Ottawa Bluesfest, Day 4: There was some fun. to be had

DAY 4: Everlast, Shakey Graves, Joy Formidable, Hearts and Mines, Wu-Tang Clan, Rocky Lawrence, Tegan and Sarah, Diamond Rings, Eric Burdon, fun.

GRADE: C+

And then - FINALLY - we had some fun. 'Nuff said.


We'd been anticipating it all day, and we were definitely not dissapointed. Those guys (fun.) put on an incredible show, and were incredibly caught up in the moment. Frontman Nate Ruess poured his soul out onstage to the point where the show almost felt like his autobiography, more like a rock opera about an insecure, depression-addled musician spending "most nights" lying awake and wondering if he'll ever become anything more than he is.

Backed by the Brian May-esque high-pitched guitar flourishes and interactive drumming of his bandmates, Ruess was visibly moved almost to tears at several times during the show, proclaiming this the biggest crowd they had ever played for and often just stopping to take it all in. There were times when it looked like he was fighting it all back and was unable to continue for a moment, as though it was almost too much.
 
It was a moving display of a musician appreciating the moment and a poignant reminder of the magic that can happen at any time at a music festival, for both fans and artist alike. But it took a long, slog of a day to get there. Let me start from the beginning.

I had trouble with this day of the Bluesfest right from the get-go. I knew I had to go see fun., but didnt really have much else that piqued my interest. We arrived early in the afternoon for Everlast, despite the bleak and rainy weather, who always puts on a good show. Sure enough, we got to hear his two big songs, Ends and What It's Like, and had a good time.

And then, we began to wander.

Let me be clear - i love music festivals. They're my favourite place to be. Period. And i love wandering around and discovering new bands, listening to things ive never heard before, enjoying the experience of being outside and drinking beer and listening to music of all kinds. It's just that the offerings at yesterday's Bluesfest were so sparse, and so uninteresting to me, that i actually found myself NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME. And i was very disheartened, because that has literally NEVER happened to me before.

From Austin, Texas' one-man-blues-band Shakey Graves (mildly entertaining), over to vanilla gangsta-rapper Watsky, to the Billy Talent-style rock of Afghan war vets and Ottawa locals Hearts and Mines, to the wall of static sound put up by Joy Formidable, we were looking for something to hook us and nothing ever did.

And then, it was time for Wu-Tang.

Believe me - we tried. We listened as long as we could, but after the 642nd "mother fucker" i could take no more. Twenty minutes or so was enough to confirm that this was, in fact, the opposite of the music i like. Ah well, it happens. There will be other great music to listen to, we figured, as an alternative to Wu-Tang. We went to see aging bluesman Rocky Lawrence, and ended up spending the whole show there just because there was nothing else to go to. He was nothing to write home about but definitely has a lifetime of blues stories to share with the crowd.

Im going to fast-forward through the next 2.5 hours because it was really boring. Not being a fan of Tegan and Sarah (I dont like their radio stuff and their live show lacked a hook or some sort of excitement to keep a non-fan interested), we literally spent 2+ checking out watches and spending money on beer in an effort to have a good time.

Fortunately, fun. saved the day. They turned this day from a total write-off into likely one of the most memorable shows of the festival, and maybe in the recent history of Bluesfest, period.

For the record, it was one of the loudest crowds ive ever heard - not just at Bluefest - and an incredible show, featuring a cover the Rolling Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want and the first real encore of the festival (that went till almost 1130pm!!!!), as well as one of the coolest light and visual displays ive seen in my years of Bluesfest attendance.

It was, really, a special thing to be a part of.

(...dont say it...)

It was a lot of fu-

Ottawa Bluesfest, Day 2: Country rock? Crossover? Yes!

DAY 2: Frank Turner, Dawes, Flogging Molly, She & Him, Zac Brown Band

GRADE: B+

Bluesfest's first Friday kicked off the weekend in rollicking style. England's hiply-accented Frank Turner was my first show of the day, getting the energy flowing, and Dawes set the stage with a hint of the genre-blending that was to come. Their psychedelic country alt-rock was refreshing, laid back, danceable and very enjoyable to listen to. These guys are up-and-coming stars (check out the cover of last month's Relix magazine for the proof) and now i understand why. They're a band ill actively try to see again.

