Kevin Drew, Austra, Darcys, Reuben/Dark - Field Trip Saturday 2014 (June 7)

The Darcys
Catching most of their set it was.. a lot like their set that I've come to know. The dapper lads (one all in white) were playing their solid rock songs, Pretty Girls included while giving and getting some real Toronto love. They mixed some electronic drum into their tunes too and played us out with a slower synthy number that bordered on prog rock.

Megan Bonnell
On an acoustic guitar with curly hair she was backed by the standard electric guitar, bass and drums, plus backup singer. She had an Irish singing accent which makes the uneducated (me) go straight to the Cranberries. Only catching a couple tunes it was decent and her final track was upbeat as she sang "you are the one!"

Reuben and the Dark

Probably pretty obvious by now but that Reuben sure does have a great voice and it was coming through clear - really good sound off this stage. Only able to stick around for four songs, plus the bonus Rolling Stone that had Reuben climbing up on the drum set as I was walking away.

Austra
I remember being heartily disappointed in being out of town for Austra's big show after the release of Feel It Break and now I would finally got to check her, and the band out. As it turns out I needn't have been so broken up as despite her obviously far ranging vocals the live show was not that explosive. Really unfortunate was that by the time I arrived the lady, all in red, was packing up her keyboard which is what I would have liked to have seen. They played the songs, key/synth/rumbling bass/female drummer but without a real wow factor, and over some pre-recorded vocals that were another letdown. She had a funny squat dance while decked out in sunglasses but her voice was really the redeeming factor, especially on the Lose It remix and strong Beat and the Pulse.

Kevin Drew
His latest release, a first sans Broken Social Scene and not even with a 'BSS Presents..' label (but backed by 6 members including Spearin and others) had come out only days earlier but was an expectedly solid album. Here he got to showcase a good chunk of these new tunes to his friendly hometown audience. Ever the on-stage controlling master he made us get rid of the beach balls bopping around this welcome-to-summer festival - 'I don't dig beach balls' - and even voiced his discontent with a certain musical selection repeatedly made by the new local radio station (perhaps rightfully so, but still.) This was all during Body Butter and Good Sex. It really wasn't a huge surprise to anyone when Feist joined him halfway through his Zack Galifinakas featuring music video tune, You in Your Were. But once again when they lost their spot he made the whole band go back through the latter half of a song they'd just completed to get it right - "don't screw it up this time." He tried to roll with it, saying things like "messy" and "crazy" while smiling but was obviously not so impressed (especially with the techs sidestage). This was before the failed vocal loop where he decided to just keep going - "I'm getting beat up up here." This was before he ventured into the crowd for a ballad to Toronto. The outro to Mexican Aftershow Party really has a familiar feeling as he just keeps repeating it differently - not unlike It's All Gonna Break but without the massive crescendo. In the end he did some straight BSS with Fucked Up Kid which got cut off but at least it was done semi gracefully.

Operators, How to Dress Well, Spoon, Kevin Drew, Eight and a Half - Supercrawl Saturday (Sep 13/14)

Eight and A Half

This trio who has been quiet for some time entertained with primarily new music. It was the same chilled-out, synthy stuff that they hawked on their first disc. With fellow BSS members Kevin Drew and Charles Spearin taking it in from the street in the early afternoon they swirled the music out as the rain began to fall later into the set. This is when the old single Go Ego emerged before they finished with a Stills song that lead vocalist explained they felt okay with considering two of their members came from the now defunct project.

Operators

With the music still being hard to come by the Operators set was attended by those who had likely heard the first single and were taking it on faith that Dan Boeckner would be producing something as worthwhile as his past endeavours. As it turns out, this is a safe bet. Alongside three other musicians, including Sam Brown on drums (including some electronic drums too) and Devojka playing the keys and synths, and the bass player (whose name I missed), Dan inserts his unique howl while occasionally playing guitar and effects from his board - sometimes all three on one track. The music being made is less aggressive than his Handsome Furs output but maintains a likeable familiarity while focusing on the dance, what with all the fun synths provided by the sequined Devojka. "We're more of a night-time band," she quipped, "I don't even want to see those photos you're taking - I probably look like I'm from Ru Paul's drag race." She spoke almost as much as Dan, but the energy from the whole band seemed to be positive as they said they were glad to be back in Canada and at the end of a tour. The most readily available song, True, was a standout before they closed with a tune about going home.

