The land of the midnight Sons

The Fortunate Sons are always worth catching, even when they leave the impression that they only practice their dragstrip rock twice a year (which may be the case, come to think of it ...). This was a crash and burn set opening for Tennessee's Rat Traps. Most of the crashing was done on the first song, after that it was mostly burning.

Hmm, should have turned up the flash for this Austen pic.



More guitar from Nate.



Chris rocks the brass.



Ben on bass - no doubt you recognize Rene's Kustom.



While checking the previews at the Long Timers' show J.P. said "Finally you're taking them from the right side!" True enough - now if I could just get him to stop waving those drumsticks around ...



Rock action!









Some may prefer a more centred version of this picture, but I think the expressions are better in this one.



Good night!



They did a covers of The Supersuckers' Ron's Got The Cocaine ... and I was listening to The Smoke of Hell just a few days ago. Coincidence - maybe!

A different feather

Well, I just got back from the Lovely Feathers show.
"But Andrew, it's only 10:45, I know the show is all ages, but shouldn't they be playing like, right now?"
Well, yeah. Truth is, I completely forgot (a) that there were three bands on the bill and (b) what the hell Lovely Feathers sounded like. The only other band listed on the show poster was Jetplanes of Abraham - great name! - and I was short of both sleep and food, two things which are a great aid in not accumulating sufficient brain wattage to deduce that the brief set of electroblurt I'd just witnessed was not the headlining act, despite the fact they ended things at 10 p.m. So I went home to get some food. I did start to wonder when I was about a 5-minute walk away, but by the time I certified that I'd bought a $10 ticket to see Duchess Says, not the Feathers, it was a bit late to go running back. Oh well, I'll catch them next time.



Anyway, Duchess Says put on an entertaining, albeit incomprehensible show.

C'est Simone

First time I saw C'mon play the Dominion, the turnout was pretty mediocre. Not so this time. Big crowd and a superb performance from C'mon made for one great big rock'n'roll group hug.

Ian Blurton and his amazing dancing beard.





Katie Lynn Campbell. She bends a thisaway, she bends a thataway.







My previous camera did not have wide angle or autofocus, as I scorned such things ... but I will admit they do come in handy for such things as photographing Randy Curnew.



As does a fast lens.



And now - as you probably guessed - rock action!







Ian had to borrow Greg from the Long Timers' strap after his own broke. Unkind things were said about a local music retailer which shall remain nameless.







Every C'mon show I go to, I wonder what strange shapes Katie Lynn's hair will take when frozen by the flash.



C'mon put on a great show, but it was time for them to have some fun by handing off their instruments so they could go to the bar and grab a drink. I don't know the guy with the bass, but that's Greg Kerr saying "More cowbell!" and J.P. Sadek not paying attention.



"This is the best band in Ottawa!"



Angie the Barbarian gets some microphone time.



The above picture was taken from a safe place behind the PA at the stage's right-hand side. Or at least, I thought it was safe ...



The encore!



An explosive end to a smokin' evening.

• Show reminder: The Lovely Feathers play Mavericks with Duchess Says and Poorfolk. The Small Sins (a.k.a. The Ladies and Gentlemen) Dirty Projectors and Cities in Dust play Zaphod's.
  

Of all the luck

I rushed over to Irene's after a late day at work (the budget and all that, you know) to see The Fortunate Sons ripped through a short set of their dirty rock'n'roll a couple of hours ago.



Theye were followed by Tennessee punks The Rat Raps; another short but good set.



Things wrapped up around midnight. No Jeffrey Novak One Man Band - "My gear broke" he explained. "The one man band broke up!" exclaimed one show goer. Thus sated, I went home to finally get myself some dinner and post this stuff ... more pictures to follow, ones which will show all five Sons and more of the other two Traps.

That time again

Last time I saw The Long Timers was in January and they were short a member (Rene was off visiting family). They played longer (and harder) this time around. They were stoked to be opening for C'mon again. I'm also kind of pleased with the way these pictures turned out - particularly once I remembered to turn the flash on (if you want to know what The Long Timers look like sans flash, click here). So let's get this show on the road!



Justin waves the mop.





Greg keeps his guitar at his trademark 80-degree pitch.



Johnny made his AC/DC shirt in the parking lot of the then-Corel Centre when the band played there - AC/DC, that is.



I managed to take not one, but two good pictures of J.P. It's a Christmas miracle!





I was looking at Rene's bass during the show and thinking "Man, he's been wailing the heck out of that thing to get it so worn." After checking out the band's bios I realized that its condition is due to it having survived not one but two generations of LeClairs - it's a 1957 P-bass he got from his dad.



Action of the rocking variety!













Having played both bass and guitar in the Long Timers, Johnny tries to branch out into drumming.



I hear tell they'll be playing the Lefty McRighty CD release show at Mavericks (not The Dom as I originally said) ... when that is I don't know.

• Show reminder: The Rat Traps, Jeff Novak One Man Band and The Fortunate Sons (who feature J.P. on drums) play Irene's.

It's a given

Four'n'Giv'r was the opening act on Saturday. Another good set; not much more to say since I saw them the previous Tuesday. Here we go - starting with some pre-show calisthenics from Mark.



Bob in lights.



And Mark and John.



Why is this man laughing? Bob sneaked into the audience for one of his trademark coming-after-the-photographer poses. It didn't work, much to his amusement (though he also said "Laughter has no place in rock!" later on).



"You don't know what you're missing!"



Rock action!





And all together!



Twice in a week is not too much!

• Show reminder: The Architects, Kincaide, Bangkok and The Watters Brothers play a free gig at Zaphod Beeblebrox.