Big Zac attack

Zac Harmon is a bluesman of experience. He's been a guitarist for folks like Z.Z. Hill, R&B singer McKinley Mitchell (born, like Harmon, in Jackson Mississippi), Misty Blue singer Dorothy Moore, New Orleans soul man King Floyd and harp wizard Sam Myers. He's also been a songwriter and producer for bands like The O-Jays and Black Uhuru. I didn't hang around too long for his set, since I had other places to go, but I certainly admired his tasty guitar-playing.

Zac warms up a bit before the gig; at left is keyboardist Cory Lacey.



Harmon's bassist Mr. Buthel makes a bold entry in the "Bst hat of Bluesfest" contest.



Harmon's blues guitar face is better than your blues guitar face.







Cedric Goodman rocks the traps.



Mr. Buthel gets in the groove.



Last-minute Zac!



And that's all from him because I wanted to go off and see French electronica combo M83.

• Show reminder: How can you tell when Halloween falls on a Saturday? When every bar in town gets in a live band to play spooktacular tuneage. For example, Mudplots, Sketchy Poutine, Nummies, Kill City and The Krapskraps rock Cafe Dekcuf; Evil Farm Children, and Good2Go do their duty at Elmdale House; The Bible Allstars escape the Hillbilly Crypt at Irene's with Little Foot Long Foot, The Sin Sisters and The Manvils. Hellbros, Babblegoons and Knives For Kids perform at Zaphod's; Big Jeezus Truck bash away at the Rainbow; Brainhunter and Boxcar Cadavers are at the Glue Pot Pub. Of course there's also the traditional Halloween Hardcore. This year Buried Inside, The Holy Cobras, Cloven Hoofs, Texa$, Did You Just Hex Me? and The Vanishing Act appear at Babylon - an early show, as ever.

Who likes it loud?

I'm pretty sure I've listed Loudlove in my show reminder section a bunch of times; they're pretty energetic self-promoters and like keeping busy - they just played a show with The Johnstones and USS at the Capital Music Hall and are off to new York in November. I'm guessing the fact they have only one upcoming show is something of a rarity. They put on an impressive show at Bluesfest As I said then they've got an engaging frontman in Peter MacKenzie Hammond and a generally hot band all around, practicing in the rock-reggae genre (sorry, no Soundgarden imitation that I can detect).



Hans Levac handles the four-string. I recall Hans playing bass in Sandy back in February 2006 at Zaphod's.



Emile Leitch plays keyboards. It was definitely a good day to be wearing sunglasses - particularly on the Subway Stage, which faces the setting sun.



Sean Hendy rocks the camo.



Guitar action!



Sean walks around.



Rhythm section action! You may recall drummer Dan Loach from his backing stint with Amanda Rheaume earlier in the festival.



Peter works the stage.



I sense a sunburn coming on.



Emile sings some.



Time for a rocking finish!



The crowd goes wild!



No doubt the city will hear more of them shortly.

• Show reminder: Strange sounds emit from Dreamcatcher, Self Surgery, Adam Saikaley, Boyscout Killers, pH at Club SAW; Rockalily Burlesque, Daiquiri and Ladymilk rock it and shake it at Babylon; The Diableros and The Montelongos perform at Zaphod's; Raw Sugar celebrates its first year with a cover of INXS' Kick by Rolf Klausener, Pat Johnson and Mike Dubue ... alrighty then! David Rotundo is at The Rainbow; Grady, Domenica and Acres perform at Mavericks; Lucky Ron and The Rhode Island Reds and the Secret Lovers play Irene's; The Elmdale House hosts Royal Ottawa.

Penis!

I went over to Mavericks last night to see Dog Day and Attack In Black. Well, mostly Dog Day. When I saw Attack in Black at Zaphod's in November 2008 I recall liking them, but not as much as Dog Day in December 2007, also at Zaphod's. Anyway, as good and great as those performances were, they were put in the shade by last night's awesome effort.

The first band on was Currents, a quartet formerly known as Killing For Friday. I thought their music sounded like heavy post-rock with soft-to-shout vocals. I can see them sharing a stage with a wide range of acts without anyone scratching their heads over why: They had some of Dog Day's heavy propulsion. As it happens they're playing again tonight with Assembleme, Farewell Cool Reason and To The Rescue at Cafe DeKcuf.


