Angels in America

I have a sneaking suspicion that the real draw for many show-goers at Saturday's Pink Mountaintops gig was Austin psych dealers The Black Angels. I like them a lot - no surprise since I grew up listening to The Jesus and Mary Chain, to who the band owe a considerable sonic debt, and basically like everything with fuzz on it. But they go beyond mere imitation thanks to sharp musicianship; on their latest CD Passover they also benefit from an anti-war lyrical focus.

Singer and bassist Alex Maas. I get the impression the hat never comes off.





Bassist and drummer Stephanie Bailey.





Drummer, guitarist and maraca shaker Christian Bland.



Bassist and guitarist Nate Ryan.



Drummer, sitarist and bassist Kyle Hunt.



Jennifer Raines, lap topper and keyboardist.



Angel action!









All this mind-bending led me to futz with the shutter speed on virtually every shot.

• Show reminder: DOA, Four-Stroke and Layiterslayit play Barrymore's.

Why drive high?

I just saw Pink Mountaintops, The Black Angels and Camp Radio at Barrymore's, and I'm having flashbacks ... to the last time I saw Singapore Sling and listened to a Jesus and Mary Chain album. Shucks, I'm just teasing - but there was a definite link to the Chain. It's too late to say anything intelligent, so here are some photos.

Happy camper Chris Page; later pictures will be better, promise.



Some Angels.



Some Mountaintops - and a huge lens flare.



I was surprised by how many people were there - I imagined this would be more of a Babylon-sized show, but apparently both bands are a bigger draw than I thought. It may also mean that people in Ottawa do more drugs than I suspect.