Concert Etiquette.

I'm doing this apart from the actual concert review because I don't want to taint it with this bad vibe, and have to get it out. The concert itself was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

However, it made me think: there should be a mandatory high school class taught on concert etiquette. Where I was standing, fairly near the stage, there was one girl who was taking up the space of four people, all her swaying and moving around, and bumping into me incessantly even when those around her weren't moving the tiniest bit. On the other hand, and the other side of me, was the opposite: a man who would not budge, no matter what. I was trapped here, between this girl who took far too much room and bumped against me again and again and this fellow who felt it was his duty to stand completely still and not budge an inch. Ugh. Learn to be middle of the road, people.

And, as a former concert venue organiser, this is one of my biggest pet peeves: when the band is playing, you do not open your mouth unless it is to sing along or cough. Especially when you are in close proximity to the stage, and thus the performers. I was about two or three feet away from the stage, and during both headlining sets, there were these people around me on most sides, getting progressively drunker, carrying out conversations loud enough to be heard over the music, particularly during the more subdued songs. Augh, people.

That said, the concert was wonderful. This did not detract from it in the slightest. Lesser concerts, it would, but I wasn't letting anything get me down. Not when I was seeing Constantines and the Weakerthans.

Words are the only currency left to trade in.

Second disappointing turnout in a row to George's. That's okay, of course. The weather was a little rotten so the turnout is understandable, both times. But nonetheless! More of you cats need to turn out to these things. You're going out on a friday night for this, that, or the other, you ought to come out and for $5 see some fan-fucking-tastic music! Because tonight's music was fan-fucking-tastic. Just putting that out there.

So! When I got there, being the only person there for a while, the start of the night was pushed back slightly. 10:45? 11:00 maybe? Anyway, the night started out with The Bad Arts, a band that sounded more Halifax than Halifax itself, channelling the high-energy alt-rock of their predecessors. I knew the frontman years ago in Saint John, he really seems to have carved out a great performing style for himself. I liked them well enough. Well, who am I kidding? I liked them a lot. For a three-piece, they brought the rock.

Then, after a quick set-up break, Rich Aucoin started his set. Hardly anyone can make me (and everyone, so it appeared) as happy with music. But, it's not just music, is it? It's synthesizers and balloons and old movies projected on to a sheet. It's everything that joy is made of, wholly and entirely. His continuing use of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, even after a cease and desist order was put out, never fails to make me smile. And the music is so damned danceable! Don't believe me? See for yourself. Of course, recordings don't half do justice to the live show. If you ever have a chance to see this man perform, take it. It is an experience unlike any other. His use of the projector, playing old movie clips and How The Grinch Stole Christmas with his music synced up thereto... holy mackerel. Holy. Mackerel.

Rich Aucoin - A.L.I.V.E.
Rich Aucoin - At War With The Cynics (An Opening)

The First Aid Kit then played, again sounding very Halifax. They seemed to me a little generic at first, but through the course of the set they really did grow on me. Now and again, when a refrain would come up in a song, the synth player (I believe her name is Amy) would hold up a brightly coloured sign with the lyrics painted on it. "In Times Like These" or simply "Oh!". They put on a good show, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Not as good as Rich, but still very good, and a lot of fun. They interacted well with the crowd, even though it was awfully small, and just made for an enjoyable end to the evening. All was well.

The First Aid Kit - New York City
The First Aid Kit - Rooftops

Let's drink to the boys that we all left behind.

Last night, I made my way out to George's for a show that no one seemed to know whether it started at 9 or at 10. I got there a little bit after 9, and it was quite obvious that it wasn't starting then, but that didn't really matter. I just sat and drank. But before I knew it, it was 10, and the sound check was just getting underway. Still next to no one in the whole of the Roadhouse. It wasn't until nearly 11 that a small crowd of about 15-20 people showed up and the band got underway. The opening act, due to a storm, couldn't make it, so the United Steelworkers of Montreal played a double set.

Now I really liked these guys. There are six of them, creating a mess of acoustic guitar and mandolin and banjo and accordion and playing some simply wonderful blue-collar union country music. The personality of the live show and Gern's over-the-top shouting and banter, it's incredible. He's a big hulking tattooed man with a little travel guitar, and on the other side of the stage you have the red-haired vixen that is Felicity with her accordion and equally harsh voice. I loved the show, just loved it. I'll be seeing them again next week in Saint John, and I really can't wait.

