P&A live at the 2008 Wolfe Island Music Fest.

I saw the amazing Plants & Animals three times in 2008, each possibly better than the last. I think they came to town last year but I missed every occasion and, likewise, I am going to miss them on Saturday at the Grad Club. You’ll be missing them, too, if you don’t have a ticket as it is long sold out (you should go to the $100 & Attack in Black show at the Mansion instead. Actually, even if you are going to P&A you can hit the other show, too, as it is an early show 6-8pm. It is  a CFRC Funding Drive show).

I thought I’d take a listen to their November 2008 show to remind myself how good they are live. The answer: really, really good. Listen to the songs below if you don’t believe me.

The band is releasing a new album called La La Land on April 20th. You can download the first song, “Tom Cruz” from Secret City records.

They will be touring to support the new record here are some of their upcoming dates (see their myspace for more details):

March 12 – Lee’s Palace (CMW showcase), Toronto, ON
March 13 – Royal York Hotel (CMW Indie Awards), Toronto, ON
March 17-21 – SXSW, Austin, TX
April 21 – Theatre Petit Champlain, Quebec City, QC
April 22 – La Tulipe, Montreal, QC
April 23 – Babylon, Ottawa, ON
April 24 – The Red Dog, Peterborough, ON
April 28 – West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, MB
April 29 – Amigo’s, Saskatoon, SK
April 30 – Starlite Room, Edmonton, AB
May 1 – The Legion, Calgary, AB
May 2 – Habitat, Kelowna, BC
May 4 – Sugar Nightclub, Victoria, BC
May 5 – The Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC

Here are a few tracks from when I last saw them. If you are going to the show on Saturday let me know how it was.

Plants and Animals, Grad Club, Kingston, 22 November 2008

* New Kind of Love
* Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
* Mercy

Check out Secret City Records where you can buy Plants & Animals’ older releases (in fact, you should buy each and every records SC has released. They are all freakin’ incredible) and be sure to check back late April to get the new album.

Hello friends. It has been a while, eh? Did you think I forgot about you? Honestly, I sort of did. I had posts more or less prepared and then…nothing. What does it take to bring me out of hibernation after 2 months? The rawk of the Constantines, that’s what. The band is celebrating its 10th anniversary by going on a 10 date tour of Ontario with some of their friends. They kick it all off in Ottawa on Tuesday and then, on Wednesday, they are going to blow the doors off the Grad Club in Kingston. The opening act? A fellow by the name of John K. Samson, you might be familiar with his band. Yeah…it is going to be pretty amazing.

And, amazingly, it appears there are still tickets left for the Kingston show. You better  hop on it, ’cause it almost certainly will sell out. [update: the show is now sold out].

Dates on the Constantines’ tour include (full dates):

December 8th, 2009 (w/ Tropics), Mavericks Bar, Ottawa
December 9th, 2009 (w/ John K. Samson),The Grad Club, Kingston
December 10th, 2009 (w/ John K. Samson), The Casbah, Hamilton
December 11th, 2009 (w/ Attack In Black & John K. Samson), Lee’s Palace, Toronto
December 12th, 2009 (w/ Oneida, METZ), Lee’s Palace, Toronto
December 13th, 2009 (w/ Tropics), Ebar, Guelph, ON
December 15th, 2009 (w/ Lullabye Arkestra), Starlight Room, Waterloo
December 16th, 2009 (w/ BA Johnston), Montreal House Peterborough
December 19th, 2009(w/ Ladyhawk, Julie Doiron), Lee’s Palace, Toronto

The Cons and the Weakerthans swung through town in the 2009 Rolling Tundra Review tour in March. They were both pretty spectacular. Below you will find a few tracks from both sets. Enjoy.

Rolling Tundra Revue, The Alehouse, Kingston, 29 March 2009

The Constantines

* Hotline Operator
* Soon Enough
* Young Lions

The Weakerthans

* Aside
* Benediction (w/ Sarah Harmer)
* Anchorless (Casio version)

Be sure to buy Constantines stuff as it makes wonderful xmas gifts for the whole family & get the new JKS’ single – I recommend going for the white vinyl + the shirt as it is a pretty sweet combo.

Hello Friends,

It is going to be a huge night over at the Mansion tomorrow, October 15th, and, if you know what’s good for you, you will be there to stomp, shout, sway, and have an all ’round good time. Two of my very favourite live acts – Bruce Peninsula and b(oot)log favs Entire Cities – will be sandwiched between Share (whom I’m not really familiar with but I like what I hear – check ‘em out for yourself – here’s “Maybe Always” featuring the ever-lovely Jenn Grant and you can hear more here) and Kingston gentleman Reuben DeGroot. It is gonna be a helluva night of live music.

