Train kept a-rollin'

Ottawa has been pretty good to Matt Mays - the local radio stations played his songs before just about anyone outside his homebase in the Maritimes, and I remember good crowds back when he was in The Guthries, and even a decent turnout for his first free showcase performance at Zaphod's several years ago. Now he's a pretty good draw - witness his two nights at Barrymore's - give it time and his songs will be backing beer and car ads. His sound has crept away from the Byrds-style stuff of The Guthries to more straight-ahead rock with his band El Torpedo, but that's oky with me. I like my classic rock as much as the next guy, and Mays and Co. deliver.

The man himself and his Gretsch White Falcon.



Bassist Andy Patel.



Guitarist Jay Smith - as before, an active presence on stage. (And a barely visible Tim Baker- once again, no good pictures of Tim ...).



Singalong action.





More Jay.



Torpedo action.



Back to back action!





Feedback action!



Guitar-raising action from keyboardist Rob Crowell (I think).



The crowd returns Smith.



And a big-ol' get-together with The Arkells to finish things off.



I've also since discovered the name of that Gordon Lightfoot tune: Steel Rail Blues. I knew it had something to do with trains ... As for Mays, he's off to the West Coast for a couple of gigs, then plays Halifax in January.

• Show reminder: Broadcast Radio, New Teeth and Bear Claps play Zaphod Beeblebrox. Nick Diamonds (Islands) and Jim Guthrie's Human Highway, perform at Mavericks along with excellent Barmitzvah Brothers/D'urbervilles offshoot The Magic and shy strummer Giant Hand. Leaving Beechwood rock The Rainbow.

Mays in November

I caught the second night of Matt Mays and El Torpedo's Barrymore's gig; he's acquired a good following in Ottawa since I first caught his act at a free Zaphod's showcase years ago - good enough for one sold-out show Tuesday and what looked like a very full house on Wednesday.

Hamilton rockers The Arkells opened the show. The shaggy roots rockers have a similar sound to Mayy Mays and Co, with an identical instrumental lineup. They deviate a little from the standard course with a reddish tinge to their lyrics and song titles like No Champagne Socialist and Ballad of Hugo Chavez. They're going to be back in town in just a few weeks time - November 22, that is - for a show at Zaphod's.


Arkells, Barrymore's, November 5, 2008

Matt Mays went with the all-white look for this show. It was the usual raucous Bruce Springsteen-influenced roots rock he's been trafficking in of late, performed with a lot of gusto by El Torpedo. He did segue into a bit of acoustic work with a Gordon Lightfoot cover (Carefree Highway? I'm not enough of a Lightfoot fan to recognize anything but The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by ear) he'd originally hoped to debut for his dad ... he didn't have it ready in time for the gig his parents showed up for, did did bring it out for the local crowd.


Matt Mays, Barrymore's, November 5, 2008

The show ended with The Arkells coming on stage for the encore, which included a cover of The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses and the longest band introduction ever.

• Show reminder: The Acacia Strain, Through The Eyes of the Dead, See You Next Tuesday, Pray For Tomorrow and Caramel Waltz punk it up at the New Bayou; Attack In Black, Ladyhawk and Shotgun Jimmy play Zaphod Beeblebrox;in a last-minute announcement, The Goodnight Loving drop in on the Rock'n'Roll Pizza Party at the Bytown Tavern.

Ready set cowgirl

Bluesfest started about three weeks ago, so it's about time to start posting some more photos from said shindig. Here's kickoff act Matt Mays and his crew. As I said before he rocked hard. I read a review of his latest CD Terminal Romance in Exclaim! and writer Jason Schneider seems peeved that Mays has moved away from the melodic country rock of The Guthries. I like The Guthries too, but I'm not sure Canada is suffering a dearth of country rock bands.

That Matt.



Guitarist and show MAP (most active player) Jay Smith.



The keyboardist isn't a regular torpedo ... I think he's Rob Crowell.



Bassist Andy Patil ...



Dual guitar action!



It's clapping - and Bruce Springsteen time.



Singalong action, early and late.





Big finish!



