08.06.09
Ohbijou, The Artel, Kingston, 23 February 2007
Photo by Chromewaves, taken at The Opera House in Toronto on June 25, 2009 (more photos here)
A very quick post to say Wolfe Island Music Fest kicks off TOMORROW! It is going to be two days of amazing music and you would be crazy not to take the ferry out to the island and soak it all up.
Performing at 7pm of the main day of the festival (Saturday) are the amazing Ohbijou. I happen to have a recording of their 2007 show at The Artel which has been sitting on my computer untouched for way too long so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share some of the highlights from that show. Really, it is too gorgeous not to put out there into the world. They filled the tiny space with strings, strums, tinkles and Casey Mecija’s distinct and utterly captivating voice.
They have a few Ontario dates – they are touring to support their fantastic new record Beacons – before heading over to the UK and Europe but don’t worry, they will be touring the heck out of Canada again in October and November (hey look! they will be back in Kingston in November in time for my birthday!) Check out their site/space for tour details.
7 Aug 2009 The Roaring Frog, Brockville
8 Aug 2009 Wolfe Island Music Festival
28 Aug 2009 Lee’s Palace, Toronto [note: this show is listed on their site but NOT on their myspace. You may wish to confirm this show is still happening.]
Ohbijou, The Artel, Kingston, 23 February 2007
* St. Francis
* New Years
* Wildfires
* Heartbeats (Annie cover)
Buy their lovely, lovely albums as well as shirts at their online store and digitally at Zunior. And be sure to look out for Friends in Bellwoods II on August 25th which is two discs of amazing bands with proceeds going to a great cause.
08.05.09
The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Artel, Kingston, 16 February 2008 (full set)
photo taken at the Gladstone by Marc Hodges.
The 2009 Wolfe Island Music Fest is only a few days away now. You are undoubtedly already excited about the whole thing but I figured I’d try to get one or two more posts about bands that are going to be performing.
In an all-’round strong line up, The Rural Alberta Advantage are one of the strongest bands who are only getting more and more notice. I first posted about them in July of 2008. Here’s what I said previously:
Hey everyone. I hope you all had a smashing Canada Day. To celebrate I’m going to give a quick shout out to a great, Canadian band, The Rural Alberta Advantage, who shared the bill with Entire Cities at The Artel. Going into this show I had a passing familiarity with The RAA – I’d heard a song or two – but hadn’t investigated them in any serious way. Man, I was missing out. They are top-to-bottom amazing on record and live. The RAA feature powerful lyrics & delivery by Nils Edenloff; flawless, frenetic drumming by Paul Banwatt (who was pulling a double-shift as he played with EC earlier); and sublime backing vocals and killer glock work by Amy Cole. They kept up an amazing pace, blasting through the better part of the stellar album Hometowns. The album is dark and sweet and evocative and very very wonderful. They don’t look to be on tour at the moment but be sure to catch them if you have the chance. As usual, here are a few songs from their set in february. Enjoy.
All that remains true. Since that show in February I’ve had their astounding “Hometowns” on heavy rotation and am very excited to see them live again. Speaking of live, they have a bunch of dates in the US and Canada coming up (check their site/space for full listings), including :
5 Aug 2009 – The Middle East Cafe [Upstairs], Cambridge, MA
6 Aug 2009 – Mavericks, Ottawa
8 Aug 2009 – Wolfe Island Musicfest, Wolfe Island
20 Aug 2009 – The Intersection [Front Lounge], Grand Rapids, MI
21 Aug 2009 – WMSE Radio Summer Camp @ Cactus Club, Milwaukee
22 Aug 2009 – Memorial Union Terrace, Univ of Wisconsin, Madison
24 Aug 2009 – Pritzker Pavilion [AA], Chicago
25 Aug 2009 – Bear’s Place, Bloomington, Indiana
27 Aug 2009 – Rubble’s Bar, Mount Pleasant, MI
29 Aug 2009 – V-Fest Ontario, Oro-Medonte, Ontario
So get out there and see them, especially this weekend at the Wolfe Island Music Fest (tickets available online and around town).
