Thursday, December 31, 2009

It's Party Time

September 27 I popped over to The Rainbow to see a couple of Guelph related acts and Toronto's Party Time opened the show. Despite the name, the performances of Emma Moss Brender (sole proprietor, etc.) are not really geared to providing festive levity. I also wonder why someone would hide a cool name like Emma Moss Brender behind the relatively generic Party Time, but I guess that's a question for another time. I liked her set enough to buy her album.

I'd say she's a bit like Ottawa's own Giant Hand.

Party Time at The Rainbow

It was a little darker than usual, thus the cruddier low-light photos.

Party Time at The Rainbow

She was later joined by Matt Reeves of the Oil Spill.

Party Time at The Rainbow

Capo time!

Party Time at The Rainbow

Headliner Richard Laviolette prepares for his guest vocal moment.

Party Time at The Rainbow

Singalong action!

Party Time at The Rainbow

Big finish!

Party Time at The Rainbow

She's also a member of Toronto combo The Pinings; no word on upcoming shows from either combo.
  • Show reminder: Man, where isn't there a party going on tonight? Ukrainia!, Empiricals and Lords of Vanier, live it up at Babylon; Good2Go and The Kingmakers rock the Elmdale House Tavern; Lindsay Ferguson, The Polymorphines, Blazer and The Sin Kickers hit Zaphod Beeblebrox; The Hammerheads get funky at The Rainbow; Monkeyjunk performs at Irene's; Rep By Pop is at the Avant-Garde Bar; if your part of the houes-partying demographic, there's also Homosexual Cops, The Suppositories, Ultrathin, Holy Cobras, Pregnancy Scares, Total Crush and Get A Life Losers down in Cozzie's Dungeon.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Head games

Year Zero and a super-secret band were slated to perform at The Atomic Rooster for the Sept. 24 edition of the Rock'n'Roll Pizza Party. I worked that night so I missed Year Zero, but I did manage to catch the set by the surprise guests.

They're a band shrouded in mystery!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Okay, it was actually Off With Their Heads. The shouty punks were on tour with Bouncing Souls and Youth Brigade, but apparently one set in Ottawa wasn't enough for the Minneapolis quartet (sometimes quintet), so they knocked out a growly set for the punks on Bank St. as well. They apparently switch membership quite often, so all IDs barring main man Ryan Young are provisional.

Zack Gontard downstrokes.

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Ryan shouts some.

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Ryan Francis mans the skins.

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

More Ryan!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Even more Ryan, plus bassist Nate Gangelhoff.

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Zach keeps his neck sinews well-exercised.

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

More Nate!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

The whole lot!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

Rocking action!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

The end!

Off With Their Heads at Atomic Rooster

They're still busy touring, and will be back in Ottawa for a show at Mavericks with The Queers February 22.
  • Show reminder: The Rainbow gets a jump on New Years with The Maria Hawkins Band ... most other folks appear to be resting up for Thursday.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Goodbye girl

Another night at work, then off to Babylon just in time to miss the first two bands! But I wasn't going to miss the night entirely, since it was likely the last The White Wires will be playing in this town for some time to come. As reported earlier, Allie Hanlon (also of Peach Kelli Pop, who opened the show) is off West, so until she makes a return visit (possibly around the time the Wires head off to Austin for SXSW 2010?)

Allie rocks the whiskers!

White Wires at Babylon

You can't really tell from this photo, but Ian also had a painted-on mustache.

White Wires at Babylon

Everybody gets on stage to sing along for Ha-Ha Holiday.

White Wires at Babylon

And a final posed picture with Luke making funny faces.

White Wires at Babylon

The band wrapped up a recording earlier in the day and promise between one "Or maybe 20!" more shows in Ottawa.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Jump aboard

The Train Jumpers finished the night off. As I was looking through my photos a week ago I noticed the lead singer of The Train Jumpers bore an uncommon resemblance to Chris Landry from the Harvey Cartel ... indeed, it is Chris Landry from the Cartel, which just goes to show that my brain has been reduced to tapioca by too much eggnog (or something like that).

From left to right we have Chris, Kato Blaine, Brandon Agnew and Stu Rutherford.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

The other side of the train.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Dusty Drifter Stu was also laying down some slide for the Train Jumpers. He may not know whether to jump or drift ...

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Landry sings!

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Singalong action! With Kato Blaine, whose name I fear I may be misspelling.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Brandon Agnew brushes up. Brandon has his own musical outlet in in rehevoli, and can sometimes be heard with L. Poushinsky as well as Dave Norris and Local Ivan.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

And so on.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Perching action!

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

The suitcase actually travelled a bit more than it should - thus soundman Tom's deployment of the cinder block.

