January 30, 2009
CFRC Funding Drive!
It is time to open your wallet and give to support Campus and Community Radio. Today is the start of CFRC 101.9 FM‘s (CFRC’s site is down at the moment after the AMS’ servers, which host it, imploded. A temporary site has been set up here) 4th Annual Funding Drive.
Giving is easy easy easy. You can pledge by phone by calling 613-533-2372 and talking to the kind operators who are standing by or you can donate online. Any little bit helps and if you pledge by phone (or in person at Lower Carruthers Hall on Queen’s campus) you can get yourself a sweet gift from one of the many awesome sponsors, such as my personal favourite Novel Idea, or if you donate online or by phone you can get a tax receipt. So please donate what you can. Every little bit helps.
To make parting with your money even more enjoyable, there are a bunch of spectacular Funding Drive events which the CFRC Facebook page tells me include:
Kingston Symphony Orchestra presents “Virtuoso Variations”
Sat. Jan 31, 7:30pm and Sun. Feb. 1, 2:30pm at The Grand Theatre
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118604230330ASUS Movie Theatre presents “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” (1973)
Sun. Feb. 1, 7pm at Dunning Auditorium (Queen’s main campus)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=57022945947Apple Crisp presents a CFRC Funding Drive Festival featuring Magic Jordan, The Gertrudes, Cities Turn to Sand, False Face
Tues. Feb. 3, 8pm (door) at The Grad Club, $7-12 sliding scale
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50636186318Into the Magic Soundbox
Fri. Feb. 6, 6pm and 9pm at Queen St. United Church
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=45411069705Soul Shakedown feat. DJ E, Redfoot and special guest Nuphonic
Sat. Feb. 7, 9pm at Time to Laugh Comedy Club
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50137156045
You can check out some of the bands playing at the Apple Crisp show on Tuesday at their respective Myspaces:
Magic Jordan — The Gertrudes — False Face
You get to see a kick ass show and help keep CFRC alive and kicking – it is win-win!
***
I posted this for the 2007 Funding Drive but I think it is worth reposting. Jill loves CFRC and you should too.
* Jill Barber, When I’m Making Love to You (live at CFRC).mp3
(don’t forget to get your tickets to see Jill Barber at the Grand Theatre on Feb. 14th)
August 5, 2008
Cadence Weapon, Halifax Pop Explosion, 21 October 2006/Fuse, 14 April 2007
photo by sjtiffen taken at Lollapalooza, 2 August 2008
All right boys & girls. The 2008 Wolfe Island Music Fest kicks off on Friday with the Hootenany and from there on out its gonna be sun and music and good times all around. So get your tickets if you haven’t already, grab a hat and your dancing shoes and come on out. Seriously. You’d be crazy to miss it. I’ve seen 90% of the bands on the bill and I with out reservation I give the “b(oot)log seal of approval” to all of them. There is no doubt that the quality (and quanity) of acts is really, really high.
One of the acts I have not yet witnessed for myself, and the most anticipated act for me, is Edmonton’s Cadence Weapon. After being first introduced to his remixes I was blown away by his 2005 release “Breaking Kayfabe”. This year’s “Afterparty Babies” featured meditations on fashion, celebrity, and success. The beats and the flow remain fantastic.
Live, at least from what I hear in the Pop Explosion show below, Cadence Weapon is rawer, angrier, spitting his lyrics. The edges of everything are wonderfully present and on stage DJ Weez-l’s mixing and scratching really comes to the forefront. I am really looking forward to seeing what they bring to the WIMF stage on Saturday.
I have for your listening pleasure a few songs from two different shows courtesy of the always amazing CBC. The first is a live set from the 2006 Halifax Pop Explosion (full set can be found on CBCRadio3) and the second is from a stunning Fuse pairing which matched Cadence Weapon with Final Fantasy. Fuse will be winding up, with the last show airing in September, which is truly unfortunate. Anyway, I hope you enjoy what I have for you tonight and I hope to see you all at the Festival.
