Blues from the other side

There were so many fine choices of where to go to last night it really wasn't fair (and that was even before I failed to notice The Sick Fits and Watters Brothers Rebellion were performing at The Rainbow). I passed up shows by Teenage Head and The Fucking Machines to go and see The Pack and The Paperboxes on the grounds they've come a long way. The few folks who didn't go to other shows were treated to some shoutin, howlin' and caterwaulin duo style blues from headliners The Pack (Becky Black on guitar, Maya Miller on drums), The Paperboxes (Raymond Tin on guitar, Marcus hastings on drums) and Mississippi Grover (MG on guitar and drums, plus the skull of a cow ... that counts as a duo, right?) 'Ere we go!

Mississippi Grover and some bleached ruminant cranium.



The Paperboxes. Marcus does most of the singing.



The Pack. I can hear why Black is garnering Janis Joplin comparisons. They should do a show with The Mongrels so she and Amy T. can have a Joplining contest.



Regrets at missed shows aside, that was all pretty swell.

• Show reminder: The Ghost Is Dancing, The Coast and The Murder Plans perform at Zaphod's.

The nuclear family

Another evening of post-work rock. Babylon played host to a punk rock baby shower for the imminent offspring of The Bella Bombs' e-bomb and four-stroker Ken Vermin. A bunch of bands got on stage to tear through a half-dozen songs. I arrived too late for Blackball, Harshey, Good2Go and The Weapons of Mass Seduction, but the Bella Bombs were cranking it out as I walked in (I mean the rock, not the baby).

Angel "e-Bomb" Ketchum at left.



And hubby Ken on the microphone and grimacing with four-stroke.



Tokyosewhale brought headgear, almost all off which they'd divested themselves of by the time I took this picture. You can see Yogi's hat doing its best tribble impression near the front of the stage.



Manpower broke out the black leather for this gig.



Good turnout too, considering the vast amount of other stuff going on.

• Show reminder: Another busy night with Farler's Fury, Nummies, The Bloody Macphersons, The Sewer Rats and Skunch at Cafe Dekcuf; The Fucking Machines release their new LP at the Dominion with Gunsmoke and Last Communion; Kill The Lights and Poorfolk play Zaphod Beeblebrox; Teenage Head and The Riptides perform at Barrymore's. The Pack, The Paper Boxes and Mississippi Grover bring the blues (and some other stuff) to Irene's.

One for the road

I got in the door at The Dominion just as The BushPilots were performing their last song. They were really working it out so I had a chance to snap a few pictures of them and Good2Go singer Maureen.

Actually this looks like a bit of a song-ending moment so perhaps it was the second to last.










Good thing Tom made it into the teaser shot, because this is all you'll see of him today. (Note: This does not apply if you go to The Rainbow tonight, as the band is playing there with Parson's Road).



The view over the keyboard.



Big drumming finish!



As mentioned mere moments ago, they have a show tonight at The Rainbow (and again Dec. 14, for those of you planning ahead).

• Show reminder: Hollerado, Riot Melody and Alyss play Cafe Dekcuf; The Fully Down and Smaller On You rock the basement at End Hits; there's some punk rock baby showering at Babylon with Manpower, four-stroke, Good2Go, Tokyo Sex Whale, Blackball, the Bella Bombs, Harshey and more; C'mon and Bionic rock like crazy at the Dominion Tavern; White Cowbell Oklahoma and The Kingmakers kick it out at Barrymore's. Lonesome Paul and the Valley Ramblers and The Unknown Wrestler perform at Irene's.

All in the family

Akron/Family have been super every time I've seen them, and last night was no exception. Despite having lost some gear two nights ago to some light-fingered louts on Toronto, they were as buoyant live as at previous shows at Zaphod Beeblebrox and the First Baptist Church on Laurier. They also changed things up a bit, absorbing some tourmates into their live show.

First up were Megafaun, the only act on the bill I hadn't seen before. Here are brothers Brad and Phil Cook. I'm not quite sure who's who, but I do believe it's in that order.



They segued directly into Greg Davis' number. He also opened for Books a little while back.



Ohbijou rolled through town for Bluesfest just a couple of months ago. I liked their sound a bit better this time.



Finally Akron/Family put on a long and jammy set. They performed this set as a septet, featuring all of Megafaun and also all of Greg Davis (because he is just one guy, you know), but no Ryan.



They encored with some shirtless boy band pop.