USWM - The Ballad of Mary Gallagher
USWM - Three Hard Knocks

THINGS IS FABULOUS

Today, CBC Radio 3 has announced the Top 10 live music venues in Canada.

The list has been pared down from 100 over the last little while, per votes at their website. Finding the best club is going to be done the same way.

George's Fabulous Roadhouse, right here in Sackville, has made the Top 10.

Get to the site and vote your pretty little fingers off!

Stay Fabulous, Sackville!

Surely you've read by now if you have any history following this blog of George's Fabulous Roadhouse. It's one of a few venues for music here in Sackville, and I rated it my best of 2008. Jason Collett, the Tom Fun Orchestra, Justin Rutledge, Wintersleep, Olenka & the Autumn Lovers, Plants & Animals, and countless countless others!

Fact is, the CBC has picked up on the awesomeitude of George's, and in a Radio 3 contest has first named it among the 100 best venues in the country, subject to voting and then becoming one of the 50 best, and it has recently made the cut, along with only two other East Coast venues (none in Halifax!), to the TOP 20 in Canada! Voting is now on from this Top 20 list to discover the best venue in Canada, and you can vote in the poll here. Please note: you will have to sign up for a Radio 3 account, but it only took me about two minutes, so it's not that difficult!

For those of you in Sackville, this Friday night there is a concert at George's, featuring he who has been dubbed Sackville's mascot, Shotgun Jimmie, alongside Construction & Destruction and Roy Earlington. Come out and cheer on George's Roadhouse for the title of Best Live Music Venue in Canada!

Your voice is stronger than most, raised in a toast to longing

This post has been a long time coming. Olenka & the Autumn Lovers have been the band to leave the biggest mark on me without hearing the album before seeing them live. The music has an eastern-european feel, hailing out of London, Ontario and Vancouver, BC.

Alexandra (or Olenka, may as well call her by her stage name, but I don't do it for Fred, so who knows..) was there at the front of the stage, wearing a knit sweater and workboots, her hair bleached blonde--she herself is such an interesting and distinctive frontpiece to the band. Her foot started stomping on that wooden stage at George's, the music began with the glockenspiel and the accordion, and her voice, oh my gosh the woman's voice! You'll hear, if you take a look at the songs I'm putting up... but it is at the same time fragile and powerful, damaged and warbling and beautiful. The band as an ensemble works perfectly, the bandmates acting as a chorus (which you just don't hear enough these days) and just everything about this act was brilliant. The songwriting, both in terms of the music and the lyrics, is phenomenal, evoking the eastern european heritage of the writer. A friend remarked to me at the time that Iron Pump is written in 7/4 time, and it creates just... oh, its one of those ethereal things. The whole song is. I could get lost in her voice, in the music, in everything. This is what we need more of.

If you'll remember, I ranked their full-length as the 9th best album of 2008. It is brilliant. Available through CD Baby and iTunes. Check it out, and their myspace! The highlight for me on the album is a track called Soldier's Waltz. Starting with that intro, the plucked strings and the accordion and the glockenspiel, and cutting into some of the most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard [See the blog title]. Do not let yourself miss out on this group. They are among my favourites about which I've blogged, and, like I said in a previous post, the reason that concert was the second best of the year was not just an exceptional Tom Fun Orchestra set, but hearing Olenka & the Autumn Lovers for the first time, and falling absolutely in love.

Oh, Canadian music, shall you never fail me?

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 5

all photo credit to vanessa blackier

The final day of Stereophonic 6, on Tuesday January 20th, was a nice night, a nice concert, but it definitely had its downsides. But it was wonderful and an adequate culmination of the wonderfuliciousness that was Stereophonic. Personally, I preferred Friday night's show at the Vogue, but this was another fantastic show. Two of the acts I'd seen before (though one of them not for years) and the third act has been intriguing me for some time, and I'm glad I got to see them. But oh, where do I begin?

My friend Neil, who has been to all of these shows with me, and has been a sounding board for some of my reviews, took ill last night, and as such left the concert early. This was a little bit of a bummer, but I latched on to other friends and still made the night worthwhile from a personal standpoint. And Ian's message on the Friday's Special blackboard was still there. The mind, I suppose, remains a powerful trick.

