New to Me: Other Lives, Mind the Gap [EP]

I finally got around to downloading Other Lives' latest offering, their four song EP titled, Mind the Gap, last week. The EP includes three new songs, "Take Us Alive", "Dead Can" and "Dust Bowl" and a version of "Tamer Animals" remixed by Atoms for Peace (Thom Yorke/Flea/Nigel Godrich), all for the cost of a coffee and doughnut.

Other Lives have been one of my favourite bands since I first heard their debut self-titled album, released in 2009, and this EP just helps drive that point home. In particular, the opener, "Take Us Alive", has all the winning ingredients that make their songs so endearing and unique - rich orchestration, dramatic percussion, lots of layers.

It's a mystery why I've waited so long to purchase Mind the Gap - my only guess is that I've been so wrapped up in Other Lives' last full length release, Tamer Animals, that I simply didn't expect there could be more. I'm glad the band has taken the time to put out a little something in advance of their next album, it's been a great addition to my collection and is already in heavy rotation on my playlists.

P.S. I've only had the chance to catch Other Lives in concert once and they sounded just as amazing live as they do on their recorded albums. I'd highly recommend taking in one of their live shows, if you ever get the chance.

SXSW 2013: Day 2

Just wanted to share a couple of pics that I snapped on day 2 at SXSW. Though they might seem somewhat disparate, I think they both reflect the atmosphere that makes SX a second-to-none festival.

I started off the day with Tim Berners-Lee's presentation on Open Web. I was surprised by the number of "Who is Tim Berners-Lee?" inquiries I heard in the lineup going into the presentation. For those who don't know, Berners-Lee is credited with being the inventor of the World Wide Web. You can find my live tweets from his session below. The man talks a mile a minute and every sentence was packed with 2-3 points that I might consider to be the most profound thing I've ever heard.

At the end of the day I came across this fun little scene on Sixth near the conference center (pic below). The sun was setting, the day sessions were winding down, and the parties were just getting started. These dancers and their zombie marching band were wandering up and down the streets getting everyone riled up for the fun night ahead.

Concert Review: Patrick Watson at Alix Goolden Hall - 14/11/12

Before attending last night's Patrick Watson concert at Alix Goolden Hall, I considered their latest release, Adventures in Your Own Backyard to be a front-runner for my favourite album of 2012. Last night's show sealed the deal and, judging from the comments I heard coming out of the theatre, everyone else in attendance would likely say the same.

As most truly incredible experiences go, it's hard to pick highlights; the entire set was a 90-minute long highlight that I wished would never end. Fittingly, opening numbers included the first five songs off of Adventures - a mesmerizing performance of Lighthouse was a particular standout.  We were also treated to a sweet rendition of Into Giants - slightly interrupted by a fits of laughter from the band who struggled to maneuver out of each other's way as they as they performed the piece around a single microphone in a cramped space at the front of the stage.

A neat extended version of Luscious Life was one of my favourite moments - partially because it was one of the songs I was hoping we'd hear. Somewhat surprisingly, Watson also lead the audience in the obligatory sing-along offering. The results were as you might expect. When someone of Patrick Watson's artistic caliber commands you to sing along on one of his best-known songs - in this case, Big Bird in a Small Cage - you might hesitate at first but, once you realize that he's actually serious, you take a leap and give it your all.

The real "pinch me I think I'm dreaming" moment came during the encore. The band performed Cinematic Orchestra's To Build a Home, the original recording of which featured Watson on vocals. If you're familiar with it you'll know it's an epic, emotional roller coaster of a song and it lost none of its hypnotizing drama in a haunting stripped-down rendition.

After the crowd's second standing ovation we were all left wanting more. Remembering the experience now, I believe that had it gone on forever it still wouldn't have been enough. Check out one of their live concerts and you'll see what I mean.

Halloween Playlist for Everday Listening

Every holiday seems to have it's list of if-I-never-hear-this-song-again-it-will-be-too-soon musical "favourites" and Halloween is no exception. "The Monster Mash" makes me cringe, but not in a good way, and I really don't want to listen to "Thriller" again. That said, I thought I'd put together a playlist of songs I currently enjoy listening to that fit the Halloween theme. I also included a few creepy oldies that I expect won't be in any danger of being overplayed by your local classic rock radio station.

Vampire, Pink Mountaintops
Outside Love, 2009

On first listen, Pink Mountaintops' music comes across as light and fun, but don't be fooled. The more familiar you get with their brand of dreamy psychedelia, the more you might start to perceive a discreet twisted quality lurking beneath the surface. Sweet but sinister lyrics drive the point home, "So kiss me, please kiss me...I'm done turning blue."

Additional Halloween bonus: the person who made this video synched the music with clips from the awesome Swedish horror flick, "Let the Right One In".



Mother Mother, Ghosting
O My Heart, 2008

This might be the one song on this list that doesn't quite belong. Yes, it's about a ghost in love with a living person, but he's just too well-adjusted. He's finished with the poltergeist parlor tricks most other ghosts play in order to get noticed. He's getting rid of his sheet and demanding that his love interest recognize him for what he is! Lack of creepiness aside, "Ghosting" is my favourite song from "O My Heart" and always worth a listen.