I only posted a few highlights from the show previously. Here is the full set for your listening pleasure.
The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Artel, Kingston, 16 February 2008
1. let’s get it started (talk)
2. The Ballad of the RAA
3. Rush Apart
4. ah whatever (talk)
5. Don’t Haunt This Place
6. cds (talk)
7. Luciana
8. from Alberta (talk)
9. Frank, AB
10. The Air
11. Sleep All Day
12. very nice (talk)
13. Four Night Rider
14. Edmonton
15. In the Summertime
16. tension in the band (talk)
17. The Dethbridge in Lethbridge
18. last song (talk)
19. Goodnight
20. louder ones (talk)
21. Drain The Blood
Check out the setlist at Lists, Plans.
Buy the re-released record from the band (CD) or via SaddleCreek (CD, LP, MP3).
07.23.09
$100, Grad Club, Kingston, 27 March 2009
photo taken in Peterborough in December 2008 by MissGillian.
There is just a shade over two weeks until this year’s Wolfe Island Music Fest. The line up (found here with set times) is pretty sweet and getting sweeter with the addition of Winter Gloves and the band I want to talk about today, $100.
This Toronto band made quite an impression with the release of the powerful Forest of Tears. As amazing as their recorded output is (and it is fantastic – I wouldn’t have been surprised if it made the Polaris Shortlist… if the short list hadn’t been kinda odd and..um..safe) the band really shines onstage. I’ve seen them twice now – as a full band as part of Fucked Up’s Halloween series of shows last year in Toronto and this show at the Grad Club where they performed as a three-piece – and both times I was astounded by the passion and emotion being conveyed.
This is gritty, raw stuff. Over a very traditional country sound, delivered by a group of astounding musicians, vocalist Simone Schmidt conveys tales of the marginalized, the powerless, and the dejected with a voice that swings easily from world-weary and vulnerable to defiant and powerful. As beautiful as it is heartrending, this is a voice that has been through it all but as survived.
They have a ton of dates coming up – including WIMF on August 8th and then they are back with Carolyn Mark at The Mansion on the 17th. Be sure to check them out if you can. Full details on their myspace.
23 Jul 2009 Bruar Falls, Brooklyn, NY
25 Jul 2009 Bovina Hangtender, Bovina, NY
27 Jul 2009 Plan B, Moncton
28 Jul 2009 Capital w/ BA JOHNSTON, Fredericton
29 Jul 2009 Ampersand Cafe with BA Johsnton, All AGES! Charlottetown
29 Jul 2009 Alibi w/ Barnkats, New Royalty, BA Johnston, Charlottetown
30 Jul 2009 Gus Pub, Halifax
1 Aug 2009 SappyFEST, Sackville
8 Aug 2009 Wolfe Island Music Festival, Kingstonish
15 Aug 2009 Fred Eaglesmith Charity Picnic, Aylmer
And, As Duet with Carolyn Mark & Sunbear
17 Aug 2009 The Living Room, Kingston
18 Aug 2009 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
19 Aug 2009 Horseshoe Tavernk, Toronto
20 Aug 2009 the Starlight, Waterloo
21 Aug 2009 Oshawa
22 Aug 2009 The Casbah, Hamilton
23 Aug 2009 Van Gogh’s Ear, Guelph
and here are a few live tracks for your listening pleasure.
$100, Grad Club, Kingston, 27 March 2009
* No Great Leap
* 14th Floor
* Careless Love
Buy Forest of Tears from Zunior & be sure to get the first of the Regional 7″ from Blocks/The Blue House and get your tickets for WIMF here.
07.15.09
Review: The Gertrudes – Hard Water (with live tracks)
photo from The Gertrudes’ myspace.
