OXW 2013: Friday

There were a few technical difficulties at Casa Carver on Sunday. I was hoping to post a bunch of photos from Friday and Saturday's Ottawa Explosion, but unfortunately my computer's hard drive started making cricket noises. Experts quickly concluded that it was, to use the technical term, (expletive deleted). Fortunately photos were already up on Flickr, and hopefully I haven't lost anything from my photo library either, thanks to Time Machine. Anyway, back to happier times and crazier people in the lovely environs of the SAW Gallery courtyard.

It was a mere year ago today in the same place and just about the same time (Thursday, June 14, 2012 for you sticklers) that Voicemail made their scintillating debut.


Voicemail at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Todd shouts!


Voicemail at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

I think Thee Nodes put on the second craziest set of the weekend that I caught, largely thanks to their abuse-screaming, tent-climbing frontman.


Thee Nodes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Believe me, he went even higher still.


Thee Nodes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013
 
Next under the not-very-big top were New York's Wyldlife, who graduated some come louder from the Johnny Thunders school of guitar rock.


Wyldlife at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Bendy action!


Wyldlife at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

On to The Nervosas. If you caught them at last year's Ottawa Explosion you know they put on a great show of jittery punk rock. Same deal this year.


Nervosas at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Guitar action with Mickey! They also played the next day at Mavericks.


Nervosas at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Needles//Pins may hail from the West Coast, but they're also local faves thanks to a some Ottawa expatriate action. They played the Explosion before and will no doubt do so again. (They also had a second show.)


Needles//Pins at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Macey hits!


Needles//Pins at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Now I faced a moment of decision: Stick around for Holy Cobras and a further slate of hot bands down at Club SAW, or head off to one of the other venues. In the end I decided to go to Mavericks and Cafe DeKcuf, since I've already seen all the bands playing at Club SAW at least once and had yet to lay eyes on World War 4, The Raging Nathans or Dig it Up.

I've actually seen everyone in World War 4, but they do not sound like a cross between The Fiftymen, a Misfits cover artist, electronic dance and comedy rock. No, they sound like the unholy combination of old school thrash and punk.


World War 4 at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Faceoff action!


World War 4 at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Downstairs the Raging Nathans were doing the Ramones-loving pop punk thing.


Raging Nathans at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Percussive action!


Raging Nathans at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Back upstairs for a raging set from Klovenhoofs. They say they've recorded some new material, and I can hardly wait.


Klovenhoofs at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Scott sings!


Klovenhoofs at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013
 
Back downstairs for baseball-loving punks The Isotopes, who had another man in the bullpen for this go-around. They had been auditioning for a new lead guitarist when I last posted about them, and I guess they got him, because this time around Evan just worked the microphone. They also started things off with the singing of O Canada.


The Isotopes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

More guitar!


The Isotopes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

I knew nothing of Dig It Up before I caught their set, but now I know they rock really hard, and have Andrea Silver (who I last saw playing with Young Galaxy) on drums!


Dig It Up at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Telecaster action!


Dig It Up at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Finally The Creeps played a brief set "Have you been drinking all day? We've been drinking all day."


The Creeps at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Bass action!


The Creeps at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 21, 2013

Then it was off to bed, so as to prepare myself for even more craziness on Saturday.

OXW 2013: Saturday

After two years high and dry, I suppose the Ottawa Explosion Weekend was due for a bit of a sprinkle - but that didn't dampen the spirits of the many folks who took refuge under the tent and watched a parade of swell acts. To make a long story short (since I have a busy Sunday and no time for anything else) I caught a bunch of cool bands at Club SAW (inside and outside) and Mugshots, but as a consequence now have 650 photos to name, tag and upload, so don't expect stuff too soon. Here's Astral Gunk, my first show of the day, playing some killer psych-punk.


Astral Gunk at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 22, 2013

There's more stuff going on today at Club SAW and Cafe Luneta, so the weekend isn't over yet!

OXW 2013: Friday

There was a whole lot going on Friday at the Ottawa Explosion Weekend, but since there's a whole lot more going on today, a full description of events will have to wait for later on .... instead here's one lousy photo of nutbar Montreal punks Thee Nodes going crazy.


Thee Nodes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, July 21, 2013

Posting will resume when I return to full consciousness, post-Explosion. Could be a while. However, photos will still be loaded up to Flickr, so if you care to browse, the link is to the right.