After a catching more than enough of Flogging Molly (a few minutes' worth), we staked out a spot for ZBB and partied for two hours! These guys just straight-up know how to have a good time, whether you call them country, rock, crossover, jam-band, or whatever. They seem to be a country-rock group on the surface, but the beautiful melodies and soaring uplifting jams say otherwise - not to mention a medley cover of Van Morrison's Into the Mystic and, later, an awesome version of Metallica's Enter Sandman (would a country band try THAT???). Not to be outdone, their encore consisted of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir and closed out with Charlie Daniels' The Devil Went Down to Georgia. which had most of the crowd in a frenzy.

Any way you slice it, ZBB puts on a highly entertaining show. Even the die-hard AC/DC fan in front of me was having a good time, which is saying something. Overall, it was a solid B+ of a day with one new discovery for me (Dawes) and one crazy-good-time of headlining show - which is really all you can ask for out of a fest.

Ottawa Bluesfest, Day 1: The Black Keys, Redux

DAY 1: Femi Kuti, Jimmy Eat World, Cat Empire, Grand Funk Railroad, Black Keys

GRADE: B- 

Two years ago, the Black Keys came to Ottawa Bluesfest and were nearly drowned/swept away in a torrential downpour that postponed their show for nearly an hour. Chanting fans finally got their gig away after a furious stage-squeegee-ing, and they proceeded to rock our socks off with a concentrated hour of sound of fury, Black Keys style.

As a result, there was a lot of anticipation for there return to Bluesfest, and the chance to see the Akron, Ohio due with a more diverse setlist. Well, as Thursday broke, the black sky and humidity threatened thunderstorms yet again - "it wouldnt be the Keys at Bluesfest without a thunderstorm," I may have remarked - but we were spared. Weather on Day 1 was fantastic. The sound, unfortunately, wasnt.

Nobody could hear what Dan Auerbach was saying through the first four songs, except for the blasts of feedback and volume as someone presumably fiddled with some knobs somewhere. It was an unacceptable mishap for a veteran band and world-class festival. Even once the sound was sorted out, it never seemed to get loud enough - chants of "Turn it up!" continued throughout the show, and it was a more tense crowd as people talked through the show or sang along loudly, to the chagrin of the surrounding people who COULD ACTUALLY HEAR IT ALL because the band wasnt loud enough.

With that said, it was a great show - despite the audio problems. I expect more, though.

Perhaps something on the lines of the show that ended 15 minutes earlier, when the Cat Empire threw a party for a few hundred people at the small River Stage, their reggae/klezmer/big band/funk style creating much revelry and festivity in the crowd. This show was a lot of fun and sold me on this band as a future live show destination. These Australians (like all Aussies, it seems) know how to have a good time.

Femi Kuti was my festival opener, and his son-of-Africa's-Bob-Marley schtick was both familiar and fresh, with his simple messages of peaceful revolution and taking politics back for the people backed up by three flamboyant dancers and a hint of a Caribbean-style fiesta.

Other shows on this included quintessential rockers Grand Funk Railroad (hearing American Band was a bit of a thrill, thought that's ALL I needed to hear), Bahamas, Jimmy Eat World (I didnt really like them when i was in high school, so...), Alex Clare and Adventure Club, for the E crowd. 
   

Alabama Shakes concert an empowering experience

Alabama Shakes @ Echo Beach, Toronto – June 20, 2013

Unpretentious. Workmanlike. Relatable. The performance by Alabama Shakes at Toronto’s Echo Beach on Thursday, June 20 was all of the above. And yet, while front-woman Brittany Howard appears inconspicuous, on stage she becomes a presence that elevates the Shakes from hook-driven soul and blues-rock to cultural phenomenon.

In a crowd that was about three-quarters female – one of the only shows I’ve ever been to where I actually DID NOT feel short – the female empowerment vibes were hard to ignore. The emotional delivery of songs like the sultry Boys & Girls (“Oh why did I let them drive a wedge between, well I watched it, and I didn't say nothing, and now I'm crying when I sleep”), was clearly a resonant experience for the female-centric audience. Cries of “She’s SO amazing!” were met with “I know – isn’t she just SO GREAT?!” throughout the crowd after every song. For what it’s worth, the men there heartily agreed.