Bloodflow, Smog
Dongs of Sevotion, 2000

When it comes to being wryly disturbing, Bill Callahan takes the cake. I've noticed many reviews describe his music as vulnerable and melancholy. Really? I mean, I get the warm and intimate quality of his unadorned vocal stylings but doesn't that closeness come across as seeming a little too hot under the collar and bordering on claustrophobic when he starts singing things like, "No time for a tete-a-tete/Can I borrow your machete?"



Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz, Mr. Bungle
Disco Valonte, 1995

There are some creepy doozies on this list, but this is the creepiest of them all. It starts out on a tame enough note with a retro, Ed Wood-inspired prelude that quickly spirals into madness. We're treated to a Tom and Jerry pandemonium-tinged hook, a manic wild west showdown theme, weird scatting in a made-up language that sounds kinda German and kinda demonic, and a freaky 'gotcha!' fade-out that makes you wonder if the nightmare will ever end. It's fun to listen to, but whatever state of mind Mike Patton was in when he wrote this song, I don't ever want to go there.



Bela Lugosi's Dead, Bauhaus
1979

This is the one song that often makes an appearance on cheesy Halloween playlists that I will make an exception for. After all, this list could use a good dance song. It may not have a catchy beat but I really did enjoy dancing to it back in the day. Going by the release date that was 30 years ago. Now that's scary!



What Halloween themed faves are you listening to these days?

2012 New Music Finds

My Cynic's New Year test press by Horse Feathers. Signed!

I've always been a bit of a music addict. Lately I've been buying a couple of albums a month...okay maybe more than a couple of albums. What can I say? 2012 has been a great year for music.

Of the albums I've purchased so far this year, these are the ones that have made it into heavy rotation in my playlists.

"Lonesome Dreams" by Lord Huron
Released October 9, 2012

"Lonesome Dreams" is the first full-length release by this L.A. based band and I LOVE it. Like many of the new bands I've become interested in over the past couple of years, Lord Huron's music is lush and layered with dreamy harmonies and infectious rhythms.

Note: If you're going to look into this one, I'd also highly recommend their previous two EPs, especially "Mighty".



"Cynic's New Year" by Horse Feathers
Released April 17, 2012

This is the album I most looked forward to at the beginning of 2012. Horse Feathers' previous release, "Thistled Spring" was my favourite album of 2010 and I anxiously awaited more. In fact, if there's anything that I could possibly criticize about this album, it's that it might have fulfilled my desires a little too perfectly. "Cynic's New Year" is filled with the same beautiful and melancholy, richly orchestrated music found on "Thistled Spring". Well, I'm not tired of it yet.

By the way, I finally had the chance to catch these guys in concert this year at the Rifflandia Festival. It was one of the richest and tightest sounding live performances I've ever experienced. Really now, how easy can it be to make a bowed saw sound fabulous in a live setting?



"Adventures in Your Own Back Yard" by Patrick Watson
Released April 16, 2012

It recently came as a shock to me to learn that not everyone loves Patrick Watson. I mean, what's not to like? His soul-piercing falsetto, or the fact that he doesn't write the kind of music you can 'rock out' to, or that he smokes on stage during performances? Whether or not he is an acquired taste, I have to say this, anyone who likes Patrick Watson is a friend of mine.

"Adventures in Your Own Back Yard" is a wonderful album. Every song is stamped with that characteristic gorgeous and graceful je ne sais quoi and yet every song is uniquely its own. It's the current front-runner for my favourite album of 2012.



"The End of That" by Plants and Animals
Released February 28, 2012

The first time I heard of Plants and Animals, I was watching them open for Grizzly Bear. It was one of those great experiences where I ended up liking the opening act more than the band I'd come to see. Plants and Animals are a solid indie rock outfit that puts on the some of the best live performances to be found these days. Though I expect some would not agree, I think "The End of That" is Plants and Animals' most pop-infused, accessible LP to date.



"Vision" by Grimes
Released January 31, 2012

My boyfriend laughs every time I say, "Montreal is on fire these days", but I don't think anyone would argue with the idea that it really is a hotbed of fantastic music as of late. In case you haven't noticed, of the five bands included in this list, three of them are from Montreal: Patrick Watson, Plants and Animals, and Grimes. Even when it comes to genres of music I don't usually like, I end up enjoying what Montreal has to offer.

Grimes' "Vision" is a perfect example. It's electronic, which isn't a genre I'm usually into, but it's also way more. Grimes' music is creative and fresh in a way that you'll just have to listen to to get an idea of.



If you have any suggestions for other new music I should look into, I'd love to hear them!

The Other London, Part 7: The best things in life are free

Getting picked up by a roadie who could drive us in through the Roskilde festival 'stage door' was a boon a half at the end of our hitchhiking journey. Not only did it mean we would save the 70 pound entrance fee, it also afforded us the luxury of being able to kick back and relax for the last few hundred km of the journey.

Oddly, I discovered these are not, in fact the types of incidents one looks forward to sharing with friends. They just end up seeming too far into the incredible category to sound real. At least they do in my estimation, which is why I often leave out this particular recollection when reminiscing with friends around the campfire on summer nights….but you and I are not sitting around the campfire, are we?