I was a little bit excited about the first band on the lineup; I saw them back at the Halloween show and enjoyed them more than I really know how to say. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a synthesizer and a pretty girl, but New Royalty are definitely more than just a synthesizer and a pretty girl! There are two pretty girls. I missed the beginning of their set at Halloween, but the earliosity with which I arrived to the show and the length of time before the show started, I caught the whole thing this time. They're a wonderful lot on stage, friendly and fun, encouraging dancing and clapping, and they're coming off a PEI Music Award win for Best Pop Recording of the Year. These kids have promise! And I hope they keep playing together in some form once they disperse--the one record is not enough! And gosh, it's a cute record. You have to get your hands on it at some point. It's a 5-song EP, home-packaged, and the liner notes are just adorable as anything. The EP is titled "Sleepover!", and what do we do at sleepovers? Do any of you remember those little paper whatsits I and at least a few others remember as cootie catchers? The liner notes are folded into one of these, with the lyrics written on the inside flaps. Adorable! And wonderfully danceable synth-driven pop-rock which you have to check out. If I haven't directed you before to their myspace, go there now! Apparently they'll be playing in Halifax on the 7th of February... so check that out, if you can! And pick up that adorable little award-winning EP of theirs! I have, and definitely am not regretting it. If you cats end up reading this, I am officially a huge fan.

But both I and that first band were eagerly anticipating the next two. First came Plants and Animals out of Montréal, who I first heard when their record came out to a whole lot of celebratory gunfire in the blogosphere. These boys put on one hell of an awesometastic set, I thought, given there were only three of them up there on the stage at any given time. But holy mackerel, the sound that the three of them could pump out! Absolutely amazing. It might have had something to do with the epic pedal setup this multi-instrumentalist of theirs' had going on at his feet. They played quite a bit from the album, and also a couple of new songs which might one day be heard on a future recording. It was lovely to see and hear so much of the crowd singing along to so many of the songs, and they knew them so much better than I did. I could belt out a couple of them but some of these guys seemed like right proper devoted fans. I like seeing that kind of crowd reaction one hell of a lot, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Near the end of the set, for Bye, Bye, Bye, one of them set down his guitar, or his bass, or whatever he had in his hands at the time and picked up an auto-harp. This made me smile more than the crowd. Autoharps > Happy people. It's just a fact of life. Autoharps, you see, they create happy people, and thus by this productive quality are greater than the things they produce. Except the sounds. Oh, don't listen to me! I'm making no sense. The crowd reaction to the band was so rad that they came out and did an encore of one of my favourite tracks from the album, Mercy. They had the whole crowd, even those who didn't know their music, shouting M-E-R! C-Y! M-E-R! C-Y! It was a beautiful moment in flu-season Sackville. But of course, the show was not yet over. There was more to come.

The last time I saw Wintersleep was in 2007, on their tour promoting the then new Welcome to the Night Sky record. The first time I saw them was in 2005, at a release show for their then new untitled 2005 record. In the years since my first Wintersleep show, the band has grown, has gained national fame, has won ECMAs and Juno awards, and has changed. I'm not sure if this change is for good or for ill, even though I'm a big fan of their first two records. I picked up a clear-vinyl pressing of their debut record that night, the record from 2003 that got me into the band. To be frank, I can't get into Welcome to the Night Sky. I've tried. I've tried dozens of times, I've listened to the album through a number of times, but it just doesn't stick like the noodles I used to throw against the wall when I was a wee one. Sadly, they relied mostly on this newest album for the material they played on Tuesday night. They played a few songs which I knew well, but Orca, which had been their most popular and successful track in the pre-Weighty Ghost era was missing entirely from the set. The main set did not disappoint me, though, as I was expecting an emphasis on new material, and they were awfully sloppy. I was awfully sloppy, myself, so I don't hold it against them. And my love for the band remains, because the encore they played felt like it could have been the show I went to in 2005. They played Sore, from their first record, which is one of my favourite cuts from that album, and they closed the show with a cover of Neil Young's Words (Between the Lines of Age). These two, feeling like old Wintersleep again, gave me hope that their upcoming record might sound at least something like their first two. My love for Wintersleep has not faded, no sir! If anything, this show has restored my faith in one of the most talented bands to come out of the Maritimes and on to national prominence in the last few years.

And with that, Stereophonic closed its pages for another year! And my focus can return to my studies. And keeping up this blog, of course. I have an announcement to make, regarding my eventual proliferation across media, but I shall wait until tomorrow.

Good day!

Stereophonic, Day 4 (Pt. 2)

some photo credit to vanessa blackier (the good ones)

I think I've pinned down why I felt so off on Saturday. That afternoon it had been my friend's birthday and over the course of an hour and a half I had had about ten beer. I was mostly sober by the time the shows rolled around, but there's no denying that that would have had a startling effect on me. I don't like beer. Me, I'm a wine-drinking man, as my bottle collection will inform you. I don't know why I agreed to do a century with them. I really don't know why I was one of only two to pull through all the way. But more on that if you ask, no more here.

