Spell it!

Mississippi Grover should be familiar to Ottawa music fans as Grog from The Knurlings (and before that The Fiends) ... or perhaps Greg from The Descrators ... or maybe Watson Traps, who once drummed for Flecton Bigsky ... does Greg Watson of The Orange Alabaster Mushroom ring a bell? Anyway, he's been around. Here he does the one-man band thing at The Manx, undoubtedly Ottawa's cosiest bar, opening for Merle Knurling. He opened things up with Link Wray's Rumble and went all swamp rock from there. Leave My Kitten Alone also featured.

A man and his cow skulls.



Harmonica solo!



Not many different pictures you can post of one guy wedged in a corner at The Manx; unfortunately I failed to capture the kazoo solo ...

• Show reminder: Daydream Square, Fractal Pattern, Swingset Champion and The City of a Hundred Spires play Maverick's. I'm definitely keen to hear what FP's got to offer, since Ryan of the Collapsing Opposites gave them a rave at his Irene's show on Friday.

Parental figure

Mommy and Daddy are a New York duo with automatic beats and bass riffs. Sort of a DFA1979 type sound but with a machine for a drummer and some lead singer calisthenics. It was interesting, but I would have liked a little more melody.

Vivian Sarratt and Edmond Hallas trade off with the bass and do they play loud!



I took a bunch of low-light pictures of Vivian that did not work out at all ... so most of my pictures are of Edmond. And he's an active chap. Now I'm not saying he definitely has a past in hardcore punk, but ...



Back - back I say!



That's why they call it dancepunk, baby!



Edmonds dedicated the twist to soundman Slo' Tom - wasn't that nice? They say they'll be back to support their full-length.

• Show reminder: It's like an Ottawa rock showcase at Babylon (actually it's some kind of pre-wedding party - but you can come too!), with The Double Pumpers, The Hi-Lo-Trons, Yogar and the Hill People ("Yogi" Granger and associates, I hear), Janice Hall and The Mighty Eagle Band providing the rock and non-rock (contrary to an early version of this post, The Fiftymen aren't on the bill). Dave Aardvark will be DJ-ing.
  

My Bloody Redhead

Boston's Eyes Like Knives had a loud opening set for Mommy and Daddy at Zaphod's. I detect a definite Sonic Youth-via-Blonde Redhead vibe, with a large side helping of Pixies. They did a cover of You Made Me Realize - after asking if anyone at Zaphod's had heard of My Bloody Valentine. Uh - yes?

Rebekka Takamizu gets the full polka dot treatment from Zaphod's lighting system.



Scott Toomey on guitar.



Jim Buckey (I think) on bass.



Chris Lawler in blue on drums behind maybe-Buckey.



Here's another one of Takamizu with Mooney.



R.T. again.



United in din.



The band hasn't quite paid off the debt to their predecessors, but made an ear-pleasing indie-rock racket.

• The Clock Strikes - who have a very impressive EP out, if I did say so myself - and The Getalongs play Zaphod's. Golden Famile, Collapsing Opposites (all the way from Vancouver, say the nice folks at punkottawa.com), Les Allumettes and Books On Books play Irene's. The latter features Ryan Hough (also in GF), while Les Allumettes is Heather of Holy Hell's new band.
  

Gimme Danger

I arrived at The Aloha room in time to catch Nick Danger's second set. I believe by this time the alcohol was taking hold. The performance was rough but ready.
The Bigsby-equipped Epiphone hollowbody and an admitted fondness for surf and rockabilly might lead one to expect a strictly 50s-style rock operation, but Danger and Co. have later influences. Witness the covers of Iggy Pop (The Passenger) and Elvis Costello (Watching The Detectives), along with Secret Agent Man and a savagely dispatched version of Lawrence Gowan's Criminal Mind.

Mr. Danger - in person!



Popsicle Pete. Yes, there are other places to go, but do they have velvet paintings of dobermans on the wall? I think not ...



Chunk. That's all. Chunk.



In action!



Danger, Pete, and a "microphone that needs Viagra."



No danger of boredom; N.D. was much more active than the pictures suggest. I only took a few since there's nothing more annoying than a flash in a small room when you're just out for a drink. Excellent new EP from Danger and Co., by the way. Next time they play I definitely want to hear their cover of Television Personalities' Diary of a Young Man.

• Show reminder: Steven Dall and the Department of Foreign Affairs play Zaphod's. Trevor Alguire of Mercury Pickup and Tom Thompson open. Spend a quiet evening at Babylon with Blood Brothers, The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower and Big Business. Skank and dip to The Planet Smashers, The Peacocks and The Manglers at Maverick's, or go over their head and catch some indie rock with Parlormaid, National Monument (from Winnipeg; their label's website says they've been compared to "Jesus and Mary Chain, Television, My Bloody Valentine, The Stooges, Polvo and Sonic Youth," so they must be really good!), Dear Jane I... and The Boffus Trio at Cafe DeKcuf.

Songs in the key of Death

Death From Above 1979, the jihad-declaring, floor-rocking, beat-bumping Toronto duo came to Babylon to pump out some heavy duty riffs and get really, really muggy. This was not the sweatiest show I've ever been to, but it was damn close. "I feel like I'’m breathing air back through my underwear," was bassist Jesse F. Keeler's fulsome description.

The terrible two; Keeler and drummer-singer Sebastien Grainger:



Sebastien works the crowd.



A tap-tap here, a tap-tap there ...



When you've been on the road as long as DFA 1979, you learn how to drum with one hand and reach for a beer with another.



Back for the all-underwear encore!



