eric Clapton-Tears in Heaven) and when the crowd started singing the main lick from Seven Nation Army I kind of rolled my eyes. As a closing chart, though, White surprisingly embraced the main-stream-ness of it and even allowed the crowd to sing the band part while he sang the third verse over top.
It was an experience. I'd go again in a heartbeat. Jack White shows seem to have this train-wreck quality to them. You never know what's going to happen, you can't predict the outcome but it's going to be noisy, crazy and reckless, steamrolling everything in it's path until finally it settles and you leave the scene shaking your head in amazement and wondering what exactly it was you just witnessed.
Highlights: Crowd Vibe, silver string bass, Steady As She Goes, friendly security guards, merch tent
Lowlights: Idiot pot smokers, a field full litter on the ground as we left, lack of 'sing-along-ability'.
Set List:
15. Icky Thump (The White Stripes)
16. Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes)
17. Hello Operator (The White Stripes)
18. Blunderbuss
Created with flickr slideshow.
Whether you like is music or not, you have to admit Jack White is a musician. The show he put on in Deer Lake Park showed not only musicianship, but how true artists are. A little bit unusual, a little bit obsessive compulsive about their art form and dedicated to their craft. He was an artist always on the periphery for me until I saw It Might Get Loud. The documentary showcased that he is a true musician, a student of music and no matter what your opinion of the music he puts out, he has studied the history and craft of the guitar. He can sit across from two masters, The Edge and Jimmy Page, and be seen as an equal.The songs in the set were interesting choices and admittedly, I didn't know a few of them. I was somewhat disappointed not to get to hear 'Love Interrupted' or 'I'm Shakin'', but I blame the rules of Deer Lake Park, situated solidly in the 'no fun' Vancouver area where a curfew limited the length of the show. I can't see White sacrificing his vision of his artistry for time. He knows what he wants and if it coincides with what the crowd wants, so be it. If not, I don't think he's too worried about it. So cutting the 'hits' probably didn't bother him all that much.
For the first time at a show I've been to, before the headliner came out the crowd was instructed to not take photos. He explained the show "spans the 40 feet in front of you" and seeing it through a 3 and a half inch screen will not give you the whole experience. Fans were directed to the web site where their professional photographer would be posting photos after the show for free. I have to say I liked this and while they didn't stop people from taking their own photos, (I took a few as well) it did allow the crowd to invest in the show and not the little buttons and glowing screens in front of them.
Like many greats, White had very little to actually say to the crowd. He wasn't rude, but said more with music than anything else. His best line of the night came at the end, "You've been great and I've been Jack White". Indeed he was.
The opener, Curtis Harding, said that White should be bedridden with a badly sprained ankle. When I first heard that he was advised to cancel this set of shows because of the ankle I had visions of B.B. King playing on a stool for a crowd, or even Clapton or the Eagles who tend to sit a little bit. I rather would have had that than a cancellation. Also, part of me wasn't to sympathetic. Having had messed up appendages before and played sports, how hard can it be to sing and play the guitar?
However, after seeing the performance and the unrelenting way that he presents himself, I can see how White would rather cancel then attempt to half-ass his way though a gig. From the moment he walked out casually and started to play he covered all of the stage, climbing on speakers and amps to get to members of his band. He showed little sign of his injury and in the first half of the show wore dress shoes with a heel that could only have made the alleged sprain worse. The only time he stopped was when he sat briefly at the piano. However, after a short break when he took the stage again, from our angle at the front he was lit as he re-entered, visibly limping badly and without shoes at all. In the professional photos, the bruising and swelling along his heel can be seen as he sports one skinny, bony foot and one in a brace and tensor bandage. Lumpy, swollen and bruised. Immediately the basketball player in me empathized with him and was impressed with the lack of care he seemed to give the injury. He sat quickly 2 or 3 times in the encore half, once to adjust the slipping tensor. The man is a warrior.
The musicians he performed with had an interesting vibe from the stage. The drummer in particular seemed to be friendly with White but when the band bowed at the end, the band grouped three on one side with arms around each other and then two on the other in a hug with White in the middle. There is a physical space there. One would think that they would jump to get an arm around him with the ankle injury but they left him on his own. Read into it what you will.
The show is a show, from end to end, everything was showered in blue and white light. Every detail was attended to from the blue hue of the drum heads to the silver dipped string bass and violin. There was a screen buzzing to sound waves, round lights that look like they were re-used from a show from my past, a funky sound bender that was played by the band master and white covers for the monitors. Roadies didn't dress in black jeans and t shirts but suits and jazz hats, complete with ties. I mistakenly pegged them as musicians waiting in the wings before the show but I was incorrect. They were testing, tuning and mixing looking like they should be on stage performing. Meanwhile, White's band looked sharp but he himself wore what looked like pinstriped jeans and a plain black t-shirt. The artist strikes again.
