Flying Bulats

My Canada Day turned out to be a little less active than planned; I did get to see most of Basia Bulat's show at Confederation Park, though. She sounded great and looked quite smashing in her red dress and heels. She had a smaller band with her this time about; only Allison Stewart on viola, Holly Coish on ukulele and her brother Bobby for some drumming. There was also some expert audience clapping and a couple of flybys. She covered Daniel H. Johnston's True Love Will Find You In The End and Sam Cooke's Touch The Hem Of His Garment. Bulat actually did double duty this Canada Day. After her noon show in Ottawa she zipped down to Toronto for an 8 o'clock show at the Harbourfront Centre.


Basia Bulat, Confederation Park, July 1, 2008

Unfortunately my pictures didn't turn out great; I was trying a Canon 600 SD powershot I've been lent to use at Bluesfest since SLRs have been banned by the powers that be. The Jazzfest stage is quite shady, and its focussing was less than precise. Still it's better than nothing, and weighs just a bit more.



I was back in the area for the fireworks and took some decent photos with my Olympus E-500; more of them can seen on my sadly neglected Other Side of the Shutter blog.

• Show reminder: Snailhouse release their new recording, Sarah Hallman rounds out the bill at Zaphod's. Irene's hosts Karen Kosowski, Tyler Summers and Trevor James.

New blue bayou

Last time I was at the New Bayou it was the old Bayou ... not the really old Bayou, but a shortlived club where I saw the Brothers Chaffey and Trevor Alguire for the first time; that was more than two years ago. This time the punks have taken over. There was a bunch of people there (about 70 when I counted, and that was a dozen or two shy of the peak) to see Vanier Shank and The Visitors. I feel like I've seen Vanir Shank's name for ages; they've been on a bunch of bills I never got the opportunity to see. They made me think of a faster, more reckless Leatherface.


Vanier Shank, The New Bayou, June 30, 2008

As for The Visitors, I saw their debut performance at Zaphod's; they were good then, but this time they really rocked out. A smashing set.


The Visitors, The New Bayou, June 30, 2008

This show was billed as a pre-Canada Day show. Naturally that means there's a ton of stuff to do today, and for once it looks like the weather is going to cooperate.


Basia Bluefest, Bluesfest, July 12, 2007

I may start my show-going early on Tuesday by heading over to Confederation Park to see Basia Bulat. She's performing at noon. Later in the day Alex Cuba and Molly Johnson perform. I think I'm finally going to see a 59 Argyle house show - they're celebrating Canada Day with Fucked Corpse, Montreal's Special Noise, White Wires, Crazy Ocean and Teenage Lightning. The New Bayou has a huge lineup of bands, punk and otherwise, for July 1: The Nads, A Final Draw, The Scarlett Fever, The Turne, The Red Jets, The Mistress, Sule, A Common Misconception, Lady Seema Dee and Junior Don, G-Kai, Paper and Metal, Project Mars, Capital Hearts, Jamie Lang and Diamond. Zaphod's has Blazer, Ken Workman and The Union, 27 York, The Cutmen and Alex R. Newman.
The fun continues at Zaphod's on Wednesday with Snailhouse and Sarah Hallman. Snailhouse is releasing their new CD. Irene's hosts Karen Kosowski, Tyler Summers and Trevor James.


Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Zaphod Beeblebrox, September 22, 2003

As for Thursday, quite apart from shows by Incantation, Funerus and Deamon at Cafe Dekcuf; Today I Caught the Plague, Pysiedius, The Great Sabatini, Abhorrent Human Animation and Grafenberg at Mavericks, once again it's Bluesfest time in Ottawa. Although I bought a festival pass (as I have for the past six or seven years), I'm probably going to spend less time festing than in the past. This is mostly due to a strong lineup of acts passing through town, most notably the Boris show at Babylon. Bluesfest has also decided to ban SLR cameras this year, which does kill the buzz for a diehard snapper like myself. I'm interested to see what the turnout at Bluesfest will be like. Unlike last year, it doesn't seem like there's any really acts plucked from the stratosphere like Bob Dylan or Van Morrison.
The main action for me has always been on the side stages, and that seems even more true than usual for 2008. Opening day is one of the exceptions, since TV on The Radio are playing on the Rogers Stage, unfortunately about the same time as Jose Gonzalez on the Black Sheep Stage. Matt Mays and El Torpedo are also performing. It's been about five years since I saw them play at Zaphod's. I've always meant to catch them again since they put on a great show then, but the stars never aligned. I hear they've changed their sound since then, so my curiosity is further inflamed. I also note that Spanish blues rockers Tea are performing at Zaphod's that evening.


Wintersleep, Bluesfest, July 14, 2006

On Friday there's always Wintersleep at Bluesfest. They were pretty good at Bluesfest in 2006, but Tusks, Yellow Jacket Avenger and Psychic Hotline at Irene's look like the better bet to me. The Mahones play Zaphod's and they're always a good show if you like that Pogues-influenced stuff.
There's a bunch of local acts at Bluesfest this year, such as The BushPilots, who will be playing Saturday on the River Stage. Jenn Grant and Richard Thompson are also playing on the River Stage that day so I may just stick around. Then, I may go to the Rogers Stage just to watch the juxtaposition of Ladytron and Lucinda Williams.


