Enjoy the scenery

Okay, I admit it. I'm not a huge Broken Social Scene fan. I've more time for their friends and associates like Do Make Say Think and Metric. I've seen them live before (at the old Capital Music Hall) and enjoyed myself while the show was going on, but I find that after a short duration the thrill is gone. They certainly make for a visual spectacle thought, with their sundry members (and I hope I got everyone's name right; it's not easy keeping track you know ...).

Kevin Drew grips the microphone.



Course, it's that much better if you can grip a beer and a tambourine at the same time (I have no idea who this is, but you can make out Charles Spearin behind him).



Andrew Whiteman hustles up some guitarwork.



Evan Cranley blows his own horn.





The band has used an array of female vocalists ... with Emily Haines and Leslie Feist moving on to other things, Amy Millan now frequently fills the role, and quite exquisitely too.



She's also handy for those tough trombone miking moments. Brendan Canning at right.



That's FemBot Julie Penner in Hylozoist white.



Social action!







The crowd lapped up the show, though a week later true to form I'm starting to wonder why I didn't head off to see Calexico. As the band themselves said, it truly stunk that both outfits were on stage at the same time. It's not quite a firing offence, though.

• Show reminder: Harris Newman and Tetuzi Akiyama perform at the Avant-Garde Bar.

Bluesfest: Day One

Once again Bluesfest has landed in the capital, and once again I've taken a couple of weeks off to catch the wide variety of music on offer. I walked down Lisgar to see the MBNA Stage first. I overheard part of Otis Taylor's set, and he sounded great, so I'll have to check him out when he plays again. My real destination was Anathallo's performance. I saw them at Zaphod's and they put on a wonderful performance.

They were down to seven members for this gig; here's less than half.



Here's a little more than half.



Next up was Malajube. I saw them perform at Club SAW with Hot Springs some time ago. I though the Springs were awesome; this time around I have to say Malajube put on a very fierce set.



Could be because of the extra member. I see Thomas Tom Thompson has changed his shirt - now Salem, Mass., gets the nod instead of Singapore.



I was planning to go and see Calexico, but after surveying the huge crowd by the Black Sheep Stage, I realized that anyone who wants to get close to the action is going to have to show up early. I made a quick about-face and still managed to land near the front of the crowd for when Broken Social Scene arrived on stage. There was some onstage grumbling - in musical form - from the band, who had the crowd yell "Calexico!" three times.



There's so many of these folks, one photo won't do ... that's Julie Penner of The Hylozoists and Fembots on trumpet.



Amy Millan of Stars was their female vocalist du jour.



And a big old wide angle group shot ... still missing a few folks, I think.



I'm not one of Broken Social Scene's many admirers, but I'll admit they put on a fine set this time, about 90 minutes long. The only downer was a bunch of meatheads who decided they had to wade up to the front of the close-packed crowd half way into the set. Then it was time to wander home past the Black Sheep Stage. Calexico was still playing, but I really had to get home to the loo.