While I was out...

SHOWS I HAVEN'T BLOGGED ABOUT (YET)

22 March, 2009: The Weakerthans + Constantines at George's Fabulous Roadhouse, Sackville NB.

28 March, 2009: Pat LePoidevin, Jay Crocker + the Slate Pacific at Struts Gallery, Sackville NB.
(Plans fell through, didn't make it there)

3 April, 2009: Al Tuck, Ryan Cook + Grass Mountain Hobos at George's Fabulous Roadhouse, Sackville NB.
(Plans fell through, didn't make it there)

4 April 2009: Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland, Amelia Curran + Corey Isenor at George's Fabulous Roadhouse, Sackville NB.

9 April 2009: Snailhouse + Share at The Shadow Lawn Inn, Rothesay NB.

UPCOMING SHOWS

11 April 2009: Neil Young at Harbour Station, Saint John NB.
(Hopefully)

21 April 2009: B.A. Johnston + Horses at Bridgeport Falls, Sackville NB.

23 April 2009: Joel Plaskett at the Imperial Theatre, Saint John NB.

30 April 2009: Hey Rosetta! + Rich Aucoin at George's Fabulous Roadhouse
(Hopefully)

I'd like to rest my head on yours with the horses right there beside us.

Last night was interesting and slightly spur of the moment. I hadn't decided whether or not I was going to the concert until about an hour before I left. I'm glad I made the decision to go, though. It was an altogether beautiful night, I think, and rather a perfect start to this perfect month that will be February.

George's is a little bit of a walk from anywhere, it's well down the road, but every time I've made that walk it's been worth it. This time, the snow was coming down, but not so heavily as it could be noticed. Just heavily enough to be lovely, that snow that is beautiful and unnoticed as an inhibitor to anything. And then I arrived.

The show opened up with what might as well be CHMA's house band: Field Museum, who had recorded a little EP especially for the occasion. The band is Mark Brownlee, Matt Sarty, and now Corey Isenor. It was a pretty decent three-piece rock show, and it looked to me like they had an awful lot of fun up there. I, as I do, picked up one of their records. Production quality isn't the greatest, as is to be expected, but it's a good little recording, I think. And they put on a good show. And they're good guys. So, take a listen to their myspace or to this track here:

Field Museum - Kids in Town

Pat LePoidevin, I honestly never know what to say about this fellow. He makes some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. This time it was just him, his guitar, and his ukulele. And his looper pedal, of course. He creates such beautiful, layered sound, and his voice is to die for. The most beautiful part, I think, was when we as the crowd began singing along. His album doesn't come out until March 13th, but just about everyone there knows his music. Oh, Sackville, you fosterer of beauty, of community, of music! Even hungover Pat was too pleased by the singing of his words back to him by the crowd, his joy was apparent. The atmosphere in that place became so... perfect. I don't know how better to describe it. The communal joy...

Pat LePoidevin - Toumba, Texas

I'll be honest. Before his set started, I had never before heard the night's headliner, Justin Rutledge, but apparently he's kind of a big deal. His Neil Young-sounding folk music was interspersed with stories about inappropriate jokes, about Halifax Donairs, about Michael Ondaatje (with whom he is collaborating on a 'production'), after which he proceeded to play a song written about Cooper, a professional gambler from Ondaatje's novel Divisadero. At a later point in the night, he called Pat on stage for an impromptu cover of Neil Young's Harvest, with Pat playing his tin whistle to Justin's guitar and voice. It was quite a lovely cover, it must be said. I'm still overflowing with the joy of that night and the magic of symmetry, as you likely can tell. The night ended on a sing-along, dozens of us sat on the floor around the stage there in George's Roadhouse, and Justin sat on the edge of it, feeding us the words to Don't Be So Mean, Jellybean as we sang them out. It was a lovely moment in time, and a lovely cap to the night. I am almost too glad that I made the last-minute decision to get out to this show... simply beautiful.

Stereophonic, Day 1

Stereophonic is UNDERWAY.

The first show was last night at the Sackville United Church. I'd never seen a show there before. Now I have, and I am calling it one of the best venues I've ever been to. There are cons, though--sitting in pews for 3 and a half hours is painful. This is why I don't go to church. But the acoustics of the place so make up for it. SO make up for it! The sound quality in there is absolutely gorgeous. But more on that later.

The first band of the night was the John Wayne Cover Band, one of them Sackville student bands. They were good for what they are, sounding to me like a cross between Bob Dylan and Joel Plaskett (but I can't convince anyone of the Plaskett-sounding quality, so don't take my word for that. I'm just unique). They were good, but the rest of the night dwarfed their set. Holy mackerel.

From Ottawa, now based in Halifax, Gianna Lauren came into her own in this venue. I saw her at the pub back in October, and was impressed enough to buy her album but not thoroughly enthralled. This time, though, she was stunning, absolutely beautiful. Her voice cut through everything, echoed against the wood and through the church and just won me over completely. In what became a theme for the night, she covered a Julie Doiron tune. Regrettably, Julie wasn't there, though. Beautiful! Beautiful, with new songs about accidental cardigan fires and hitchhiking. I don't know what words to use to describe her, really, so here's a track from her album.

Gianna Lauren - Bird's Eye View (click to download)

Après Gianna came Corey Isenor & the Sackville Citizens Choir. Corey is something else. Folksy and nasal, but oh my lord incredible. The Laura Barrett show I saw in Sackville last year was held in his kitchen, for an idea, and he opened that one. He started out this show solo, playing Burning In Your Hands alone with his guitar, before being joined by his band for most of the remainder of the set. For the last two songs, he was joined on stage by a good number of people from the audience, providing voice and handclaps along to everything. It was quite beautiful. Fitting for the venue, again. A tiny chair for a tiny ukulele.. There's something about his music that puts me into a pretty dreamy state. You really do have to hear it for yourself. So, go on, hear it for yourself! One of the most promising sounds to come out of Sackville, I'd say.

Corey Isenor - In Your Arms Tonight
Corey Isenor - Why Do You Believe In Love?

Headlining the night's show was Share, out of Fredericton. The set started out with the five of them standing not on the stage, but just in front, completely acoustic, Andrew Sisk with his ukulele, the rest of the band done up acoustic, playing to a crowd absolutely enrapt for two songs. It was one of the most gorgeous moments that could be possible. At one point, I noticed something which amused me thoroughly, and had me smiling like something of a madman. On Kyle's double bass, there hung a sock. A sock used to store his bow when not using it. It could have been anything, but it was a sock. This sock made my night, this sock has quite possibly made my year. Amazing!
This was my first time seeing all of Share live, together. I've seen Andrew do his solo thing and I've seen the Olympic Symphonium, which is the band without Andrew... but Share as a whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Gorgeous music, makes me proud to be a New Brunswicker.

Share - Dance Dance Retribution
Share - Foreign Church


Tonight at the CHMA offices is a show featuring Woodhands and Ruby Jean & the Thoughtful Bees. I am beyond pumped for this one! Beyond pumped for the epic nerditude that it entails! Wheee.

all photo credit to vanessa blackier