The BushPilots, Zaphod Beeblebrox, December 15, 2006

Saturday is busy elsewhere as well, most notably as Gunsmoke release their new CD with The Hypnophonics, Machine Gun Dolly and The Nummies at the New Bayou. Full Blown Chaos, The Breathing Process, The Red Death, Sons of Azrael, Epocholypse and I Call This Safety play Mavericks. Despite their name - which suggests a dance electronica act - Hot Panda are in fact a rough'n'ready pop combo from Edmonton (you can probably dance to them, mind you). From what I've heard I'm guessing that if you like The Bicycles, you'll probably enjoy Hot Panda. They're playing Irene's.


Les Breastfeeders, Babylon, April 20, 2007

Sunday you can check out Innerpiece, Dirty Beloved and Liquid Edge at Zaphod's. But the best show of the day - if personal experience is anything to go by - will be courtesy of Les Breastfeeders. Yes, it's on the Main Stage at Bluesfest, bit I don't think that will stop them from knocking a whole lot of socks off. One of my must-sees for Bluesfest, Chuck Prophet, also plays on the Black Sheep Stage (he also plays the Barney Danson Theatre the day before).

Get busy

Lots of fun shows on tonight. I plan to head off to Irene's to see Krista LL Muir, Shane Watt, and the pancakinest duo in Bytown, Shanker + Romps. I suspect a fair number of folks will head over to Zaphod's to check out Young Galaxy (that's them below last year) and Hollerado.



If that isn't enough, there's punk rock galore at The New Bayou with The Rookers, Machine Gun Dolly, The Sewer Rats, Nummies, The Dead End Kids, Vanier Shank, Everything Less and Obscene Bastards. j'envoie celebrate the release of their new CD at Barrymore's with My Dad Vs. Yours and sinequanon. Nothing Sacred, Ladymilk, Street Light Light, Make Your Exit and Amos the Transparent play something called The Liquor Store Party Bar. and last but not least, Hayden and Basia Bulat (seen below at last year's Bluesfest are playing First Baptist Church.



Hayden and Bulat have a second show on Saturday, but I gather both dates are sold out. Well, there's always Pascale Picard, That's The Spirit and The Wooden Sky at Zaphod Beeblebrox and From Man In Ghost, Everlea, The Masquerade Parade and Seconds Too Late at Cafe Dekcuf.

No. 1 with a Bulat

London's Basia Bulat kicked off my Thursday viewing ... she was my favourite act of the day. I haven't mentioned it yet, but this year's Bluesfest was an extended reminder that Canadian music is operating at a peak nowadays, and Bulat and Co.'s buoyant chamber pop was a case in point.

Have you hugged your autoharp today?



Holly on ukulele and vocals.



Basia brother Bobby drums.



Dave plays viola - more manly than the violin says Basia.



Seo-Jin on violin and polka dots.



Sebastien on cello.



Eric plays piano.



Clapalong action!



More guitar from Basia.





The strings come in! That's why they call it chamber pop.





And one last Basia photo.



That was pretty, and pretty good.

• Show reminder: The Soiree, Poorfolk and The Soft Disaster play Irene's Pub. Career Suicide, Iron Age and War Hungry perform at End Hits.

This and that

Compared to previous days at Bluesfest, Thursday was a letdown. Only a tiny one, since I did see a couple of acts I really enjoyed - Basia Bulat and Page Francis - and an interesting snippet of Hugh pool on the River Stage. On the other side of the coin, this was the first night I've cut out early. As on previous days, I spent the bulk of the evening at the Black Sheep Stage. The first act of the night was Basia Bulat. The London, Ontario, chamber pop singer has made a splash overseas and has an album out on Rough Trade in Europe (it will arrive in North America in the fall). With her autoharp I thought she sounded a bit like Joanna Newsom (first album, not second).



Then I went to see Hugh Pool play three songs on the River Stage, including a cover of When The Levee Breaks. He plays an overdriven National that dates from the 1930s (and looks it) and harmonica with an attached microphone so he can move a round a bit. He's a good performer, and though he's not the first guy to give the blues a little oomph with some added distortion, he does it a lot better than most.



I left before his set came to a close to watch Page France back at the Black Sheep Stage. Page France is essentially Michael Nau of Maryland and band. He's garnered a few Sufjan Stevens references thanks to the occasional Christian reference in his lyrics. I thought they sounded a bit like Neutral Milk Hotel.



Then I grabbed a wee bit of Lucky Peterson - really just the end of his set, a cover of Proud Mary, sung by a female accompanist I've had no luck in identifying.



Back to the Black Sheep. The evening's headliner was Ndidi Onukwulu. She's got a great voice, and with collaborator Madagascar Slim on guitar you can't go wrong in that department either. However, after Wednesday's Tagaq performance I have to say I found her a bit on the conventional side.



It was getting a bit chilly, so I decided to take my leave after a half-dozen songs. I didn't bike off immediately, though. I decided to cool my heels just outside the main stage and listen to a couple of Blue Rodeo songs, including Diamond Mine.



That was a decent night's entertainment - nothing spectacular, though.