Cadence Weapon, Halifax Pop Explosion, The Marquee Club, Halifax, 21 October 2006 (CBC Sessions)
Cadence Weapon with Final Fantasy, Fuse, CBC Radio 2, broadcast 14 April 2007
* Sharks
* Mini T.V.’s (Chad Van Gaalen cover)
Cadence Weapon is on UpperClass & Epitaph. Neither site wants to make buying records easy but you are smart enough to find a retailer which will take your currency in exchange for the music.
*
Need a reminder about all the great bands you are going to see at WIMF this weekend? Ok, here it is, one more time:
August 8th (8:30pm)
The Town Hall Hootenanny featuring Carolyn Mark, Jenny Whiteley, Joey Wright, Luther Wright and friends and The Abrams Brothers.
August 8th (10:30)
Flying V Productions showcase at The General Wolfe Hotel
The Handsome Furs with special guests Magic Jordan
August 9th (1pm start)
Featuring (in reverse order):
Wintersleep
Cadence Weapon
Land of Talk
Jason Collett
Plants and Animals
Tony Scherr
The Acorn
Ruby Coast
Music Maul
P.S. I love you!
pretty sweet, eh?
Costs:
Tickets for the Friday August 8th, Hootenanny show: $20
Tickets for Flying V Productions showcase at The General Wolfe Hotel $15.00
Tickets for Saturday August 9th: $30.00
Camping will be available on site: $10 per person
Get tickets on line at MapleMusic
or in person at:
Windmills Cafe, 184 Princess St. at Montreal St., Kingston
The Grad Club, 162 Barrie St. at Union St., Kingston
Brian’s Record Option Princess St. Kingston
Fargo’s General Store, Wolfe Island
The Island Grill, Wolfe Island
April 6, 2008
Rock Plaza Central – various & sundry live musics
Photo by Jalapeno, taken at South Street Seaport, New York City, 20 July 2007
Since I was impatient and already posted my Rock Plaza Central set from the last time they were in town, I thought I’d give you a bit of a taste of a bunch of different live RPC that I’ve collected from here and there in anticipation of their show at the Queen St. United Church in Kingston on Friday. As you might know if you read this site regularly, I’m a fan of RPC and I can’t recommend them highly enough. Their songs are filled with ramshakle beauty. Inventive lyrics – delivered passionately – are backed by rich instrumentation in the form of horns and violin and crashes and shakes. Live, it is nothing short of amazing. You should go see them. It will be great.
Apr 10 – Toronto, Sneaky Dee’s w/ Jetplanes of Abraham and Gusto Basketcase
Apr 11 – Kingston, Queen St. United Church w/ Jetplanes of Abraham and TBA
Apr 12 – Ottawa, Barrymore’s w/ Jetplanes of Abraham and Ghost is Dancing
Apr 17 – Montreal, Sala Rossa w/ Miracle Fortress
Apr 18 – Bennington, VT, University pig roast
Apr 19 – Albany, NY, Valentine’s w/ Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned
[see here for complete dates]
CBC Radio 3, Session, Studio 211, Toronto, 25 March 2007
Fuse with Tafelmusik, CBC Radio 2/Trinity-St Paul’s Church, Toronto, 22 November 2007
* I am an Excellent Steel Horse
[a pairing of sheer brilliance – listen to the full concert]
Live on MOKB SIRIUS Blog Radio, Left Of Center, Channel 26, 7 September 2007
* How Shall I To Heaven Aspire
[a great session from My Old Kentucky Blog]
Irene’s Pub, Ottawa, 16 Sept 2006
* When We Go, How We Go (Part II)
* 08/14/03 & Hearts Will Not Rust
Lee’s Palace, Toronto, 10 August 2007
* We’ve Got A Lot to Be Glad For
[recorded by Dave, who also has a KEXP session which you should check out]
Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa, 13 January 2007
[full set; see also my recording from November 21 in Kingston]
And, finally, their Daytrotter session from last year.
Be sure to pick up Rock Plaza Central’s stunning albums.
