Sunday, September 30, 2012

Dirty three

Well, the timing of this next post is a bit unfortunate, since its subject, youthful trio The Grime Kings, just played on Friday at Mugshots. The official lineup is Callum Runciman, Jimi Vanwassenhoven, Chandler Betteridge and Alex Stankovic, so presumably one was missing/has been replaced/is a pseudonym. Eh, whatever. Here they are!

Alex rocks the low end.

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

Rhythm section action with Chandler on drums!

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

Callum handles the microphone; you may also recall him occasionally drumming for Boyhood.

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

More drums!

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

Extra Alex.

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

Bonus Callum!

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

The end!

Grime Kings at Cafe DeCkuf

A month or so after this set they released a new album via Bandcamp that's well worth checking out.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Hearts and hoofs

Last year brought the sad news that Ian Blurton's mighty trio C'mon were calling it a day. Off course Blurton has a long musical pedigree, including Change of Heart, a band that started up 30 years ago. To celebrate this dubious anniversary and give a little push to their new double-LP comp on Sonic Unyon, Change of Heart have reunited and are playing hither and yon. Last night they played hither, bu which I mean Pressed, and I was on hand to capture the momentous occasion.

First up, Klovenhoofs. This was my first chance to see them with their new full lineup, including Eric Larock (ex-Tricky Woo, etc.). Their set was entirely killer, man!

Klovenhoofs at Pressed
Klovenhoofs at Pressed, September 28, 2012

And also 75% checkered.

Klovenhoofs at Pressed
Klovenhoofs at Pressed, September 28, 2012

Change of Heart were pretty wicked too. They kicked things off with a great spacey intro. This particular iteration of Change of Heart also featured Dearly Beloved mainstay Rob Higgins and drummer Damon Richardson, who's swung the sticks for Danko Jones, and is also in the revived Cookie Duster with CoH's keyboardist Bernard Maiezza.

Change of Heart at Pressed
Change of Heart at Pressed, September 28, 2012

Translucent action!

Change of Heart at Pressed
Change of Heart at Pressed, September 28, 2012

Good show and a good crowd too (plus one old drunk guy who really got into it).

Friday, September 28, 2012

Return of the return

Here's another Ottawa-Explosion defining combo, Uranium Comeback. They've long been referred to as a sideproject (and everyone in it has one or more regular bands), but are showing supicious signs of working toward a busier schedule. They even wrote a new song since their last appearance, and laid out some recorded product via P.Trash and Hosehead. They got to start off the Mavericks/Cafe Dekcuf night show (there was also action over at Babylon).

Ian! Johnny! Steve (again!!)!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Closeup action!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Ian sings!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Tim hits!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Johnny sings! As you can see, Dirty Donny whipped up a custom T-shirt for his other band, Big Dick.

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Rhythm section action!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Faceoff action!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Extra Ian!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Comeback action!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Uranium action!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

The end!

Uranium Comeback at Mavericks

Swell as usual!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Two and two

I went over to Zaphod's on Wednesday to check out Great Bloomers and Two Hours Traffic. The latter have a new EP out which apparently presages a more rocking direction for the recently revamped quartet. The former I've seen before, also at Zaphod's, ran through a pretty hot set of pop with a rootsy twist. They had just started up as I walked in the front door.

It's been three years since I saw them, give or take a month, and they haven't changed much at all - at least not soundwise, their lineup has undergone some permutations. Lowell and Co., like THT, have a new release out, Distant Fires.

Great Bloomers at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Great Bloomers at Zaphod Beblebrox, Sept. 26, 2012

Adrian Cook works the keys.

Great Bloomers at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Great Bloomers at Zaphod Beblebrox, Sept. 26, 2012

Two Hours Traffic were really sharp, backing up super pop hooks with an energetic performance. I'm also always keen for a Nick Lowe tune: They covered Raging Eyes.

Two Hours Traffic at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Two Hours Traffic at Zaphod Beeblebrox, Sept. 26, 2012

Guitarist Andrew MacDonald has recently shifted over from bass.

Two Hours Traffic at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Two Hours Traffic at Zaphod Beeblebrox, Sept. 26, 2012

They also had a very enthusiastic crowd who were happy to shout out requests and sing along.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

In your travels

This is the Ottawa Explosion, therefore: Visitors. The planet's premiere proponents of explorercore wrapped the day up at Club SAW - with much night-tripping yet to come, of course!

Kevin prepares to hit.

The Visitors at Club SAW

Erin provides the band with its metal elements.

The Visitors at Club SAW

The whole lot!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Closeup action!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Skottie frets!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Erin rocks the low end!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Guitar action!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Kevin sings!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Singalong action!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Visiting action!

The Visitors at Club SAW

Shirtless Kevin!

The Visitors at Club SAW

They recently played a gig at Pressed with The Thalidomy Kids and Bad Vibrations (which I sadly missed); what comes next I know not.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Beware of lipstick

It turns out Hollywood wasn't the only great band the Ottawa Explosion introduced me (and probably a number of other locals) too. Lipstick Homicide, of Iowa City, Iowa, really rocked out. I noticed  bassist Rachel Feldmann and guitarist Kate Kane hanging about the previous night and wondered who they were, and whether they actually met the drinking age in town (neither is what you call large). Turns out that with some mighty drumming courtesy of Luke Ferguson they are more than capable of rocking the house, or at least Club SAW's tent.

Ready, set ...

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Kate rocks the Jaguar!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Closeup action!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Bass action!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Kate sings!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Luke hits!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Rachel sings!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Kate closeup!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Lipstick action!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Extra Rachel!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

The whole lot!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Extra Ferguson!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Homicidal action!

Lipstick Homicide at Club SAW

Most recently they were picked by Green Day to open for them at their Irving Plaza show.