When I got to George's, for this penultimate show of the Stereophonic festival, PheasantCougarBear was playing something I didn't really enjoy. I like the individual members, all students here at Mt Allison, but the music left a foul taste in my mouth. When I got there, I wanted to just settle in at a table and have a drink, before the show started. I figured since I left Struts so early, nothing would be happening yet at George's and I'd have some quiet time. No such luck! But oh well. If you want to see PheasantCougarBear's set, or indeed some others from the night (including THE STANCE, who rocked my socks right off, but more on that later), check out CultureHub.ca, a Saint John based videocast site. Apparently they'll be posting more videos from the night as time goes by! Maybe you'll even get a peek at me; watch the crowd for 3D glasses!

After PheasantCougarBear there was a little break as people arrived and whatnot, came in, got settled, the rest of the crew from Struts came. The Stance played first, and I'd heard nothing of this band before a few days ago when I was doing my CHMA training and one of my co-trainees played a cut from their album. I thought to myself, well, fuck, why haven't I heard of this band? Why haven't I heard that they're playing? They were a late addition to the festival, along with New Royalty who are playing tonight, but who I reported on. Anyway, they really impressed me, and I'm snatching that record from the offices as soon as I can, since they didn't have it for sale. I described them to a buddy of mine at the time as 'the Black Keys if they wanted to play dance music'. You can catch a video of them at that website I mentioned earlier. They were a whole lot of fun, I thought. Definitely check those boys out! I wish I knew more about them, so I could say more about them, but it's been a while since I've seen a band I'd never heard before and enjoyed them so thoroughly. The last one I can remember doing that was Hey Rosetta!, and they ended up being my pick for best album of 2008.

The Stolen Minks, an all-girl punk group out of Halifax came next. I hadn't seen a punk show of any description in quite a while, unless you count that thing at the pub a few months back. Okay, I hadn't been to a real punk show in a while. I don't even know. Anyway, I liked them! A friend of mine has their record, picked it up at the show, and I intend to give it a listen some time and share that with you, faithful reader. Sharon! Get me that CD! and the Maynards, too! It was a lot of fun to dance to, having had my own indie concert baptism in Saint John's hardcore scene. It was a little bit like going home. Just a little bit, though; those Saint John bands never played like this. And the moshing was a lot more tame. I only got punched in the face twice over the course of the night! Come on, now. It was an ace show, really ace.

In between here they had Elton John playing over the sound system. This led to a group of us singing along to Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man, drunkenly around a table. I have to say, it was quite a load of fun.

What can I possibly say about Shotgun Jimmie, who came on after our little interlude? He's been described as Sackville's mascot and its ambassador to the rest of the world, and he really does embody everything wonderful about the town. He's a magical personality. The first time I saw him--well, I don't think I blogged about it! I think it was the show which inspired the blog, though. It was just him and a looper pedal in a friend's living room, and what a beautiful set that was. This time, though, he came on with a three-piece band and they played a rather wonderful assortment of his solo music. I wish I'd picked up his album at the 67 Bridge show back in November, but sadly, no dice! All I can do is direct you to his myspace and hope you enjoy yourself there. Jimmie is one of my very favourite things about Sackville. One of my other favourite things about the town, as you probably know, is Julie. As you may or may not know, the two of them, along with Fred Squire and a couple of others who have yet to be mentioned in this blog made up Shotgun & Jaybird for a few years--a band I rather miss. However, this evening, Julie bounded up to the stage from where she was next to me in the crowd and joined Jimmie onstage to close his set with a duet on Bedhead, which may well be Sackville's favourite song. You can find it on his myspace. It was just oh so much fun, and I am beyond glad to have that moment now in my memory. Oh Julie, oh Jimmie! What a beautiful night you created.

But that wasn't the end of the night.

No, we were just beginning! After Jimmie came The Maynards, who put on a high energy show that was a lot of fun. Here I was starting to drift out and drink more, not in the front of the crowd rocking my heart out as I usually would be. This is what I meant in the last post by not really being myself. It's slightly upsetting. The Maynards, though, were dorky in a hardcore way, I'm not sure how to describe it. My advice to you is, once again, head on over to CultureHub.ca and check out the video of their performance. It really is a lot of fun, and you're expecting it if they open up their set by saying 'This is a song about eating out your friends! It's called.. Friendilingus!' What I heard of it I enjoyed, and Sharon I want you to get me their CD, too, so I can hear what they sound like. I did enjoy them, from what I could tell, but I need a better indicator! And I'll be back once I've heard an album with a review, you just watch. Super-fun performance that had people making out for free beer. That's all that really needs to be said.