Bruce Peninsula and Entire Cities will be traveling East together for the next little while – below are a few of their dates. See their Myspaces (EC + BP) for these shows and for upcoming solo dates:

15 Oct – The Mansion, Kingston
17 Oct – Neat Cafe, Burnstown
18 Oct – Bar Tapageur, Sherbrooke
19 Oct – house show, Saint John

Here are a few tracks from Entire Cities from the last time they shared a stage in Kingston – at the Apple Crisp Music Fest (Bruce Peninsula’s set can be found here). Enjoy.

Apple Crisp Music Festival, Next Church, Kingston, 20 March 2009

* Cop Song

* Dancing With My Brother

* Accountant’s Dream

(Pick up Entire Cities’ “Deep River” from Zunior)

photo by Staciaann Photography in Minneapolis on 13 Oct 2007 (check out the entire set here.)

On Saturday, the Grad Club stage will be graced by the lovely, lovely Basia Bulat and her lovely, lovely band (so lovely it needs to be said twice). I am told there are only a few tickets left so if you don’t want to miss out you better get movin’ and get your ticket now.

This show is very well timed as yesterday some big BB news was released – Bulat has signed to the excellent, and very discerning, Secret City Records, and she/they will be releasing a new album on January 23rd. You can check out a brand new song called “Gold Rush” here (I’ve had it on repeat all morning) and if you sign up for the mailing list here you can get a download.

Opening the Grad Club show will be the excellent Phonemes who I have not seen live myself but I really dig their albums.

Basia Bulat and band have a few Canadian dates and a show in Brooklyn before heading of to Europe. Cdn dates below – check out her myspace for full listings.

9/19 Kingston, ON – The Grad Club
9/23 Vancouver, BC – St. James Hall
9/24 Victoria, BC – Metro Studio
10/3 Wakefield, ON – Black Sheep Inn
10/7 Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House

Here are a few tracks from the amazing show at the Grad Club from a year and a half ago (and check out her WIMF2008 set here and from the 2009 Vancouver Folk Fest, courtesy of the Ceeb, here). Enjoy.

Basia Bulat, Grad Club, Kingston, 28 March 2008

* Heart of My Own
* Snakes & Ladders
* I Was a Daughter
* Touch the Hem of His Garment

You can pickup the stunning Oh My Darling from Hardwood (available on CD here or digitally here)/Roughtrade (and some other goodies as well). Both Bulat and The Phonemes have contributed to the fantastic compilation Friends in Bellwoods 2 – get it if you haven’t already.  Great music + a great cause means that you can’t go wrong.

Photo of Matt & Jill Barber, with Stu Crooks, taken at Hillside, 2006, by Easternblot.

This Sunday, two performers I love -  Matthew Barber and Jill Barber – are playing at a place I love By Chadsey’s Cairn Winery, located in beautiful Prince Edward County. This afternoon show (2pm start), which they are calling “Barbers in the Barn”, is going to be a perfect way to send off the summer.

I am getting even more excited about seeing these two amazing singer-songwriters perform, as today Matthew Barber announced that he has begun work on a new album, which should be out in the New Year. So, if we are lucky, we might get to hear some brand new songs, as well stuff from the great Ghost Notes, Sweet Nothing, etc., which I have talked about on these pages before.

Matthew Barber has just announced some West Coast tour dates so if you are in the area be sure to check him out at the following (see his site/space for full details)

13 Sep 2009 By Chadsey’s Cairns Winery, Wellington, ON
24 Sep 2009 Communitea Cafe, Canmore
25 Sep 2009 Haven Social Club,Edmonton, Alberta
26 Sep 2009 Liberty Lounge (Mount Royal College), Calgary
27 Sep 2009 The Habitat, Kelowna
28 Sep 2009 The Media Club, Vancouver

Jill Barber will be playing in Fredericton on Sept. 19th and then will be off to Australia in October. See her site for details.

To get you in the mood, I offer you a few tracks from the Sibling Revelry tour, the last time I saw Matthew & Jill Barber share a stage. Come on out to the County this weekend, drink some amazing Gamay Noir, and take in two of the best musicians around.

Matthew Barber, Grad Club, Kingston, 29 February 2008

* Easily Bruised
* We’re Gonna Play
* Morning Light
* Sleep Please Come to Me

A few songs from Jill Barber’s set can be found here, including:
* Jill & Matthew Barber It’s A Dream (Neil Young cover)

Stream songs and find out where to buy Matthew Barber’s great cds here.