From the tundra

For a while now I've been trying to get around to checking out local folk combo Musk Ox. Last night the stars finally aligned and they played on a day when I was off. So off to the Mercury Lounge I went. As a bonus, Musk Ox mainman Nathaniel Larochette rounded up local "deep sea' folk performer Claude Munson and East Coaster Paper Beat Scissors (touring behind his new album) to open things up.
First up, Claude Munson. I saw him at the Rainbow in April 2011 at the benefit for Japanese earthquake victims, this time it was just him.


Claude Munson at The Mercury Lounge, March 9, 2011

Next up, Tim Crabtree, a.k.a. Paper Beats Scissors. His new album has an Ottawa connection: It was co-produced by Mike Feuerstack of Snailhouse and mastered by Jeremy Gira of Arcade Fire. He made some judicious use of looping for his performance.


Paper Beat Scissors at The Mercury Lounge, March 9, 2011

Finally Musk Ox finished things off. Nathaniel is accompanied by Raphael Weinroth-Browne of local prog-death metallers Cholera on cello and violinist Evan Runge of the now-defunct Urban Aesthetics. For some reason I've heard the most about Musk Ox in connection to metal, and the band's CD has a blurb from Don Anderson, a member of Oregon folk-doom outfit Agalloch.


Musk Ox at The Mercury Lounge, March 9, 2011

And here's Evan.


Musk Ox at The Mercury Lounge, March 9, 2011

A nice intimate show.

• Show reminder: Collider, Carneia and Monobrow play Cafe DeKcuf; Tindervox, Huntley Slim and The Train Jumpers - playing their last show - are at Atomic Rooster; Mike O'Neill and The Golden Seals perform at Raw Sugar Cafe; Bourbon & Spice Burlesque, The Pelts and Suns Of Stone; Thee Nodes, Asile and Shot Nerves rock 558 Gladstone. The Tony D Band plays the Rainbow. Iconoclast release their new CD at Mavericks with Silvergun & Spleen and Open Sky. Irene's hosts The Ethics and The Gertrudes. John Carroll and the Epic Proportions and Joe Grass perform at The Elmdale.