Showing posts with label Castor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Castor. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Crown of creation

On Saturday I toddled over to Birdman Sound for a set by The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol. The iconic Glebe vinyl emporium is calling it a day at that location (owner John Westhaver is shifting toward popups, drop-offs and the like going forward), and TBWNIAS was to have played at Targ for Psychfest III (now delayed to a post-Covid era), so the band decided to commemorate the event with a live stream on Facebook. After some kludging with the Internet, things got underway. Here's Nate and John!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Feedback action with Dave!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

The walls got a green-screenign for those online psychedelic effects.

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Trumpet and guitar action with Scott and Bill!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

More Scott!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Symbolic action!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Keyboard action with Jason!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

More Nate and John!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Documentary action with Ron!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

And so on!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Dave dangles it!
The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

More percussive action!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

Jason shakes it!

The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol at Birdman Sound

And now, back into hibernation!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Experimental emissions

As Bluesfest faded into the distance, so did Ottawa's heat-wave. It was a very pleasant Thursday afternoon when I headed over to the National Gallery of Canada to see the Valiha Experimental Orchestra. I can't recall another live set from then that I've attended, but longtime followers of the blog may be familiar with associated acts Castor, Pollux, and Carlangas. The band specializes in a crossbreeding of the blues and Malagasay music.

And here they are: Charlie Brooks, his brother James, will Desjardins and Dave Reford.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Will shakes it.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Charlie strums!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Percussive action!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

There was also some audience-participation chalk drawing.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Some tootling as well.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Dave goes acoustic.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

More Charlie!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Feedback action!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

James takes a turn on trumpet.

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Yet more Charlie!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Will shakes it some more!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

The end!

Valiha Experimental Orchestra at the National Gallery of Canada

Some fine mellow and not-so-mellow sounds.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Star power

The Progtoberfest warmup ended up with a set from Wakefield noodlers extraordinaire Castor. They don't play out all that much but when they do it's always memorable.

Will works the pedals.

Castor at Irene's

More guitar action from Charlie!

Castor at Irene's

And some extra percussion from Dave.

Castor at Irene's

Drumstick selecting action!

Castor at Irene's

Rhythm section action!

Castor at Irene's

Charlie goes wah.

Castor at Irene's

Will says a few words.

Castor at Irene's

Charlie does his happy dance.

Castor at Irene's

Parallel action!

Castor at Irene's

More drumming!

Castor at Irene's

And some last minute running about by Dave, first thisaway ...

Castor at Irene's

Then thataway.

Castor at Irene's

As for when they play next, I'm not even going to venture to guess.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

In prog we trust

CKCU 93.1 FM is holding a festival of progressive music today featuring Nathan Mahl, Orco Muto (a must for all Goblin fans), Red Sand and Ambisonic at Carleton University in the Kailash Mital Theatre. As a warmup some local prog bands and Montreal's Black Feelings deployed a variety of spacious sounds at Irene's. The first band up was Matt Oxley of Crazy Ocean and Nervous System's new project. Or perhaps it was one of the aforementioned bands. I don't know since I got there as he and Pierre Richardson were breaking things down.

Black Feelings were up next. The Montreal trio have a singing drummer and like their delay and reverb - they were still making sounds a good 10 seconds after they put down their instruments when everything was over. Owain Lawson and Kyle Fostner come from Les Angles Morts, they're joined by Brian Mitchell on bass. I've also seen Owain when the Crystal Cliffs came through town. I've heard the words "noisy freakout" bandied about in reference to Black Feelings. I thought they were pretty restrained, though that may say more about me than them. Something about them made me think of Dead Meadow, though they're less psychedelic rock focussed.

Black Feelings at Irene's
Black Feelings at Irene's, October 23, 2009

The band whose name is a symbol played some really heavy duty riff rock and sounded great, including their "sort of" Status Quo cover.

The band whose name is a symbol at Irene's
The band whose name is a symbol at Irene's, October 23, 2009

Castor brought things too a close with their jammy spacerock. They too sounded sharp - I wish I didn't have to wait a year-and-a-half between shows, but I guess the mothership only passes by Mother Earth every so often.

Castor at Irene's
Castor at Irene's, October 23, 2009

This was also a fundraising show for CKCU ... don't forget to dial and donate!
  • Show reminder: Bloodshot Bill and The Hand Cuffs get greasy at the Elmdale House. Slo Tom and The Handsome Devils play Irene's; Bruce Peninsula, Brothers Chaffey, The Allrights and Right By Midnight rock Mavericks; USS, Loudlove and The Johnstones perform at the Capital Music Hall; Harvey Cartel are at the Atomic Rooster; Trevor James and The Perfect Gentlemen,Bad Ideas and Colin Moore play Zaphod Beeblebrox; Wicked Grin and FM Hi Low are at The Rainbow. The Polymorphines, The Micronite Filters and The Mistress deal some volume at Cafe DeKcuf. Add... because I am brain-dead right now, I completely forgot that Million Dollar Marxists will be ripping up Babylon tonight with The Fucking Machines, with some additional eye-candy provided by Dirty Donny's art.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Square dealers

Here we are back in June at The Dominion Tavern for a performance by Brant Bjork. This time he had an opening act: Castor. The tavern was pretty full for Castor's jammed out psychedelia. In addition to rocking the joint, bassist/guitarist/percussionist Will Desjardins also worked on a Rubik's Cube.



James drums! He's also a new dad.



Shouting action!



Charlie grimaces, as he often does.



Will also played some harmonica.



And so on!



Will he solve it by the end of the show? Yes, he will!



As for their next show, who knows when ...

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Box of Freaks

Four shows in four days ... I feel like it's the good old days when I got off work at 8 p.m. and not midnight. Like Friday's show, last night at the Dominion dished out the heavy rock. First Castor dealt some psychedelic perambulations and Rubik's Cube solving, the Brant Bjork and The Bros unleashed a steam roller of hippy heaviosity.


Castor, The Dominion Tavern, June 21, 2008

Bjork has a couple of new Bros; Giam Paolo on drums and Max Radings on guitar.


Brant Bjork and The Bros, The Dominion Tavern, June 21, 2008

Great show from all concerned, and a super-enthusiastic sold-out crowd.