The great pumpkin slaughter

The Flaps Halloween party was a two-set affair. After they ran through songs from their regular set and the soon-to-be smash hits on their debut CD, and sneaked behind the backdrop to change costumes, Jon Bartlett joined the band to sing some covers in his usual inimitable fashion (and basically go nuts).
With Halloween-themed cover songs from bands like AC/DC (Highway to Hell closed the set ... I forget what opened the show but it was another AC/DC tune) The Who's Boris The Spider, Iron Butterfly's Inna Gadda Da Vida, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast, Black Sabbath's Children of the Grave, Pink Floyd's Lucifer Sam and a few Screaming Jay Hawkins tunes: Frenzy and I Put A Spell on You, to name but a few.

If you guessed that Jon came dressed as a transvestite Michael Stipe hooker, you guessed correctly!



Hag rock action from Pat Lawlor!



Those are some psychedelic jammies, Jamie Gullikson.



Two sets can really age a guy - just look at John F. Higney Jr. ....



It's a crazy old lady pajama party at Irene's. How does Martin Newman keep those glasses on?



Maybe a cover of The Who's Fiddle About would have been more appropriate ...



Gullikson averts his eyes.



Transvestite and hag rock action!



Halloween rhythm action!



Jon demonstrates the appropriate way to play the Theremin ...



... and the inappropriate way.



Also you aren't supposed to use a theremin stand to jab a pumpkin to pieces ... it's right here in Theremin for Dummies, I tell you ... here Jon feasts on dismembered pumpkin guts.



My old political philosophy prof at Carleton always said the symbolic conflict between capitalism and socialist agrarianism would come down to a wrestling match between a Michael Stipe transvestite hooker and Fidel Castro, but I always assumed she was speaking metaphorically ... (that's Rolf Klausener of The Acorn in fatigues, by the way).



Jon also chased the late Hunter S. Thompson (Howie Tsui) about, and dodged a huge tennis racket. But it was all good clean fun. Well, good fun, anyway. I'm glad I'm not the guy who cleaned up afterward.

The main attraction

The Magnolia Electric Co. show must have gotten off to an early start, because I only caught the last three songs by local opener Greenfield Main. But at least I got to enjoy songs about hunting, suicidal Thai lovers and a Neil Young cover (of Walk On).

Jon Bartlett, king of Kelp!



Smiley Rolf Klausener (who incidentally will be performing with The Acorn at Club SAW August 19)!



Smiley Jon Lomow!



Not-so-smiley John F. Higney Jr.!



Country-rock action!



Mighty fine as always.

• Show reminder: It's an instrumental death match between Polaris veterans as The Flaps (featuring John F. Higney) and The Empiricals go head to head at Babylon. The Botched Suicides and Lefty McRighty and The Boxcar Cadavers bring happy thoughts to The Aloha Room.

Eleventh Hour, Part II

Next up for Kelp Records' splendiferous 11th anniversary celebrations were The Flaps. Ottawa's premier instrumental band (no offence to fine outfits like The Empiricals et al. ...) once again put on a super show.

In honour of the occasion, drummer Jamie Gullikson was replaced by a hideous ape-beast!



Martin Newman on bass; this picture came out a little dark; I'm not sure if I didn't use enough flash or it's just his outfit ...



Pat Lawlor concentrates on his footwork.



I don't think I've seen the multitalented John F. Higney Jr. so animated.



Pat and Martin.



Higney and Gullikson.



After their most excellent set, Jon Bartlett came out to help things out. In a dress.



Here's Bartlett at his Bartlettiest.



And playing with Barrymore's big guitar. You can't see it due to the flash, but the strings light up. Cool!



Then it was time for Camp Radio, a new project from Chris Page, Dave Draves of Little Bullhorn fame and the indefatigable Scott Terry.

Chris shakes it all about.



Dave does not shake it all about.



Scott Terry, looking much like he did in the last post.



Some on-stage shenanigans.



And some rock-jumping, mostly to entertain Scott, I think.



There was also lots of pogoing and general athletic activity from Chris. After that power-popping it was time for The Acorn, a band I've managed to avoid seeing through Titanic mischance on my part - every time they played, it seems there was something else demanding my attention. Not on this night, so I got to experience their arty rock for the first time. The clips on the Kelp website don't really do them justice, since Rolf has formed a full band.

Speaking or Rolf Klausener, here he is, this time with his own hair (well, what there is of it).



Howie Tsui missed the Chippendales audition by that much.



Jeff Debutte, of Soft Disaster fame.



T. Jeffrey Malecki on drums. Now we know where that wig went.



Higney chips in some pedal steel.



The Acorn in the spotlight.



Bartlett described them as Ottawa's gayest-looking band, but then again he was wearing a dress, so there may be some projection going on here ...

• Show reminder: Junior Pantherz and four-stroke play Zaphod's tonight.
  
• Rejoicing: The Sunburned Hand of The Man show is a go, thanks to some quick arranging by a few of the folks on the punkottawa.com message board and the good graces of Alexei at the Avant-Garde at 1351/2 Besserer St. It'll be an all ages show this Friday (June 10), with Akisikala (inspired by Cecil Taylor, I presume) and Saint Bernard of Love opening the festivities. So if the No-Neck Blues Band, The Liars, Atman, the local Castor/VEO-related bands and weirdo-forest-drone-psych-folk are your bag, be there!