Now, I'd played in bands throughout most of my adolescence, and had debatably spent an above average amount of time hanging out with music industry folk, but this was my first experience, albeit an indirect one, with a group that was actually doing well enough not to have to drive their own shit around. Yes, the situation was a bit of an anomaly on many levels. I surveyed the interior of the vehicle with marked curiosity. There was a second empty bench seat, spotlessly empty, I might add, and beyond that a cargo area piled with neatly stacked almost new looking cases. There didn't seem to be one stray piece of garbage, cigarette butt or miscellaneous unmentionable in sight. It was unlike any touring van I'd ever seen. I wondered what the band thought of it…

I stretched out on the empty bench and fell asleep…

…but not for long. Within the next half hour, Brit had picked up 3 additional hitchhikers - a pair of girls and a boy who was hitchhiking solo, all from Denmark.It seemed the plan was to arrive at the festival with a full house. So much for travelling in rock 'n' roll luxury. As the Scandinavians now outnumbered the, well, non-Scandinavians in attendance, the conversation switched from clipped English to lovely sing-song Danish, which John spoke, it seemed, fairly fluently and I had obviously never encountered before. This left Brit and I to develop that odd add-liquid-and-mix familiarity one experiences when one is on the road and in the company of someone you really share nothing in common with other than the fact that you both happen to be from the same, very large, continent.

I came to like Brit very much in a big brother kind of way over our short journey together. He has a fun-loving roadie with a big laugh who obviously was always looking for a party - a real dark horse. In the afternoon we stopped for lunch in the downtown area of some pedestrian area of a Danish city whose name I've forgotten. There were buskers playing by the side of the cobblestone street and I stopped to listen to one as we passed. Realizing I had not yet had the opportunity to visit a money exchange and therefore had no money to give, I asked Brit for some change. He quickly handed me the contents of his pocket which I threw into the busker's empty case. A few blocks down the street, Brit asked me what I'd done with the rest of the money.

"What money?" I asked, "I gave it all to that guy"

"All of it?" Brit asked pausing ever so slightly in his gait.

"Yes, all of it," I confirmed.

"That was the equivalent of $40!" We came to a halt staring at each other. This revelation came as a total shock to me as the highest denomination coin we had in Canada at the time was the one dollar loony. It seemed unfathomable to me that a small handful of coins could be so valuable. Brit shrugged. "How generous of you," he remarked with a smile and then continued on his way.

Yes, I for the 5-6 hours of my life in which I knew Brit, I liked him very much.

---

A few friends have asked me to write about how I came to use the name, theotherlondon, so here it is: a collection of stories from June 1993 to October 1994 that include my experiences working in Switzerland and the UK; my engagement to a German blacksmith in Paris; our road trip across North America in a ’67 Volvo with an Australian footballer, and oh yes, my introduction to something ‘new’ called the Internet. You can find the first post here.

The Other London, Part 6: Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream

"Now, I'd already accepted that in agreeing to hitchhike in a foreign locale with a relative stranger, I'd acquiesced to practicing a higher than average level of tolerance for getting myself into potentially risky situations, but in this case, my instincts got the better of me."

Do you have any idea how far down the road you'd have to travel to safely pull over on a straight stretch of a busy European highway? Let me tell you, it's pretty damn far. So far, in fact John and I almost didn't notice we snagged a ride on that particular leg of our hitchhiking odyssey across Holland and Denmark.

"I think we got  a ride", John yelled over his shoulder as he took off down the highway his knapsack bouncing in a rather uncomfortable looking way from his shoulder.

Despite John's apparent sense of urgency I hesitated, not registering that we had actually managed to flag down one of the vehicles that had been zooming past us at autobahn speed and greater for the past 20 minutes. I squinted into the distance.

"Wait! Where?!" I managed to scream back before he was out of earshot.

John screeched to a halt, "Down there!" he waved ambiguously and with some measure of impatience into the distance before taking off again as fast as his haphazardly hoisted baggage would allow.

I kept my spot and squinted into the sunlight. A good kilometre, maybe closer to two kilometres, down the highway I noticed what appeared to be a speck of a conspicuous looking windowless black van. Now, I'd already accepted that in agreeing to hitchhike in a foreign locale with a relative stranger, I'd acquiesced to practicing a higher than average level of tolerance for getting myself into potentially risky situations, but in this case, my instincts got the better of me. Something told me there was something terrifically out-of-the ordinary with this arrangement. Meh.

A short second later I was running after John with my own backpack bouncing irritatingly from side to side at my back - those things just aren't designed for running. And yes, it turned out we had managed to secure a ride. By the time I arrived at the parked van, panting and out of breath having sprinted three kilometres with 30 lbs of weight on my back, John was already perched in the passenger seat with a  huge, 'I told you so' grin on his face. More than that, it was somewhat of an 'you're-not-going-to-believe-our-dumb-luck' grin.

Our benefactor, Brit, was on-route to the festival with the Lemonheads' gear in tow and offered to not only drive us to the festival, but also to get us in for free. Seriously. I kid you not.

Our ride to Roskilde

---

A few friends have asked me to write about how I came to use the name, theotherlondon, so here it is: a collection of stories from June 1993 to October 1994 that include my experiences working in Switzerland and the UK; my engagement to a German blacksmith in Paris; our road trip across North America in a ’67 Volvo with an Australian footballer, and oh yes, my introduction to something ‘new’ called the Internet. You can find the first post here.