And! Finally! As you likely can tell from the header of this post, the night was capped off with the Tom Fun Orchestra, my very favourite band to see live. Sadly, Morgan, their fiddler, he wasn't with them because of some kind of surgery, yikes. They still put on a rad show, but there was definitely something missing. The focus on the trumpet though was neat, Bert took over some of Morgan's parts. I still really do miss Alicia, and I miss her most when I hear them do Watchmaker. Carmen really is growing on me, but I don't know. Watchmaker is where Alicia really shone. I have to stop talking about them in terms of what's missing, and have to talk about what was gained! They closed the show with the most epic version of You Will Land With A Thud. I have never seen them play the song live, probably because it is just so very long. It was a gorgeous end to the show. They did Bottom of the River, another one I've never seen live, and proceeded into You Will Land With A Thud as the encore. Absolutely beautiful stuff, and it made up for the whole missing Alicia and Morgan. Ian, too, was very Ian. He did a call-back to the last show they played at George's referring to the blackboard aside the stage, which had led the crowd that time in a chant of SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS! But this time, oh no, it was covered up! So he pulled the sheet down from the wall and wrote on the blackboard, underneath Friday's Special: THE MIND IS A POWERFUL TRICK! I'm rather hoping it's still there, though I have a feeling it's been replaced by Monday's and then Tuesday's specials. But, one can dream! Oh, Tom Fun Orchestra, you are such a delightful group. You ended the night on a beautiful note. I hope I can manage to see them again soon. Between the stage presence, and the overall awesomeitude of the music, well just, gosh, I can't think of any band I would rather see live.

And with that, Saturday night ended, and Stereophonic took a break, before the final show on Tuesday night, at George's. To which I'm going in an hour.

Best Shows of '08

BEST LIVE SHOW
I'm taking this as a Top 10 countdown, because I've simply seen so many shows this year that I can't pick only one without feeling as though I'm leaving at least three dozen out. So, here we go.

10. Greenbelt Collective, Sebastien Grainger, and Islands at the Pavillion in Halifax, NS. October.
Okay, so the crowd was largely unresponsive, even to the utterly danceable Greenbelt, and two of the opening acts were pretentious crap, but this still ranks among my top 10 just because I finally got to see two of the artists who shaped my music tastes. Sebastien Grainger as part of Death From Above 1979 and Nick Thorburn as part of The Unicorns were such a defining sound of my high school years. The shows they put on here weren't bad, either. Islands' set could have been longer, but it was still incredible, and I hadn't heard Sebastien's new stuff before that show; it won me over. The overall enjoyability of the event was hammered home by my rather drunk journalist friend, and his man-crush on Mr Grainger. This also introduced me to Greenbelt, who would later produce the most epic dance party of a concert ever I have seen.

9. Share, Rebekah Higgs, and Jason Collett at George's Roadhouse in Sackville, NB. September.
This was my first show at George's, which I named my venue of the year. I have to say I was largely unimpressed by Share, but given it was just Andrew Sisk and not the whole band, I'll hold my judgment until I see the actual band. Rebekah Higgs blew me away with some of the most swimmingy and beautiful electro-folk music I've heard; I made sure she knew this. Jason Collett is Jason Collett, no more really needs to be said. And given that one of my best live tracks of the year came out of this concert, of course it'll make it to the list!

8. The Tom Fun Orchestra at a khord in Saint John, NB. December.
See my review.

7. Hey Rosetta! at the Bridge St. Stage in Sackville, NB. September.
My very first Sackville show, and an altogether lovely night. Newfoundland's Hey Rosetta! have become in the last few months one of my favourite bands I'd never heard of before coming to Sackville, and now both albums I could get my hands on are on fairly high rotation in my CD player. The concert was just that awesome. The stage was set up in the middle of the main street in Sackville, just outside the apartment to which I'm moving in June. Hay bales lined the edge of the stage, and I was there with good friends. Tim and the gang gave such an amazing and epic performance, and it was there that I for the first time felt really and truly and absolutely at home here in Sackville. Huge moment for me, personally, and a great show altogether.

