Mechanical men

Mid-December I toddled over to the House of Targ for their final edition of Switched on Synths for 2018. It was a somewhat local affair with Hard Science, Infinity's Astrum and Ki joined by Paraphonique, who kicked things off.



Wired action!



And now on to another bloke staring intently at a lot of electronical thingamajiggery with Nick of Infinity's Astrum!



Analog action!



Adjusting action!



Next up, Ki, one of the many pseudonyms of international electronica star Paul Anthony.



More adjusting!



And so on!



Hard Science finished the night off. Here's Arturo!



More Arturo!



Really solid sets from everyone!

Strings sandwich

Early in December I toddle over to Pressed from a cello and electronica sandwich. Alder & Ash were headlining, with Montreal ambient keyboardist Viñu-vinu following Alexis Castrogiovanni. Here's Alexis and saxophonist Michael!



Percussive action with Aneeq!



Bowed action!



Saxophonic action!



The whole lot!



On to Viñu-vinu, who has a new album composed during a residency in Banff.



Adjusting action!



Alder & Ash closed the night with some solo cello works. Here's main man Adrian, who uses loop pedals to create his compositions.



Another side of Adrian!



And so on!



Plucking action!



A fine way to spend an evening.

Two, three and more

I had a hankering to see Deux Trois again after their October show at Targ, and just my luck they were back in town on a bill with Scattered Clouds and Greathunter. This was my first time seeing Greathunter, but there's a few familiar faces, starting with guitarist and singer Andrew (also of Those Gulls and Decathlete).



Violin and bass clarinet (there's an instrument you don't see a lot of) action with Neil and Antoine!



Percussive action with Leigh (of World War 4 and many others)!



More violin!



More clarinet!



Double-bass action with Aaron!



Predatory action!



More Andrew!



Deux Trois were their usual intense self. Here's  Nadia!



Guitar action with Ben!



Bass action with Benjamin!



Bonus Ben!



Rhythm section action!



A shouty bit!



More Nadia!



Gripping action!



Benjamin sings!



Scattered Clouds put on a fine show as well; here's Jamie in full-on demonic librarian mode.



Bass action with Jeff!



Jamie hits!



Fender action with Phillippe!



And so on!



More bass!



Cloudy action!



Jeff sings!



Scattered action!



A super triple bill.

Waving the flag

Petra Glynt is one of those performers I try to catch whenever she's in town; when she was slated to appear on a bill with Bonnie Doon and Sparklesaurus it was plain that Targ was the place for me to be for her late November show. Here's Colleen from Sparklesaurus to start things off!



Shamisa handles the keys.



Felicity sings!



Rhythm section action with Brad!



Singalong action!



I think there was a purplish, velvety theme going on ....



Extra Brad!



Extra Shamisa!



More Colleen!



Bonnie Doon were all about the animal prints for this show. Here's new member Aymara and Lesley!



Guitar action with Madison!



Bass action with Sara!



Sharky action with Keltie!



Lesley sings!



More Keltie!



Clapping action with Aymara!



Saxophonic action!



Extra bass with Madison!



Guitar action with Sara!



Singalong action!



Petra Glynt rounded things up with a super set. She released a new album, My Flag Is A Burning Rag Of Love in September, so she had a bunch of new stuff to entertain the crowd.



Petra sings!



And so on!



Her kit has expanded a bit since I first caught her at the Dominion many years ago.



And, er, that's it!