Songs become electric

Magnolia Electric Co. was a bit of an anticlimax after Grand Buffet, but I like their songs of heartbreak, heartbreak, and more heartbreak. Molina’s plaintive voice and tales of romantic woe fit well together (as does his somewhat hangdog expression) and he has a crack band in drummer Mark Rice, bassist Pete Schreiner and the versatile Mike Kapinus on both electric piano and trumpet. Guitarist Jason Groth must be singled out for particular praise, along with lap steel player Mike Brenner.
Although after more than an hour MEC’s lovelorn lyrics were beginning to sound somewhat stale, the powerful band kept things moving along.

Jason Molina grimaces emphatically.



Lots of hair-shaking from Mr. Groth.



Bassist Pete Schreiner is the only half of the rhythm section you're going to see since my picture of Mark Rice did not work out.



Mike Kapinus on the ivories - or whatever they make the keys of the Nord Electro 2 of ... bakelite, maybe?



Mike Brenner can also be heard in the band Slo-Mo and has worked with Marah.



Purple-lit roots rock action!



Face-obscuring roots rock action!



Not my favourite show of the year, but nice nonetheless.

• Show reminder: Support your local Ladyfest by showing up at Mavericks (doors at 7 p.m.) and watching Buried Inside, Ottawa venue wreckers Million Dollar Marxists, Van Johnson, Windsor's Searching for Chin and Edmonton's The Wolfnote. Alternately, you can head for the hills and see Good2Go and the Bushpilots at the Black Sheep Inn.