OXW 2013: Thursday, Part II

After my break for Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns, it was back to Club SAW just in tome to catch the last song from Mother's Children, Nobody's Business.


Mother's Children at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Birthday action!


Mother's Children at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013
 
Then it was on to Moncton's Mouthbreathers, who livened up their set with an Eric's Trip cover.


The Mouthbreathers at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Guitar action!


The Mouthbreathers at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

The real craziness began when Le Kid et Les Marinellis hit the stage. There was much spilling and spewing of liquids, microphone stand molestation, and general audience misbehaviour.


Le Kid et Les Marinellis at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Things got a little carried away ...


Le Kid et Les Marinellis at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

After a bit of stage cleanup, it was time for California power pop sensation Mike Krol to play. Krol made a name for himself in the world of graphic design, but now it's music all the time, with some ace sounds, not unlike a lo-fi Weezer.


Mike Krol at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

He's also playing at the pool party gig this afternoon, just minutes away!


Mike Krol at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Calgary's Mandates finished things off with some loud fast rules style punk rock, culminating in The Dead Boys' All This And More.


The Mandates at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

They'll be at Vertigo for the in-store performance this evening.


 The Mandates at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

 Much more mania to come!

White sand and dark rivers

I had a chance to see Tav Falco way back when at The Dominion Tavern; he was performing as part of the Bluesfest Underground series, so it was pre-blog by a couple of years at least. Someone dropped out at the festival itself - R.L. Burnside, if memory serves - so Falco and Co. also got a crack at the main stage, where they made quite a good impression on the crowd. Ten years on, I was wondering how he'd be holding up, and I'm glad to say that although the pencil mustache is history, the rest of him is in fine form. The current iteration of The Panther Burns (including a freshly recruited drummer) also sounded top notch.


Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns at Zaphod's, June 20, 2013

There was some on stage flamenco dancing, covers of Brother Dave Gardner's White Silver Sands and the Goldfinger theme, and much other goodness.


Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns at Zaphod's, June 20, 2013

Unfortunately there wasn't much of a crowd; not sure whether to blame a busy weekend during cottage season, or bad promotion, but I did run into a few people who had no idea he was performing.

OXW 2013: Thursday, Part I

Things are starting to get busy at the Ottawa Explosion Weekend. I suppose it's the mark of a good festival that you're guaranteed to miss something you wanted to see. Fortunately I had a great dose of awesome sounds last night to assuage the pain.

First on the bill, Average Times, sounding above-average as usual, with a new bassist on staff: Yes, it's Seiji of Uranium Comeback.


Average Times at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Stef hits!


Average Times at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Next up Dagger Eyes, who need no introduction at this point.


Dagger Eyes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Ian is ready to mutilate.


Dagger Eyes at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Then it was the turn of the Explosion's first international act, all the way from Cambridge, Massachusetts, White Pages, who deal in panic attack punk.


White Pages at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

They were quite blurty and frenetic.


White Pages at Ottawa Explosion Weekend, June 20, 2013

Then I left ... yes, left! I came back later, but I had another show to attend so I missed out on Yellow Teeth and Big Dick.

OXW 2013: Wednesday

Once again it's time for the Ottawa Explosion Weekend. This year, it starts on a Wednesday. We're easing into it with last night's show, with a mere five bands playing in the SAW Gallery courtyard.

Things got underway with the first show by Black Tower, which features folks from Crusades and The Visitors getting their black metal on. But first, some introduction action from festival main brain Emmanuel Sayer.


Black Tower at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Erin sings!


Black Tower at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Scotty strikes a stance.


Black Tower at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

As Emmanuel pointed out, Uranium Comeback played their first show at the Gaga Weekend; since then they've hit the stage about a dozen times. The secret of their success: "Don't play."


Uranium Comeback at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Also, Seiji is back from Japan (well, he's been back for a while) and once again playing bass and writing a new song.


Uranium Comeback at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs played a fun set at last year's Ottawa Explosion. This time around they were really on fire.


Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Drumming action!


Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Montreal's Bummer played a really great set; this was my first time seeing them. They had hardcore punk and some chorused guitar sound that made me think of The Chameleons.


Bummer at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

I zipped over to get their seven-inch as soon as they were done.


Bummer at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Hamilton's TV Freaks ended things with a bang; they have a wild frontman and a great Stooges-meets-Black Flag sound.


TV Freaks at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

Audience participation action!


TV Freaks at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

The crowd goes wild!


TV Freaks at Ottawa Explosion, June 19, 2013

The action continues today!