Standing barefoot in the sand of Echo Beach (there is an actual sand pit in the middle of the crowd area, with shoe-check available for those who want to it between their toes) this show was the perfect way to kick off the official coming of summer. There was a warm, affirmative, lean-on-me kind of vibe, as befitting a beautiful evening on the banks of Lake Ontario.

From the slow-burning opener of Rise to the Sun – which perfectly set the stage for their epic duo of Hang Loose and Hold On (my personal favourite) – Always Alright and I Found You led into the album-sequenced Heartbreaker, Boys & Girls, and Be Mine. Closing the set with the smashing, barreling-forward Heavy Chevy, Howard’s intro of “He asked me not to go so fast!” whipped the crowd into one last screaming frenzy that had her band mates racing to keep up.  

While there’s no doubting the musicianship of the Shakes – guitarist Howard, bassist Zach Cockrell, drummer Steve Johnson, and second guitar Heath Fogg – the rest of the band seems to provide a canvas for Howard to work her magic. She is Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Mick Jagger and Ferris Beuller rolled into one, a dynamo in a understated sun dress playing guitar like you would if you were trying to impersonate the greats in a karaoke bar. Except she’s actually playing.

Howard acts like any fun-loving, confident, bar-rockin’ male guitar player would, one who is clearly having a blast playing music – but she does it with such swagger and natural showmanship that she cant help but become a standard-bearer for women in rock. A morally upstanding and wholesome rock-and-roll model for the many young women (and children) in the crowd.

Experiencing this show and feeing how the crowd connected with the simple yet relatable subject matter of Howard’s songs, as well as her crystal clear, soul-filled delivery, it seems that Alabama Shakes has hit upon a winning combination. With concepts everyone can relate to – love, self-worth, heartbreak, resentment, perseverance – woven into tunes few ears can ignore, this is the perfect family or couple’s concert. Canada wants more Alabama Shakes!

Latest Relix & jambands.com review - Jim James in Toronto

Check out the link here:

http://www.jambands.com/reviews/shows/2013/04/29/jim-james-the-phoenix-theatre-toronto-on-4-24

James takes off Jacket, suits up for wide-ranging solo show in Toronto

Jim James @ the Phoenix Theatre, Toronto, April 24, 2013

In Toronto’s storied Phoenix Theatre last Wednesday, April 24, as I watched My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James conduct his band through an emotional roller-coaster of a set, I was struck by a thought: this is what I wanted last month’s Sigur Ros show to sound like.

James brought his Regions of Light and Sound of God solo tour to an adoring and appreciative Canadian audience that was both receptive and restless. We were grateful for the chance to see the enigmatic James, who always puts on a good show, but there was an underlying sense of wanting more. With opening act Cold Specks – from nearby Etobicoke, Ontario – warming up the crowd, James and Co. sauntered onto the stage around 9:20pm looking loose and relaxed.

Without preamble, James launched into material from his first solo album with a measured sort of pace. It was loosely tight, with jams designed to showcase the range of James’ musical oeuvre and the spectrum of styles in which he can compose the music. Jams that on this night, even had band-mates watching and cheering each other on with nods of approval.

I use the term compose because, as he meandered around the stage, James not only observed his fellow musicians but directed them, cueing up a keyboard solo here, opening a deep hole for a bass line there, or clearing out of the way of a triple-percussion rhythm. I felt that if James was a film director, he’d be a cross between Alfred Hitchcock and Cecil B. De Mille.

Tracks like State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U) and A New Life evoked lilting, soulful and sorrowful lows; they mingled with feelings of yearning and a kind of apprehension of the unknown, the sort of suspense Hitchcock knew came from the subconscious – the unseen and powerful forces James draws on in his music. This darkness was juxtaposed by the dense, flood-like harmonies of Actress and All is Forgiven, the powerful and evocative crescendos like DeMille’s climaxes, all sensory overload in full technicolour.

What this first set showed, more than anything else, was James ability to create contrasts – the haunting harmonies and the bluegrass boogies, soaring crescendos and cascading cavalcades of sound. There was a Jimmy Buffet-like island rhythm, some African-inspired beats and jazzy, 50s era swing sounds.

