Superstitious minds

The Magic is a Guelph supergroup of sorts. Originally started by Geordie and Evan Gordon, it sems to have expanded into a sophisticated yet muscular pop ensemble boasting members of the Two-Minute Miracles, The D'Urbervilles and The Barmitzvah Brothers. Just take a gander at the first picture below, taken as they wound up their set. From left to right we've got Tim Bruton of the D'Urbervilles, Sylvie Smith of The Barmitzvah Brothers, Geordie, Miracle man Aaron Curtis on drums and Evan. It's a star-studded lineup, I tell you ...



Evan twists a few knobs.



Singalong action!



Tim turns red.



Brotherly action!



Sylvie shows off some moves.



Geordie guitars up a storm.



Electronic drum pounding from Sylvie.



All this and a guest appearance from Alex Chow of Islands too boot.



I was moved by their set to buy their tour CD-R. It's basically Geordie and Evan and a few helping hands. I eagerly await a full band debut.

• Show reminder: The Botched Suicides, The Suicide Pilots and Humans Off Planet Earth! punk rock at the Bytown Tavern. H-427 Encephalon and Left Spine Down (a couple of Front Line Assemblymen and a Black Halo, for whatever that's worth) mix punk with their industrial at Zaphod's.

Miraculous occasions

Two-Minute Miracles are a fuzzy-meets-folky band based in London; the back porch's answer to Guided By Voices or the Elephant Six. They're well-suited to the night's bill with The Fembots - and not just because both groups should be far better known.

Andy MacGoffin is the group's main man. I took these pictures before moving to higher speed film which is why he's looking even redder than my natural light photos normally look.



Local musician John J. Higney Jr. of The Flaps, Greenfield Main, and a bunch of others, including the Golden Seals (more about them later).



The rhythm section: Eric Howden of Raised By Swans and Aaron Curtis.



In toto.



I corresponded briefly with Magoffin, he says he's also playing in Raised By Swans. They had an album release show recently I gather from their website ... I hope an Ottawa performance is in the offing.

• Show reminder: Vancouver acoustic punks The Doers play Babylon tonight in conjunction with The Golden Seals (now Dave Merritt and The Flaps, according to Kelp supremo John Bartlett) and Run Chico Run. This show carries the Black Mountain seal of approval.