April 1, 2008
Sandro Perri, New Year’s Concert, Bandwidth, CBC Radio One, Ottawa, 29 December 2007
Okay folks, I know I’m running a few days behind on this (last) week’s post but here is something that I think is pretty cool. If you want to know why I love the Ceeb (although, no more Air Farce? That’s kinda sad) and why you should too, here is just one example of the amazing programming they bring to the airwaves.
The stellar CBC program Bandwidth approached 6 of its favourite musicians (Andre Ethier, Jim Bryson, Zaki Ibrahim, Catriona Sturton, Jenny Whiteley, and this week’s feature Sandro Perri) at the end of 2006 and asked them each to write 27 words (lyrics, poetry, free associated ramblings) which were passed on to another person in the group to do a ‘first draft’ of a song based on or inspired by the 27 words. That first draft was then passed along to another member of the group who used that as the inspiration or starting point for a fully realized song to be performed at the end of 2007. Nifty, eh? The process was intriguing and the results were excellent. It was a highly sucessful – and enjoyable – experiment in collaboration.
Below you shall find the first draft composed by Perri as well as the fantastic full song he produced. If you like what you hear there – and you can check out the Perri’s performance from the last time he swung through town – be sure to get yourself to The Artel on Saturday, April 5th, becasue Perri will be performing along with Nat Baldwin (who I know nothing about except that he was one of StG’s favourite’s for 2006, which is enough for me to get there early to see him play). Full dates:
April 4 Toronto, Tranzac w/ Nat Baldwin, Corpusse
April 5 Kingston, The Artel w/ Nat Baldwin
April 6 Montreal, Le Divan Orange w/ The Luyas, Nat Baldwin
April 11 Hamilton, Art Crawl Polmo Polpo w/ Orphx
April 30 Toronto, Tranzac w/ Snailhouse, Dan Goldman
May 9 Toronto, Tranzac w/ Mama Lisoni, Cry Rumble
June 16 Montreal, Suoni Per Il Popolo w/ Michael Hurley
Sandro Perri, New Year’s Concert, Bandwidth, CBC Radio One, Ottawa, 29 December 2007
* Sandro Perri – “Champagne Kisses” (inspired by words by Jenny Whiteley)
* Sandro Perri – This Time (inspired by words by Jim Bryson & 1st draft by Zaki Ibrahim)
And be sure to pick up Sandro Perri’s albums (in all his guises) here and here.
March 24, 2008
Stars, The Current, MPR, 14 March 2005 & 3 November 2007
photo from Stars’ studio session with Gideon Coe, BBC6, 9Dec2005 which can be heard here.
I hope the Easter Bunny was kind to everyone this weekend. On this sunny, lazy Easter Monday morning, evening, I have one more treat for you which, while not chocolatey is certainly sweet. On April 4th Stars will return to Kingston to share intimate stories of desire, heartbreak, and hope delivered with glorious intertwining vocals over beautiful orchestral arrangements. They will be joined by the amazing Gentleman Reg so get your tickets (sold out online but as of yesterday there are still some available at The Grad Club, the Brass or Destinations) and be prepared to be enchanted. To get you in the mood, I have two radio sessions from the kind folks at MPR – the first is from this past November and, since I had it, one from back in 2005. I hope you enjoy.
The Current, MPR, 3 November 2007
1. intro (talk)
2. Take Me to the Riot
3. in law & order I played a victim (talk)
4. Personal
5. the record will always exist (talk)
6. My Favourite Book
7. like a bad rash (talk)
8. Midnight Coward
The Current, MPR, 14 March 2005
1. intro (talk)
2. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
3. free stuff (talk)
4. Calendar Girl
5. not related/outro (talk)
Buy Stars cds through amazon and support MPR or get albums and shirts and posters through their online store – and hey! they are having a sale. T-shirts for $5! a deal, a steal…
March 8, 2008
Corb Lund and The Hurtin’ Albertans, Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, (CBC Radio 2), 14 October 2006
photo taken at Manhattan’s in Knoxville, 2007
Howdy Cowpokes. We are venturing into territory usually left unexplored here at the b(oot)log, even if we have approached its borders on occasion – country music. It is rare that a record which is as thoroughly steeped in country traditions and sounds as Corb Lund‘s recent “Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!” would get my attention. There is no flirting with Western themes and the occasional slide guitar here and there: this album is country, but definitely in the best possible way. I think the prevalence of pop-country soured me for too many years to the possibilities of good country music. Having fairly recently become a fan of a number of ‘alt-country’ and ‘cow-punk’ acts, a number of whom I have written about here, I can now give a record like Lund’s a listen and get over any initial aesthetic reservations I might have and thoroughly enjoy it.
