Until it hurts

Pretty Bad Records has emerged from Shakey Achers Tim and Matt and Dick Altavista, of CKCU's Both Kinds Of Music and sundry country-fried acts like Vapouriser and The Stumblers. They released the Shakey Aches debut 7-inch and a new platter by The Johnnies. When it came time to release said 7-inch, The Shakey Aches were naturally ideal openers.

First, some introductory drinking with Richard and Casey and Dave Aardvark!



Darell Angus frets!



Mean Mad Matthew shakes things up.



Extra Richard!



Tim hits!



The shouty bit!



And so on!



Casey sings!



Meanwhile, on stage right we have bassist Eric Larock (also now a member of Klovenhoofs).



In the red action!



Rhythm section action!



Casey keys!



Feedback action!



They're playing the Dominion again this Saturday with Owl Farm and The Alrights, and are also on the Ottawa Explosion slate.

• Show reminder: Junior Battles, The Brat Attack and Jon Creeden rock the house at 558 Gladstone Ave.; two lineups appear to be booked at Cafe DeKcuf, I'm guessing Sandman Viper Command, Ornaments and Archie Powell and the Exports will head downstairs to Mavericks, while Argus Panoptes, The Isosceles Project and Shahman stick to the second storey. Decomposing Pianos, Matt Morel and Radioactive Bishop perform at Pressed's Experimental Music evening. Hard Honey and The Jeers are at Zaphod's; Brad Morden, Kay'La Fraser and Cloe Perrault play Raw Sugar; The Andrew Krause Band rolls into the Rainbow;the Elmdale hosts Big Moan and Alex Harea.

Salt, Sea, Saints, Sicks, Sadie, Shanker and so on

Tonight Ramona Cordova performs at the Treehouse (80 Spruce St.); tourmate Francois Virot appears to have been sidelined, but if you like falsetto folk-pop it's worth looking into. Zaphod's hosts Windsor folk-punkers James O-L and The Villains, Gargle Salt (horrible name, cool acoustic folk with found sound garnish) and Fused.
On Tuesday The Rough Sea and Thick As Thieves play the Exile Infoshop. I'm darn sad to be missing the screeching trash rock of Winnipeg's Ex-Girlfriends at Irene's on the same day.
If you miss 'em them, they'll also be at the Rock'n'Roll Pizza Party on Thursday.
Wednesday, Tympanic, F the Band and Amos the Transparent's Jonathan Chandler perform at Zaphod's.
Thursday, apart from the aforementioned Ex-Girlfriends at the Bytown Tavern, Aaron Allen and the Small City Saints will be performing at the Elmdale House Tavern - it's good, moody country rock with a soulful edge.


Videotape, Zaphod Beeblebrox, March 21, 2008

Things heat up Friday with Kites Overhead and Larsin performing at U of O's Cafe Nostalgica. International Maniac Institute, Zero Hours, Karnax, Everything Less, Sketchy Poutine and Sick Sick Sicks rock The New Bayou. Psychic Hotline Sadie Hell and Videotape play Zaphod Beeblebrox. Matt Ouimet perform at Irene's.


Casey Comeau, Babylon, March 23, 2007

On Saturday The Late '94s, These Electric Lives and Acres play Zaphod Beeblebrox; illScarlett and Daniel Wesley perform at Mavericks; Shanker and Romps release their new CD alongside Casey Comeau at Irene's.
Endemise, Arising Roots, Aggressor, Demise of a King and Mercury Flow play Mavericks on Sunday.

Beat that!

The discriminating listener has a couple of fine shows too choose from: Over at Zaphod Beeblebrox, Casey Comeau and Andrea Simms-Karp will perform. Here's a photo of Casey and Richard Jeffrey in post-Half-Milers, pre-Wilderness Club at Irene's in March 2005.



Speaking of Irene's, ManPower is celebrating their Season's Beatings Christmas shindig along with Remi Royale, The Unkown Wrestler and one-man band BA Johnston. I'm sure it will be a sombre and reverential event, possibly involving sliced meat.