The type of experimentation James does on stage is reserved for only the most investigative and risk-taking of artists, in that it doesn’t always sound good – it’s not always pleasing, per se – but guys like Jack White and Jim James can get away with it. There was an almost scrupulous commitment to anti-harmonies, off-beat notes and clashing tempos that can split heads or summon angels. It felt as though he was challenging the crowd to find the meaning in the white noise.

After the complete-album first set, James began the second with an MMJ cover of Wonderful (The Way I Feel) and then worked through some Monsters of Folk material, including Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.), His Master’s Voice and Losin Yo Head, the song that I think came closest to capturing that MMJ-outdoor-festival vibe. While it was cool to see this material live, it felt almost anti-climactic compared to the first set. This was more accessible, folksy material about prayer, love and spirituality and it seemed a bit…simple…when it was called on to follow up James’ solo stuff.

Having seen My Morning Jacket several times, I couldn’t help but observe a more subdued and level-headed Jim James than I’d seen in the past. There was hardly a hint of the cavorting wild-man, the vampire-cape wearing, slide-guitar animal I was expecting.

Instead, a suited-up James was purely in control on this night, stretching his wings and stepping out from behind the equal-opportunity of his other band and into solo territory of his own making. As he gathered in the love from the Toronto crowd – wielding a golden, praying-bear statue for fans to rub and presenting a single finger for the fist-bumping fans to touch – he seemed content with his offering to the hungry Canadian masses.

Flora and Fauna groove to Plants and Animals

The Montreal "post-classic rockers" whizzed through Wakefield and Ottawa on a cross-Canada tour and stopped just long enough to storm two of the area's most popular venues - Wakefield's Black Sheep Inn and Ritual in downtown Ottawa. Check out my full review of the two shows here at jambands.com, the one and only Relix Magazine blog for all things jam.

Trey and Co. noodle their way north

If you missed out on Trey Anastasio's triumphant return to Canada, at Toronto's Danforth Music Hall on January 18, 2013, too bad! It was the highlight of this winter's concert season so far (qualifiers: in the jamband scene in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor ;). Check out the setlist and a recap of the show here on jambands.com, THE Relix Magazine blog.  

G Love brings the Special Sauce to Toronto

It was a blast of pure summertime, California fun on a cold, wintery night in Toronto. Check out all the action as G Love laid down the law at Toronto's Danforth Hall on January 13, 2013 - read it here or check out Relix Magazine!

The Sheepdogs - Long Haired Freaky People

After seeing the Sheepdogs guys perform a few times on their latest Canadian tour (see the previous post for remaining tour dates as the band heads back west) my review is up on relix.com - check it out!

Or follow this direct link:

http://www.relix.com/features/2012/12/05/the-sheepdogs-long-haired-freaky-people

And pay special attention to the photo accompanying it, also taken by yours truly! For more pics from their gigs in Ottawa and Montreal (Ritual and Club Soda, respectively) check out this gallery:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33900800@N07/sets/72157632168783867/

FYI, i love this band and wish i could have followed them across the country. Three shows simply arent enough to scratch my itch!

The Sheepdogs Have At It - a new documentary film

The Sheepdogs may be on the road, but a brand new 85-minute documentary about their journey to fame and the cover of the Rolling Stone has just been released - it made its premier on December 2 in Whistler, BC. Unfortunately, the guys were on the road in Ontario at the time and couldnt attend, but you can check out a sneak peak of the doc here:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/sheepdogs-chase-rock-dreams-in-documentary-trailer-20121130

The Sheepdogs are still touring across Canada and have shows in Toronto, Sarnia, Hamilton, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon (hometown), Edmonton, Lloydminster and Calgary before the new year. GO! 

Socializing with BLSH

With a summer of touring across Canada and a winter of warming up fans for Umphrey's McGee, Austin, Texas-based Bright Light Social Hour has been a busy band ("busy beavers" we'd say in Canada). Sitting down for a drink and a chat before their show in Ottawa, we got so caught up in philosophical conjecture we almost missed the show...

jambands.com - In Like a Lion, Out with a Bang Bang - Dispatch in Sound Acedemy, Toronto - 08/10/12

Check out this link for my relix magazine review of Dispatch live at Sound Academy in Toronto, 08/10/12.

jambands.com - Dispatch not messin around with first tour in a decade

Click this link for my jambands.com (Relix Magazine) exclusive interview with Braddigan from Dispatch - i spoke with him in depth on the phone from his house in Colorado, just a few days before he left for the West coast to kick off their current tour with Pete Francis and Chad Stokes. There are some great gems in there!