Unfortunately I wasn't in a good position to snap a photo of drummer Tim Baker ... maybe next time.

• Show reminder: Miracle Fortress, Think About Life and Adam and The Amethysts provide more Graham per minute at Babylon; Becky Abbot plays Zaphod Beeblebrox; Minus the Royals rock at The Rainbow; The Late '94s, The Love Machine and Brights play Greenfield's.

Blues machine

My first day at Bluesfest not only went pretty smoothly, the music was pretty darn great. Matt Mays and El Torpedo started things off with a bang on the Gigantic Telecommunications Company Stage. There set was even more rocking than the one I witnessed at Zaphod's in 2003. His sound hasn't changed as much as I heard. He's now sitting on the part of the dial occupied by mid-1970s rock and roll radio. I would say that Mays wore his fondness for Bruce Springsteen on his sleeve, but since his Boss tour shirt didn't actually have sleeves so I'll say his Cocaine Cowgirl is about as flattering a tribute as Springsteen's Darkness On The Edge of Town is likely to get. (And now that I think about it, Travellin's sounds a bit like Tom Petty's Won't Back Down for the first few bars).


Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Bluesfest, July 3, 2008

After that exciting set I mulled heading over to see Jose Gonzales, but I really didn't want to lose my spot for TV On The Radio. Then I realized almost everyone else had left, so I figured I could safely head off to see Secret Machines for a half hour or so on the Gigantic Financial Institution Stage. I recall reviewing some of their CDs during my Ottawa Sun tenure and liking them. I still get the impression that Silver Apples and krautrock (particularly Neu!) are a big influence.


Secret Machines, Bluesfest, July 3, 2008

It was good, but the sound system was pumping out enough noise and their stage performance was mild mannered enough that I figured I could just as well enjoy things waiting for TV On The Radio to appear at the Gigantic Telecommunications Company Stage. TVOTR put on an amazing set; Tunde Adebimpe is a super frontman, working his way around the stage and flailing his arms and body with consummate theatricality.


TV On The Radio, Bluesfest, July 3, 2008

After they finished I headed back to the Gigantic Financial Institution Stage to see The Tragically Hip. I figure it's my duty as a Canadian to see them at least once. I can see why they have a huge number of fans. Gord Downie's an entertaining performer. He plays around with his microphone like James Brown crossed with Charlie Chaplin, catches vast number of handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat from his hairless brow and shows absolutely no fear of looking foolish. I laughed out loud when he busted a microphone stand into three parts and then handed it out to members of the audience. Unfortunately his voice wasn't great. I bought a few of The Hip's early records and recall it being far more clear. As I've said with painfully tedious frequency, big concerts don't do much for me. That goes double when you're within earshot of a particularly tuneless fan who insists on "singing" along to all the songs. I also think that concerts have become too large when you see people toasting the band's image on the nearest Jumbotron with their beer instead of the stage. Still, they were entertaining enough to hold me for about 40 minutes; I particularly liked Courage.

• Show reminder: Tusks, Yellow Jacket Avenger and Psychic Hotline play Irene's; The Mahones perform at Zaphod Beeblebrox.

New blue bayou

Last time I was at the New Bayou it was the old Bayou ... not the really old Bayou, but a shortlived club where I saw the Brothers Chaffey and Trevor Alguire for the first time; that was more than two years ago. This time the punks have taken over. There was a bunch of people there (about 70 when I counted, and that was a dozen or two shy of the peak) to see Vanier Shank and The Visitors. I feel like I've seen Vanir Shank's name for ages; they've been on a bunch of bills I never got the opportunity to see. They made me think of a faster, more reckless Leatherface.


Vanier Shank, The New Bayou, June 30, 2008

As for The Visitors, I saw their debut performance at Zaphod's; they were good then, but this time they really rocked out. A smashing set.


The Visitors, The New Bayou, June 30, 2008

This show was billed as a pre-Canada Day show. Naturally that means there's a ton of stuff to do today, and for once it looks like the weather is going to cooperate.