6. Peter Project, The Bicycles, Young Rival, and Woodhands at the Coconut Grove, Halifax. October.
This was my last show of the Halifax Pop Explosion, and absolutely solid from start to finish. It did get a little bit odd when a lost-looking birthday pub crawl showed up and started weaving through the crowd, but this wasn't too much of a damper on the situation. Peter Project was a totally fab DJ whose album I picked up. I might put up some choice cuts from the record at a later date. The Bicycles put on such a totally rad show, coming on wearing box dinosaur outfits and shouting "WE ARE THE NEW GWAR!" You know if a set begins that way, it's bound to be radtastic. Young Rival underwhelmed me, as they would at a later date, but this didn't do a thing to damage the quality of the show.
Woodhands, oh, Woodhands! What can be said? By then the pub crawl had invaded the crowd and made it horribly thick, but I still managed my way in and enjoyed myself. A rapper from earlier, More or Les, was invited up to freestyle during the set, and fell a little flat. But oh, Woodhands! How long until I see you again?

5. Nathan Richards, Shotgun Jimmie, Construction & Destruction at 67 Bridge, Sackville, NB. November.
This was my first and so far only concert at 67 Bridge (as I missed the B.A. Johnston show in September) and the environment alone makes it worthy of a top 10 list. They put on concerts in their living room, you see.
Jimmie was as Jimmie is, that is to say absolutely radtacular, and just getting off a national tour with Ladyhawk and coming home. Enjoyed him thoroughly. Construction & Destruction I had never heard nor heard of before--I went to see Jimmie. But they won me over almost instantaneously. I probably have a review up somewhere, I seem to remember losing my words when attempting to describe what the darkened room and Colleen's voice did to me. That said, Dave is awesome, too. Also, there was a didgeridoo being played at one point. Awesome.

4. The Bicycles, Young Rival, Greenbelt Collective at the Mt. A Campus Pub, Sackville, NB. November.
These were all bands I was seeing for the second time, and Greenbelt hadn't even really been on the lineup aside for a show at 67 Bridge which fell through. It struck me about 30 minutes into sitting there that half of the crowd was the epic group of people that are Greenbelt. The crowd wasn't nearly as large as the last time I'd seen the Bicycles, and the Campus Pub leaves a lot to be desired, but the show! Oh my word, the show. Dance party extravaganza, both during the Bicycles and, though Young Rival was a bit of a bust for me, again, they seemed to be enjoyed by most, once Greenbelt came on, holy mackerel. As I said, Sarty told me they hadn't even been meant to play that night, it just sort of happened that way. Their set turned into a two-hour long dance party with members of other bands getting behind the mics (I seem to recall Dana with a tambourine) and even people from the crowd. The pub's sound guy began freestyling at one point, and Drew and I had a bit of a dance-off. It was epic, it was wonderful, it was one of the best nights of my life.

3. The RAA, Rich Aucoin, Ghost Bees, and Laura Barrett at the Coconut Grove, Halifax. October.
My first Halifax show since 2005 (I don't get to Halifax much...) and holy mackerel, what a show! We got there a bit late so only managed to catch the end of a set by Boxer the Horse, but from what I could tell they were solid. This is possibly the most consistently awesome lineup I saw all year, without a low point in the bunch over four and a bit acts. Purely beautiful, but where do I begin? I reviewed the RAA before, and that can be found here.
Rich Aucoin was like nothing I'd ever seen before, an electronic DJing adventure synced up to video clips--most notably How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The man was dressed in white from head to toe, threw balloons at the crowd (which for some reason were still there two nights later at the Woodhands show... oi! janitorial staff!) and just all around seemed to be having the time of his life, creating shadow puppets and suchlike. Beautiful, fun, incredible.
Ghost Bees had the most unique set I've ever seen. Halifax natives and twins, they had turned the stage into their own little tea party. A drum borrowed from the Rural Alberta Advantage, covered with a tablecloth and oversized doily served as a table for a tea service, porcelain masks adorned the mic stands, and the twins, Romy and Sari, were dressed in the flowy garb of yesteryear and across the seas. And the voices! Oh my word, the voices. These two, Romy with her guitar and Sari with her mandolin, play the most otherworldly folk music you ever will hear, and the voices are so integral to that. For any other band, I think, dressing themselves and the stage in that manner and going on to sing about the reading of tea leaves would seem pretentious as all hell, but they pull it off! I wish they had made it to the #1 show on my list, instead of, well, I was told they were sleeping..
And then came Laura. I don't know how to adequately do justice to describing her sets. Ghost Bees had helped to transition the bar from Rich Aucoin's dance club to the coffeehouse style setting to which Laura played. She and her kalimbas held the room enrapt so totally, and was adorable in her cute and dorky way. On a related note, CBC Radio 3 listeners have named her Sexiest Canadian Musician of 2008. I don't know if sexy is the right word, but she has definitely stolen my heart! The set was beautiful, and she was joined by Sari Lightman and then Romy for a couple of songs--never have I seen a bar so quiet save for the music being played, a public space like that so focussed on the actions of one person. I swear, she and her music are something out of a dream.