DISPATCH in Toronto, Oct. 8 - There was a decorated band with a heart of gold...

I thought I was ready…

I remember well the summer of 2002 – there was a girl.

Her name was Julie. She and I were counselors at the sleepaway camp I had gone to for many summers. She had curly brown hair and dark blue eyes, and freckles that came out in the sun. As our romance kindled, we would sit at the end of the dock with a blanket wrapped around us, watching the sunset as I sang to her. One day, Julie told me there was a song she wanted to play for me – it was called the General.

It was a revelation.

More than 10 years have gone by since I discovered a little indie band called Dispatch—“indie,” at the time, meaning something different than it does today. Admittedly, I was introduced to the band at a time when they were announcing a hiatus and the passionate fan base—Julie included—was lamenting the fact.    

As I went back into the band’s discography and discovered more of Dispatch, they quickly grew into one of my favourite bands. It was a mixed blessing, because I thought I’d never have the chance to see them live, like a Gen-X’er who discovered Sublime a year after Bradley died.

Then they got back together. They announced a European tour, their first one across the pond. And then word came of the North American tour, with not one, but two stops in Canada. Like I said, I thought I was ready.

At Toronto’s Sound Academy on October 8, 2012, I finally got my chance to see Dispatch live—I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

“We’re so happy to be here with you guys on Thanksgiving,” exclaimed Chad Stokes to the crowd midway through the set. “We’d much rather be here than in the U.S. for Columbus Day—and they didn’t even wake us up at the border. You guys are so friendly!” (Note to American readers: Canadian Thanksgiving is the second weekend of October. There are no pilgrims, but there’s plenty of turkey.)

When I spoke to Brad Corrigan, one-multi-talented-third of the band, a few weeks ago, he described his excitement at being able to play new material after so many years. While the guys did break out several selections from the new album, Circles Around the Sun, this show was nothing less than a journey into the musical history of Dispatch, featuring their rocking-est numbers alongside their folkiest tunes, jams and sing-alongs, crowd participation and no shortage of witty banter.

For just their third show north of the border, as Chad and Brad at one point discussed on stage – “We played once at the Horseshoe Tavern…That’s right, a while ago” – the guys really left it all on stage. They played with a harder edge than I’ve usually associated with Dispatch, channeling the spirit of some of the one-off gigs they played during their hiatus. Some of their live sound this night reminded me a little of the Foo Fighters, equated in my mind with the garage-rock origins both bands share.

I was especially impressed with their ability to take some of their slower ballads, like Two Coins, Carry You and Out Loud, and really rock. Some of the more haunting, somber material from CATS got the same treatment, with Sign of the Times, Flag and Josephine all sped up and electrified. It was a particularly epic version of Flag, with an extended moe.–like jam that really had me moving.

Beginning the show with a blistering version of Passerby that set the tone for the evening, Time Served and Circles Around the Sun announced the band’s arrival in Toronto. Then, just as the crowd started to go nuts with those dark, crunchy opening chords of Open Up, Stokes put a halt to the whole thing.

“Wait – stop,” he said mid-strum, setting his guitar down on the stage in front of him. “I promise we’re gonna play this song, I just want to be able to hear it when we do.” After fiddling with his amp at stage right, he returned to his axe, picked it off the stage and resumed the crowd favourite. It was a candid bit of stage theatre that heralded an intimate and very accessible show.

I admit, I was really hoping for their awesome Open Up/Land Down Under medley, but you can’t win ‘em all. The barn-burnin’ bluegrass version of Flying Horses made up for it.

Ironically, for a place called the Sound Academy there were some sound issues. Trouble setting up the mics delayed the start time by about 15 minutes, and Chad had to make several in-song adjustments to his levels. The guys got around it by using the crowd to the best of our abilities, calling for repeats and audience participation at least five or six times during the show. There was even a little tribute to Harry Belafonte and his classic Day-O back-and-forth, which we all got a kick out of.

