It's the little things

The Details capped things off with some roots-rock inflected pop sounds. Not to be confused with local combo usually seen in conjunction with J.D., this is a quartet of Winnipeggers. They're quite engaging both live and on record.

Faceoff action already, from Jon Plett and bassist Keli Martin!



More Keli, plus the colourful blur of drummer Shaun Gibson.



Rocking about! That's Sean Vidal at left.



I quite admire Gibson's versatile percussion.



More Sean!



More John!



Closeup action!



Fretful action!



Bonus faceoff action!



Shaun brushes up.



More running about!



And so on!



Extra Kelly!



Guitar-lifting action!



Multi-instrumental action!



The whole lot!



Melodica action!



Drumming on the bass amp? Alrighty then ...



Gripping action!



The shouty end!



(Not counting the drinking.)



And that's that, for now ...

• Show reminder: Dan Kusub, The Crass Lads and Eleric perform at The Rainbow; The Elmdale hosts James Struthers, Andy Shauf, Mike Angus and Kate Morgan; The Nim Shamblers jazz it up at the Avant-Garde.

After the storm

My showgoing opportunities are pretty sparse in this pre-Bluesfest week, but at least Winnipeg's The Details had the good timing to drive their tour van through town on one of my days off. Even better, a couple of fine local acts were recruited to open things up at Zaphod Beeblebrox.

First up, Black Dogs, self-described as "some folks playing folk." Well, you can't argue with that. I'll just add that they're a very pleasant sounding duo - William Armstrong and Gavin Dyke - with good vocal harmonies that stray close enough to ragged on occasion in a many that is most endearing.


Black Dogs at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

Most of my photos, like this one of Armstrong, were sans flash, and kind of indifferent.


Black Dogs at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

Up next, Right by Midnight, which as Black Dogs singer-guitarist Gavin noted are "louder than us." I haven't seen them before, but have caught frontman Kris Ward doing some singer-songwriter stuff on a couple of occasion. His Right by Midnight output is quite a bit different; apart from the volume difference, there's also another singer in fellow guitarist Charlie Downey (who I saw playing with Kris for the first time back in 2006) and there's a lot more powerpop and Britrock in the mix. This was their first show as a quartet, as they've been joined by former Wise, Young and King bassist Chris Terkuc.


Right by Midnight at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

Charlie's grown his hair since 2006.


Right by Midnight at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

Finally The Details played a very energetic set, lots of moving around on stage from this bunch who clearlu no how to work a room (even when it's rather sparsely populated). I detect a slight roots twist to their pop music, and I'll confess what sticks most in my mind is their versatile percussionist, who has a very nice touch on the traps.


The Details at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

Meanwhile, over on the left ...


The Details at Zaphod Beeblebrox, June 28, 2011

A pity more folks couldn't make it - it was a very solid triple bill.

• Show reminder: Gruve, The Toughtones and Doug Porteaus are at The Rainbow; Lakes of Canada, Erin Saoirse Adair and Glenn Nuotio perform at The Elmdale.

The devil's music

The last act of the evening, Winnipeg's Details. They sound a bit like a younger, poppier Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, but they aren't strident imitators. An energetic band on stage - I can see them becoming quite popular.

Up front, Jon Plett on vocals and guitar.



Sean Vidal, Les Paul rocker.



Keli Martin, bass player and foot-tambouriner.



And last but not least, drummer Shaun Gibson.



And now, detailed action!





Some last song yelling.



The end, or close to it!



They're now on the western leg of their tour.

• Show reminder: Punks unite at Babylon with The Casualties, The Krum Bums, Zero Hours and Gunned Down; Mothers of the Lower East Side trip out at the Avant Garde Bar - it's a new incarnation of Mile Over Mecca as far as I can tell. Skafest, Day 2 hits The Bayou with The Real Deal, Keepin' 6, Fleeba, The Dirty 30s and Nummies. Viscera's Recital, The Love Machine and Brights rock Mavericks.

Heart to heart

I didn't think The Details, former Frenetic turned folk-rocker Malcolm Bauld or Allumettes offshoot Hollowtip Hearts would rake in a big audience at Babylon, particularly on a cool Tuesday evening, and I was proved sadly correct. Pity, for the assembled bands all turned in sharp performances of various flavours. First local quartet Hollowtip Hearts - fresh off a gig at The Dominion the previous Saturday with Four'n'Giv'r - wowed the crowd with songs about lasers and moustaches, coordinated tambourining. The main singer in this combo is Christina, formerly of Les Allumettes, but everyone chips in ....


The Hollowtip Hearts - Stina B, Krystal Diamond - Babylon April 29, 2008

They were followed by Malcolm Bauld, who was in excellent form. He's been on the road for a month so he's well-practiced but hasn't yet gotten to the point where he feels his vocal cords have been sandpapered.


Malcolm Bauld, Babylon, April 29, 2008

He was joined on stage for his closing two songs by the rhythm section of The Details, who sound a bit like Sloan, Adorable, and Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, but a bit shinier and not as good - no slam on them, since no one's as good as Ted. They've got a taste for the anthemic in some of their tunes (most notably, err, National Anthem) and I could imagine them becoming much bigger.



It all hit the spot.

• Show reminder: Will Currie and The Country French and Greggy B and The Flats play Zaphod's.