Town and country

Once upon a time it seemed like I was seeing Casey Comeau and one or more of her compatriots in The Centretown Wilderness Club (or her old outfit, the Half-milers) playing shows in one of several outfits, but I've barely laid eyes on any of 'em (barring crossing the occasional path at other people's shows) for nigh on nine months. I'd make mention of some gig, but was never quite free to attend myself. Fortunately opportunity struck a couple of nights ago when Crowded Skies put together an evening of country rocking. I missed openers Violet Lyal, but did catch most of the Club's performance.

Casey and Richard.



The audience amuses Marie-Josee Houle (who has a new CD of her own out, I should mention).



I turned the flash and shutter speed down in order to catch VJ Daisy's backdrops. It didn't work.



Aalya and Dietrich.



Other side of the stage action!



Overhead action!



The whole lot!



They play next at Irene's April 13 with the Jupiter Ray Project.

• Show reminder: Embassies Of Denmark play Cafe DeKcuf with The Great Plains and Rebekah Higgs.

Town and country

Spring has sprung! That means I biked to work and back. On the plus side that means I don't have to cool my heels waiting for the bus. On the minus side my legs were a little wobbly. I arrived at Babylon in time for the final half of Casey Comeau and the Centretown Wilderness Club's set and spent most of the time nonchalantly propped up against the club speakers so as to avoid tipping over.



Although technically the headlining act, the Centretown Wilderness Club handed the finishing set off to Crowded Skies so that Casey's parents could catch her set.



Unfortunately I missed Violet Lyal's set. Next time. I also missed an opportunity to prep any Isis pictures, so they'll come a little later in the day.

• Show reminder: KnifeHammer, Muffler Crunch, The Suicide Pilots, Critical Convictions, Belligerent and Andy-Tap kick it at 61 Argyle Ave; The Hi Lo Trons and Great Aunt Ida play Babylon; Bloodshot Bill and The Solid Senders rock and roll at Irene's; Menomena, Land Of Talk and Field Music perform at Zaphod's.

Hot club of Centretown

Off to the MBNA Grassroots Stage for one of the few acts I saw there that could be described as "grassroots" - to wit, the folk, country and chanson-embracing Centretown Wilderness Club. Everyone was looking pretty sharp and sounded good until the PA began acting up for their final number. They were playing a slower number when I arrived, and Aalya Ahmad and Dietrich Sider were taking a turn on stage.



Casey, ready for the sun.



Didn't I say I'd have a better Mike Sheridan picture?



Lots of singing going on.









Dieter looking classy as usual, not to mention far cooler (temperature wise, that is) than anyone had a right to be.



More singing from M.J. Houle!







Their debut CD, Taking Routes is forthcoming, and they promise a CD release party date in the near future.

• Show reminder: Birdman Sound celebrates its 15th anniversary at Babylon with the Solid Senders and Double Pumpers.

Keep it in the Famile

Sunday evenings at the Rainbow have become a little more interesting to fans of things indie, alt, pop and folk; recently They Shoot Horse Don't They and Telefauna graced the venerable blues venue's comfy stage, and a couple of nights ago interlocking country-folk bands Casey Comeau and the Centretown Wilderness Club and The Golden Famile each played a brisk set. I hope to be at Babylon in a few minutes time (I'm writing this up last night) so this is going to be a hit and run job.

Casey Comeau and her swanky new Taylor T5.



M.J. Houle, Dietrich Sider and Richard Jeffrey.



Mike Sheridan was looking sharp.



Dietrich was looking sharper.



Aalya Ahmad from on high.



Richard and Marie-Josee.



Casey and Aalya play while Mike plays the other side of the bass drum (and possibly checks his reflection).



The whole bunch from down below ...



And up above.



As I mentioned in my last post, the Golden Famile and the Club have three members in common, Richard, Casey and Mike, and they certainly make a well-integrated double bill.

Frontman Darrell Angus.



Casey on organ ... when they were setting up it was sounding very fuzzy - no doubt flashing back to its Desecrating days ...



Ryan Hough up close.



Nate Hurlow - you are going to go see his other band The Fortunate Sons at Irene's May 2, right?



Folk-rock action!





Hello down there!





The soundman was later heard to observe "I didn't expect it to get so loud there at the end ..." He did a great job anyway, I thought - and fine sets from both bands.

• Show reminder: Lefty McRighty and the Boxcar Cadavers, The Pandemics, Bloodshot Bill and The Cockroaches play Babylon.