In a Bob Dylan way, pretty much every song was different than the recorded version, again showcasing his musicianship. It's not a complaint because it's who he is, but sometimes it's nice to find a chart or two in a set that you can sing along to. He's just not kind of that musician. 'Steady As She Goes' had some interesting changes in it. Whether it was key or just a different vibe it was unusually hard for me to pinpoint, but I liked what they did, whatever it was. Usually I shudder at the 'big hits' at shows (see also Eric Clapton-Tears in Heaven) and when the crowd started singing the main lick from Seven Nation Army I kind of rolled my eyes. As a closing chart, though, White surprisingly embraced the main-stream-ness of it and even allowed the crowd to sing the band part while he sang the third verse over top.
It was an experience. I'd go again in a heartbeat. Jack White shows seem to have this train-wreck quality to them. You never know what's going to happen, you can't predict the outcome but it's going to be noisy, crazy and reckless, steamrolling everything in it's path until finally it settles and you leave the scene shaking your head in amazement and wondering what exactly it was you just witnessed.
Highlights: Crowd Vibe, silver string bass, Steady As She Goes, friendly security guards, merch tent
Lowlights: Idiot pot smokers, a field full litter on the ground as we left, lack of 'sing-along-ability'.
Set List:
- High Ball Stepper
- Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (The White Stripes)
- Missing Pieces
- Just One Drink
- Hotel Yorba (The White Stripes)
- Temporary Ground
- Alone in My Home (Temporary Ground Snippet)
- Top Yourself (The Raconteurs)
- Sugar Never Tasted So Good (The White Stripes)
- The Same Boy You've Always Known (The White Stripes)
- Apple Blossom (The White Stripes)
- The Rose With the Broken Neck (Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi cover) (co authored for Rome project)
- I'm Slowly Turning Into You (The White Stripes)
- Steady, As She Goes (The Raconteurs)
15. Icky Thump (The White Stripes)
16. Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes)
17. Hello Operator (The White Stripes)
18. Blunderbuss
Created with flickr slideshow.
Sunday, 17 August 2014
Strumbellas - Juno Winner, Pub Band
August 14th 2014, The Green Frog, Bellingham WA
The Strumbellas have been a band just on the outside of my musical box since I picked up their free Starbucks download a little over a year ago. I liked what I heard, but just hadn't got around to it yet.
A friend of mine posted on Twitter that they were touring this area and the date for the Bellingham show. Looking into it the cost was just cover. I rounded up a couple of friends and headed down to the Green Frog in Bellingham, just about half an hour from my apartment in Canada.
First impressions of the venue were 'small', 'dark' and 'surprising'. Heading to the back we found grilled cheese and wings to order while we waited.
Taking the stage the band reminded me of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, particularly the lead singer who had the 'dirty hippie' look about him. Coming off the end of a long tour, the band seemed less energetic then they might have been otherwise and the lead vocals a lot looser than the album. Sound was kind of an issue and from where we were it came off muddy. The crowd was small and didn't get too close to the band but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The set list was very much hand-clapping and foot-stomping friendly with a little country flavor, I called them the Lumineers with an extra shot of country. The bass/drums were a highlight and steady and the harmonies, when nailed, were tight and comprised of chords that aren't traditional. The lead singer hauled out and up onto a bar-height table singing a song acoustic while standing among people's beers.
The show intrigued me enough to buy their newest album 'We Still Move On Dance Floors' on vinyl as it was offered at the show. After, the band came over and hung around and I had a great chat with the bass player. He said that a crowd of 60 was good for them on this tour and they were happy with the numbers.
Coming home and listening to the vinyl made me want for more so I promptly ordered their first (limited vinyl) album online. I am looking forward to seeing this band again, preferably in a better sounding venue when they are less road weary.
Highlights: Venue size, friendly merch girl and bass player, macaroni grilled cheese, coloured vinyl (orange), singing and stomping on the bar, cheap beer.
Lowlights: Muddy sound, tired vocals, loose set, not having done enough homework (not knowing the songs)
On an aside, (here comes a rant), taking not a single thing away from the Strumbellas I find it kind of ridiculous that a band that is happy to have 60 people at a show can win a Juno award while a band that sold out shows across Canada, the USA and internationally for TWENTY YEARS spreading Canadian music was never awarded anything. The band I'm talking about is Great Big Sea and it is an absolute disgrace that they were never properly recognized in their country.
However, I am happy that the Strumbellas were nominated for a Juno for their first album, My Father and the Hunter and won for their second album, We Still Move On Dance Floors. Much congratulations to them.
Created with flickr slideshow.
A friend of mine posted on Twitter that they were touring this area and the date for the Bellingham show. Looking into it the cost was just cover. I rounded up a couple of friends and headed down to the Green Frog in Bellingham, just about half an hour from my apartment in Canada.
First impressions of the venue were 'small', 'dark' and 'surprising'. Heading to the back we found grilled cheese and wings to order while we waited.
Taking the stage the band reminded me of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, particularly the lead singer who had the 'dirty hippie' look about him. Coming off the end of a long tour, the band seemed less energetic then they might have been otherwise and the lead vocals a lot looser than the album. Sound was kind of an issue and from where we were it came off muddy. The crowd was small and didn't get too close to the band but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The set list was very much hand-clapping and foot-stomping friendly with a little country flavor, I called them the Lumineers with an extra shot of country. The bass/drums were a highlight and steady and the harmonies, when nailed, were tight and comprised of chords that aren't traditional. The lead singer hauled out and up onto a bar-height table singing a song acoustic while standing among people's beers.