There are three reasons why I want to talk about The Gertrudes today. First of all, they are playing the Friday night Lake Ontario Waterkeepers event at the Wolfe Island Music Fest on August 7th at the Island Grill along with Dave Bidini and other friends.
Secondly, a few members of the band will be playing at a fundraiser for the awesome Made4You on Friday, July 17th at The Artel – cover is only $10 and you get a 15% coupon for your next purchase at the store. Get all the wedding presents you need for the rest of the summer and get a jump on your xmas shopping while supporting this wonderful collective. More details can be found here.
And last, but certainly not least, I wanted to talk to you about The Gertrudes today because I just got my hands on their wonderful, brand-spankin’-new ep called “Hard Water”, which set to be released on August 7th.
The new record features 6 new songs, two of which were recorded live. A gentleness pervades the album. The aquatic theme which runs across the majority of the songs and the pace of the record definitely bring to mind early summer evenings by the lake. The Gertrudes are going to get where they need to be at their own speed. Their songs are never forced but rather seem to evolve slowly but purposefully. Textures and layers are developed, only to be stripped away and reapplied, as guitar, banjo, accordion, percussion, horns, theremin etc. etc. appear and disappear, commingling, playing off each other. And above it all are the fantastic vocals of Annie Clifford and Greg Tilson.
What is perhaps most remarkable about The Gertrudes, and exhibited so perfectly on the new record, is their restraint. Despite having 12 members in the band, there is no jostling to be heard. Each instrument is used to its best effect, showing up when needed and retreating when not. This is so key, given the frequently gentle and delicate harmonies employed by the band. Which is not to say that they can’t rock-the-heck-out when needed, but they use the power of their numbers to create solid foundations and intricate textures, without having ever a muddled or overwrought sound.
The Gertrudes have produced an EP that is at the same time timeless and innovative. Their sound is rooted in folk tradition but, through their creativity and talent, they take their folky tunes into wonderful, unexpected places.
From Hard Water:
River (aka Turn Out the Lights)
Live video of the song ‘Hard Water’
And here are a few live tracks recorded at the 2009 Apple Crisp Music Fest.
The Gertrudes, Apple Crisp Music Festival, Next Church, Kingston, 20 March 2009
The Gertrudes have a few live dates coming up in addition to WIMF so check ‘em out if you can:
1 Aug 2009 Sappy Fest, Sackville, NB
6 Aug 2009 The Blacksheep Inn, Wakefield, PQ
7 Aug 2009 Wolf Island Music Festival, Marysville, Wolfe Island, ON
Buy The Gertrudes’ first ep from Zunior and at discerning retailers around Kingston. I imagine Hard Water will be available there too in due time [update: Hard Water is now available for only $6.66. Scoot on over to Zunior and get it now!]
07.09.09
Wolfe Island Music Fest 2009!
The best music festival of the summer is just around the corner and I’ve been very negligent and haven’t said boo about it…until now. The Wolfe Island Music Fest is August 8th and 9th in the lovely Marysville, Wolfe Island (just a quick ferry ride away from Kingston) and this year it is featuring a slew of amazing bands in four events. Below you will finds the full list of performers.
Some of my favourite bands are playing – I’ve seen the majority of the acts on the lineup before so I can say from personal knowledge that this is going to be a fantastic two days of music. Of the bands that I haven’t seen before, I am really looking forward to finally seeing Woodhands live and am completely amazed that LA’s Busdriver will be playing.
I shall be posting about as many of the bands as I can in the next month.
Tickets are available online at TicketScene and in person at Destinations/ Brian’s Record Option/ The Grad Club/ Windmills.
Check out the Facebook page and the WIMF site for more details.
