Showing posts with label karaoke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label karaoke. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Sing along at home

Following the end of Creeping Nobodies, Derek Westerholm went on to form Karaoke with Michelle Breslin, herself a veteran of Sadoceanspacebear. I never had a chance to hear the Creeping Nonodies, but Karaoke madfe me think of odd-poppers like The Cleaners From Venus. Your results may vary ...

Guitar action!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

Derek sings!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

Michelle rocks the Epiphone.

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

More Derek!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

Singalong action!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

Drumming action!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

The end!

Karaoke at Raw Sugar

Dunno what they're up to now ... you know how hard it is to google Karaoke?!?

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Cruisin' for a bruisin'

In the early years of the 21st century, a group of musicians came together in Toronto to perform as a Fall tribute band. They dubbed themselves The Creeping Nobodies and soldiered on with varying lineups until around 2009. Some former Nobodies brought their subsequent bands - Karaoke and Bruised Knees - up to Ottawa for a show with locals Caymans, put on by the Bruised Tongue folks.

The Caymans made me think a bit of Royal Trux, early-to-mid period. Guitarist Blake Hargreaves I saw last performing as 50% of Thames at Sounds Unlikely.

Caymans at Raw Sugar
Caymans at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012

Drummer Joni Sadler was of course part of the Sounds Unlikely crew in addition to working at CHUO.

Caymans at Raw Sugar
Caymans at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012

As unlikely as my Caymans-Royal Trux comparison might sound, I thought Karaoke reminded me of antipodean odd-rockers Tall Dwarves. Seriously brain, what are you thinking?!? Anyway, there's something in the vocal cadences and rhythms of Michelle Breslin and Derek Westerholm that put me in mind ...

Karaoke at Raw Sugar
Karaoke at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012

It's a two-guitar combo that really works.

Karaoke at Raw Sugar
Karaoke at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012
 
Quartet Bruised Knees closed the night with a somewhat more conventional band performance, making me think a bit of postpunks Joy Division and others of that era, as well as more modern chillwave combos.

Bruised Knees at Raw Sugar
Bruised Knees at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012

Lots of cool guitar noises from every act...

Bruised Knees at Raw Sugar
Bruised Knees at Raw Sugar, January 20, 2012

Great sounding sets from everyone!
  • Show reminder: Kingdom Shore, The James Annett Trio, CPI and DJ Jairus Khan will be providing some more out-sounds at Raw Sugar; Flying Fortress, Criticull and Muffler Crunch rock The Brass Monkey; Danny Rebel & The KGB, Freshly Cut and The Sentries play Club SAW; Bludgeoned, Sofistifucks and Asile make some noise at HasselHouse on 295 Powell. The Souljazz Orchestra performs at Mavericks; The Back Talk Organ Trio are at Irene's; the Elmdale hosts The Steve Thomas Band and The Jimmy Roy Band.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Comeback kids

I'm trying to remember where I was when Resin Scraper released Her Mentality back in way-back-when (a.k.a. 1996). Not at the Dominion, anyway, where Dead City Rebels made their noisy, rugby-player toppling debut. I can at least recall where I first saw Dirty Donny's artwork - at the bottom of the stairs at The Dominion on the way to the bathroom. Dirty Donny has of course gone onto intergalactic fame as the artist of twisted creeps, guitar freaks and motor fiends. I believe the first time I saw his art on a record sleeve for Man's Ruin. Coincidentally the label that completely failed to give the Dead City Rebels their big break when Frank Kozik's label expired, leaving the release of their Electromagnetic Feel stillborn. Since packing it in more-or-less officially several years back they've staged the occasional reunion ... the only one I'd caught to date was for a CKCU anniversary show. Whether I wasn't shooting back then or my camera was in the shop I can't say, but until now I hadn't managed to capture one of Ottawa's finest rock'n'roll bands in action.

But first, heeeeeere's Donny, airbrushing a Frankenstein's Monster stencil on my freshly purchased copy of Monster Revolt!

Dirty Donny at Babylon
Dirty Donny at Babylon, December 2, 2010

There was also punk rock karaoke, hosted by Remi Royale, which ws intermittently amusing. Here Sedative/Crusades/Year Zero Man Dave Williams takes a turn at the microphone.

Punk rock karaoke at Babylon
Punk rock karaoke at Babylon, December 2, 2010

And finally, The Dead City Rebels, rocking out with mighty power.

The Dead City Rebels At Babylon
The Dead City Rebels at Babylon, December 2, 2010

Members have of course been seen performing in The Golden Famile, Fortunate Sons, Four Frames/Mouthpiece, Death March Volunteers, Long Timers, The Glads, TokyoSexwhale and Loviatar (and possibly a few others), but whether well see them together again in one place is a big if.
  • Show reminder: Jeffree Star, Dev, It Boys! and Strayotic are at Mavericks; Trevor Alguire and Ninety Pounds of Ugly perform at the Elmdale Tavern; Matthew Hornell and The Diamond Minds, The Mnemonics, and Capital Grass and the No Men play Cafe DeKcuf; Jeremy Fisher, Greg Laswell and Miss Emily Brown roll into Zaphod's; Barrelhouse are at the Rainbow.