Run, run, run

A great show for the Banditas' CD/LP release party, starting with Run Stop Restore, which features Jim Sproull (guitarist for the Glads), his brother John (last seen hitting the skins for Patrick Shanks in his Merle Knurling incarnation), Joey Vienneau and Chris Cook. Very raucous modern rock, plus a cover of Pere Ubu's Non Alignment Pact ... I ask you, how many bands out there are covering Pere Ubu? And with matching shirts, even.

Jim Sproull prepares to testify!



Keyboardist Chris in a shouty mood.



John Sproull drums emphatically.



Bassist Joey.



Three-quarters of all together!



A different three quarters of all together! (Damn post).



Them Sproulls - an uncanny resemblance.



We're officially in the summer doldrums ... shows seem a little farther inbetween - though there's a bunch of AA punk stuff going on, such as The Flatliners, The Heatskores, Clock Strikes, Fleeba tonight at Mavericks Bar - a "Skanada Day Kick-off Bash." If freakopunk is more your bag, head over to the Avant-Garde Bar (where Sunburned Hand of The Man put on such a swell show with St. Bernard of Love and Akisakila) and see The Skarekrov (all the way from Russia!), dd/mm/yyyy, Panserbjorne and Veloochi play another AA show, also tonight.
Of further interest ...

• The Flaps at Irene's July 2. Along with guest vocalist Jon Bartlett of Greenfield Main, Rhume and Kelp Records they'll be providing a tribute to Canrock classics.
• The Vampire Beach Babes with The Jezebels at Zaphod's, also July 2.
  
• Hi Lo Trons, Daiquiri, The Acorn and Algorhythmz play Babylon July 2.
  
• For the Mathematics, Casey Comeau and The Centretown Wilderness Club, Elvyn, Radiodazed and The Suburban Pop Project play Zaphod's Canada Day.
  

Feel the Lovetart

Jake Lovetart: One half Department of Foreign Affairs, one half Double Pumpers - add Jack Daniels, Old Milwaukee and broken glass to taste. Playing such lost classics as Face Full of Pussy, Hard as a MF, and encoring with mission statement Drinking, Rocking, Fucking. I detect a slight Zodiac Mindwarp influence.

A man and his Jack Daniels. Damien Sawka on the microphone and bottle.



Damien leans on bassist Chris Teasdale (also of The Department of Foreign Affairs) ...



... and gives the Approved-by-Satan sign to Paul "Yogi" Granger's guitar playing.



It was at this point in the proceedings that Jon Bartlett stuck an open bottle of beer down Damien's pants ...



There was some falling down.



They don't need shirts to rock!



Brennan Pilkington and his amazing stripey pants.



More Teasdale!



More Yogi!



More drinking!



Some audience members were invited up to help sing the chorus of Love Machine which goes, as far as I could discern, "Love machine!"



By the end of the night booze and bits of glass had gone everywhere. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

You don't know what you're missing

... Went the chorus of the song Four'n'Giv'r debuted at the last minute. Mark and John are really coming together as a rhythm section, and this show was particularly hardhitting (except for the bit where John's foot pedal broke).

I was hoping to get one of John's many grimaces, but here he just looks like he ate something disagreeable. Oh well.



Mark on bass, more stationary than usual.



Bob on guitar and vocals.



And the whole crew ...



A fine set. And a brief post because there's not much to say but go see them if you have the chance.

Dazed and confused

Punk rock trio Radiodazed have been punk rocking about town for a few years now - in fact they're celebrating their tenth anniversary as a band in 2005. They needed a couple of songs to really pick up speed for this show opening for Jake Lovetart June 24, but turned out a pretty consistent set when they were really up and running. You certainly can't fault them for not having some lively moves ...

Starting with the band altogether: Brothers Matt and Mark McHale and Nials Everett (which makes this the first of three bands with two brothers in it I saw in the space of two days).



Nials handles most of the singing, Matt handles most of the jumping.



Mark on drums and pointy hair (unfortunately on my one other good picture of him the tom mike is directly in front of his face).



Matt at the Mike ... of course he still relies on Nials for support.



Providing liquid refreshments.



More jumping about. Matt averaged four jumps per song - or 1.3 per chord (I kid).



A mid-song cellphone rendition of Raffi's Bananaphone - truly a song for the ages!



Radiodazed are playing at Zaphod's with a host of other bands, including For the Mathematics, Casey Comeau and The Centretown Wilderness Club, Elvyn and The Suburban Pop Project.

• Show reminder: Caution Press are doing a Fringe Festival-related show at Arts Court; The Setbacks, Kingston Fog, Nicolas Johansen, The Hussies and John Carroll take part in one of Zaphod's Bluesfest Talent Showcases.
  

