Teachable moments

I made a return trip to Raw Sugar Saturday night for another helping of indie rock from out West, in the form of Shotgun Jimmie (formerly of Ajax, Ontario, Dawson City, Yukon, and Sackville, New Brunswick, now  holding down the fort in Brandon, Manitoba), who's headed out East for some Sappyfest activity. Keeping him company in the van are Vancouver's Adrian Teacher and The Subs and Human Music, who are also serving as his backing band. Adrian Teacher and company were up first. Teacher is formerly of Apollo Ghosts and has backed a bunch of folks, including Julie Doiron, Baby Eagle and Shotgun Jimmie. He's just finished recording an EP with K Records kingpin Calvin Johnson.



Amanda Panda on drums!



Closeup action!



Robby Bobby on bass.



Amanda is amused.



The whole lot!



Big finish!



More British Robbie!



Educational action! (Fun fact: Adrian is, in fact, a teacher.)



Adrian heads outside to check out his wireless!



All that running about, a man has to take the weight off.



Moving right along, we have the human musicians of Human Music, Jory, Mef and Cole. The band works out of Winnipeg and essays the sort of pop I can see emerging on Twisted Nun.



Cole strums!



Jory rocks the Fender VI.



Singalong action with Mef!



Mef hits!



More Cole!



More singalong action!



Mef gets in some bass time.



The whole lot!



Jory hits!



Mef rocks out!



Everybody plays everything in this band.



A short break and they were all on stage again, this time backing up travelling man and tour urganiser Shotgun Jimmie.



Backup action with Mef and Jory!



Cole drums a bit.



Jim sings!



And so on!



Well you get the idea!



The end (which was a cover of The Constantines' Young Lions)!



Props also to Raw Sugar for hosting the show after the unfortunate demise of Mugshots.

On the attack

And now we come to Ontario's contribution to the big Shotgun Jimmie/Ladyhawk/Attack in Black autumn tour. Welland's Attack in Black claim antecedents ranging from Neil Young to The Ramones. I confess I hear a lot more of Young than the bruvvers. What I've heard of their recorded stuff is pretty mildmannered and ramshackle in a pleasant, Eric's Trip sort of way. Live they're much louder.

You've seen 'em already, but here are a few introductions: At left is guitarist Spencer Burton, then bassist Ian Kehoe, and guitarist and singer Daniel Romano.



His brother Ian Romano plays drums.



Dan in black and white.



Julie Doiron contributes some guest vocals.



Brotherly action!



Attack action!



More Spencer.



Shotgun Jimmie kicks in some vocals.



There was also some rhythm section switching around.



They're playing Peterborough with Shotgun Jimmie tomorrow, have a couple of late December gigs in southern Ontario, then head off to Australia in February 2009.

• Show reminder: Cancer Bats, The Holly Springs Disaster, Polar Bear Club and Jesus Mullet rock Babylon. Epyllion (formerly the The Eric St. Cyr Band), The Tammy James Band, and Silvergun & Spleen perform at Zaphod's.
  

The sweater song

Shotgun Jimmie is part of the Sackville/Sappy circle of bands, so it was no surprise to see him sharing a stage with Ladyhawk. Last time he was in town it was as 25% of Shotgun and Jaybird. At least two more quarters were present, since Julie Doiron and Dick Morello were also in the club - Julie to sing with AIB, Morello to handle the merchandise. They also dressed up a little. Why don't more bands wear sweaters on stage? (Answer: because it's damn hot).

Shotgun Jimmie rocks the wool.



If the backing band looks familiar it is because they are, in fact, Attack in Black.



And so on!





I also took a few of shots in black and white.





Bedhead action!



A nice performance for fans of shambolic roots music.

• Show reminder: The Black Dahlia Murder, Misery Index, Epocholypse and Soilent Green (who I hear are people) play Babylon; Folkster Billy Lyte performs at The Rainbow. The Jay Spectre, Kris Ward and Rachel McCully play Zaphod's.

Attack in black and white

Zaphod's was pretty crowded last night for the Attack in Black/Ladyhawk/Shotgun Jimmie tour's pass through town. I've seen Ladyhawk a couple of times and am a big fan of their first record; Shotgun Jimmie impressed me too when he came through town as part of Shotgun and Jaybird. Of Attack in Black I knew naught, but they fit in well with the other acts.

Shotgun Jimmie started things off - the members of Attack in Black served as his band. That's AiB bassist Ian Kehoe just behind him. Jimmie's released a solo album since the demise of Shotgun and Jaybird, though I note that Julie Doiron was around to sing with Attack in Black and Dick Morello was also on hand to man the merch table. For some reason the band decided sweaters would make a good stage outfit.


Shotgun Jimmie, Zaphod Beeblebrox, November 6, 2008

Next up were Ladyhawk ... they seemed a bit more jammy this time around. They ended their set with Duffy Driediger taking microphone in hand and head onto the dancefloor for a crooning-heavy number that was actually pretty good. As always bassist Sean Hawryluk wins the nightly award for best hair-waving ... no wonder he has to tie on his glasses.


Ladyhawk , Zaphod Beeblebrox, November 6, 2008

Attack In Black were pretty entertaining too. Like Ladyhawk they're influenced by electric Neil Young and finished their set with a outburst of guitar-flailing hard rock. They can also do the quiet stuff and scaled back to melody quite nicely on a few numbers.


Attack in Black, Zaphod Beeblebrox, November 6, 2008

The tour has a few more stops in Ontari before it wraps up in mid-November.

• Show reminder: Matt and Kim, Best Fwends and Fucked Corpse rock Mavericks; Garaga, Shanker and Romps and The Stolen Minks play Irene's. Flow 14 and Tara Lee Combs rock Zaphod's; The Brothers Chaffey hold a birthday bash at The Rainbow. Micarza Camaro release their new CD at The Elmdale House Tavern with Camp Radio and The Flats.