While not quite a concept album, an equine theme runs through half of the songs on this record. The catchy lead-off track, “I Wanna Be in the Cavalry”, is a consciously naive ode to the glory of cavalry warfare which is undercut by the realization of the horrors of war recounted in the Reprise at the end of the album, echoing of the rhetoric of bravado which surrounded enlistment at the onset of the First World War and which was rather quickly dashed by the horrors of the trenches. The title track is an stunning, detailed examination of the impact of the cavalry on the history of warfare in just over 5 minutes which is much, much more listenable and enjoyable than you might think based upon that description. Other standout tracks explore different aspects of the horse culture, such as the rodeo, and in “My Saddle Horse Has Died”, mariachi horns and cadence convey the pathos felt at the loss of a trusty steed. Even if you don’t have any understanding of, or interest in, horsed and the cowboy/cowgirl life, these songs are eminently engaging, providing a glimpse into the diverse worlds impacted by horses.
This is a perfectly paced album. It starts off at a quick trot and quickly accelerates into a unrelenting series of foot-stomping biographies of sinners and tales of those seeking redemption. The charming and out-and-out fun tales are temperd by serious themed songs, such as “Student Visas” which recounts a story about CIA-funded covert military operations in Nicaragua which is one of the best songs on the album. After a few melancholic songs, Lund takes mercy on us and serves up a couple of amusing tunes to break the sombre mood (“Hard on Equipment” and “Family Reunion”) before bringing us down again.
Lund is a master of narrative, both heavy and light. He is peerless in crafting songs that capture stories which can range from the autobiographical anecdotes to sweeping historical accounts. Lund’s songs are fantastic whether they are silly or deadly series and he is able to swing back and forth in tone effortlessly. Don’t let any initial anti-country music reservations hold you back: check out “Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!” and allow yourself to be immersed into Corb Lund’s world.
Lund and his Hurtin’ Albertans are currently on tour. There is no Kingston show but they will be hitting the lovely Empire Theatre in Belleville tomorrow night (and I was just about to suggest you go get yourself a ticket but it looks like it sold out between yesterday and today). A few more Ontario dates follow before they head to Australia (they can be found below, full dates at Lund’s website) and you better get your tickets in advance because it seems like there are a lot of Corb Lund fans out there.
8 Mar Saints Showbar Montreal
9 Mar Empire Theatre Belleville
11 Mar Peter Clark Hall Guelph
12 Mar Rose Theatre Brampton
13 Mar Gryphon Theatre Barrie
15 Mar Brock Centre for the Arts St. Catharines
For those who were unable to get tickets to see Lund for themselves here are a few tracks from a concert recorded by CBC (full show can be streamed here) along with a couple tracks off the album.
Corb Lund and The Hurtin’ Albertans, Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, CBC Radio 2, broadcast 14 October 2006
* The Truth Comes Out
* Lund family history (talk)
* No Roads Here
* Family Reunion
* Always Keep An Edge On Your Knife
* apologies to the Hutterite people (talk)
* The Truck Song
* All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards
Bonus (from “Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!”)
* Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier
* Student Visas
Buy Corb Lund’s records, stickers, toques etc. here.