[edited to include set time and more acts (from the Flying V myspace)]
FRIDAY AUG 7TH
————————————————-
Town Hall Concert – 8:30pm
SARAH HARMER
ROCKY ROBERTS
BAHAMAS
Flying V Productions show at The General Wolfe Hotel – 10:30 pm
WOODHANDS
P.S. I LOVE YOU
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper show at The Island Grill – 5:00 pm
BIDINIBAND & The BILLIE HOLLIES (DAVE BIDINI)
SHADE
THE GERTRUDES
HARBOUR SHARKS
SATURDAY AUG 8TH
—————————————————-
HOLY FUCK @ 10:00
BUSDRIVER @ 9:00
THE D’URBERVILLES @ 8:00
OHBIJOU @ 7:00
THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE @ 6:00
WINTER GLOVES @ 5:00
ATTACK IN BLACK @ 4:00
$100 @ 3:00
JULIE FADER @ 2:00
CHERRY CHAPSTICK @ 1:15
EL SKIBO @ 12:30
SATURDAY – GATES OPEN at NOON located at the Marysville baseball diamond
(concerts begin at 12:30 pm) tickets avail at www.ticketscene.ca
07.08.09
Review: Archivist – Learning to Live on Poison.
photo from Archivist’s facebook page.
Montreal’s Archivist* has crafted a devastatingly gorgeous album. “Learning to Live on Poison” cycles through the various emotional states of heartbreak. Ben McCarthy channels it all: from the insomniac’s depressiveness to the shouting defiance where he rages against himself, his lover, the world, before returning to somberness (although never resignation). The album is filled with emotion but it is ever trite or overblown. Seemingly deeply personal – the songs are filled with the pronoun ‘I’ and, on a few occasions, by McCarthy’s first name – the emotion he is expressing never seems less than heart-wrenchingly genuine.
The album’s tone is set with ‘Sunday Morning,’ and you know it is going to be a rough ride for McCarthy by the time ‘Educated Hand,’ creeps around. But it is ‘Jagwagger’, where a defiant strut emerges – propelled by cymbals, slinky q-chord, gorgeous vocals by Pony Up’s** Lisa Smith, and a great guitar line – that shows McCarthy (heart)broken but not obliterated. But the pace cannot be kept up for long and, in ‘Son of my Sorrows,’ returns to melancholic resignation, declaring “I’m done. I’m done. I’m done.” There is, however, more to be expressed, and he is back to raging in ‘Pop Litany,’ continuing through the remainder of the album shifting sounds and tempos but never being able to shake his devastation. It is the undoubtedly deliberate pacing which gives so much power to the record – the songs feel that they arrive naturally, as McCarthy is working through his emotions.
The diversity of tone – while remaining thematically unified – is matched by the diversity of sounds that brings the narrative to life. McCarthy enlisted some of the greatest talent in Montreal, and, while I have no doubt that this album could have been powerful if it was just McCarthy with his guitar, they add an amazing richness to the record. The vocal harmonies throughout echo and reinforce his sentiments. The horns of ‘Sunday Morning’ are glorious, wonderful plucked and bowed strings and the tinkling glockenspiel on ‘Speaking,’ and more and more, all serve to assist McCarthy’s catharsis.
I am pretty sure, halfway through the year, that “Learning to Live on Poison” will be on my best-of list for 2009.
Here’s a song off the record (my favourite at the moment) for you to check out:
Visit Said the Gramaphone for another track – the astounding ‘Sunday Morning’.
Get yourself this amazing album available at CDBaby and Amazon, as well as iTunes.
Archivist do not have any upcoming dates at the moment but be sure to check their myspace page for shows.
And, finally, here are a couple of videos for your viewing/listening pleasure.
*(not to be confused with Milwaukee’s The Archivist, although you should toddle off over there and pick up the free ep on their site after you are done buying Archivist’s record).
** hot dog! Pony Up have a new album out and what I’ve heard on their myspace it sounds really, really good. Add that to your collection as well – you can get it physically with a handmade case and digitally from their store and digitally at VillaVillaNova (where you can get the track “Charles”).
06.18.09
Bruce Peninsula, Apple Crisp Music Festival, Next Church, Kingston, 20 March 2009
photo taken on May 1, 2009, at the Albion Hotel, Guelph by sidrguelph.