Train Jumpers at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Chris was rather self-deprecatory about the performance, but I though it sounded decent enough, despite a few flubs.
  • Show reminder: Skunch and The Botched Suicides terrify the Rainbow Bistro; you can say goodbye to Allie of The White Wires and  Peach Kelli Pop at the Bytown tonight; The Visitors are also on the bill; The Girlfriends, The Barstool Layoffs and Get A Life Losers make for an excellent free triple-bill at Zaphod Beeblebrox (or at least the Girlfriends and GALL do - I can't testify for the Layoffs).

Sunday, December 27, 2009

That's gotta hurt

I honestly didn't expect to be at Spaceman Music's Bruisefest, but thanks to a lift home from a coworker I managed to make it over to Babylon in time to catch Mountanaka and The Suppositories. I'm sorry I missed Germ Attak and Cloven Hoofs (particularly the latter since I haven't seen them before - Chris from the Unavowed mentioned he thought their set was particularly good). It's also a bit unfortunate that the freezing rain undoubtedly kept people away from some excellent and loud music. Hopefully it'll become an annual event (and luckier with the weather).

Mountanaka at Babylon
Mountanaka at Babylon, December 26, 2009

The Suppositories played a particularly hard and fast set, and wrapped things up around 1:45 ... I could have sworn it was over earlier - good music always seems to go by faster.

Suppositories at Babylon
Suppositories at Babylon, December 26, 2009

Part II of Bruisefest is on tonight at Mavericks, with sets from Tokyo Sex Whale, Daiquiri, A Darker Day and Alaskan.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

If you catch their drift

Dusty Drifters are a hot-sounding bluegrass combo made up partly of folks you may have seen or heard performing with other folks. They certainly have excellent chops.

There's enough folks in this band that you need two photos to take them all in: From right to left we have P.J. Baker on guitar, a somewhat obscured Stu Rutherford on Dobro, bassist Dan Grewal, guitarist and lead vocalist Paul Roberto and a bit of mandolin player Mike Mezzatesta.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Further to the right, the rest of Mezzatesta and fiddler Nathan Smith.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Guitar action! And let us not speak of this infernal contraption, the electronic pickup.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

A little post-tune Smith and Mezzatesta.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

More Roberto (and some other guys).

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Spotted!

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

It's a good band for profiles. Mezzatesta can also be heard playing banjo for Meredith Luce and fiddle for Glenn Nuotio.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

More Smith - you can also hear him playing on John Allaire's Up Hill ... Both Ways.

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Singalong action!

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Drinking action!

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

More Paul and Dan (also of the Jesse Greene Band)!

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

The whole lot!

Dusty Drifters at Zaphod Beeblebrox

A super set.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Not a creature was stirring

My one day off this week is Christmas Eve, so my show-going options were limited ... fortunately the folks at the Rock'N'Roll Pizza Party have no respect for the Baby Jesus and continue misbehaving no matter what else is supposed to be happening on a Thursday. I actually popped into Atomic Rooster at 10, the alleged but obviously not real starting time, and the bar's regular clientele already had their fingers in their ears. Thus encouraged I went home to continue watching Korean vampire flick Thirst (which was quite entertaining, albeit no Let The Right One In) and returned in time to catch The Girlfriends set (and their extended search for a working microphone).

I was communicating with guitarist Nigel earlier this week, and he mentioned that Sammy was going to be playing some bass. I believe his words were something on the lines of "we like to change things up so we don't start fires". They dressed for the occasion, then undressed for the occasion. Also, they had buttons and lollipops.

The Girlfriends at The Atomic Rooster
The Girlfriends at The Atomic Rooster, Christmas Eve 2009

Mother's Children began and finished with The Little Drummer Boy, and sandwiched some of their ace power pop in between. They too dressed up for the occasion, though only Davey rocked the beard and saw it through to the bitter end. They also dedicated a cover of Run, Rudolph, Run to soon-to-depart Allie Hanlon from White Wires.

Mother's Children at The Atomic Rooster
Mother's Children at The Atomic Rooster, Christmas Eve 2009

The Girlfriends are going to be playing again this Monday with Get A Life Losers and The Barstool Layoffs at Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

User's manual

I had a lot of cheap entertainment in September thanks to Zaphod's free showcases. This was another rural-sounding affair, starting with use Every Part of The Deer. The death-folk duo were wrapping things up as I walked in the door, so I'll just say they sounded fine and offer up a few pics ...

Susanna Wiens and Matt McLennan, not in that order.

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Matt's other side.

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

And Mat, now with less flash bounced off the reflective insides of the stage lights.

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Shouty action!

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Gripping action!

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Susanna fiddles about.

Use Every Part of the Deer at Zaphod Beeblebrox

And that's it, since I only caught about five minutes of their show.