The crowd was really great. Incredibly knowledgeable, they knew every word to every song. It was obvious everyone was having a really good – jumping up and down with arms around each other and big smiles, swaying and dancing, people were mostly just happy to get the chance to see Dispatch, and the guys were feeding off that energy.   

I must say, Dispatch’s live dynamic was not what I expected. It was interesting to watch the guys rotate around the stage and trade instruments between songs, double checking for each song whether Pete Francis was playing a guitar or a base, if Brad or Pete was on the drums and which side of the stage they were on. Pete, for his part, is the least vocal on stage – he spent most of the show with a contented smile on his face, just enjoying himself and taking it all in.

Francis is their anchor, holding down the base lines and inserting a perfectly timed Caribbean-sounding solo flourish here and there. Brad brings a more rowdy, east-coast pub-show dynamic that never gets out of hand but almost seems to give Pete and Chad the OK to have fun. Chad is the “frontman,” keeping everything moving and directing traffic, so to speak. These roles, that seem so natural, have evolved over the decade the guys spent apart and are an extension of the confidence the three have gained in themselves individually and in coming back together as a cohesive unit.

All in all, with the highlights of Open Up, Bang Bang, and set closer Bats in the Belfry into Mission, my decade of anticipation came to a very satisfying close. When those classic chords of The General began, I couldn’t help but feel a happy tear in my eye and a smile for things past. 

BREAKING NEWS: DMB in TO

If you listen to the Jam On satellite radio, you know that there is an ongoing debate as to whether or not Dave Matthews belongs in the "jam band" category. If you ask me he does, and it's not just because of who he's friends with or what festivals he's played. Right at the heart of the debate is what exactly a "jam band" is, and for me it's any group that creates spontaneously on stage, going beyond the sheet music, so to speak. Considering that i once saw Dave do a 30+ minute version of #42, among the many 10+ minute ants marching jams ive seen both live and on video, thats good enough for me. The guy just flat out jams. If your convinced, watch The Dave Matthews Live from Radio City Music Hall dvd with Tim Reynolds, then get back to me.

Or better yet - to bring this tangent back to its point - go see Dave live. He has just announced plans for his winter tour, which features 15 shows in the mostly US Northeast, and ONE SHOW IN TORONTO at the Air Canada Centre on December 7. Tickets go on sale October 19 and the supporting act is blues rocker Jimmy Cliff. In other exciting news, indie darlings the Lumineers will also be supporting DMB for the second half of the tour, which is unfortunate for Canadian fans as they recently cancelled a show at Ottawa Folkfest and now look to be occupied for the immediate future.

Get DMB show deets and tix here.

Jim James says Obama for Prez

Just in case you were wondering where My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James stands on the upcoming presidential election, check out this link - he's actually a pretty good writer, it seems.

NOTE: This is not an indication of my political leanings or my support for Obama - I just think it's interesting and well written and i dont really care who Yim wants to vote for, as long as he keeps making amazing music. Enjoy!

The Little Festival That Could

Now that the Ottawa folk festival has had a chance to digest in my system, far from passing right through me, it’s been stuck in my stomach like a good comfort food, warming my bones and lulling me into a contented sleepiness.

Set up in a quiet little green space enclosed by towering maples and evergreens, the festival grounds was large enough to accommodate its biggest crowds, but intimate enough to create an atmosphere for even the sparsely attended performances.

The best thing about Folkfest, perhaps, was that it was true to its name – unlike so many other festivals out there (ahem, “Blues” fest, ahem). It was folky from start to finish, and while many of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival crowd would cringe at the electric guitars and amps many of the performers used, the weekend never pretended to be anything other than what it was.

I have to admit, when I first saw the lineup for Folkfest, I thought, “That’s it?” My expectations were low. Headlining performances by Bon Iver, Ben Harper, Dan Mangan, Great Big Sea and Lyndsey Buckingham at first glance left something to be desired. There was even a day when there were more stages set up than bands performing.