It is approaching the summer solstice in Kingston, which means that before we begin the long march back into darkness, we celebrate with the Skeleton Park Music Festival. Things are already underway, they were kicked off on Wednesday, in fact, and continue tomorrow night with an Into the Magic Soundbox event and with the main festivities taking place on Saturday. Of all the great acts who are going to perform during this free morning-to-dusk event, I am most looking forward to seeing Bruce Peninsula live again.
Bruce Peninsula will undoubtedly being riding into town with spirits high: they are about to start their Western Canada tour in Kingston (as logical a place as any) and have just been long-listed for the 2009 Polaris Prize for their stunning LP A Mountain is a Mouth. While the $20000 cheque isn’t made out in their name quite yet, I would not be at all surprised if they continue into the final round.
Bruce Peninsula make music that is born out of bogs and fields, oceans and mountains. They invoke ancient places in songs that sound like traditional spirituals but express modern, worldly concerns. They do amazing things with their many voices. There are stand out individual sounds, the growl of Neil Haverty and power and rich vocals of Mischa Bower, which are two identifiable voices, but it is their collective voice which is so memorable. Layers of vocals are presented, softly, sweetly. They build upon each other, merging only to break apart in ecstatic howls. Abusive percussion drives it all, with bells and chimes, claps and guitars being propelled along. Melody and harmony exist cheek by jowl with stomps and shouts. It is raw, emotional, effecting. The sound is old – spirituals are not exactly burning up the top-forty charts – but these sounds, and their delivery by the hydra-headed group, are nevertheless fresh and invigorating.
As mentioned, the band is about to hit the road out west and some of you lucky folks are going to see them with the amazing Rock Plaza Central and others are going to be graced by Jon-Rae Fletcher, in addition to BP, both of whom have received the b(oot)log seal of approval. You would be silly not to go out and see them live. So go! Full dates at BP’s site/space.
20 Jun 2009 – Skeleton Park, Kingston
28 Jun 2009 – Bruce Trail @ Poor Pilgrim Island Treasure Hunt, Toronto
7 Jul 2009 – Pyramid Cabaret w/ RPC, Winnipeg
8 Jul 2009 – Walker’s Nightclub w/ RPC, Saskatoon
9 Jul 2009 – Brixx Bar w/ RPC, Edmonton
10 Jul 2009 – Dicken’s Pub w/ RPC, Calgary
11 Jul 2009 – Canmore Hotel w/ RPC, Canmore
13 Jul 2009 – Biltmore Cabaret w/ Jon-Rae, Vancouver
14 Jul 2009 – Logan’s w/ Jon-Rae , Victoria
15 Jul 2009 – Habitat w/ Jon-Rae, Kelowna
17 Jul 2009 – O’Hanlan’s, Regina
To get a bit of a sense of the awesomeness of BP live, I offer you their stunning set from the Apple Crisp Music Fest in March. Come out to Skeleton Park this Saturday. Don’t worry about the rain – you’re not sugar, you won’t melt. But you will enjoy the music.
Bruce Peninsula, Apple Crisp Music Festival, Next Church, Kingston, 20 March 2009
1. Inside / Outside
2. Steamroller
3. drank out of a pickle jar (talk)
4. Shanty Song
5. just don’t buy steve’s cd (talk)
6. Shutters
7. Seven inch (talk)
8. Lift ‘Em Up
9. small confession (talk)
10. 2nd 4th World War
11. singalong (talk)
12. Weave Myself a Dress
13. Crabapples
14. do it all over again (talk)
15. The Chain (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Be sure to buy AMiaM and the fabulous 7″ (where you can find ‘Lift ‘Em Up’) from Zunior.
06.09.09
…and we’re back (with info about SPMF)
After a longer than expected hiatus, b(oot)log is back up and running. So go on and download away.