The Other London Part 5: Tomorrow never knows

The last 100km leading up to the festival grounds were the toughest going. Competition was fierce at the off ramps. Yes, hitchhiking may have been falling out of fashion in those days, but I suppose when you have 93,000 people camping at a music festival, a small percentage choosing to travel via the romance of the open road - just for sentimental kicks - could easily cause the amount of congestion we encountered. In the early afternoon, the day before the festival, John and I found ourselves standing in a lineup of about 10 people waiting for a ride. And most of our companions appeared to have been waiting for quite a while.

After about an hour of fruitless waiting, John turned to me and asked what I thought about trying our luck on the highway. Earlier on in our journey, the idea of flagging down a ride with with vehicles whizzing past at speeds in excess of 150km/hour+ might have seemed intimidating. At this point, anything seemed all right as long as we didn't have to actually cross the highway (I never got used to that craziness). In full knowledge that we were about to commit a hitchhiking faux pas and jump the line in securing the next available ride on that particular stretch of highway, we hightailed it out of there as inconspicuously as we could manage.

And a ride did pick us up within a few short moments on the highway. One that drove us all the way up to the gates of the festival - through the backstage entrance nonetheless. Of course, I jump ahead of myself,  but had I known that upon our arrival at the festival grounds - my first introduction to the European music festival experience, or really any music festival of similar scope - that John and I would be accidentally separated and I would find myself in a cattle run of 93,000 strangers with no tent and therefore, no place to stay for 3 days, I might have tried a different approach. One that at least entailed a stop at the nearest camping store or better yet, sussed out hostel accommodations in the vicinity. Lucky for me, however, I had no idea how things were about to unfold.



I'm not sure exactly, but I believe this was the song I played to land an invitation to hitchhike to Roskilde.

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A few friends have asked me to write about how I came to use the name, theotherlondon, so here it is: a collection of stories from June 1993 to October 1994 that include my experiences working in Switzerland and the UK; my engagement to a German blacksmith in Paris; our road trip across North America in a ’67 Volvo with an Australian footballer, and oh yes, my introduction to something ‘new’ called the Internet. You can find the first post here.

The Other London, Part 2: Roll up, roll up for the Mystery Tour

John had estimated the distance from Amsterdam to the Roskilde Festival in Denmark to be about 800km. A distance he felt would be coverable within a 3 day time span which, in my uninitiated estimation, seemed overly generous. Having only been in Europe for a few days, I was still in full-fledged, ignorant tourist mode, and gauging the undertaking by North American standards,  I thought it more reasonable to expect the journey would take us a couple of days. One day if we were lucky.

I quickly realized the difference between hitching rides in North America and hitching rides in Europe was that hitching rides in Europe was a bit of a dog-and-pony-show/milk-run where you had to be prepared to stop at every village - and I do mean every village - along the way between point A and point B. To be fair, things were the same in North America, but with major epicenters spread out a reasonable distance, at least you'd feel like you're getting somewhere with each ride. In Europe, most folks seemed only to be traveling to the next village which, if you were lucky, might be a good 10km away. Sigh.

Likewise, it took us one full day - over 10 hours on the road - to get from Amsterdam to Arnhem, Holland, a paltry 100km away.  Our tedious progress encompassed 8 rides including: a business man who drove us to the outskirts of Amsterdam where his car promptly overheated, a minibus of high school kids on a band trip, a farmer who let us ride in the back of her produce van, and other assorted fun.

Here's some useful European hitching how-to from back in the day, in case you're interested:

1. Make sure you have a big pad of paper with you and a thick black marker so you can display the name of the next village to passing vehicles. It's inadvisable to write down the name of your final destination as anything further than 20km away will likely overwhelm your audience if they bother to look.


2. It is, or was, illegal to hitch on the open highway in most countries in Europe. The acceptable spot to wait for rides is at the top of an on ramp. Where major highways intersect, this of course means that when you are dropped off at an off ramp, you will need to cross the intersecting highway on foot to get to the next on ramp. A side note here, once you've made it half way across the highway, you'll likely find those concrete barriers are actually much higher than you might expect. Also, the smooth sides make them very difficult to climb over with a 30 lb backpack on your back. Good luck!


3. As hitchhiking partners go, you'll have an easier time finding rides if you travel with a girl. Lone males or two males will receive less offers. And as far as numbers go, the maximum size of your travelling party should be limited to two.


4. It is expected that you will be open to engaging in idle chitchat throughout the duration of your ride. Remember, your driver is a person who has invited a couple of strangers to share their confined space for a period of time. They are overtly social creatures and there are no 'free rides' to be had. Even the fact that you don't speak a common language won't get you off the hook. You can expect to answer questions like 'Where are you going?", "What do you think about [insert current country/closet village]?" and "What is [insert name of your home country] like?" over and over and over again. And then some.

Our last ride of the day was kind enough to drive us all the way to the nearest hostel in Arnhem which happened to be a Christian youth hostel. In my experience these establishments are dependably very clean, very efficiently run and, most notably, very not fun. Well, we really only needed a place to shower and crash before hitting the road early the next day. The hostel staff were at least open-minded enough to allow us to stay in the co-ed dorm though we were not a married couple. We were given bunks beside an elderly grandma and grandpa (or should I say, oma and opa) -like German couple who folded their socks neatly on top of the sandals at the foot of their beds.

