Halloween hangover

I get the impression that Halloween is turning into a week-long event, at least when it doesn't land on a Friday or Saturday. Ottawa's Halloween parties started back on Oct. 25 and were still loping along last night: There were still costumes to be had at Ritual for last night's Sheezer show, which not-so-coincidentally landed three years to the day from when I first saw them at Zaphod's.

Opening honours went to Diana Carter ... er, I mean Elgin Skye, the first but not the last Wonder Woman of the night.



She did some solo singer-songwriter stuff abetted by some well-timed looping.



Gripping action!



The end! "The amazing thing is, I already had all the parts for this costume in my wardrobe."



After the jump, Boyhood and more Wonder Woman!

Holy orders

Back to Zaphod's for headliner By Divine Right. The Toronto band has been around for almost a quarter-century, with the only constant being guitarist and singer Jose Miguel Contreras. Alysha Haugen of Sheezer and Geordie Dynes (ex-A Mark Inside). Contreras was in a pretty loopy mood at this gig - perhaps he's always that way - and the show was a freewheeling affair.

Let's go!



Feedback action!



Jose sings!



Faceoff action!



Geordie hits!



The whole lot!



Prescription action!



Glowing angelic action!



Fuzzy action!



Well, that's one way to play guitar!



A fine show, though it sounded quite a bit different from their June album, Organized Accidents, which was much more jangly indie-pop in the vein of Nada Surf.

Above the rest

"Is today Thursday? It feels like a Monday ... and then you get someone pregnant and everything changes," said Jose Miguel Contreras at last night's By Divine Right gig. Although the Toronto indie rock outfit has been around for ages (and employed a who's who of Toronto rock scenesters in the process, up to and including Brendan Canning and Leslie Feist), this was my first chance to see them play.

The Superlative opened thins up, and it was kind of a first-timer for me as well. Not because I've never seen them before - they also opened a show with Monic and Black Dog at Mavericks in March 2011 - but this time vocalist Charles Lapointe was on hand, so it wasn't "instrumental only."


The Superlative at Zaphod's, February 21, 2013

These guys like their Godins.


The Superlative at Zaphod's, February 21, 2013

On to By Divine Right, who played a loose-limbed show full of witty (and occasionally nonsensical) banter, as well as loads of feedback. At the moment Conreras is backed by Alysha Haugen (of Sheezer fame) and former A Mark Inside drummer Geordie Hynes.

 
By Divine Right at Zaphod's, February 21, 2013

Last time I saw her, Alysha was sporting a green wig and a Sailor Moon outfit.


By Divine Right at Zaphod's, February 21, 2013

Both bands have records on the way: The Superlative plan to reveal Chester in March, while BDR's Organized Accidents should be out in May.