Tuesday, May 31, 2011

We have lift-off

Roberta Bondar is a new Ottawa band. This was their second show (if I've heard things correctly), and I have to say I was quite excited by their performance. They sounded great, with two distinctive and capable vocalists in Alex Maltby (Fire Heats Water) and Lidija Rozitis (Silver Birch Society and Fashion Press) and hefty rhythms courtesy of drummer Tyler Goodman (Fire Heats Water, Greed Bros, Get A Life Losers) and percussionist/noisemaker Gary Franks of CHUO's Pop and Lock.

Ready to launch!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Lidija sings!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Gary hits!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Tyler is a rather outgoing person.

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Guitar action!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Gary rocks the tambourine.

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Alex sings!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

The whole lot!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Lidija bends!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

I can't recall in hindsight why I wanted the light decoration in this photo.

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

Shadowy, fisheyed action!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

The end!

Robert Bondar at 137 McLeod St.

It certainly boded well for the future.
  • Show reminder: Carmen Townsend performs at Zaphod Beeblebrox; Keturah Johnson is at the Rainbow; the Elmdale' hosts Plus Garden and the High Cliffs.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Three, two, one ...

Egad, is McLeod St. Ottawa's new boulevard of rock?!? Well, there are at least two domiciles willing to open their doors to musical performances. On the only sunny day in May I toodled over to No. 137 in the Golden Triangle to see performances from Roberta Bondar, The Brabazons, Dagger Eyes and Chris Bush. The first time I saw Chris was at another house show, fronting trio Get A Life Losers. The next time was at Gaga Weekend fronting duo Greed Bros. And finally here he is playing solo ...

Socky singing action!

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

Shadowy action!

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

The crowd goes wild! (Including Tyler, drummer from Greed Bros., GALL, Fire Heats Water and Roberta Bondar.)

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

Still nice and sunny outside!

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

Am I going to waste the opportunity provided by freshly painted ceilings and walls? Hell no.

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

The end!

Chris Bush at 137 McLeod St.

What's next I know not.
  • Show reminder: Sad Guru and The Magnificent Sevens play The Rainbow.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Opposites attract

Krista Muir wrapped things up (after some raffling action) with some tunes from her latest album (released this May 11) Between Atoms ... but I've said most of what I have to for the Lederhosen Lucil post a couple days back, so on to the snaps!

Krista rocks the stripes.

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Her accompaniests this evening, Shane Watt (who also did the sound), a cleverly concealed drummer and Marie-Eve Bouchard.

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Singalong action!

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Marie-Eve rocks the xylophone.

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

The whole lot, somewhat better lit.

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Baritone ukulele action!

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Shane sneaks in some keyboard (darn microphone).

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Stripes for everyone!

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

Upside-down bass action!

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

And finally, the one and only picture where you can actually see drummer Chris Olsen.

Krista Muir and The Imaginary Lads at Raw Sugar

You can get Between Atoms at Bandcamp at the price of your choosing.
  • Show reminder: The Maya Blues Band performs at The Rainbow; Ravenswing wings into Minto Park between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. (or Jack Purcell Community Centre if it's soggy), with arts, crafts and workshops, plus performances by Mark Alexander McIntyre, Male Nurse, Lipstick Lesbian, Silkenn Laumann and Django Libre. The Walkouts walk into the Elmdale.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Halifax! Rap! Legend!

I think Jesse Dangerously is at the forefront of a new trend - instead of having CD release shows, he had a book release show for Humble & Brilliant, with said book featuring illustrations, lyrics, an index ... basically liner notes on steroids accompanied by a download code. Just wait, all the kids will be doing it soon - you'll be buying a T-shirt with a download code stencilled on it or something. Anyway, now on to the photos of Jesse, his rap accompanist for the evening, Nic Carrier, feminist superstar Audra Williams and occasionally the back of somebody's head.

Jesse and Nic!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

And again!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

Theremin action!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

Audra on the microphone.

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

Rapalong action!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

Snappy action!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

More Jesse!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

More Nic!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

More headbacks!

Jesse Dangerously at Raw Sugar

It was indeed brilliant. Jury's out on humble.
  • Show reminder: speaking of Raw Sugar, The Withering Pines are there tonight; Uncooperatives and Boxcar Cadavers rock the Dominion; Pretty Little Death Machine, Maday! Mayday! and Descendant perform at Zaphod's; The Flats play Irene's; the Avant-Garde Bar hosts Huntly Slim and The Suburban Cowboys and O'mally.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Something fishy

I booked a day off just to see Jeremy Gluck of Barracudas fame at Babylon, with performances from The Barreracudas and Mother's Children as a special bonus. Gluck is taken some Ottawa power-poppers out on the road for this brief tour, which should be fun. Things ended up a little chaotic, but it was mostly quite entertaining.

First up were Mother's Children, who sounded super-tight throughout their nine-song set, which included several tunes off the band's new EP, Are You Tough Enough?

Mother's Children at Babylon
Mother's Children at Babylon, May 26, 2011

Mother's Children at Babylon
Mother's Children at Babylon, May 26, 2011

The crowd was warned that Atlanta quartet The Barreracudas would "kick your ass." It was definitely an ass-kicking set of sharp powerpop, finishing with a cover of Cheap Trick's Come On, Come On.

The Barreracudas
The Barreracudas at Babylon, May 26, 2011  

The Barreracudas
The Barreracudas at Babylon, May 26, 2011

Gluck has rounded up Ken from Mother's Children, Daniel of Zebrassieres and Beach Blankets and John Sproull of Chandeliers, The Secret Loves and others.  The encore turned into an amusing mess when Gluck handed the microphone off to Davey Quesnelle to sing I Want My Woody Back. I gather he is also heartily sick of singing Summer Fun ... though he did give it two run-throughs.

Jeremy Gluck of The Barracudas at Babylon
Jeremy Gluck at Babylon, May 26, 2011 

Jeremy Gluck of The Barracudas at Babylon
Jeremy Gluck at Babylon, May 26, 2011 

Catch it if you can!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Hosed again

Krista Muir is one of those artists I really don't get to see as much of as I'd like. I saw her perform at Irene's in her recent, ukulele-toting mode for a show with Shanker and Romps, and previously under her Lederhosen Lucil nom de synthétiseur at the Dominion Tavern in Swptember 2003. She should come back to town more often. Anyway, for this show at Raw Sugar she appeared under both her performing identities, starting with a very brief - and by brief, I mean it was two songs long - as Lederhosen Lucil.

Programming action!

Lederhosen Lucil at Raw Sugar

Officialoppositionhosen action!

Lederhosen Lucil at Raw Sugar

Highly reflective action!

Lederhosen Lucil at Raw Sugar

Raffle prize revealing action!

Lederhosen Lucil at Raw Sugar

And that's it ... when I say brief, I mean brief!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

That's crazy talk

Antigonish, Nova Scotia's Mad Chatter - who filled Zaphod's stage after Tim Gilbertson's departure - like to say they're influenced by East Coast music, such as Garrett Mason and Maritimes jam scene stalwarts like The Jimmy Swift Band (minus the electronica, at least for this gig), Slowcoaster and Grand Theft Bus.

Front man Alex Gerrior rocks the stripes.

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Josh Dunbar mans the drums.

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Juliam Cameron plays bass (not scene, because he wasn't about, keyboardist Matthew English).

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Singing and hitting action!

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Bending action!

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

The whole lot!

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

Bonus Josh!

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

More guitar!

Mad Chatter at Zaphod Beeblebrox

And, er, that's it ... full credit to the band for keeping their game face on even though the audience was a bit on the spartan side.