Somehow – perhaps, right according to plan – Folkfest organizers pulled off their most successful showing to date. Now brought to you by the same people who run Ottawa Bluesfest, Folkfest’s scope and ambitions have grown. This year had the sense of a prelude of greater things to come, both from the standpoint of the musical talent and from the capitalist, sponsorship and profit-generating potential. You know what I mean.

Back to the music. To reiterate, my expectations were low. Beyond the headliners, I found myself unimpressed with the rest of the bands in the sparsely populated lineup, with some exceptions. Matthew Good, Matt Mays, Hey! Rosetta, Great Lake Swimmers, Kathleen Edwards, LP, Said the Whale and Alberta Cross are all talented bands, don’t get me wrong, but they wont make me spend $100 on a festival pass.

Or so I thought. As it turned out, the only two shows I was disappointed by were two of the three I was anticipating: Hooded Fang and Ben Harper. I wont say too much about the Ben Harper show because everyone, across the board, seemed to love it, but I found it to be self-indulgent and lacking focus. I mean, who opens a show with a five-minute, meandering xylophone solo? And while Ben did appear to be opening up emotionally to the crowd, I found myself uninspired. For example, he played Burn One Down just a few songs in, almost as if to get it out the way, and sounded more whiny and warbly than he usual does. He did NOT play Burn to Shine, which surprised me, but at least I got my favourite, Excuse Me Mr.

Canadian indie darlings Hooded Fang – whose lead singer, Dan Lee, I interviewed before the fest – appeared nervous. Their on-stage banter was forced and unnatural, and they didn’t have enough material to fill their one-hour time slot. I know that because they told the crowd there was a timer at the side of the stage, and then kept telling us exactly how much time was left. And then they said they had no more material, and the crowd started yelling for them to play everyone’s favourite cover, Brown Eyed Girl. Gotta love a folk festival…

Meanwhile, Matt Mays, Hey! Rosetta and Said the Whale all put on good performances, but the standouts of the fest, for me, fell into two categories: Those who I didn’t know anything about and wasn’t expecting much of; and those I thought I wouldn’t like and who, as a result, blew me away. Examples.

Exhibit A: Whitehorse. This spunky Canadian husband-and-wife duo has that blistering blues-rock guitar sound the Black Keys have built a career around. Plus Melissa McLelland is much more attractive than Dan Auerbach. I was quite impressed with the wall of sound they were able to produce as just two people on stage, with Luke Doucet playing guitar while stomping on drum pedals. A very entertaining performance.

Exhibit B: the headliners. I realize this may be a minority opinion, but i was bored by Dan Mangan’s latest album (the blue one with the Queen on it), and I thought Bon Iver was like a male version of Enya. Well, I don’t know if fest organizers told those guys, “Listen – you’re headliners, you gotta, y’know, bring it.” – well, they did.

Bon Iver, playing under a drapery of canvas canopies that looked to me like a pirate ship, played a very entertaining set. His show is filled with climactic highs and somber lows, with long, philosophical harmonies that feel more like soliloquies than musical notes – it was almost as though I was watching a Disney movie turned into a classic opera, combined with the Eagles. Think about that.

As for Dan Mangan, he didn’t bore me. His set was upbeat and rocked enough that I didn’t leave. That’s a victory for him, because I was going to.

Before I get into my real surprise and highlight of the fest, I would be remiss if I did not mention Yukon Blonde. My third anticipated show (and third time seeing them this summer) was the best, simply because they didn’t even bring a setlist on stage – they just came out and did their thing, played their music, and they tore the roof off. I really like these guys. During the show it began to rain softly and, with the wind kicking up a bit, you could see the drops blowing across the stage and toward the crowd. It was a really cool natural lighting effect and a great festival moment.  

But for me, what was worth the price of admission was Patrick Watson. This Canadian indie band – somewhat pretentiously named after the lead singer/pianist for a group with four-plus members – had a really interesting style I haven’t heard since Supertramp created it. Watson, setting himself up behind an actual piano (by that I mean not a keyboard) is a natural and talented performer, and beautifully combines the softness of his piano with his band’s rock and indie elements, as well as some really interesting, Pink Floyd-esque musical forays into classical and operatic territory. Guitarist Simon Angell has a very David-Gilmour style. I did think, at times, they sacrificed their desire to play a heavier rock sound on the altar of soaring harmonies – but hey, it’s a folk fest, after all.

