Fuzz, buzz and twang

Off to Zaphod Beeblebrox on Saturday, where a trio of local acts put on a great show for the assembled dozens. The Dead Bees, Glorious Moonrockets and Sick Sick Sicks each brought something different to the table.

First up, Glorious Moonrockets, making a fine racket.


Glorious Moonrockets at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

Rhythm section action!


Glorious Moonrockets at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

Then on to Sick Sick Sicks. I've never seen them before. They've got some Old Weird Americana, some rockabilly and some ska, plus songs about longboarding, hallucinogens and riding bicycles. There was also some microphone licking from bassist Red. You may also recognize drummer Kosta McKay from his stint with Department of Foreign Affairs (the band, not the ministry).


Sick Sick Sicks at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

Guitar action!


Sick Sick Sicks at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

And now on to Dead Bees, who favour a melodic kind of pop, and which also features some DOFA vets, including Kosta, making the night a doubleheader.


Dead Bees at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

Also hailing from the ranks of DOFA, Chris Thibedeau, who plays both bass and guitar (particularly on their cover of Big Star's September Gurls, a favourite of his). Chris Sims rounds out the trio.


Dead Bees at Zaphod Beeblebrox, January 19, 2013

A well-rounded evening.

The angelic process

So Ol' Savannah came through town (as they will again this Saturday) for a set at the Rainbow, and they rounded up an appropriate crop of local country hoodlums to start things up. Unfortunately, The Bank Robbers union couldn't make it, so they got Morgan Friend of the Bible All-Stars, who had recently released his fine new solo recording Angel Goin' Down, to fill in.

Mandolin action!



Sick Sick Sicks guitarist Max Cossette frets!



More Morgan!



Greg Langille, also of the Bible All-Stars, handles the low end.



Hollowbody action!



Mandolin action!



More bass!



Singalong action!



And so on!



A bit of the old switcheroo!



Extra Greg!



He's just touring Ireland (drinking may be involved). The Bible All-Stars have a gig May 12 at the Elmdale Tavern, then hit up the Clocktower with Good2Go on June 16.

• Show reminder: The Whiskey Standards (a.k.a. Lefty McRighty and the usual suspects) rock Fatboys Southern Smokehouse; Longshot, Harp & Lyre and Equalizer destroy the Montgomery Legion on Kent St.; Danger, Go Die Scum and Spilt Guts endanger Hasselhouse (a.k.a. 295 Powell to the postal authorities) and all who dwell within! Megan Jerome and Matt Ouimet perform at Raw Sugar;  The FunKtion bring the funk and improper capitalization to the Rainbow. Ian Tamblyn plays at Irene's. The Owl Eyes Project and The Ancient Order gather at the Avant-Garde.

Fill the dancefloor

Just a few months ago - September 2011 to be exact - Ol' Savannah played a Rainbow gig with The Dusty Drifters and Rene Yoxon. Apparently they had a good time because here they are back with a headlining gig of their own and plans to return in the spring.

First up was Morgan Friend, who also fronts the Bible All-Stars. He was filling in for the Bank Robbers Union, who had to cancel.


Morgan Friend at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

He was accompanied by Sick Sick Sicks guitarist Max Cossette and BAS guitarist Greg Langille to play bass (and a bit of guitar).


Morgan Friend at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

I've seen Lefty McRighty perform with The Boxcar Cadavers and The Shameless Bastards, but in 90 Pounds of Ugly he hands most of the singing work over to sultry Patsie Clash who does a bang-up job and looks mighty fine to boot. Off course this is a McRighty project so they are songs about insane people and getting naked. They also covered Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time and 1976 Brit disco sensation 5000 Volts' Dr. Kiss Kiss (which actually works quite well as a country tune).


90 Pounds Of Ugly at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

Standup Steve is also part of this outfit (drummer Ernie Legend rounds it out).


90 Pounds Of Ugly at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

Finally Ol' Savannah came on satge for some old-fashioned urban mountain music and book-demolishing.


Ol' Savannah at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

There was also some string busting and a bit of accordion-busting (fortunately fixed with some handy duct tape).


Ol' Savannah at The Rainbow, January 7, 2012

There was certainly a lot of folks shaking it about.

• Show reminder: The Cowards and the Mudplots rock the Overkill Bar; Slyde and Calfax perform at the Rainbow.