Bluesfest: Akron/Family

I wasn't really planning to seen any Akron/Family ... I've enjoyed their shows before (at Zaphod's, Barrymore's and First Baptist Church) so I figured I could check out other stuff without lambasting myself for missing their gig. Turns out they were still playing after Melvins wrapped up and there wasn't much else to do, so ...

Miles testifies!



Seth sings!



Seth! Dana! The top of someone's head!



And so on!



I confess I didn't stay long ... Fishbone awaited.

Ottawa Bluesfest 2012, Day 1

Well Bluesfest is in town again, and it's never been less bluesy!. In fact I discovered that the Blues Society isn't even at the festival this year. The time, it passes ... My favourite part of the Buesfest was always the world music acts, but it seems they weren't a draw. Instead we get DJs. Not that I didn't enjoy Day 1 of this year's Bluesfest, though. First, those RFID bracelets do make getting in and out a snap. I arrived around showtime yesterday, and there were zero lines to speak of. Mind you, that might have had more to do with the lineup.

My first stop was the Electro Stage which, contrary to the map, is now located where the Black Sheep Stage once was - the Blacksheep is now where the Hard Rock Stage used to be. I've heard many food things about Hull combo Fet. Nat, and now drummer Olivier Fairfield from various other area combos of an experimental/art-rocking nature such as J'envoie. They made me think of a francophone Pere Ubu.


Fet. Nat. at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

After a bit I went off to see a very intense performance by Loon Choir, a seven-member local band which blends some tough sounding guitars with keyboards and violin for some heavy duty strong art-rock. They released their sophomore LP, Fire Poems, earlier this year and I definitely expect to hear more from them.


Loon Choir at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012 

Now, the real reason I was keen to head off to Bluesfest yesterday was to finally get an opportunity to see the legendary Melvins perform. They did not disappoint. They are billing themselves as Melvins Lite, but this is obviously a relative term. With Trevor Dunn of Mr. Bungle on double bass they're more than heavy enough to satisfy their fans. They also dressed up for the occasion.


The Melvins at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

After that was done, I headed over the hill  to see a bit of Akron/Family. Myles Seaton was in full-on testify mood when I passed by and snapped a few photos.


Akron/Family at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

My real destination was the River Stage, to see another 1990s musical crush, Fishbone. In a more just musical world, these guys would be headlining the main stage. However, they've had their ups and downs, so I'm just glad to see they seem to have returned at full force, judging from their super-funky performance.


Fishbone at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

I also went to see a bit of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals rocking out. Pretty good, with a bit of a southern vibe.


Grace Potter & The Nocturnals at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

For the last show of the night I went to see Billy Bragg, and to hear Billy Bragg and Tiesto. Bragg was not pleased at the disco beats coming over the hill, though from up front they weren't any competition for his guitar. He engaged in some chit chat about the dangers of cynicism, the dangers of Twitter and sported a red square in support of the striking students in Quebec.


Billy Bragg at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 4, 2012

A good time, and the weather couldn't be nicer.

• Show reminder: Hmm, should I stick around at Bluesfest tonight to see LMFAO, or go to Babylon to see White Lung, Critical Convictions and Pregnancy Scares? Sal Piamonte performs at Zaphod's; Ari Abrams and Brett MacLean play the Elmdale.

A growing family

Now where were we? Ohbijou has left the stage, and it's time for Akron/Family to strut their stuff. Ryan Vanderhoof wasn't among the quartet of members who have graced the capital on previous occasions, though as far as I can tell he's still a member. Instead the family has recruited Greg Davis and the members of Megafaun to augment their psychedelic ramalama.

Double-drum action from Dana and Megafaun's Joe - Seth on guitar.



Myles Seatons sings in his usual introspective way.



Those Cook brothers and a sliver of Dana.



Phil tinkles on stage.



The Akron/Family busted out the percussion in a major way on a couple of occasions for this show.



All this and cowbell too!



Miles wants you to let your love light shine.



That big ol' family.



Seth pauses as Dana sings.



Dana gets down on some flutey thing.



Seth twists a dial or two.



Greg Davis takes a break from his Telecaster to toot a little.



As before, they ended the show with some beat-boxing and rapping.



The somewhat shirtless "encore."



Entertaining as always.

• Show reminder: Les Farfadeafs, Gallo, Someday, This Will All Have To Be Fixed, That's The Spirit perform at Zaphod Beeblebrox

All in the family

Akron/Family have been super every time I've seen them, and last night was no exception. Despite having lost some gear two nights ago to some light-fingered louts on Toronto, they were as buoyant live as at previous shows at Zaphod Beeblebrox and the First Baptist Church on Laurier. They also changed things up a bit, absorbing some tourmates into their live show.

