Hidden gems

There was a fair amount of loud music on offer Thursday night, but I decided to go for something a little lower in volume at Raw Sugar. Adam & The Amethysts hail from Montreal. They're fronted by Adam Waito, who has appeared before in National Capital Rock performing with Telefauna and Miracle Fortress.

The opener was Owl Loris, a.k.a. Jordan Robson Cramer, who also played drums in Miracle Fortress at their Babylon show, has played with Spencer Krug's Sunset Rubdown and also mans the traps for The Amethysts. Some shoegazy pop that unfortunately slid into some high-pitched feedback on the first number, but turned out nicely when the PA was brought back under control.


Owl Loris at Raw Sugar, August 18, 2011

Something about one guy and a guitar inspires fooling around with shutter speed and whatnot.


Owl Loris at Raw Sugar, August 18, 2011

Onto A&TA. Waito has a nice offbeat line in pop music - I think I heard hints of Roy Orbison and Television Personalities in his tunes, which you don't get every day.

That Adam!

Adam & The Amethysts at Raw Sugar, August 18, 2011

And some Amethysts, including Jordan on drums, Rebecca Lessard on cello and Scott Johnson Gailey on bass (not Rory Seydel as I originally said).


Adam & The Amethysts at Raw Sugar, August 18, 2011

Adam & The Amethysts have been signed by local label Kelp, and album No. 2 is expected in the fall, so no doubt a return visit looms.

• Show reminder: Finish What You Started continues with G.O.D., Four Stroke, Wooka Tribe, Nightmare//Reality, Asco, Silent Bones and Dead Lights at Mavericks and Prevenge, LOKI, The Beer Barons, Todi Stronghands, Dead Weights, Benevenstanciano, Woolkfolk upstairs at Cafe Dekcuf; M.O.T.O., Needles//Pins and The Moby Dicks rock the Montgomery Legion Hall on Kent Street; Lefty McRighty and the Sinister Six, Lee Mellor and Huntley Slim play The Rainbow; Little Stella, Tyler Kealey and Breaze perform at Zaphod's; Corinne West and Kelly Joe Phelpsplay Irene's with James Farr as an opener. Bloodshot Bill and The Greasemarks slide into The Elmdale.

Hands on

Where does Spencer Krug find the time? He's in Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Swan Lake and has his own combo, Sunset Rubdown (oh, and he's part of Fifths and Sevenths, too). Sunset Rubdown's set went over really well; his vocal waver adds a lot to his emotional pop sound. Unfortunately the dance club hour was drawing nigh so the set had to come to a close sooner than anyone would have liked.

A good grip on the microphone is vital.



The rest of the band: Michael Doerksen on guitar, Jordan Robson-Cramer on drums and Camilla Wynn Ingr, formerly of Pony Up! on keys, glockenspiel, percussion and so on.



Is it just me, or has the glockenspiel become the instrument of choice for indie musicians?



Krug pounded the keys so hard he unsettled his lampshade.



Camilla glockin' 'n' talkin'.



Jordan Robson steps out from behind the kit to get down on guitar.



Michael Doerksen percusses away.



The whole lot!



Cool show, and no doubt we'll be seeing Spencer again when he swings through town in one of his five-and-counting bands.
Show reminder: Calvin Johnson and Captain Foxy perform at End Hits.

Miracle Montreal massage

I popped over to Babylon for the second night of Mocking Music's Capital Idea Festival at Babylon. There was something of a Montreal focus, since the band features Montreal's Miracle Fortress, Montreal-to-Vancouver transplant Montag and Victoria-to-Montreal emigrant Sunset Rubdown.

Miracle Fortress features an all-indie-star line up live, including main man Graham Van Pelt and SS Cardiac gal Jessie Stein.



Montag had a lot of doodads to supplement his synth pop. He was fun, but I'm not sure how interesting he'd be on record.



A super set from Spencer Krug's Sunset Rubdown. Spencer plays piano so hard he unsettled his lampshade.



That was very good. Unfortunately I just noticed that my camera's starting to croak - note the thin red line that bysects Krug's hand. After reviewing my files I see it's shown up on every photo since the Simply Saucer show a week ago - @#$!!!! I guess I'll have to ship it off to the fixit folks. Capital Idea continues tonight at Bronson Centre Theatre with The Walkmen, Relief Maps and Acres.

• Show reminder: The Shovels, Crowded Skies and Rickity Ship perform at Irene's. Flecton Bigsky plays a benefit for the Ottawa School of Art at Babylon along with Army of Saint Joan and The Kettle Black; i(heart)music presents Young Galaxy, Sadie Hell and The Nymphets at Zaphod's.