As we were crawling into our bunks at the early hour of 10, it was already past 'lights out' time. The dorm was in semi-darkness and filled with the sounds of snoring travellers. John, who had maintained a respectable we-hardly-know-each-other distance throughout the day, stepped up to the upper bunk where I was already snuggled into my sleeping bag to whisper good night. His gorgeous eyes shimmered silver in the dim light. And he kissed me. Swoon. I mean, ew (well, not really).

---

A few friends have asked me to write about how I came to use the name, theotherlondon, so here it is: a collection of stories from June 1993 to October 1994 that include my experiences working in Switzerland and the UK; my engagement to a German blacksmith in Paris; our road trip across North America in a '67 Volvo with an Australian footballer, and oh yes, my introduction to something 'new' called the Internet. You can find the first post here.

What I'm Looking Forward to at Sasquatch 2012

[caption id="attachment_129" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Crowd shot on the terrace at Sasquatch 2010"][/caption]

Every year I faithfully do up a schedule for Sasquatch and every year I end up with an experience completely unlike what I'd planned. Nevetheless, here I am, doing it again…

I've provided links to the sites for the acts I've included in my highlights. If you're interested in checking out any of the other bands, visit the Sasquatch site for info and links.

Saturday
Reptar (Bigfoot) 12-12:45
I Break Horses (Bigfoot) 1- 1:45
Said The Whale (Yeti) 1:20-2:05
Blitzen Trapper (Sasquatch) 2:10-2:55
The Civil Wars (Sasquatch) 3:15-4
Kurt Vile and the Violators (Bigfoot) 4:05-4:50
Dum Dum Girls (Bigfoot) 5:10-5:55
Metric (Sasquatch) 6:40-7:40
tUnE-yArDs (Bigfoot) 7:30-8:30
The Shins (Sasquatch) 8:10-9:25
St Vincent (Bigfoot) 9-10
Jack White (Sasquatch) 10-11:30
The Roots (Bigfoot) 11:30 -1pm

Highlights for Saturday
Though I Break Horses is a little outside what I usually listen to, quite a bit of their dreamy electronic goodness has been on frequent rotation on my iPod for the past few months. I seem to have a soft spot for Swedish bands as of late. Civil Wars is another must see as Barton Hollow made my list of top ten releases last year. Love their rich, acoustic melodies and sweet harmonies. The overlapping Metric and tUnE-yArDs concerts is a bit of a dilemma, but we'll deal with that later…

Sunday
Hey Marseilles (Sasquatch) 12-12:45
Greylag (Yeti) 12:15-1:00
Reignwolf (Yeti) 1:20-2:05
Trampled By Turtles (Sasquatch) 2:10-2:55
Blind Pilot (Sasquatch) 3:15-4:00
Hey Rosetta! (Yeti) 4:35-5:20
M. Ward (Sasquatch) 5:25-6:10
The Head & The Heart (Sasquatch) 6:40-7:40
Zola Jesus (Yeti) 7:50-8:50
Beirut (Sasqutach) 8:10-9:25
Bon Iver (Sassquatch) 10-11:30

Highlights for Sunday
Though I'm of course looking forward to the heavy-weights, The Head & The Heart (who put on an amazing show at Sasquatch last year), Beirut and Bon Iver, I'm very keen to catch Greylag and Reignwolf on the Yeti stage earlier in the day. My favourite shows in past years at Sasqutach have consistently played the Yeti stage and I'm guessing it's one of these two bands that will deliver my favourite performance of the festival. Either that or M. Ward might take the cake.

Monday
The Sheepdogs (Sasquatch) 12-12:45
Grouplove (Sasquatch) 1:05-1:50
Ben Howard (Bigfoot) 1:45-2:30
Damien Jurado (Bigfoot) 2:45-3:20
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Sasquatch) 3:15-4
The Joy Formidable (Sasquatch) 4:15-5
Feist (Sasquatch) 5:30-6:30
The Cave Singers (Bigfoot) 6:50-7:35
Tenacious D (Sasquatch) 8:30-9:30
Beck (Sasquatch) 10-11:30

Highlights for Monday
Hands down the act I'm most looking forward to at Sasquatch 2012 is Damien Jurado. I usually try to steer clear of bands I've already seen in hopes of discovering new favourites, but in this case and a few others, there's no resisting. Though I can't say I'd ever go out of my way to see Tenacious D in concert, I am expecting the show will be a welcome break from the norm in the closing hours of the festival. Last but hardly least, I've got 20 years worth of reasons to look forward to catching Beck in concert.

By the way, if you're looking for packing tips for the festival, you could check out a post I uploaded last year.

See you there!

Jon Middleton House Concert

[caption id="attachment_95" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Jon Middleton playing a house concert in Victoria BC, Saturday December 3"][/caption]

November music releases I'm looking forward to via @Storify

I decided to spend the afternoon checking out the new updates to Storify and simultaneously drafting up my Christmas wish list ;)

Aidan Knight and Snailhouse, live and in concert! ...in my neighbour's living room

Aidan Knight and some of his Friendly Friends performing at a house concert in Victoria, BC.

About this time last year, I wrote a blog entry about my first house concert experience.  Over the past year I've had the pleasure of attending a number of these events, every one of them fantastic.  When it comes to live performances, the intimacy of watching a musician play to a small crowd in a private residence cannot be beat. 

