Monday, June 29, 2015

TGIF

Back to our intermittent Ottawa Explosion coverage: Friday featured something new, an afternoon lineup of shows at Mugshots. The weather was perfect in the courtyard, and it was a fine opportunity to catch Brooklynites The Jeanies playing some perfect 1970s style powerpop, along with Century Palm, their associates in Tough Age and Ottawa's own Terrible Liars. First up, The Jeanies, a particular treat for me since I missed their Avant-Garde show the night before.

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Dylan hits!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

The whole sun-dappled lot! That's Kyle, Joey and Ryan from left to right.

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Singalong action!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Kyle rocks the Ric.

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Joey rocks Burton Cummings' haircut and mustache (from about 1971)!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Ryan sings!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Bonus Dylan!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Tipping point action!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Stringed action!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

That ol' ball and chain action!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

Extra Joey!

The Jeanies at Mugshots

On to Terrible Liars! They're now the only band Davey Quesnelle is in, shockingly enough.

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Reflective action with Brendan!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Stringed action with Brendan and Johnny!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

More Johnny!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Phil hits!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

The whole lot!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Davey works the tongue!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

The whole lot!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Davey sings!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Extra Phil!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Terrible action!

Terrible Liars at Mugshots

Century Palm were up next; they played a fine set a while back at Pressed (when they were down a member since guitarist and keyboardist Penny Clark was stuck in the Big Smoke). Most of these folks already made an appearance with Tough Age's show the night before, so here they are again! Here's Alex Hamlyn, making his first appearance.

Century Palm at Mugshots

Penny works the keys.

Century Palm at Mugshots

Singalong action with Andrew Payne and Paul Lawton!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Extra Paul!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Jesse hits!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Paul sings!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Andrew strums!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Extra Alex and Penny!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Fisheye action!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Saxophonic action!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Palmist action with Penny and Jesse!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Extra Jesse!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Alex adjusts!

Century Palm at Mugshots

Then it was off for a bite to eat.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Positive destruction

I missed a good chunk of Thursday's Ottawa Explosion action: I spent a good chunk of the afternoon in the dentist's chair and didn't get a bite to eat until nine o'clock. When I arrived at the SAW Gallery courtyard it was Coliseum's turn to bring some heavyweight sound. They have a new album out and are doing the rounds behind Anxiety's Kiss. Here's frontman Ryan Patterson and his stack'o'amps.

Coliseum at Club SAW

Kayhan Vaziri rocks the low end.

Coliseum at Club SAW

Kayzan sings!

Coliseum at Club SAW

Colossal action!

Coliseum at Club SAW

Ryan adjusts.

Coliseum at Club SAW

Carter Wilson hits!

Coliseum at Club SAW

Gesticulating action!

Coliseum at Club SAW

Even more Kayzan!

Coliseum at Club SAW

My actual goal for the evening was to catch a big heap of power-pop at the Avant-Garde. Apparently this was everybody else's plan, too, since the place got completely packed and I spent a good chunk of Average Time's set standing on stage next to Todd. Some extreme twisting went into getting this next shot.

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Hair-tossing action from Seiji!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Stef hits!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

More Todd!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Curtis sings, Seiji bends.

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Pick-comparing action!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Exiled audience action!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Seiji sings!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Gripping action!

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Welcome to the sardine can.

Average Times at Avant-Garde Bar

Well, one band like that was enough and I figured I could catch The Jeanies on Friday in the Mugshots courtyard, so why not pop back to Club SAW and check out Chicago's Meat Wave and Los Angeles Obliterations? Meat Wave really impressed: They have a killer drummer and come of like a The Marked Men on steroids. Here's singer Chris Sutter.

Meat Wave at Club SAW

Rhythm section action with bassist Joe Gac and drumer Ryan Wizniak.

Meat Wave at Club SAW

Ryan hits!

Meat Wave at Club SAW

Extra Chris!

Meat Wave at Club SAW

Joe sings!

Meat Wave at Club SAW

The whole lot!

Meat Wave at Club SAW

The end!

Meat Wave at Club SAW

Obliterations played a very strong set. It features a bunch of music veterans: Stephen McBean of Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops fame plays guitar, Sam James Velde of Nighthorse sings, Austin Barber of Saviours plays bass and Flo Schanze, also PM's current drummer, handles the traps. There's a whole lot of Black Flag in the band's DNA, and the band generally rips it up like a shredded version of West Coast hardcore. Here's the band's Mountain men.

Obliterations at Club SAW

Velde gets a grip.

Obliterations at Club SAW

Austin is under there somewhere.

Obliterations at Club SAW

Obliterating action!

Obliterations at Club SAW

There was a mid set break after Stephen's gear quit and everyone went looking for a head and cab. Then it was back to your previously scheduled destruction!

Obliterations at Club SAW

Sam works the bar!

Obliterations at Club SAW

Headbanging action!

Obliterations at Club SAW

Cool stuff for the select few who went.