October in December

Last Friday I traipsed over to Pressed to check out the folk-rocking sounds of Octoberman, refresh my memories of Andy Swan (who I haven't seen perform in some time) and check out Culture Reject, a Toronto combo touring with Octoberman (and sharing a member as well).

First, Andy Swan, who was joined by Octoberman's band.



Marshall Bureau played in every set of the evening.



Rhythm section action with Tavo Diez de Bonilla!



Some multitasking from J.J. Ipsen.



Extra Andy!



More J.J. and Tavo!



Extra Marshall!



Tavo sings!



On to Culture Reject, who played a dynamite set. Although they're billed as lo-fi pop, they came across as a real powerhouse. Here's Michael O'Connor and Carlie Howell.



More Michael and Marshall!



Karri North hits!



Extra Carlie!



Tambourine action!



The whole lot!



Smiley action!



More Karri and Carlie!



And so on!



Singalong action!



Marc Morrissette and Co. played a short set to finish the evening off.



More J.J.!



Marshall shakes it!



Extra Tavo!



More Marc!



Rhythm section action!



Guitar action!



Jon Pearce from Winchester Warm was on hand to provide some extra guitar and backing vocals on the final number.



A very pleasant evening.

Swan's flight

August was taking its sweet time saying goodbye; on the 28th there was another show to attend, by Greg Smith & The Bad Dreamers with opener Andy Swan (also backed by the BDs).

Aaron Curtis drums!



Andy sings! Yeah, my focus kind of stank ...



J.J. Ipsen flies the CBC colours.



Justin Nace frets!



More Andy!



Drreamy action!



Greg Smith gets in some guitar time.



The whole lot!



Singalong action!



A lovely set.

• Show reminder: JEFF The Brotherhood, The White Wires and Dagger Eyes rock Babylon. Destroyer Scene and The Whiskey Shits play The Rainbow.

The Swan and Smith show

Off to Raw sugar a double bill of folky rock courtesy of Andy Swan and Greg Smith & The Bad Dreamers. The Bad Dreamers - J.J. Ipsen on bass, Justin Nace on guitar and Aaron Curtis on drums - backed Swan for his set (as did Smith, subbing for J.J. on bass for a few songs). It was a pleasant, intimate affair, without about a dozen people in attendance.


Andy Swan at Raw Sugar, August 28, 2011

One of those Bad Dreamers and Greg.


Andy Swan at Raw Sugar, August 28, 2011

While in the same vein as Swan's work, Greg Smith's set was a little louder and rockier.


Greg Smith & The Bad Dreamers at Raw Sugar, August 28, 2011

The whole lot!


Greg Smith & The Bad Dreamers at Raw Sugar, August 28, 2011

Time well spent.

• Show reminder: B.A. Johnston and Remi Royale do battle at The Manx; James Farr is at The Rainbow.

Gone to the park

The second half of Kelp's 16th anniversary Saturday shindig was held at Raw Sugar, the coffee, deserts and beer place on Somerset St. that's a hit with all the kids, and site of the quite-jammed Banditas reunion show from two months previous. This show was also quite jammed - I got my ticket in a hurry, I can tell you. First act of the night was The Michael Parks, the somewhat more rocking side of Andy Swan's musical personality.

And here's Andy rocking the Gibson SG with special guest Jenny Omnichord.



Bassist Greg Smith is also in The Weakerthans, guitarist John Higney is another guest.



Drummer Shayne Cox in a moment of repose.



The whole lot!



Andy sings! (And you can see Chris Page and Jim Bryson chit-chatting in the background, along with Jon Bartlett.)



Higney takes it all sitting down.



Bartlett rocks the tambourine.



More Greg!



More Shayne!



And that's it, until Swan makes his next foray from Breadalbane, P.E.I. Andy is offering up his albums free/pay-what-can at his website, so you have to check that out as well.

• Show reminder: pH, Adam Saikaley, OokPikk are at Mercury Lounge; The Darcys, Kalle Matson and Life In 2D; Despite All This and RedD Monkey are at The Rainbow; Wassabi Collective play Mavericks.

Feathered friends

The first time I saw Andy Swan was five years ago. I know this because it was at a show for Kelp's 11th anniversary at Barrymore's, where he filled in for an absent bassist in Andrew Vincent's backing band. Back then Andy was performing under the Detective Kalita name. In the intervening years he's changed the name to The Michael Parks after an album. He also does some solo stuff ... I guess The Michael Parks stuff has greater electric tendencies, but they are more metres than miles apart.I've aways thought he was an excellent guitarist and songwriter, and here he was at the Carleton Tavern for Kelp's 16th demonstrating it once again.

Smiley action with Shayne Cox!



Ready, everyone?



The band: John Higney, Jon Bartlett, and Cox.



Andy sings!



Telecaster action! Hmm ... I believe that guitar has been modified ...



The whole lot!



John forgot his slide, thus the lighter.



Bartlett hits!



And there you go. All these folks would, of course, reappear at raw Sugar later that night - or in Higney's case even earlier for The Flaps set.

• Show reminder:Speaking or Raw Sugar, if you go there tonight you can catch Myles Deck and The Fuzz, The Sleepless Nights and Brainhunter; Barn Burner, Mountanaka and HellBros! rock Mavericks.