Basia Bluefest, Bluesfest, July 12, 2007

I may start my show-going early on Tuesday by heading over to Confederation Park to see Basia Bulat. She's performing at noon. Later in the day Alex Cuba and Molly Johnson perform. I think I'm finally going to see a 59 Argyle house show - they're celebrating Canada Day with Fucked Corpse, Montreal's Special Noise, White Wires, Crazy Ocean and Teenage Lightning. The New Bayou has a huge lineup of bands, punk and otherwise, for July 1: The Nads, A Final Draw, The Scarlett Fever, The Turne, The Red Jets, The Mistress, Sule, A Common Misconception, Lady Seema Dee and Junior Don, G-Kai, Paper and Metal, Project Mars, Capital Hearts, Jamie Lang and Diamond. Zaphod's has Blazer, Ken Workman and The Union, 27 York, The Cutmen and Alex R. Newman.
The fun continues at Zaphod's on Wednesday with Snailhouse and Sarah Hallman. Snailhouse is releasing their new CD. Irene's hosts Karen Kosowski, Tyler Summers and Trevor James.


Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Zaphod Beeblebrox, September 22, 2003

As for Thursday, quite apart from shows by Incantation, Funerus and Deamon at Cafe Dekcuf; Today I Caught the Plague, Pysiedius, The Great Sabatini, Abhorrent Human Animation and Grafenberg at Mavericks, once again it's Bluesfest time in Ottawa. Although I bought a festival pass (as I have for the past six or seven years), I'm probably going to spend less time festing than in the past. This is mostly due to a strong lineup of acts passing through town, most notably the Boris show at Babylon. Bluesfest has also decided to ban SLR cameras this year, which does kill the buzz for a diehard snapper like myself. I'm interested to see what the turnout at Bluesfest will be like. Unlike last year, it doesn't seem like there's any really acts plucked from the stratosphere like Bob Dylan or Van Morrison.
The main action for me has always been on the side stages, and that seems even more true than usual for 2008. Opening day is one of the exceptions, since TV on The Radio are playing on the Rogers Stage, unfortunately about the same time as Jose Gonzalez on the Black Sheep Stage. Matt Mays and El Torpedo are also performing. It's been about five years since I saw them play at Zaphod's. I've always meant to catch them again since they put on a great show then, but the stars never aligned. I hear they've changed their sound since then, so my curiosity is further inflamed. I also note that Spanish blues rockers Tea are performing at Zaphod's that evening.


Wintersleep, Bluesfest, July 14, 2006

On Friday there's always Wintersleep at Bluesfest. They were pretty good at Bluesfest in 2006, but Tusks, Yellow Jacket Avenger and Psychic Hotline at Irene's look like the better bet to me. The Mahones play Zaphod's and they're always a good show if you like that Pogues-influenced stuff.
There's a bunch of local acts at Bluesfest this year, such as The BushPilots, who will be playing Saturday on the River Stage. Jenn Grant and Richard Thompson are also playing on the River Stage that day so I may just stick around. Then, I may go to the Rogers Stage just to watch the juxtaposition of Ladytron and Lucinda Williams.


The BushPilots, Zaphod Beeblebrox, December 15, 2006

Saturday is busy elsewhere as well, most notably as Gunsmoke release their new CD with The Hypnophonics, Machine Gun Dolly and The Nummies at the New Bayou. Full Blown Chaos, The Breathing Process, The Red Death, Sons of Azrael, Epocholypse and I Call This Safety play Mavericks. Despite their name - which suggests a dance electronica act - Hot Panda are in fact a rough'n'ready pop combo from Edmonton (you can probably dance to them, mind you). From what I've heard I'm guessing that if you like The Bicycles, you'll probably enjoy Hot Panda. They're playing Irene's.


Les Breastfeeders, Babylon, April 20, 2007

Sunday you can check out Innerpiece, Dirty Beloved and Liquid Edge at Zaphod's. But the best show of the day - if personal experience is anything to go by - will be courtesy of Les Breastfeeders. Yes, it's on the Main Stage at Bluesfest, bit I don't think that will stop them from knocking a whole lot of socks off. One of my must-sees for Bluesfest, Chuck Prophet, also plays on the Black Sheep Stage (he also plays the Barney Danson Theatre the day before).