January 20, 2008
Arthur & Yu, The Orpheum, Boston, 27 September 2007/KEXP 21 June 2007
photo taken by Jeremy Farmer Photog, at the Metro Chicago, 3 November 2007
We are going to continue one the sorta folky track, started with the Hayden show last week, with a post on Seattle’s Arthur & Yu. While I had read some (very positive) reviews about A&Y, I don’t think I had actually heard their music until seeing them open for Iron & Wine during my trip to Boston in September. Seeing them was a definite highlight on a somewhat frustrating day. The debut album of A&Y (aka Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott), ‘In Camera’, is filled with delightfully hazy pop songs that are sweet without being cloying. The vocal harmonies are outstanding – the voices of Olsen and Westcott are perfect counterpoints to each other, merging seamlessly, adding subtle texture to each other. Listening to Arthur & Yu is like putting your ear against your older sibling’s door as s/he is whispering gentle endearments to his/her highschool sweetheart. Intimate, affecting, and something you know you have no right spying on, yet you can’t tear yourself away. Below I have a couple of tracks from the Boston show but since the sound is a little more hollow than is should be (I blame the sound at the Orpheum – which was even worse for Iron & Wine, but that is a story/rant for another day) I am also going to share the band’s in studio session recorded with the fine folks at KEXP. Enjoy.
Arthur & Yu, The Orpheum, Boston, 27 September 2007
* There are Too Many Birds
* Afterglow
* Absurd Heroes Manifestos
Arthur & Yu, KEXP 21 June 2007
1. Intro
2. Lion’s Mouth
3. There are Too Many Birds
4. inverview
5. Afterglow
6. definitely the beer bottles (talk)
7. Flashing the Lobby Lights
8. Outro
Pick up the wonderful In Camera through Hardly Art.
December 1, 2007
The Hidden Cameras, KEXP/The Triple Door, Seattle, 2 December 2006
photo by Optimuscrime from the Hidden Cameras performance at the Grad Club, 27 October 2005.
The Hidden Cameras offer you pure, glorious pop . Their music is at times anthemic and at others graceful and it is never hampered with cynicism or sarcasm. In slower moments you will find vulnerability and lush orchestration. In the up-tempo moments you will be treated to rollicking, rock’n’roll stompers that will make you shimmy and clap and bounce and smile. Behind it all is Joel Gibb’s strong voice and personality.
Onstage the songs really come alive. Performances in the past featured male go-go dancers and the band performing in blindfolds, or so I understand, but even without tricks and tropes they are amazing to watch. In the show where the above photo was taken they crammed seven people on the stage plus had a cellist and a viola player sitting off to the side. There was banjo, there was xylophone, there was coordinated dancing. The Hidden Cameras put on one of the most engaging shows out there.
And you can witness the spectacle and majesty for yourself tonight (sorry for the late notice) at the Grad Club. I understand that they will be previewing a bunch of new songs so get out there and see what the band has been working on. Here are the remaining dates of their East Coast tour:
1 Dec Kingston, ON Queen’s University Grad Club
2 Dec Montreal, PQ La Sala Rosa
4 Dec Sackville, NB George’s
5 Dec Halifax, NS The Attic
7 Dec Cornerbrook, NF Club Vertigo
8 Dec St. John’s, NF The Rock Club
To get you in the mood here is a conference recording from the finest people in Seattle, KEXP.
The Hidden Cameras, KEXP/The Triple Door, Seattle, 2 December 2006
1. intro (talk)
2. Builds the Bone
3. Follow These Eyes
4. Boys of Melody
5. Awoo
6. She’s Gone
7. Hump from Bending
8. Music is My Boyfriend
9. Lollipop
10. only for the radio (talk)
11. The Waning Moon
12. what’s it called? (talk)
13. Death of a Tune
Buy ‘Awoo’ from Arts&Crafts and you can get their sampler. Also be sure to get the Live at KEXP vol. 3. These would make great gifts for your nearest and dearest.
November 16, 2007
Sandro Perri & Andre Ethier, Fuse, CBC Radio, broadcast 21 July 2007
photo of taken at (and courtesy of) The Artel, Kingston, December 1, 2006
In Sando Perri’s work, odd discordant elements jostle with gentle folk melodies. They offset the singer-songwriter stylings: just as you as soothed by Perri’s dulcet voice and guitar-picking, a wonky horn or electronic blip shakes you, demanding your attention. These songs could have been given to us unadorned and we would have been grateful, but Perri is not content to sit still (just look at the list of monikers and projects he works under, with, and through). He playfully arranges textures, harmonies, and lyrics, presenting little puzzles under the guise of simple songs. Elements of jazz and electronica and things with no names hide among the folksongs, ready to burst out and startle, shock, and amaze.