Lads of the Canyon

On to The Jason Kent Band. As mentioned before the combo posts a lineup of veterans, Kent himself has been through Soft Canyon, Sonny Best Band and Bodega. Kent and Co. produce a sound that crosses Beatle-ific psych (like Rainbow Ffolly, say) and Neil Young (to whom I see he's been oft-compared). And like so many Canuck country outfits, he's got a song about (and called) California.

Kent takes a turn at the keys ... I think that must be his favourite shirt, because as far as I can tell he's been wearing it at every show I've seen him at.



Last time I saw Phil Burns, at left, he had a bit more hair.



Chris Wise is the band's newish drummer, and seems like a very lively fellow.



Rhythm section action! With James Watkins on bass.



Twisting action!



Faceoff action!





Butt-bumping action!



And so on!







That was pretty snazzy; pity the audience was so tiny. He's off to Britain and Bordeau for a few October gigs.

• Show reminder: Akron/Family, Ohbijou, Greg Davis and Megafaun perform at Barrymore's. The Recoilers, Double Pumpers, Greenfield Main, Ukrainia and some other folks bid Steve Vardy adieu at Babylon.

Outnumbered

The Jason Kent Band has rolled through town a few times, and since main man Kent has featured in a couple of outfits I admire - namely The Sonny Best Band and Soft Canyon - I figured I'd brace the nasty weather and check them out at Irene's at long last. Four'N'Giv'r hauled their gear up from Birdman Sound to provide an opening act, and they cranked it out in style as usual for the definitely small audience.



Mark dances with an inconvenient microphone stand.



Who needs a slide?



Whatchu' lookin' at?



Singalong and rhythm section action!



And so on!







Their new album, Second Psychle, should be available imminently, if it isn't already.

• Show reminder: Small Sins and Politique play Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Dear Tara

All right, back to two Sundays ago at The Rainbow and the last band of the night: Tara Lee Combs and her backing duo rounded things off with some more heavy sounds, punky and bluesy with some pop smarts.

Here's Tara!





Denis Jr. Richard, drummer and sometime backup singer. I'm sure I've seen him around, and since he went to Carleton, perhaps it's so ...



I used my one good sort-of-solo Simon Trepanier picture in my teaser post, but here he (and the rest of the band) is early in the show, before Tara's hat fell off.



Faceoff action!



"This is our pop number."





Jolly action!





The whole lot!



She'll be back in Ottawa Nov. 9 for a show at Zaphod's with Flow 14 and The Red Light Saints.

• Show reminder: The Robin Hood Machine, The City Above and Ashley Parsons perform at Zaphod's; The Acorn perform an in-store at Sounds Unlikely (near the corner of Bank and Arlington) to celebrate the release of their new album.

Something extra for the weekend

Another day of work done, I hopped on my bike. The plan was to zip on home, grab my camera, rush over to The Dominion and catch The BushPilots and Good2Go at the CD release party for the latter's Accesorize. Unfortunately, I encountered a roadblock, and I don't mean in the metaphorical sense. Something nasty must have happened on Prince of Wales, because there was a police car turning vehicles back. Thus I was a few minutes later arriving at The Dom and only arrived in time for the Pilots' last number, with Maureen Hogan guesting.



Then it was time for her and Good2Go to put on their usual rocking performance.



Excellent turnout for this show on a lovely Saturday evening - the last day of summer, as Maureen noted.

• Show reminder: The Mark Inside, Action Makes and The Disraelis perform at Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Get the point?

Fullton's Point hail from Georgetown Ontario. They kick out the stoner rock with a heavy dose of lead guitar workout from singer and sometime Sons of Otis drummer Ryan Aubin. They've got a heavy-duty rhythm section as well. Folks who dig the bluesier side of the Small Stone label and 1970s hard rock. I note that they list their band website as High Times'. Whatever can it mean?

Here's a later shot of mainman Ryan Aubin, after switching from Firebird to Eagle.



Devin Legate prepares to lay the whammy down.



Phil Stocks handles the low end.



The whole lot!



Pointed action!









The view from up top.



And a bit lower.



There you go then.

• Show reminder: Grizzly Bear and Beach House perform at Carleton's Alumni Theatre; Finger Of Knowledge, The Populars and The Red Light Saints play Zaphod Beeblebrox; Good2Go celebrate the release of their fine new CD release at The Dominion along with The BushPilots. End Hits hosts another Ladyfest shindig with Doll and Catriona Sturton. Chris Murray, One Night Band, Tea For The Voyage and Fleeba punk it up at Cafe Dekcuf. Meredith Luce has a new CD as well, and it's getting a sendoff at Irene's.