First up were Megafaun, the only act on the bill I hadn't seen before. Here are brothers Brad and Phil Cook. I'm not quite sure who's who, but I do believe it's in that order.



They segued directly into Greg Davis' number. He also opened for Books a little while back.



Ohbijou rolled through town for Bluesfest just a couple of months ago. I liked their sound a bit better this time.



Finally Akron/Family put on a long and jammy set. They performed this set as a septet, featuring all of Megafaun and also all of Greg Davis (because he is just one guy, you know), but no Ryan.



They encored with some shirtless boy band pop.

We are family

I think the secret of Akron/Family's success is that they're some of the most affable guys around, which gives them an immediate emotional rapport with their audience, and are also capable of kicking out some amazing brain-twisting Americana. Basically they work their way into your confidence and then blow your mind.
They played a super show at Zaphod's earlier in the year, and I was glad to see them back at the First Baptist Church. As at their Zaphod's show, they also set up three chairs for those members not stationed behind a drum kit. Before taking their seats, they parked themselves on the steps that rise up to the "stage" and invited the audience to come up to the front and sit before them.

Perched on the steps, the band performed Love and Space from their latest album. It was as cozy as any campfire singalong. I half-expected them to follow it up with a rendition of Kumbaya.



"The colours make sounds!"



Roof-raising action!



Myles and Ryan kick out the jams.



Testify!



Some extra drums from Dana.



Rhythm section action!



His bandmates seem to think Ryan Vanderhoof's hair resembles Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme's; they goaded him into singing an overly melodramatic rendition of the pop metal act'’s hit ballad More Than Words. Yikes!



Members of the audience and the Born Ruffians kicking in on percussion and tin whistles.



Seth parades before the audience with potted plants held high.





Singalong action!



Beatbox breakdown action!



The band also rolled out some songs they plan to record in November. An exciting and occasionally hilarious set.

• Show reminder: Pennywise, Circle Jerks, Ignite and Brown Brigade play the Capital; For The Mathematics release their new CD at Barrymore's with, Embassies of Denmark, Bangkok; The Setbacks and The Creeps play Zaphod's.

Colour and light

Once again the First Baptist Church played host to an evening of secular entertainment. This time it was New York's Akron/Family, playing a sensational set, and Toronto's Born Ruffians. Both bands had a long drive from Toronto (Thanksgiving weekend meant a lot of traffic).





As you can see I've overcome my reluctance to take photos in church, so you'll be viewing more in the days to come.

• Show reminder: Heaps of stuff to see, with Museum Pieces, Sadie Hell and Acres at Irene's Pub; Cadence Weapon and Tokyo Police Club at Zaphod's; the Songbird Music crowd take over Babylon with sets from The Golden Seals, The Flaps, Matt Ouimet and Manpower; The Hylozoists and The John Henrys play Barrymore's; Rare Women for Wild Birds - i.e. Casey Comeau, Amanda Rheaume, MacKenzie MacBridge and Ana Muira - play a benefit for the Wild Bird Care Centre at Cafe Dekcuf.

From Akron

Well, actually, Akron/Family are based in New York; guitarist Seth Olinsky and Dana Janssen (drums, banjo) come from Williamsport, PA., while Miles Seaton (with the bass guitar) came from California. At least Ryan Vanderhoof is from Union Springs. They've become well-known in independent music circles thanks to their association with Michael Gira of Swans notoriety and Angels of Light fame. While plainly serious about music, this is a group that isn't afraid to goof around. There was some nonsensical repartee about dolphin riding, beating up otters and some rude but funny remarks about Paul McCartney and his wife from self-proclaimed doofus Seaton. They had the house lights turned up so they could get a look at the audience and brought their own bric-a-brac to enliven the stage.

First was the quiet bit ...



Quiet, quiet, quiet with Seth on slide whistle.



Still quiet with Dana playing his mini-xylophone with a bow.



Granted Miles isn't really the quiet type.



And now the noisy bit! "We cut that otter down the middle and set it on fire!!!"(?)







After several minutes of well-received feedback, the band settled down a bit. Dana came out from behind his kit to play some banjo.



This was followed by some gesticulation ...





All was now in place for the rise to the big finish!









I regret missing Dear Judah - aka Adam Solomanian - but other than that everything was just as I'd hoped (well, except they weren't quite as bearded as I'd heard). This was a really excellent show. I had been joking earlier with John Westhaver of Birdman Sound that "all three of Ottawa's Swans fans" would attend. Presumably they were there, but plenty of other folks were too. It was a full house - if not a sellout, close too.

• Show reminder: Punk action round town with The Antics, Farler's Fury, Cradle Robbin Bastards, The Sewer Rats, Hands of the Few and The Valveenus at Mavericks and For The Mathematics, Angry Agency and Clock Strikes at Zaphod's.