2. Olenka & the Autumn Lovers, and the Tom Fun Orchestra at George's Roadhouse, Sackville, NB. November.
See my review.
I've just heard that Olenka might be coming back to play at Stereophonic. If this is true, I am beyond psyched. If that concert had only been her, and Tom Fun was another night, it would have still made this top ten list. She's the reason it's so far above the other Tom Fun show. She and the venue, anyway. She and the venue and Tom Fun's set. Oh, hell, it was just an altogether better show in an altogether better town. But Olenka was an integral part of that.

1. Laura Barrett in the kitchen of 27 St James, Sackville, NB. October.
There was simply no debate about what my best show of the year was. It is singularly the best show I have ever seen, that I have ever been to, that I have ever experienced. The night began as a little party in the house of Sandy Mackay, but the crowd was pared down to just a dozen of us by the time the show started. Corey Isenor opened the show, representing Sackville as he does, and a fellow from Ontario followed up--all that I recall about him is a mellow acoustic cover of the Dead Boys. Someone, please refresh my memory! Then there was Laura.
As I said in the last one, my words don't do the lovely Ms Barrett any kind of justice. The environment in the room, eleven of us watching her play, her little green bag of kalimbas. I remember it was eleven because when she did Sorting Hat, there were just enough of us to make the song work. As the evening continued, at a break in the songs, sparklers were brought out, and all were lit and waved about, and Laura brought her camera out. I would love to see those photos someday! My words are so convoluted, I wish I knew why.
When she played Consumption, she brought out a new toy--a handheld midi sequencer from the age of the stylus. This little thing may well be responsible for most 90s hip-hop. This descended into laughter at an incredible midi snare line and I'm fairly certain the song never really finished, it just-- but that was the mood of the night. This was also the night when, around the same time as the sparklers, Dancing in the Dark was attempted to be covered, with failure on everyone's part except Laura's thumbs.
As I said, it is the single most beautiful and wonderful and overall fun show I've yet been to. After the performance was done, we moseyed on over to 67 Bridge for Laura to drop off her things and then a few of us, her included, went to the pub where the Meligrove Band played, and Laura did an impromptu set of a few songs. All in all, a beautiful night.

~ ~ ~

And with that, six days into 2009, 2008 finally ends. It was a very good year, full of very good beer. Pumphouse. Blueberry beer. Check it out.

Best of 2008

I know I said I would post this before the new year, but I didn't get around to it. I had my lists and awards all made up and compiled, but I just didn't feel like writing the blog. Now! Now I'm back to Sackville, and feeling AWESOME once more.

So, let's get this thing going. I'll start with the general awards, and then count down the top ten concerts of the year.


BEST VENUE
George's Roadhouse, Sackville, NB

BEST DANCE MOVES
Drew from the Bicycles

BEST SING-ALONG
Laura Barrett and the rest of the dozen of us all realising that no one really knows the words to Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark. Go on. Try to sing it. Even with the tune being played on a kalimba, not one of us could get the song right, and it descended into We Didn't Start The Fire. Somehow.

BEST ALBUM TRACK
Woodhands - Be Back Soon (click to download)

MOST UNIQUE MERCH
Ghost Bees' Dreamy Tea--a custom blend loose tea pulled together by Sari and Romy, said to invoke incredibly lucid dreams. And it tastes delightful.

BEST LIVE TRACK
This one was tough. Up until the 20th of last month, it was Jason Collett and Rebekah Higgs doing Jason's Hangover Days, Rebekah singing Emily Haines' part. BUT, the Tom Fun Orchestra on the 20th of December in Saint John played The Pogues' Fairytale of New York, making my Christmas worthwhile. I'm going to chalk this up as a tie between the two of them, because I honestly just can't pick.

BEST STAGE BANTER
Sebastien Grainger at the Pavillion in Halifax: "So, where do you work? An organic food store? ...Do I come to the organic food store and slap the dick outta your mouth?"