How To Dress Well

Based on the appearance of How To Dress Well it might lead one to believe that the set wasn't going to be much. Tom did not evoke the title of the band in his sweats, often ringing his t-shirt up with his hands to reveal his waistband and stomach between singing into one of his two mics, or often both at the same time. His primary took his definitive falsetto while the secondary ran his voice through effects which he used well. It was his earnestness, plus the lush beauty of the music that made the difference. With a drummer, and a pair of British Columbians ("we're a band from North America") - the male playing violin and guitar, the female keys and synths, they really did make the music swirl when the time was right such as on Set It Right and Words I Don't Remember. The banter was also out-there, not saying a whole lot but doing it with affectation. With the attention given by the audience they played Suicide Dream over piano and violin which was slow and haunting but very, very strong. On other tracks, such as Precious Love. it was a fairly obvious exhibition of Tom channelling his inner MJ through his vocals. On the whole it was almost surprising just how engaging and entertaining the set was. I would be more than happy to watch it again, probably in a darkened bar setting which might be more appropriate.

Kevin Drew
Kevin himself said that this was basically Broken Social Scene, including Justin Peroff and Charles Spearin among others but missing a few members too, as the six musicians playing with him came in and out, swapping instruments and positions, even drums (there were 3 drummers) depending on the song. Out of the gates were a few from the recent fully solo release, Darlings, starting with Mexican Aftershow Party, but also mixing in Spirit If's Backed Out on the.. before returning to You In Your Were, Body Butter and Good Sex. Kevin obviously doesn't shy away from taboo material and gave a shout out to his parents in the same set as playing Fucked Up Kid. Seemingly slightly agitated with the sound crew (when isn't Drew fighting something on stage?) he provided an acoustic intro before launching Safety Blitz with the band. Then we got some BSS treats - Lovers Spit with just the piano, trying to get us to sing along to a new version of a song, then a KC Accidental instrumental (not the BSS song but a demo that he remarked had been sent to Hamilton's Sonic Unyon back in the .. 90's) that Spearin needed to be retaught on the fly. They jammed out on Frightening Lives to close down the band's set and leave Kevin to do a fully acoustic rendition of Superconnected which was a great way to finish out.

Spoon

Hailing from Austin, Spoon have been at it for a long while now. With the streets full, but not nearly as jammed as the hometown Arkells the previous night, they played from across their back catalog. Britt Daniel's voice is the signature of the band but the five-piece's strong use of shakers, tambourines and the like were standout in the live setting - even drumming with a maraca! There were a few keyboards set up throughout the stage as their sound morphed from song to song - sometimes Britt would drop his mic after a lyric to run across the stage and take up post at the piano. The bass player also comically crossed the stage one time just to abruptly stop a cymbal. The identifiable groove of I Turn My Camera On was extended in a long intro before they dropped the tune as part of their slightly-less-than-an-hour set. This wasn't a problem though as they returned with a generous four-song encore, opening with the strong Knock Knock Knock from their equally strong recent return release, They Want My Soul. Too bad they didn't pull out more Gimme Fiction (Sister Jack, Monsieur Valentine would have been appreciated) but they did close with some strong bass lines and The Underdog in finale.

Feist, Hayden, Snowblink,, more - Basement Revue at Great Hall (Dec 20/12)

Expectations were high for the first Jason Collett's Basement Revue outside of the friendly confines of the Dakota Tavern basement and that may not have worked in the evening's favour. It had been billed as a reunion of all of the best of years past back on the stage at the also charming but much larger Great Hall. The Revue has been known to host some rather big acts through its years which lead to speculation and rumours, some built up by Mr. Collett himself in pre-show interviews, that ramped up the excitement.

The host opened the evening with a solo song that brought the focus to the stage for him to then ramble a little further about the night to come. Eventually he gave way to the duo + one of Snowblink who have been very well represented in Toronto of late. The additional female vocals added a new layer to already beloved songs like Unsurfed Waves from the only recently released Inner Classics.

From here there was another romantically linked musical pair in Andrew Whiteman and his bride, Ariele Engle who reinterpret poet Alice Notley's works into songs... on cigar-box guitars. No, it actually isn't a weird as it sounds, especially since Andrew wields his electric guitar (upon which he always slays). Actually it worked really well and was a thoroughly enjoyable set - enough to prompt listening to the EP that is currently out and whet the appetite for the full-length due this year.