And so, on the strength of free tickets given away to all the first-year frosh students at Ottawa’s universities to pack the crowd, the Ottawa Folk Festival’s most successful year is in the books. We’re left with more rockin’ memories than we would have anticipated, a satisfying warmth in our hearts and a catchy sing-along tune in our heads. Until next year, when Metallica and Snoop Dogg headline.   

BREAKING NEWS: Sheepdogs announce Canadian tour

I havent posted in almost two weeks because ive been so busy with my new job, but when i saw this update on my phone just now i had to immediately stop what i was doing and check it out - deadlines be damned.

Very exciting news for this enterprising concert-goer - The Sheepdogs have announced a slew of Canadian dates to close out the year. It's the second half of their winter tour through the US, their first real foray south of the border, and they should return to Canada as conquering heroes!

In case it's not clear by the opening paragraph, i LOVE this band. Up till a couple months ago id hardly given them a second thought, but seeing them at Bluesfest was a revelation. They sound just like the Guess Who and they jam like any of the best, with a very Allman Bros/Govt Mule style.

I know what some of you are probably thinking - "ive heard them on the radio and they dont sound that great, just some hard-rockin prairie dudes playing beer-drinkin music." Wrong. Their albums dont do justice to how entertaining and tight their sound is when you see them live. They are so spontaneous and raucous on stage it's impossible not to have a good time.

So check out their new album, which is phenomenal, check out these tour dates, and go to a show. They're still pretty unknown so tix tend to be cheap, but that's gonna change real soon. Im telling you. Ill be at several of these shows, for sure.

November 1 - Peterborough, Ontario
November 3 - Barrie, Ontario
November 15 - Chatham, Ontario
November 16 - Ottawa, Ontario
November 17 - Ottawa, Ontario
November 20 - Halifax, NS
November 21 - St. John, NFLD
November 22 - St. John, NFLD
November 23 - Moncton, NB
November 24 - Fredericton, NB
November 25 - Quebec City, Quebec
November 26 - Montreal, Quebec
November 28 - Kingston, Ontario
November 29 - Guelph, Ontario
November 30 - London, Ontario
December 5 - Sarnia, Ontario
December 6 - Hamilton, Ontario
December 7 - Sudbury, Ontario
December 10 - Thunder Bay, Ontario
December 11 - Winnipeg, Manitoba
December 12 - Saskatoon, Sask ------HOMETOWN SHOW!
December 14 - Edmonton, AB
December 16 - Calgary, AB
December 18 - Kelowna, BC
December 20 - Vancouver, BC
December 21 - Victoria, BC

Whew. Had to type them all out just to get the excitement out of my system.

Guest Review: All Glory, No Consequence for Ben Harper

Ben Harper headlined the first night of the Ottawa Folk Festival and played in front of one of the largest crowds in folkfest history. While I reserve my thoughts for a review piece ill be putting together the fest, my good friend Sam was at the show and enjoyed it so much he was willing to write a review for me! Enjoy.

Last night was, in a few words, a journey into the heart and soul of a musical genius. Having had the privilege of seeing Ben Harper perform several times over the past 10-plus years, it was a pure joy to see him solo on stage. It truly was a special treat to listen and experience Ben in his element. His set list included songs from each of his albums, spanning his entire musical career, as well as some great jams on his slide guitar and piano.  

Each song was played with such bravado and care, emphasizing the importance of emotion and expression when performing. Those of us that were in the front of the crowd could hear a common expression being spoken, “this is Ben Harper exposed.”  

From the very onset of the show, great respect and admiration was shown towards some of Ben’s musical influences including Marvin Gaye, performing his all time classic, Trouble Man, on the xylophone and, later, paying homage to one of his heroes, Jeff Buckley (often referring back to him during the performance. 

The songs performed throughout the night carried an incredible amount of emotion and expression which captivated the audience and kept us wanting more. There is undoubtedly more that can be said about the show last night but words truly can’t do it justice. I am so thankful that I had the chance to share in the music of Ben and the artists that inspired him.

Thank you to the Ottawa Folk Festival for providing a venue that allows musicians to truly share their passion for music.

Sam