BEST SHOW I DIDN'T SEE
The whole of Sappyfest '08. I almost came up here in August but I decided against it. Huge, huge, huge mistake and one of my biggest regrets of the year.


and actually, since I'm going to dinner with the show reviews only half done, I'll end this here for now. keep your eyes peeled! like grapes. peeled grapes.

The fluorescent lights are humming a song.

Okay, so, spotlight today on New Royalty, a young band out of Charlottetown. I saw them open the Halloween party I went to and, frankly, I don't even remember what the headliner of that show was except one of them was dressed as a box robot.

New Royalty though were a lot of fun. The lot of them were dressed as 1864, if I remember rightly. Kind of genericish indie rock, but I don't often see genericish indie rock from the Maritimes, especially done this well. They rather blew me away and were awfully memorable. Some drunk girl who I didn't actually know but liked to think she knew me introduced me to their keyboard player and we had a nice little chat about dressing as ceiling fans. Cute person, nice person, YOUNG person. The next time we spoke it was about prospective universities she was looking at. With so little age behind them, the fact that they're so absolutely memorable and lovely says a lot. Lily, one of the singers, her voice is just stunning. I don't quite know what it is about it that puts me into this awesome trance but there's just this quality, sweet and not quite haunting but the same sort of idea. I don't know. I just woke up.

I have a couple tracks up here for downloading, but be sure to check out their myspace and find out when they might be playing near you. Fall in love with them! They're absolutely delightful.

New Royalty - Fluorescent

New Royalty - Midday Sun

TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT!

Seeing as how I'm seeing the Tom Fun Orchestra again on Saturday, I think I should try to review the show I saw in November before it leaves my mind completely and is replaced by something new. I can't imagine it leaving my mind completely, though--it was the most epic and wonderful show I've been to this year, I think. It's in the running for that whole best shows of the year rundown that I'm doing after the 27th (when I see my last show of the year!). It was just so wonderful. It was at my favourite venue, George's Roadhouse, probably the most maritimey venue you'll ever see. And I can't imagine a more maritimey band than Tom Fun. It was the first time I'd seen them play with Carmen, but that wasn't bad at all. She's entertaining enough. I do miss Alicia, though. There's something about her voice that just can't be matched.

Anyway! The show! It was in this roadhouse bar, permanent stage in the corner, I'll take some photos at the next show there and share. The opener was a band called Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, and since I was near broke after a few draughts (absolutely did not bring enough money to the show) I wasn't able to get their CD. I chatted with Olenka for a bit after the show, but that's another story for another time. A friend's brother was there and bought the CD, but he lives in Fredericton and I haven't been able to get it out of him. One of these days! They're from Toronto, but they play, kind of in the same style as Tom Fun, but instead of the influence of the Maritimes, the influence is that of Eastern Europe. There's a lot of stomping, also, which always makes me nostalgic for the Port City Allstars... but all in all, I adored Olenka's set. It was something that I won't forget.

Carmen did her own set with her little side-group. It was something I did forget. I'll have to tell you more about her after Saturday, because honestly I don't remember much about the performance. Maybe it bored me, or maybe I just wasn't paying attention.

Then there was Tom Fun. Ian has the most dominating stage presence I've ever seen, and when you're on stage with eight others that's saying a lot. He is the band, plain and simple, and I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing. It was a big, sweaty, messy, maritimey dance party in front of the stage and we all smelled of moosehead and keith's. Every bit of it involved the audience, and Ian is definitely the king of showmen. I'm sure that at one point he had the crowd shouting back at him 'MEATBALLS AND RICE' or whatever had been the special of the day at George's. The crowd and the band were stomping, bouncing, just altogether a wonderful experience. I'm more pumped for the Christmas show in Saint John on Saturday than I am for Christmas itself. While I'm on about all of this, here's a track from the album. But trust me: they're all gold, and you have to see this band at some point. They are, simply, the most epic small-venue live show you'll ever see.

The Tom Fun Orchestra - Last of the Curious Thieves

In a bit of a shock.

So, I'm still slightly stunned by the fact that The Weakerthans and Constantines are coming to play at what is pretty well my favourite venue, in March.

I'm also trying to become a fan of blogger, again. It could happen. I'm horribly inconsistent, but the truth is: everyone needs a blog. Everyone needs a place to voice their own crazy plots and opinions on romance-novel-writing federal politicians. Doing this while living in what I like to call the indie concert capital of Atlantic Canada will add a certain sizzle, I dare say.

Weakerthans. Constantines. George's Roadhouse. Buddy's 21st birthday. Legendary weekend? I think so.

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