Following this was the first downfall of the larger venue where despite Jason's pleading to keep quiet, pay attention and stay off your cell phones the attention was not all there for poet Marie Soliel(?). Her poetry wasn't bad either but it was hard to be entranced by it with all of the distractions.

Hayden fared much better as the notorious recluse was the one true surprise of the night and commanded the attention of the crowd. With a full five-piece band including Lou Canon, and Howie Beck on the drums, they played a couple new songs from his forthcoming album as well as an older Hayden song. This was actually the first time that I've ever witnessed Hayden live and realize just why his shows sell out in a snap. (Anyone have an extra ticket for his upcoming 3-nights in Toronto??) A great lyricist, a natural showman without being showy and a distinctly Hayden voice.

The next poet, Jeramy Dodds, was able to hold the crowd better as his poetry was more obvious and quite hilarious in fact. Finishing with a tongue-in-cheek ode to Canada people were hanging on his words and laughing right along which brought a whole new dynamic to the show.

In keeping with the literary aspect radio host and rapper, Buck 65 regaled us with an excerpt from a story that didn't seem all too believable but was told with the ease of a man who speaks and tells stories  for a living - which goes a long way.

Following was another BSS member - the ringleader, Kevin Drew. He led his band, including Charles Spearin (also BSS) on guitar, through a full rendition of a brand new song called Good Sex and then Kevin Drew's ego launched right back into the exact same song again. It was decent but there's no need to repeat a song, especially when that is all you play.

The Kevin Drew spectacle remained on stage as Chris Murphy (Sloan) performed his party trick - to sing a string of back-to-back-to-back one-liners from songs of yesteryear as heard on some informercial. It was hilarious and entertaining and he didn't falter throughout the 45 second spiel. This morphed right into the introduction of Andy Kim, the co-author of the song Sugar Sugar, and off we went into an Andy Kim led singalong of that old, old tune. It was kinda marvelous!

Next up was a rousing response to the appearance of Michael Ondaatje. Perhaps it was my ignorance to his works but the excerpt he read from his book somehow kept the audience rapt while I couldn't find anything within it to engage me - and it hardly stood on its own. The definite low point in the night for me (though apparently not for the majority in attendance). Fortunately it was all up from here!

As anticipated Leslie Feist finally was spotted on stage, having been mostly lurking out of sight, unlike many of the other performers who were previously spied watching from upstairs. In an interesting programming node Feist was flanked by Snowblink to her right and Aroara to her left, with Charles Spearin holding a bass guitar. It was great to see both these bands performing again after their abbreviated sets earlier and as they played together on a a few (rehearsed) songs from each of their catalogues it proved that this was a mash-up to die for. All three female vocals melded in dream team harmonies. Feist's The Bad in Each Other was a particularly strong inclusion though Snowblink's Pray For Surf would have to be tops for me - otherworldly. In closing they performed Aroara's Number 4 and it was stunning as well though as pretty well all of the performers from the entire night came back out on stage they didn't know what to do and couldn't exactly join in so when the song ended the show came to an awkward, abrupt stop. With all of that talent standing around there was an expectation that magic would transpire... but nothing did, and so after a delay we accepted our fortune and filed out not sure how to feel.

Looking back on the performers it can be said that it was indeed a very strong line-up and an enjoyable evening however the way the expectations were toyed with there is a lingering feeling of a missed opportunity - not quite disappointment but not 100% satisfaction either.

Maybe next year?

Juno Concert Series with Arkells, Beauties, The Order of Good Cheer (Horseshoe Tavern, March 3)

If it was an Arkells show that you'd signed up for that wasn't at all what you got, however in many ways this was more special, and undeniably more unique. This evening at the Horseshoe was a chance to pay reverence to Canadian musicians of yesteryear, or even yestermonth - as tributes reigned supreme and surprise guests arrived in bundles.

