Bluesfest: Diamond Rings

When I first saw Diamond Rings at Cafe DeKcuf I said to myself "We're going to being hearing more form this guy," and not just because I was familiar with John O'Regan's work with the also-excellent D'urbervilles (now known as Matters). Since then my oh-so-easy prediction has proven quite accurate, and here he is, following his acclaimed debut album with a set at Ottawa Bluesfest.

It's all 80s all the time 'round here.



Keyboard action!



Synthesizers keepin' it real.



O. sings!



Gesticulating action!



Johnny works the stage - not so easy for one guy!



I just realized he's looking a bit Vanilla Icey, but with more lipstick.



Also, more eyeliner.



Fist-pumping action!



The other side of Johnny O.!



And so on!



After a brief stop at the Electronic Music Festival in Brooklyn November 11, he's off to Europe with Junior Boys for a tour of the big cities. He's also 50% of the way through album No. 2.

What Matters most

The D'Urbervilles are no strangers to this blog: The quartet first made an appearance on National Capital Rock in August 2006, and popped up again at Bluesfest in 2008. There were also shows by associated acts, such as The Magic and John O'Regan's highly successful solo project Diamond Rings. But then came word ... the D'Urbs were dead! Or sort of dead ... actually it was just a scratch. Their new name was Matters and they had a new look and sound! Perhaps they're still working on it, because their new sound is fairly similar to their old one and they don't seem to be dressing any different. Perhaps a bit louder (the sound, not the clothes). But that's all right, but the band is just as killer with a new name.

Okay, Greg Santilly's headband is new.



Dig it!



But Tim, John and Kyle seem basically unchanged (except John is hiding a new 'do under his Blue Jays cap).



Rocking action!



More Tim!



Bonus Greg!



Tim sings!



John sings!



Feedback action!



I couldn't get any good Kyle photos due to wanton smoke machine abuse. Parents, warn your children!



John bends!



Tim bends!



A little more drummer on the side is always nice.



There's a little Diamond Rings under John's hat ...



Keyboard action!



Even more keyboard action!



Tim goes down!



John rocks the crowd!



The end!



A super hot set, and don't be surprised at all if big things loom in their future.

• Show reminder: Bolero, Endemise, BattleSoul, ...From the Deep and Insides Out play Cafe Dekcuf; it's a case of night and day at Zaphod's with A Darker Day and Greta Knights; The Hangmen return from their touring with a show at The Rainbow; No Fly List and Still Winter Hills roll into Irene's; The Elmdale hosts Laurel Jackson and The Attractives, The Train Jumpers and Lefty McRighty. The Stephen Thomas band is at the Avant-Garde.

New noise now

There was a killer bill at Mavericks last night, with awesome sets by locals Dreamphone (at least judging from the bit I caught), geek-rockers Matters and lovelorn guitar shred duo P.S. I Love You.

I missed the first half of Dreamphone's indie-noise loving set because of laundry duties. What I did see was very impressive - of course The Pixies and My Bloody Valentine formed an early part of my musical education so I would say that ... the trio is made up of a bunch of familiar faces: Conrad Amenta of Books on Books, Jordanna Marchand of Les Alumettes and James Romanuk of Crush Buildings.


Dreamphone at Mavericks, April 6, 2011


Dreamphone at Mavericks, April 6, 2011

Next up were Matters. Am I the only person who thought in the wake of the "D'Urbervilles are dead" announcement that John O'Regan's success as Diamond Ring meant the rest of the band were soldiering on without him under the new name? As it turns out, John O'Regan is still fronting the band, which seems to be rocking harder than ever. The crowd was really wowed by the set and the new songs sound great.

I'd recognize that hat and rainbow guitar strap anywhere!


Matters at Mavericks, April 6, 2011

They've definitely turned up the volume.


Matters at Mavericks, April 6, 2011

The Matters set was so good I worried that P.S. I Love You - who are also big pals of the Artist Formerly Known As The D'Urbervilles - might be overshadowed. I need not worry, since frontman Paul Saulnier and drummer Benjamin Nelson kick out a mighty noise for a duo. With his red mop Saulnier cuts an unlikely rock god figure, but let's just say he's the falsetto Leslie West of the 21st century, and he can certainly play the guitar like nobody's business.


P.S. I Love You at Mavericks April 6, 2011

Let me just add that I'm a fan of shows where the drummer isn't stuck at the back.


P.S. I Love You at Mavericks April 6, 2011

The only problem: No encores from anyone.

• Show reminder: There's an open mic benefit for Japan at Zaphod Beeblebrox. The Craig Pederson Quartet and Kalle Mattson guitarist Thean Slabbert are at Raw Sugar; Luther Wright and The Wrongs, The Jack Grace Band and Sean Ashby play the Elmdale.