Perri will be playing in Toronto tomorrow, and with Eric Chenaux in Ottawa and Kingston (at The Artel) next week. Dates? Ok:
Nov 17 Toronto, ON Tranzac w/ Ivy Pallas, Valery Gore
Nov 22 Kingston, ON The Artel w/ Eric Chenaux
Nov 23 Ottawa, ON Avant Garde Bar w/ Eric Chenaux
Dec 13 Toronto, ON Tranzac w/ Friendly Rich
Dec 31 Toronto, ON Tranzac GLISSANDRO 70 DJ Set
I expect those who attend will be treated to nothing less than a stunning evening of music. You should go. I should go. We should go together.
Sandro Perri has collaborated widely. In addition to playing on his friends albums and having friends like Eric Chenaux play on his, he joined with Andre Ethier on the CBC’s raddest show, Fuse. This pairing was not as jarring as some occurring in past shows, but the results are nevertheless still quite wonderful. I have for you a few songs from that show that Perri took the lead on, including the Ethier song “The Best You’ve Ever Had”.
Sandro Perri & Andre Ethier, Fuse, CBC Radio, broadcast 21 July 2007
* Everybody’s Talking (Fred Neil cover)
* Circles
Get the new “Tiny Mirrors” and other albums by Sandro Perri (in all his incarnations – physical and digital) and Andre Ethier (digital). They will bring you joy.
October 31, 2007
The Weakerthans, The Current, MPR, 25 September 2007
You and I both have been waiting for what seems like ever and ever for the fourth Weakerthans album. I would be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t left a shade underwhelmed at first listen. Given that they took four years to complete the album I was expecting to be knocked on my ass with awesomeness. As it stands I think it is a good record (and a good record by the Weakerthans is better than 98% of what is out there), but wished they rocked out a little more often. I hope that with a bit more time Reunion Tour attains the classic status in my mind along side with its predecessors.
What is undeniable after spending a bit of time with Reunion Tour, however, is that John K Samson is one of the most talented songwriters around. He continued his streak of crafting intimate tales centred exclusively around domestic life in a Canada, where people really do get that excited about curling and it is colder than all get out for a good portion of the year. Despite the site-specificity of much of his output, Samson manages to nevertheless ensure that there is a universal quality to his lyrics, resulting that listeners can identify with his narrators, even if they couldn’t point out Winnipeg on a map if their lives depended on it. The musicianship behind Samson is impeccably solid, as one would expect, and Ian Blurton has managed a fine balance of complexity and depth while managing to keep all the individual elements distinct.
The band is on tour and will be hitting all kinds of places near you, as long as you live in Ontario. Check it out:
Nov. 1 – Boston
Nov. 2 – Montreal
Nov. 3 – Quebec City
Nov. 4 – Ottawa,
Nov. 6 – Kingston, ON – at the Elixir – tickets are well on their way to being sold out so get yours now here or at the usual places.
Nov. 7&8 – Toronto (with Christine Fellows who will be releasing her fantastic new album the day before)
Nov. 9 – London, ON
On Nov. 22 through Dec. 12. they will be touring the UK and Europe. Check out the Weakerthans site for full details.
Now onto some live goodies courtesy (again) of the amazing folks over at MPR who have come through for you and I with an acoustic set with Winnipeg’s cherished chroniclers. Enjoy. I’ll try to check in before the 6th with a few live tracks from Jenn Grant, who will be opening for the Weakerthans during their November dates.
If you want to win a copy of Reunion Tour head on over to I{Heart}Music for a review of the record and a contest.
The Weakerthans, The Current, MPR, 25 September 2007
1. intro
2. Night Windows
3. mostly lies (talk)
4. Civil Twilight
5. March is a deceiving month (talk)
6. Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Call
Support MPR by buying all the Weakerthans records using their link here.
B(oot)log 