Rock me gently, rock me slowly
Up first was the Toronto band The Order of Good Cheer, including an all-white donning Serena Ryder's husband. It was no surprise when she arrived on song two for some guest vocals and stuck around for much of this fully enjoyable set rooted firmly in rock and roll. Tom Darcy also grabbed a mic for a couple songs including Rock Me Gently. Contemporary covers from Jason Collett's mouth were Weakerthans Sun in an Empty Room and Metric's Gold Guns Girls. Kevin Drew of BSS fame played a non-eyewear related Corey Hart song. The highlight came as Billy Talent's main man, Ben Kowalaweicz, tore apart a song and band I'd never even heard before. Surfing on Heroine by the Forgotten Rebels was undeniably punk with a very tangible surfer feel. Excellent way to close the set off.

It may have been for a mere one song, solo, but any chance to witness Ron Sexsmith play is a fortunate chance.

This ain't nothing new to me - well it's just like going home
The six members of the Beauties went straight into Juno territory with Guess Who's Guns Guns Guns (Godspeed Mother Nature) before inviting renowned Toronto musician Ian Blurton out to rip some guitar strings, slag the audience and sing from beyond the beard Weeping Widow. Man of the moment Afie Jurvasen aka Bahamas, replaced Ian on the guest mic next and then gave way to local member of parliament, Andrew Cash. Cash's vocals were fine but the song choice was one I was unaware of and even with Maya Davis of Ladies of the Canyon also guesting, it was a bit of a yawn. The lull continued for me as members of the respected (but boring IMHO) Skydiggers came out. The set was rescued by one of the greatest Canadian songs ever written (my personal bias now bleeds apparent) Hasn't Hit Me Yet originally by Blue Rodeo of course, sung this time partially by NQ Arbuckle's Neville, but primarily by the Horseshoe sellout crowd. Kevin Drew returned for a song about the last night in the city that sounded right up his alley and apparently is one he's been performing with the Beauties for years anyway. Another Skydiggers song closed out the middle frame.

Can I Get a Witness??
Originally I'd thought the billing was as an Arkells set, and having missed their much adored last tour I was hoping for at least a partial set but it wasn't to be. What came in its place was nothing to be disappointed about however. From the top their enthusiasm for the night, for the songs they'd be singing and the artists they'd be sharing the stage with was infectious. A contemporary classic began in BSS' Cause = Time, given justice by Born Ruffian vocalist Luke Lalonde's vocals. From the same approximate era they dug into an Extraordinary Joel Plaskett tune crooned by Emm Gryner as well as Max Herman. By Divine Right were represented next before a slew of guests arrived on stage. Among them were Cuff the Duke's Wayne Petti, LOTC Maya Davis again (she made her presence felt much of the night) a touring member of City and Colour, and the violin flourish of the Great Lake Swimmers' female player. Why such a large contingency? Attempting to give the second Neil Young song of the night a proper sound requires it, and Harvest Moon succeeded because of it. Wayne stuck around for a marvelous Future Hangs from his main band. My personal highlight came in the form of OLP's 4am that featured Jeremy Taggart, as well as Dave Monks and Graham Wright from Tokyo Police Club. That compact disc, Clumsy, was the soundtrack to my generation's musical awakening, as evidenced by the ensuing singalong. Mr. Popular (Drew) returned to complete the trifecta alongside Maya for The Dears You and I Are a Gang of Losers. Probably the closest thing we'd get to an Arkells song was when they alone ripped out Young Offenders by the Cons from who they've obviously picked up the torch in many ways.

Cuz when the feeling's right...
This is all too much really. The display of talent - not only physically on display but also in the songs written by Juno contenders throughout the ages - was simply awesome. How do you wrap this up? Go with the insanely popular crowd pleasers. First get Gord Sinclair and Paul Langois on stage to perform early years Hip classic, Grace Too. Boy did that go off! Untoppable? Try bringing the house down by bringing the Beauties back out for none other than Bryan Adams' Run To You.

Canadian music was rightfully put on display this evening, and it shone bright.

Kevin Drew + The Beauties - Hillside Festival Sunday 2011

Kevin Drew and The Beauties hadn't done a helluva lot of prep for the gig after agreeing to let Kev play with them. Actually the first song was reversed as Kevin started on the drums before moving to lead vocals for Tommy Lee.  The consummate musicians sounded just great backing as Drew sang and were apparently the inspiration to pull off TBTF as a countrified version. The whole crew together had even written a special song that a few fellow female musicians had dubbed 'one for the boys.' Eventually my attention was drawn toward the swimming hole but it wasn't due to getting annoyed with Drew's lead man antics as has been known to happen for BSS. Drew backed by the Beauties was a successful meld.