I have nothing new for you except to say that Kingston & area residents should go to The Mansion tonight for the Velvet Underground tribute night where all songs off of “Loaded” will be played by local artists.
See the AppleCrisp site for more details. All proceeds will be going to the Skeleton Park Music Festival, running June 17-19. And speaking of which, the line up has finally been announced. Here’s the poster
06.05.09
Server Down temporarily (I hope)
For those of you who might be vainly trying to listen to the stuff I’ve posted here, you will notice that my hostname is apparently invalid. The hosting people are apparently working on it (it was supposed to be fixed by 10:30 this morning) so hopefully we will be back up and running before to long. So hold tight. And I might even write something here to celebrate the return of service (don’t hold your breath – it is sunny out and the porch calls…).
Oh, since I am posting something I might as well post about live music and recommend that you go see Flowers of Hell tommorow at the Living Room (in The Mansion). It will be good times.
05.25.09
Apostle of Hustle, Grad Club, Kingston, 19 September 2008
Hello Pretties. I’ve been ignoring you, I know, but life sometimes gets in the way and ye olde b(oot)log gets put on the back burner. But it’s quality, not quantity, right? And I think I have something of rather great quality for you today.
Last Tuesday b(oot)log fav’s Apostle of Hustle released their new record, Eats Darkness, and they are stopping by on wednesday at the home of the most glorious patio for beer drinking in the whole of kingston, The Grad Club, on Wednesday. I’ll be there and I think you should come on by, too, ’cause its gonna be a hothothot show.
From my few listens of the album (stream the album on the AoH myspace), Eats Darkness is a bit of a departure in sound for Whiteman & co. I must admit to being kinda thrown by the interludes that pop up throughout the album, with bits of spoken word that have been manipulated (yes, I do believe that is William S. Burroughs you hear in “Nobody Bought It”) but the songs hold up. Not as expansive as in previous outings, perhaps, and a little lighter on the cubano, which I love so very much, but with amazing moments nevertheless, ‘Eazy Speaks,’ ‘Perfect Fit’, and ‘Blackberry’ all sitting comfortably among the best of AoH’s earlier material.
Apostle of Hustle are finishing their Canadian jaunt celebrating the release of their record. Remaining tour dates in Canada below & then they are off to the US (check out their site/space for more details):
5/27/09 – Kingston, ON @ The Grad Club
5/29/09 – Toronto, ON @ The Music Gallery
5/30/09 – Waterloo, ON @ Starlight Room
Also, AoH will be a part of the amazing, wonderful, spectacularly awesome Wolfe Island Music Fest (August 8). Woot! To get you all ready, here’s my recording of their last visit to the Grad Club where AoH busted out a bunch of tunes of the record which they just finished recording as well as a heap other, older, tunes. Enjoy & see you on Wednesday.
Apostle of Hustle, Grad Club, Kingston, 19 September 2008
1. Xerses
2. new songs (talk)
3. National Anthem of Nowhere
4. Perfect Fit
5. recorded music pretty much should be free (talk)
6. Blackberry
7. professional screamer (talk)
8. Song For Lorca
9. Chances Are
10. My Sword Hand’s Anger
11. Stephen Harper’s hair (talk)
12. How to Defeat a More Powerful Enemy
13. Folkloric Feel
14. homage to a great poet (talk)
15. Eazy Speaks
16. get him out (talk)
17. Fast Pony for Victor Jara
18. Kings & Queens
19. Cheap Like Sebastien
20. give it up (talk)
21. Baby, You’re In Luck
22. Haul Away
23. respect for the killer jams from Ottawa/outro
Buy the new record through Arts&Crafts.
**
My main man in Ottawa, Matthew at I{Heart}Music, is facing a nasty socan bill which he accumulated in the course of bringing you the finest music possible (read about it here and the follow-up here). Go on over and throw a few dollars his way. Not only will it get you +1000 karma points, he’s making you a mixtape with the help of some of his friends to say thanks.