Currents at Mavericks, October 28, 2009

Last time I saw Dog Day, I said of their music "It's very melodic but with an aggressive edge. I've heard comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth mooted here and there, but can't agree." I don't remember taking any drugs that night, but now I'm thinking I might have been hitting the cold capsules a littler hard, because I definitely heard both those acts in their sound last night. I stand by saying they were very propulsive and remind me of New Order, though. Like last time their show was dynamite.


Dog Day at Mavericks, October 28, 2009

Last time I saw Attack In Black, I thought they sounded pretty good, but they were nowhere near as fiery then as they were last night. They were recording this show for a possible live album, and told the crowd they should shout whatever they want for posterity. "Penis!" yelled a woman in the crowd. "Is that the best you can do?" replied Daniel. The crowd demanded and received an encore performance of Cave-In. Here we have the brothers Romano.


Attack In Black at Mavericks, October 28, 2009

It was all so good I had to buy a CD from everyone except Currents (and that was just because they were giving their one away).

• Show reminder: The Hidden Cameras and Gentleman Reg play Babylon; White Cowbell Oklahoma, rock monsters Iron Giant and the Sal Piamonte Band are at Mavericks for some good, clean, wholesome entertainment. I'm not sure I want to know what Bart-Man, Super-Joe and Purple Turtle are doing at The Rainbow. East of Gatineau and Andrea Simms Karp play the Elmdale House. Minto, Dave Norris & Local Ivan and Loon Choir are at Zaphod's. Devin Johnstone is at the Avant-Garde.

So political

Back to Bluesfest, and a fairly sunny day for once for an appearance by New Wave quartet Politique. These folks seem to like their Blondie, New Order and the like.

Richard plays guitar, Etienne of F!ght F!ght F!ght fame plays drums.



Mallory sings ... she also did backup vocals at a Loose Ties show I witnessed in June 2008.



Roland plays bass. He also plays synth, which seems appropriate for someone named Roland.



Mallory jumps around.



More Etienne - the plastic drum screen awaits M83.



Instrument switching action!



Shady action!



Roland sings!



Mallory ditches the shades.



Richard frets.



Singalong action!



Mallory takes a spin on the synth.



Shirtless drumming action! Like I said, it was a sunny day.



Guitar action!



I recently bought a copy of You Say Party! We Say Die!'s XXXX and thought the two bands sounded similar ... and I note that YSPWSD! is up near the top of their Myspace friendship. However there don't seem to be any signs they'll share a stage November 14, perhaps because they'll actually be opening for Young Galaxy on November 7.

• Show reminder: Attack In Black, Dog Day and Currents perform at Mavericks; The Mahones and The Popes play Zaphod's.
  

Now I get it

A couple of years ago it seemed like their was a surge band membership ... it wasn't enough to have a couple of guitarists, a bassist and a drummer; you had to have a pianist, violinists and if you could manage it a cello player or hammered percussionist. Locally you had Jetplanes of Abraham and Amos the Transparent (still do in the latter case), and there was also Broken Social Scene down in T.O. and Ohbijou among others. Halifax's The Got To Get Got also rock like it's 2007, and like the aforementioned bands sound good and put on a fun show.

The Got To Get Got got a lot of members; here's some but not all of them: Mark Mullane vocalizes, guitarist Brad Lahead and Adam Hartling rock the back-to-back action, Rob Shedden drums (he's now also playing drums for Dog Day, who will be in town tomorrow), a somewhat obscured Rachel Schwartz plays cello and Haley Thomas is on violin.



.... and over on the left, Rhodes wrangler and mistress of the glockenspiel Eleanor King.



Barefoot drumming action!



Stringed action!



Singalong action!



More strings.



Eleanor rocks the glock.



TGTGG, now with 100% less flash.



Eleanor approaches!



You can check my Flickr account for all my attempts to get an unobscured Rachel photo.



Rob puts his sandals back on, picks up bass.



A shouty bit.



Knee-knocking action!



Back-to-back action!



It was quite a satisfying show, and once again I recommend their debut album Sahalee.

• Show reminder: Speaking of big bands, Saskatoon's seven-member Slow Down, Molasses packs into Raw Sugar with Olenka and The Autumn Lovers; Hotel Royal bring scuzzy, bluesy rock to The Rainbow.