The Aidan Knight concert I recently attended was no exception. Opening act, Snailhouse (Mike Feuerstack of the Wooden Stars) started off the night with a short - sadly, I felt, a little too short - set of emotion packed songs.  After a quick break, Knight took to the stage/living room floor while some of his backing musicians, the Friendly Friends, wandered through the rest of the house playing their instruments.  From the introspective and melancholy, Lambics, to the feel-good, Jasper, it was a captivating experience made all the more personal and charming in a home setting.  Knight's music is a carefully tuned harmony of contrasts (despite all the trouble he experienced with a faulty tuner during his performance).  Familiar sounding melodies with unusual orchestration; sometimes dynamic and filled with texture, sometimes sparse; and lyrics that reflect his youthful perspective balanced with just the right amount of world-weary wisdom. 

From time to time I get asked how to find out about scheduled house concerts.  As these shows are usually organized by home owners, promotional marketing is commonly limited to grassroots channels. If you live in Victoria, BC, my best recommendation is simply to sign up for the Victoria House Concert B Facebook Group.  If you live anywhere else, I'd suggest searching the web, or you can try asking friends who might be connected to your local music scene if they know of any upcoming shows.


Video shot by Dfinlan.

Rifflandia 2011 and the art of the singer songwriter, three ways

If there's one thing that sets the Rifflandia Festival apart from other music festivals I've attended, I'd have to say it's variety. Not only from venue to venue, but more definitively, from year to year. Each year I've attended, I've come away with an experience completely different from the last. In 2009, my Rifflandia experience was all about rock, last year, it was big on alt-country. This year, my favourite shows of the festival all featured talented singer songwriters, albeit in three very different veins.

The troubadour: Royal Wood

Royal Wood at the Rifflandia Festival 2011

In another world, the ideal venue for watching a Royal Wood show would be a smoke-filled club with shadowy corners, a bartender named Atticus, and a well tuned piano that's seen plenty of action every night since the dawn of time. Wood Hall, despite having none of those attributes, might be a fair contender for second place. I'll submit that observation based solely on the captivating performance Wood put on the Saturday night of the festival. The intimate recital space/former chapel was, perhaps unexpectedly, a fitting compliment to the subtle poetry of Woods' lyrics, smooth-as-butter vocals and rich melodies. Highlights of the performance included the sweet and lovely, I'm So Glad and Wood's pop-infused hit, A Mirror Without. Wood also performed a haunting, sparse version of Foster the People's Pumped Up Kicks. Unforgettable.

The traditionalist: Old Man Luedecke

Old Man Luedecke at the Rifflandia Festival 2011

Well, if we're going to continue on the theme of ideal venues, I'd suggest an Old Man Luedecke show would be best viewed at a barn dance, your neighbour's kitchen, or, as proposed by Luedecke himself, a farmers' market. Likewise, the mood of the moment at Luedecke's concert on Saturday was one of simple pleasures and good times. Unlike most other performances at the festival, Luedecke didn't fuss about waiting around for the official start time. Immediately after his short sound check he sat down with his banjo and began playing, choosing songs as they seemed to strike his fancy, or at times the fancy of the audience. The Joy of Cooking and I Quit My Job were particular crowd pleasers. And, oh yes, there was plenty of dancing and hand clapping enjoyed by all throughout the show.

The enigma: Damien Jurado

I'm not even going to try to suggest an ideal setting for a Damien Jurado show. In my books, I suppose any place where you can watch him perform, it'll most likely be an extraordinary experience. I took in Jurado's show at Rifflandia with a friend who was only planning to stick around for a couple of songs and he ended up staying for the entire set. That's the kind of musician Jurado is. His songs have the ability to capture and draw in every audience member, no matter how large, or unfamiliar, the crowd. Mesmerizing in a disarming combination of deep introversion and unguarded openness.

There's really no picking favourites with Jurdado's songs, but if I had to choose, I guess I'd say Sheets and Cloudy Shoes were amoungst the most memorable moments of the night. Jurado mentioned the show would be his last before taking a well deserved six-month hiatus, so if you're interested, you may have to be patient in waiting a little while to catch his next performance. That said, I'd urge everyone to go see Damien Jurado in concert at the earliest opportunity.



View more of my pics from the festival in my Rifflandia flickr set.

Review: Jeff Culbert's The Donnelly Sideshow at the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival 2011

Every location on the planet has a family whose notorious history becomes steeped in local culture as well-told legend.  In the cities and countryside of Southwestern Ontario that family is the Donnelly family of Biddulph township.  Growing up in London, Ontario I became familiar with the Donnellys, commonly referred to as the Black Donnellys, through plays, museum visits, books and articles.  Throughout much of my formative years, local punk rock band, The Black Donnellys were regular headliners on the stages of local clubs and dance halls.  A good friend of mine played lead guitar in one of the later incarnations of the band, The Black Donnellys 5.

The Donnelly story has all the necessary ingredients of a riveting yarn and then some.  Immigrants from Ireland who lived in Biddulph township in the late 1800s, the clan included parents James and Joanna, seven sons, one daughter and a cousin. Their wild ways culminated in a feud which eventually saw five members violently murdered by a vigilante mob in the middle of the night, February 4, 1880.