Hard rock

Johnny O - not to be confused with Ottawa's own Big Dick/Million Dollar Marxist - is the main, actually only, member of Diamond Rings. He's better known as John O'Regan from The D'Urbervilles, but his Rings music owes more to Magnetic Fields than the geek-rock of his other outlet.

Keyboard action!



Johnny works the stand.



He sure looks different without glasses.



The lights were very bright, thus the lack of flash.



There were some pretty rocking riffs as well.



Johnny sheds some denim.



A really good opener, and lots of fun. He'll be performing at the Black Sheep In with Owen "Final Fantasy" Pallett February 18 and 19.

• Show reminder: John Carroll performs at the Elmdale House.

Rings and things

I(heart)music once again trawled the indie stratosphere of Canada for a show of three up-and-comers. Locals The Balconies are already well on people's radar screens, but Parlovr was new to me, as was was Diamond Rings. I'm going to assume the show sold out, since even for a frosty night Cafe DeKcuf was quite packed. The crowd was even pretty thick for the opener.

Diamond Rings is the dance-pop project from the D'urbervilles' Johnny O. It's super-hooky pop with some occasionally tough-sounding guitar riffs. Johnny also drastically reconfigured Sebadoh's On Fire as melodramatic piano pop. A very fun set. He promises a record in February or March.


Diamond Rings at Cafe DeKcuf, December 18, 2009

Parlovr were also very energetic. They remind me a bit of Ottawa's own Fucked Corpse (during that band's earlier days) in some of their frenzy.


Parlovr at Cafe DeKcuf, December 18, 2009

The Balconies finished the night off with a typically great set. I think they may have kicked things up a notch in response to the two openers' bouncy performances. Jacquie Neville's voice was sounding particularly good, I thought.


Balconies at Cafe DeKcuf, December 18, 2009

They'll be back in town for a show at The Black Sheep Inn February 26 with The Golden Dogs.

• Show reminder: The much-lauded Ketch Harbour Wolves, Murder Ford Monument and Hotshotcasino play Zaphod's; Jack De Keyzer is at the Rainbow; Manpower, Remi Royale, Thunder Uncle, Slo Tom and The Handsome Devils and Major Entertainer Mike H provide "Season's Beatings" at Irene's. There will also be the final (and well, only) competition for this year's Manadian Idol. There's evidence of the Danzig version on this blog somewhere. In 2009 The Sex Pistols get the treatment. I'm working, so no wonder The Rotters Club Reunion with The Action and Target 21 is being held at the Elmdale.

Rise to the occasion

Happy Easter all. Should you find some time between religious and/or egg-concealing duties, consider booking over to Mavericks to see twitchy new wavers The D'Urbervilles. I've seen them on stages large and small, and since they're going to be sharing this one with Lioness, Suppositories and New Teeth, I dare say this show will be a good one.


D'Urbervilles, Bluesfest, July 7, 2008

If you prefer something a little more Celtic around your religious holidays, The Mahones will be living it up at Zaphod Beeblebrox along with Cellartones.


The Mahones, Babylon, June 2, 2007

Meanwhile, over at Babylon there's a sold out show of assorted punkers Bring Me The Horizon, Straight Reads The Line and The Sleeping on the early shift and assorted dancefloor shakers Thunderheist and Winter Gloves on the late shift; I can certainly attest to the live prowess of the latter. Elsewhere, The Balconies, Dinosaur Bones and The Urban Aesthetics dish it out at Cafe Dekcuf; Harvey Cartel are at the Rainbow; The Polytones, The Lovely Killbots and B'Mo Crazy play Irene's; The Devillaires and Huntley Slim and The Suburban Cowboys are at the Elmdale House.

Hot tip

Speaking of The D'urbervilles (who perform tonight at Zaphod's), they were the first band I saw on the following Monday at Bluesfest. They seemed a bit out of their element on the Giant Telecommunications Company Stage, but that may just because I'm a jaded old geezer and had been so blown away by a previous show at Zaphod's. Other possible explanation: John O'Regan had just been diagnosed with Crohn's and was feeling less than top form.

John and Tim Bruton face off. Tim was last in town with The Magic, opening for Islands.



Shoutalong action!



Kyle Donnelly rocks the low end.



I'd say drummer Greg Santilly was new, but since I last saw the band more than two years ago, that may be leaping to conclusions.



John prepares to fight the power!



Deep bends help the keyboarding process.



Guitar action!



And a bit more Bruton.



Anyway, go seem 'em tonight with Land of Talk and Psychic Hotline; I'm sure they'll be super (then go over to the Bytown).