The crowd certainly squished themselves up against the stage at this show - I think I saw soundman Justin clinging limpet-like to a monitor to stop the crowd from pushing it around (it was hard to tell in the crush).

• Show reminder: The Stumblers stumble back into the spotlight at The Aloha.
• Breaking news: I heard that the Expatriates were scheduled to play Maverick's on Sunday, but there's a post on punkottawa.com's message board saying Daydream Square, along with Fractal Pattern, Swingset Champion and The City of a Hundred Spires will be fuzzing the place up. Fractal Pattern does have a scheduled item in the shows section. I'd go either way ...

Out of control

Toronto band controller.controller were one of two opening acts for DFA 1979; the other was Uncut, who came and left before I arrived. Actually, it was only a hit-and-run dinner that allowed me to get to Babylon in time for the last few hectic tunes.

The stage was swathed in red; unfortunately there wasn't enough light for a no-flash picture, so you don't get a true impression of what things looked like.



A closer shot after I'd moved around ... yes that's Scotty Karate - a.k.a. Scot Kaija - of Space Elevator at left, Nirmala Basnayake on the mike and Colwyn Lewellyn-Thomas on second guitar. Jeff Scheven, drummer, is barely visible in the picture above. You can also make out a bit of their backing singer under Kaija's chin ...



Bassist Ronnie Morris moves in.



Nirmala goes over the crowd's head.



Several of the people on stage are not, in fact, in the band ...



As you can see from that picture, they went over very well; a funky Velvet Underground meets The Avengers, maybe?

• Ska reminder: The Slackers and The Rude Dudes will be two-toning it at Maverick's tonight.

One-two-three-four!

Various Morally Hazardous and Harshey types fill out the four-stroke lineup. They are loud, fast and (mostly) shaved.

Singer and guitar from Ken Vermin thanks Good2Go's Maureen Hogan for the fine show and points out he's drunk.



Guitarist Mike Marauder put the hurt on his leg a while back - thus the crutch.



Bassist Barnie Rebel.



Vaun van Vaughn looks just like Jon Kiely from Harshey.



More Vermin!



One four all, and no more dumbass puns.



By the time the came on I was dog-tired. I snapped a few pictures, let myself be slapped around by a few back- to-basics punk rawk tunes, and headed home.

• I was going to mention Les Angles Morts at Club SAW, but that gig is no more.
• Three-legged news: The Manx has a few shows of note. The Flaps will play there May 23 ("With Chet!" says the blurb) and Andrew Vincent will appear May 29.
  

Gimme no lip, child

Third band on the bill at Irene's May 7 was Good2Go. Singer Maureen Hogan had surgery on her lower lip, and apologized in advance for any lack of elocution - apparently the f-word was out of the question - but I didn't notice any difference (and I mean that in a good way).

Ms. Hogan and her hair.



Reg Allen on bass and beer-truckin'.



Gilles Mantha on drums; this drum stick twirl would have worked great if someone hadn't ruined his concentration with a camera flash. Wasn't me, honest!



Christian Lapensee on vintage guitar.



Reg and Maureen. Apart from making one wander, those boots are apparently good for holding extra drumsticks as well.



Good2Go welcome your feedback.



Rocking on out!



Good2Go play Irene's June 4, and no doubt have other shows in the works ....

• Show reminder ... yes, on a Sunday!: Merle Knurling and The Silent K play The Manx accompanied by Mississippi Grover. It's free, so more money for bar tips. Roll Gypsy Roll, Lindsay Ferguson, The Habit and Buckshot play Zaphod Beeblebrox; this is a Bluesfest talent showcase.

Bomb you live!

I hadn't seen the Bella Bombs live before, though of course I've seen various members at shows around town. Pretty straight ahead punk rock from this formerly female foursome. Yes, formerly - the band's new drummer, Suspect Device, is a guy.

Honey-Bomb sings, snarls, etc. - and plays a sparkly green guitar (except when she doesn't).



E-Bomb on lead guitar and fishnets.



Turbo-Bomb on bass.



The newest member, Suspect Device (a.k.a. Pat), on drums.



Turbo and Honey in dual shoutalong mode.



... and Suspect, Honey and E.



The Bella Bombs will be strutting their stuff for the discerning Zaphod's crowd June 19 when they go head-to-head with The Patsies, Stone Melodies and Quarter Life for a chance to grace the Bluesfest stage. They're also opening for Broadzilla and The Demolition Doll Rods June 3.

• Show reminder: Horrorpops, Million Dollar Marxists and Harshey play Babylon. If you feel like running around town, it might be worth your while to check out Mommy and Daddy with Eyes Like Knives at Zaphod's. The former are supposed to be a vaguely naughty electro-bass duo, which may explain why they have an intriguing blurb from Turbonegro in their ad in the latest issue of Skyscraper. Just a few blocks away, local roots rockers The Bushpilots have a CD release show at The Rainbow tonight; Good2Go is the opening act.
  

Harshey the Crow

Harshey at Irene's. This was a show with The Setbacks and Four'N'Giv'r, taken back when the city was still in winter's harsh grip (i.e., March 19). Yes, this is a bit of an orphan post ... I put it up, then it was taken down for repairs and lost in the vast ocean of ghost posts. Now it makes its triumphant, hat-of-shame wearing return.

Jeff sings.



Larry focuses on the low end.



Jon Kiely carries on the proud tradition of singing drummers.



All together; the only picture I have of them as a group at this gig, and they've got beer in their hands, which actually is an apt metaphor for this show ...



Harshey has another show at the same venue June 18; no word yet on who else is on the bill. And as you can read above, they're also playing tonight at Babylon, opening for The Horrorpops with The Million Dollar Marxists.