The most unassumingly earnest version of the story I've encountered is told by playwright, director and actor, Jeff Culbert in his new play, The Donnelly Sideshow, which Culbert performed at the recent 2011 Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival.  Culbert brings new life to the story by going back to it's unembellished roots, recounting the tale in a straightforward manner from the perspective of the only surviving witness of the massacre, farm hand Johnny O’Connor. 

The result is a performance that transports the audience back to the Donnelly homestead in the days of their dark demise.  A matter-of-fact point of view that allows no opportunity to turn away from the pulse pounding, heart-wrenching horror, drama, and romance (yes, romance) of the Donnelly story.  Culbert peppers his recounting of the tale with occasional humour, some new insights uncovered through his research, and a smattering of original, toe-tapping folk-songs.

The Donnelly Sideshow is a rewarding and captivating story-telling experience, even and especially for those who may already be familiar with the tale.

For information on Jeff Culbert's plays and upcoming performances visit www.jeffculbert.ca

Jeff Culbert Interview at the 2011 Victoria Fringe Festival by theotherlondon

Back Alley Jams finale show: Why I heart local campus radio

Versa performing on Back Alley Jams, Jan 23, 2011

This week marks the last official episode of Back Alley Jams which has been broadcasting from The University of Victoria’s campus radio station, CFUV 101.9 FM for little over a year. The show, created and hosted by Ali Lopez in support of the local music scene, features live performances from local bands and musicians every week and was affiliated with the University of Victoria New Music Club.
Since BAJ’s pilot broadcast in May of 2010, I’ve had the pleasure of participating as one of the show’s volunteer techs on a number of live concert broadcasts. To commemorate the show’s finale, below is a list of my favourite BAJ performances (this is in no way meant to be a list of best performances by the way, just a few that for one reason or another I found to be personally memorable).

• Live On-air Jam 1 (May-16-10)
  First one!
• Live On-air Jam 4 (Aug-8-10)
  At the end of this jam I was a little taken aback when I noticed the musicians introducing themselves to each other. Listening to this show again, it’s hard to believe many of these songs were made up on the spot. Magic!
• The Loose Cannons (Dec-5-10)
  I didn’t work the board on this one, but I tuned in. Glad I got to join in on the fun along with the rest of CFUV’s listeners.
• Quoia/ Mindil Beach Markets/ David Ross McDonald – Rifflandia Jam (Sep-12-10)
  One of the numerous shows where an impractically large number of musicians crammed onto CFUV’s little closet of a studio floor (which has a grand total of six inputs). Everyone made the best of the less than ideal conditions and the result was this great show.
• Vital Hands (Feb-6-11)
  Really enjoyed the performance put on by these friendly and talented musicians.

For a full listing of Back Alley Jams episodes visit the BAJ website.

Tune into Back Alley Jams' finale episode on CFUV's website at 5pm PT, Sunday, June 12, 2011.

Being a somewhat recent transplant to this area of the country, BAJ has offered me a unique way of getting acquainted with Vancouver Island’s fabulous local music scene. It’s also been a rewarding counterpart to the other hat I wear at UVic as a member of the university’s web team, allowing me to work closely with some of UVic’s amazing students. For these reasons and many more, I’m sad to see this amazing show come to and end. So long, BAJ. I miss you already!

Support your local campus radio station!!

Sasquatch 2011: Memorable moments

I trust you won’t be too surprised to hear that our recent Sasquatch weekend didn’t quite go as planned. By no fault of our own, of course. This year, we even went as far to draw up a concert wish list.

Of course we missed out on a few concerts, happened upon a few shows unexpectedly, and generally wandered off course repeatedly. And thank goodness we did! Otherwise we would have seriously missed out on those special, unexpected moments and revelations…

We're definitely doing this again next year moment

We reached the gates half way through Friday night’s lineup and finished setting up camp as that night's closing act, the Foo Fighters, were wrapping up their set on the main stage.  As a consolation prize we discovered there’s more to arriving late to this party than just being fashionable. In the interest of not letting the cat completely out of the bag on this well kept secret I’m going to (overflow camping!) stop here.

WTF moment
   
We left the City and Colour concert early hoping to catch an artist signing at the Easy Street Records booth and wandered into this…

In case you can’t figure out what’s happening in this picture, this is a sky full of toilet paper and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears performing a rocking cover of Surfin’ Bird.

What music festivals are all about moment

I believe everyone who had the privilege of witnessing the Other Lives concert on the Yeti stage on Sunday afternoon will understand what I’m talking about when I say this concert was the epitome of what music concerts are all about.  Hands down my favourite musical performance of the entire festival.  The five piece band, each member playing multiple instruments, sometimes simultaneously, put on one of the tightest, richest sounding shows I’ve heard in a while.  I’d originally planned to leave a little early to try and claim a good spot at a following concert on another stage.  Once they started up though, I just couldn't tear myself away.
   
What was I thinking?! moment
   
Having caught Local Natives in a small club at SXSW earlier this year I had assumed I didn’t need to see them play again at Sasquatch.  As luck would have it, I ended up at their show anyway. Boy, was I wrong!
   
Double rainbow moment
   
A colleague of mine asked about The Flaming Lips show on Sunday night. My description went something like this: At the start of the show, the band members emerged one by one from the centre of a giant eye projected into the middle of the stage. Then Wayen Coyne appeared in a giant plastic ball and walked on the crowd.  The sky was filled with streamers, coloured confetti and giant balloons.  Then the Teletubbies appeared. Oh yes, it was AMAZING!