White noise

Thom D'Arcy, formerly of The Carnations and occasional Another Blue Door whipped up a quick album of electropop, then took it on the road with Andreas Tompros, Steve Krecklo, Shayne Cox and Kevin Hilliard, all off whom have indie rock resumes of their own under the Ladies and Gentlemen name (later changed to Small Sins). I think they should be put on a double bill with The Wooden Stars - I think they have the same tailor.

Thom D'Arcy; came to Ottawa for the corndogs.



Kevin Hilliard and (I think) keyboardist, guitarist and Hi-Hat Recordings chappy Andreas Tompros.



If memory serves, this is Steve Krecklo, who also played with D'arcy in The Carnations.



Shayne Cox. No one rocks like Shayne Cox rocks - or so I hear.



Apparently dry-cleaning is required to keep them in sartorial splendour (that, or $42.50 at Royal Navy).

• Show reminder: I'm off to Irene's for The Banditas' CD/LP release party with The Nymphets and RunStop-Restore, but there's plenty of other stuff, including Servo, Only Forward and Caution Press at Maverick's, Department of Foreign Affairs and The Machine's (which includes some of Cambridge hard rockers The Candidates) at Zaphod's and James McKenty & The Spades at The Pour House.

An 'Arrowing experience

The Red Arrows play guitar-heavy pop music combining 1970s powerpop with some 90s alt-rock. The lyrics have an occasional political subtext. I thought they were good, though some of the rhymes were a little on the obvious side.

Guitarist and vocalist Brahm Gawdan had a somewhat shouty singing style that suited the lyrics quite well.



Bassist Braydon Potter in stage light; I took a bunch of pictures before I realized I didn't have my glasses on - if the pictures look a little out-of-focus, that's why.



Drummer Glenn Zysanski.



The other guitarist and backing vocalist Chris Seiler: "Our CDs used to be $10 ... are now $5 .. will soon be $3 ...."



Some shutter speed fooling about.



And group shot entertainment.



I actually preferred them to the Ladies and Gentlemen, the band they were opening for - not a question of songwriting or musical ability, more a matter of taste.

• Show reminder: Jake Lovetart, Four'N'Giv'r and Radiodazed play Babylon; Red Fey and Casey Comeau and the Centretown Wilderness Club play at Irene's with last-minute addition Mark Ripp.
  

Tonight , tomorrow, the night after

It's been a slow week, but that changes tonight with an appearance by Roll Gypsy Roll at Zaphod's opening up for Superfriendz/Flashing Light mainman Matt Murphy's City Field. Saturday, Red Fey and Casey Comeau and the Centretown Wilderness Club play at Irene's. Saturday night The Banditas hold the CD/LP release party at Irene's with The Nymphets and Run Stop Restore.

Liz of the Banditas (with Colin just behind her).



Casey and Richard of the CWC at Irene's, before they acquired a name (and a couple of other musicians).



And some Rolling Gypsies ...



Other shows of note: On Friday there's Jake Lovetart, Four'N'Giv'r and Radiodazed at Babylon; Saturday Department of Foreign Affairs and The Machines play Zaphod's.

Yummy fur

Malajube completed the Fringe Pop mini-festivities at Club SAW. They reminded me of The Animal Collective and various other weird-pop outfits. I liked their show, but not as much as The Hot Springs' set.

On keyboards, a furry woodland creature - actually, Thomas Tom Thompson. According to his bio on Malajube's website: " ...que l'on a rarement pu apercevoir sans son t-shirt sur lequel il est inscrit : 'Singapoure, The fine city.'" Sure enough, he's wearing it here. The guy must love Singapore. And Tintin.



Julien on guitar and "chante-chante."



Mathieu on bass - looks a bit worried.



Here's another picture of Julien - he frequently went down on his knees. Behind him you can see drummer Joseph Bruno Francis.



More woodland pop ...



The group plays to the assembled head-backs.



You can read my review of the band's CD here.

Hope springs eternal

The Hot Springs are definitely hot, and quite springy too boot: Much bouncing around on stage by this Montreal foursome led by Giselle Weber; accompanied by Remy Nadeau-Aubin on guitar, Karine Lauzon on drums and Fred Sauve on bass she put on a show of desperation rhythm rock. They sounded a bit like a new wave version of The Heartless Bastards.

Giselle dispenses with her switch-laden Hagstrom to concentrate on the microphone and rant at people at the bar.



Karine on drums ... this wasn't a good night for drummer photographs.



Remy, looking much less lively than in actuality.



Bassist Fred - good for leaning against. He's a very big bassist.



Hot rock action!



And all together.



They have a nice little EP dubbed Rock Partouze out; it's good, but of course can't convey the crazy energy of their live show.