The aquatic blues

Off to the Mercury Lounge for a rare show their (not that shows there are rare, just I don't see a lot of them). In this case, Nathan Larochette's ambient folk-doom project Musk Ox is headlining a show that includes  Claude Munson and Paper Beats Scissors.

Thumbs up for the paparazzi!



And here's Claude, playing what Nathan described as "Deep Sea Folk."



Here are Claude's shoes. Don't ask why.



Claude sings!



Fisheye action!



Claude in lights!



Good stuff.

• Show reminder: Out of Time and War Nerve play the Montgomery Legion Hal; The Black Dahlia Murder, Exhumed and Fuck the Facts rock Ritual; Not Dead Yet lives it up at the Elmdale.

Pound for pound

Lefty McRighty seems to be birthing bands left and right - Lefty McRighty & The Sinister Six is the latest - but here's one where he isn't up front, 90 Pounds of Ugly.  No worries, since Patsy Clash is a Grade-A frontwoman.

Standup steve, standing up, Clash and the legendary Ernie Legend.



Here's a well-illuminated Lefty.



Closeup action!



Standup action!



The whole lot!



Singalong with Steve!



Shadowy action!



Extra Clash!



Bolo tie action!



Extra Steve!



Lefty sings!



I don't know about 90 Pounds of Ugly, but Lefyt will be at Irene's with The Sinister Six (including Ernie and Steve) on June 2.

Borthers and sisters

I've seen some of The Bank Robbers Union, the middle act back on March 2 at Cafe DeKcuf, performing with other bands, notably the Beer Barons. Like that band they're offering a roughhewn, not to say inebriated take on roots music.

Here we have Two-Guns, Kalamity Kay and Brother Cletus.



Brother Cletus sings!



Violin action!



Two-Guns sings!



There was also some Standup Steve action! Plus lasers, apparently.



The whole lot, plus beer!



Unionized action!



More Kalamity!



Accordion action!



Kalamity sings!



Singalong action!



More guns!



Guitar action!



They might want to avoid shows in Montreal in the immediate future ...



They'll be opening for The F-Holes at Irene's June 16.

• Show reminder: Xerxes, Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate), Warren Franklin, Sartre perform at Cafe Dekcuf; Volumes, The Contortionist, Your Memorial, Denounced and Wolves In Stride will be downstairs at Mavericks; you'll find Finding Chuck at The Rainbow; Jordan Raycroft and Beth Moore are at the Avant-Garde.

In the pines, in the pines

I was so darn impressed with my first sighting of 90 Pounds of Ugly I just had to go and see them the next chance I had, which turned out to be March 2  at Cafe DeKcuf. The opening act was Jack pine, who I'd met at the odd show and whose name I'd seen on sundry bills. As it turns out he's an excellent performer of roots music, usually with The Fire, but also solo on this occasion.

The man himself (also know as Gareth Auden-Hole)!



Close-up action!



Acoustic action!



Not so close-up action!



And now for a little mandolin ...



The shouty bit!



A fine live show, and I also highly recommend his album. Jack Pine & The Fire will be sharing a stage at the Elmdale with The Murder Plans June 8.

Let's knife

Just a couple of days ago I mentioned how The Soupcans would be great on a bill with Ottawa's own Party Knives. And now here we are with a recap of that very same cutlery-loving combo, featuring members of such swell outfits as The Million Dollar Marxists, Grizzlar, Big Dick, Token, Uranium Comeback, and so on!

Owen and Lee!



A couple of Big Dicks ... actually, all of Big Dick, Johnny O and Dave Secretary.



More Owen!



More Johnny!



Pat Johnson fills the second drum stool.



Keyboard action!



Microphone swinging action!



Gripping action!



Singalong action!



Pat is an island of normalcy.



The whole fisheyed lot!



Bendy action!



Owen's not-last stand!



And so on!



Dave is a man of great aplomb.



Mighty swell! They'll be killing off whoever survives Ottawa Explosion this year at the Sunday, June 17, show at Mugshots.

• Show reminder: Joe Pug, David Wax Museum and Black Dogs perform at Mavericks; upstairs at Cafe DeKcuf you'll find Useless ID, Fortune Cookie Club and Rydell. Danny Laj & The Looks perform at the Elmdale (at the 3 p.m. show you can check out Jonesy and their new CD).