In the running

Early in May I went to the House of Targ for some album releasing action from local power trio Onionface; they were joined on the bill alt rockers The Tackies and The Jailbirds, a Mississauga combo that also traffic in 1970s style blues-based hard rock. The Tackies were already playing when I walked down the stairs, with singer Hans enjoying a birthday ribbon.



Keyboard action!



Jamie hits!



Headbanging action with Hans and Galen!



Rhythm section action!



More Hans!



Shirtless action!



The whole lot!



Guitar action with Mathieu!



Feedback action!



I had a brief listen to the Jailbirds before heading out and was much intrigued; live they put on a first rate show of classic power trio rock - the vocal work was particularly good. Here's Mike!



Rhythm section action with bassist Liam and drummer Eric!



Blocked action!



Exploratory action!



Eric hits!



Extra Liam!



Eric sings!



More Liam!



Closeup action!



More guitar!



Imprisoned action!



Onionface have a new album, Roll Over Dog ... And Run!, which is slated for release at the end of May. They're heading out on tour shortly, starting with a show at Rockingwood Cottage in Aylmer (some sort of house show, I gather), and also will be performing at Live! On Elgin On June 23. Here's some greenish action with Stefan!



Bass action with Calvin!



Calvin sings!



Rhythm section action!



More Jon!



Feedback action!



Foggy action!



Long-haired action!



More Stefan!



The whole lot!



Singalong action!



The end!



A great show.

Shadows and fog

A while back Portland's Jeff Beam dropped me a line to let me know he was coming through town; I liked what I heard on his website - and that of local outfit Shadowhand and Montreal's Future States - so in early May I popped around to Pressed for some spectral sounds (a la Calexico, some might say), glittery pop and shoegaze-styled noise. First up, Shadowhand, which features How Far To Mexico's Jamieson and Brandon, along with Matt from Acres and Sean from Lost To The River and Miss Polygamy. Here's Brandon!



Jamieson sings, Matt strums!



More Matt!



More Jamieson and Brandon - and you can just make out Sean off to the left there ...



The whole lot!



Extra Jamieson!



I tried to take some pictures of Sean via the entryway window. It did not work well.



It was pretty smokey, as shows go.



Here's Jeff, practitioner of shoegazey psychedelica and the like - if you like Grizzly Bear I suspect you'll dig his stuff.



Keyboard action with Kate!



Guitar lifting action!



More Kate!



Smokey Ric action!



Jeff sings!



Percussive action with Kate!



The end!



Future States finished the evening off with some beeping and burbling pop. They'll be playing again at Bar Robo on June 9. Here's some guitar action with Chuck!



Adjusting action with Nicolas!



Percussive action with Daniel!



Extra Nicolas!



Singalong action with Chuck and David!



Extra David!



Lovely stuff all around.