The show intrigued me enough to buy their newest album 'We Still Move On Dance Floors' on vinyl as it was offered at the show. After, the band came over and hung around and I had a great chat with the bass player. He said that a crowd of 60 was good for them on this tour and they were happy with the numbers.
Coming home and listening to the vinyl made me want for more so I promptly ordered their first (limited vinyl) album online. I am looking forward to seeing this band again, preferably in a better sounding venue when they are less road weary.
Highlights: Venue size, friendly merch girl and bass player, macaroni grilled cheese, coloured vinyl (orange), singing and stomping on the bar, cheap beer.
Lowlights: Muddy sound, tired vocals, loose set, not having done enough homework (not knowing the songs)
On an aside, (here comes a rant), taking not a single thing away from the Strumbellas I find it kind of ridiculous that a band that is happy to have 60 people at a show can win a Juno award while a band that sold out shows across Canada, the USA and internationally for TWENTY YEARS spreading Canadian music was never awarded anything. The band I'm talking about is Great Big Sea and it is an absolute disgrace that they were never properly recognized in their country.
However, I am happy that the Strumbellas were nominated for a Juno for their first album, My Father and the Hunter and won for their second album, We Still Move On Dance Floors. Much congratulations to them.
Created with flickr slideshow.
Thursday, 12 June 2014
Hugh Laurie Story: Didn't It Rain
House. Most of you probably know him as the misanthropic doctor from the TV Show 'House, M.D.' that ran on FOX from 2004-2012. Originally, I never really watched the show but I had friends who insisted that I should be watching it. They kept saying "You are House." Complete with a limp. Stumbling upon it when I lived in the north of Manitoba one bitter winter, I realized two things, 1) they were right and 2) Hugh Laurie is an amazing actor. The thing with actors and actresses for me is that they have to be so good that they literally jump off the screen. They feel real. Not the characters, but the actor as a human being. Laurie spoke to me in that way among an already stellar cast.As the years passed, I learned he was a musician. Well, don't we have that in common? I picked up a CD/DVD combo from a group called Band From TV, a group of celebrities that play music to raise money for charities.
When House was coming to a close, Laurie started to release albums and delve further into his music. He released a fantastic documentary called Let Them Talk about his blues pilgrimage to New Orleans. It culminated with a performance with Alan Toussaint, who I saw a few years ago as a 2nd headliner (behind Los Lonely Boys - seriously?) at the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival. By this time, I knew he was for real as a musician. Not only does he play piano like a true blues guy, he's got great swing and surrounds himself with top notch musicians. Not only that, but he knows his history. It's passion you can almost feel.
In the summer of 2013, word got out that Hugh Laurie was here in Vancouver filming a Disney movie called Tomorrowland. While many people were interested in finding George Clooney on the very secure set, my mission became Hugh Laurie. I mean, I wouldn't be complaining if I ran into Clooney either, but Laurie was my objective. His newest CD, Didn't It Rain was set to release in August. I headed down to Starbucks and picked it up vowing to get that bad boy signed. I even told the barista.I had a lead on the filming location, it was at the planetarium in Vancouver. I hopped on the skytrain and headed down there, finding the location and meeting up with a few other fans that had come out to watch. While I waited there were lots of extras, green screens and fans. At one point we saw Laurie just across the street from us. There was some discussion about trying to get his attention but we figured it was best to let them work and catch him on the way out. Unfortunately, after a few hours of waiting, he headed out without us noticing. I was defeated.
I was on vacation from work so I figured I had one more day to try this thing. The next day I knew they'd be there again so I headed back out. This time it rained. Hard. Not many fans on this day, in fact, I was the only one. I chatted up some security workers and found that Laurie was indeed there. I didn't have to wait too long before he came by in the passenger side of an SUV. I had the CD in my hand but was standing on the drivers side. Laurie was looking over at the giant inflatable screen's they had erected the previous day and didn't see me. I was disappointed he missed me, but the security guy assured me that he'd be back. He encouraged me to wait.
Sure enough, within 10 minutes the SUV returned, but with only the driver. He pulled over asking me if I was looking to get the CD signed. I told him yes and he offered to take it to him. He explained that Laurie didn't see me, said he hadn't been wearing his glasses and he for sure would have stopped if he'd have noticed. Excited, I handed the CD over and told him my name when he asked. Off he went with my CD and Sharpie.
Quickly again the SUV returned, this time with a woman as well. She rolled down the window and handed my CD out. On the front, it was empty. I was a little disappointed until she told me to open it up. Inside was what is probably my favorite autograph in my collection Not only was it signed, it was personalized all along the inside of the CD cover. It read, "Julie, And didn't in rain on you too. Best, Hugh Laurie". I knew that was way more than I would have gotten from a quick car autograph. I thanked the two in the car profusely before heading back out in the pouring ran to get home.