Giant eye

Wayne Coyne walks on the crowd in a giant plastic ball

Streamers, coloured confetti and giant balloons

Teletubbies

 See more pics in my Sasquatch Festival 2011 Flickr set.

Sasquatch checklist: A few music festival packing tips for my friends

Crowd shot of the terrace at the Gorge during the National concert at Sasquatch 2010, a photo by theotherlondon on Flickr.

One week to go to the Sasquatch 2011 music festival and the excitement is almost too much to bear! While the big draw at Sasquatch is, of course, the stellar line-up, a close second is the opportunity to take it all in whilst surrounded by the majestic glory of the Columbia River Gorge. Gobsmacked I tell you!! As with all experiences in the great outdoors, one must be prepared.

If you're wondering what to bring, here's a few things I'd suggest:

• Sunscreen
• Warm clothes for chilly evenings
• A small backpack to bring your stuff to the festival grounds in
• A blanket to sit on...no chairs allowed
• A point and shoot camera...no pro cameras allowed
• Snacks
• Rain gear (just in case)
• Earplugs (if you’re planning on sleeping in the campground)
• Hand sanitizer and wipes

Sasquatch 2010 photos by theotherlondon on Flickr.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of dollars to be made in the Canadian music industry”: Making it count when purchasing music online

Brasstronaut at Market Square, Rifflandia 3
Originally uploaded by theotherlondon

I’d like to send this one out to the person who burst my bubble this week. You know who you are. We had a conversation during which you pointed out the Internet has broken the music industry and there’s no money to be made in it anymore for anyone. If I remember correctly, your main arguments were that iTunes and other au current music distribution platforms are a colossal disaster, at least terms of potential for generating any semblance of an income for artists – though not for facilitating the sale of iPods – and that musicians can’t make money from selling concert tickets or merchandise.

The gory details

Further investigation led me to the following articles (by the way, if you’re at all interested in the impact of digital technologies on the music industry the second article in particular should be an interesting read):

• The iTunes Effect and the Future of Publishing, Scott Berinato, The Harvard Business Review, January 12, 2010
• Three bits of bad news for the music business. And it's not improving, Charles Arthur, The Guardian, February 8, 2011

Pop

or rather, pfffffffffffffffffffft.

Yes, this is terrible news for musicians…and might I offer, a little deflating for someone who regularly lists ‘music' amoungst her largest monthly expenditures. Terrible news.

A case in point implicating yours truly

The comment I’ve quoted in the title of this post was made by a member of Canadian band, Brasstronaut at their performance at Rifflandia 2010. Though I’ve attended a couple of their concerts, regularly include their music in my Blip.fm stream, voted for their entries in online contests and have interacted with @Brasstronaut on Twitter, I admit, I haven’t purchased any of their music (yet). Before continuing I’d also like to point out that I’ve never illegally downloaded any of their music either. But that’s beside the point, isn’t it?

I can hear you tsk-tsking from here.

I do buy music. Quite a bit of it, I might add. In fact, all the albums on my top 10 of 2010 are albums that were recommended to me online that I eventually purchased…though yes, the total number of albums I purchased last year, amounts to just a fraction of the bands I listen to online.

Does it matter that I probably wouldn’t have heard of the majority of the bands I listen to had it not been for the Internet? Didn’t think so.

Support your favourite artists...for real

Anyway, all I can offer is this – music buyers, if you really want to support your favourite artists I’ve learned the best way to do this is to buy CDs directly from the artist or from CD Baby. MP3 downloads don’t really amount to squat in terms of revenue for the artist. For the purchaser, there are additional benefits to buying a CD you may or may not care about - read more in ZDNet’s geek tome Ed Bott's Microsoft Report, Who owns your digital downloads? (Hint: it's not you).

For a better understanding of what to do/avoid when purchasing music, check out this great graph on Information is Beautiful for a pretty, visual representation of how much money musicians get paid in the new digital marketplace.

One little tip I might offer to CD Baby, it would probably be good on you to up your marketing efforts for your download cards. Being a music lover, I regularly get iTunes gift certificates from friends and family, many of whom are conscious consumers who would probably choose you over iTunes if they understood the difference. Just sayin’.

Update, February 20, 2011 - Seems I forgot when I was writing this post that there are two sides to every coin. See article below. Thanks @dbarefoot.

• Infographic Does A Great Job Misrepresenting Opportunities Of The Digital Era, techdirt, April 14, 2010
  

A few of my favourite albums in 2010

To begin, I’m hoping you can answer me this (oh, goddess of literary terminology): How does one refer to this decade? ‘The ‘10s’? Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?  Well, if this year was any indication of what’s in store for, um, the next ten years, I believe we’re in for a bit of a treat musically speaking, but enough dilly-dallying.

New albums in heavy rotation on my iPod in 2010

10. Leif Vollebekk, Inland
9.  Avi Buffalo, Avi Buffalo
8.  J. Tillman, Singing Ax
7.  Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
6.  Raised by Swans, No Ghostless Place
5.  Beach House, Teen Dream
4.  Fredrik, Trilogi
3.  Mimicking Birds, Mimicking Birds
2.  The National, High Violet
1.  Horse Feathers, Thistled Spring