Olenka and Slow Down Molasses at Ottawa's Raw Sugar Cafe

On Oct 27th at Ottawa's Raw Sugar Cafe.
Playing there were:
Jonathan Pearce

Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

Slow Down Molasses
Here is a 12 minute interview I did with one member of Slow Down Molasses.


Review of the show is here.

October 24th: Bruce Peninsula w/ Right By Midnight, The Allrights and Brothers Chaffey

On October 24th these bands were playing at Ottawa's Mavericks:
Right By Midnight

The Allrights

Brothers Chaffey

Bruce Peninsula

It was an amazing show.
Reviews are here.

Here are three videos I took on my digicam.
Sorry for the quality on the sound and video.
Steamroller

2nd 4th World War/Satisfied

Crabapples

Stephen Harper does the Beatles ... really

If Ottawa gets around to an election and it goes poorly for our current PM he apparently has some other ambitions. (Don't think I'll be buying the album but...)

Last night at the National Arts Centre Gala in Ottawa the PM showed up and ...

Stephen Harper sings Beatles song with Yo Yo Ma

Raw Sugar Cafe: September 2, 2009

On August 2nd I went to see three acts at Raw Sugar Cafe
They were:
Tissø Lake from the UK

Brooke Manning from Toronto

The Wilderness of Manitoba from Toronto

It was a nice intimate acoustic show for all three acts playing.
Full review is on here.
Listen to the interviews I did with each musicians.
Full review is on here.
Tissø Lake

Brooke Manning with Erin Lang

The Wilderness of Manitoba
The Wilderness of Manitoba: Interview by blurasis

Amanda Putz Returning to the CBC Airwaves

I've just learned that Amanda Putz former host of Fuse one CBC Radio 1 and Waking Up With a Putz on CBC Radio 3 is returning to her roots this fall as the host of Bandwidth.

Now, the obvious downside to that is that it's an Ottawa local music program. It is only heard in Ontario and not in Toronto so if you haven't yet grab your I Heart Radio starter kit so you can listen to the Ottawa broadcast via iTunes.

Sadly there are no plans by the CBC to podcast the show which is a shame. However, if someone were to figure out a good way to record from iTunes, it's possible hypothetically of coure that such a person might slip and accidentally pass the show around via torrent or something. Of course doing so would be wrong and I and NxEW definitely discourage anyone from attempting such a thing unless, as I've said, such distribution were a complete accident which obviously can't be helped, obviously.

Bandwidth will be back in the fall, along with all the other regular CBC programming. Hit up Putzy's Fan Page on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @AmandaPutz to keep up with the details!

David Akin Shares His Record Collection (at least the covers)

If you watch alot of news you probably know David Akin as the National Affairs Correspondent for Canwest News Service (CTV etc.) but it turns out that David started out in Journalism reviewing records for the Univ of Guelph student paper in 1982 then progressed to djing for CFRU and clubs in Toronto and Guelph. He, with friends opened the Trasheteria in Guelph and Peterborough and came up with the name for its sister bar Jimmy Jazz. In the 90s David started a music/lifestyle weekly called Adrenaline - who knew?

David is, of course, now in Ottawa covering people who are far less interesting and make less pleasant noises however, he has recently taken a step back toward music. With Parliament on recess in 2008 Akin acquired a USB Turntable and began to ingest his sizable record collection. He noticed that the album covers assigned to his music were the covers of the CD re-issues and not the original vinyl albums so with a digital camera and some image editing software David Began to fix the problem and has now launched David Akin's Album Art Imporium - a blog with a variety of different feeds where he shares the album art that is supposed to go with his music.

You can find it all at http://www.davidakin.com/albumart/

You can also follow David's political coverage at David Akin's On the Hill and/or find him on Twitter @DavidAkin.

The Wooden Sky: Bedrooms and Backstreet Tour in Ottawa

August 17th, the band Wooden Sky made a stop in Ottawa for their Bedrooms and Backstreet tour.
They played at a nice small store called Canteen.
Here are the photos from the show.
The first band was Ottawa's Old Crowns.

Here is a interview I did with them before their show.
Interview: Old Crowns by blurasis
Here is a photo of Wooden Sky.

After their set I got a chance to do a quick interview.
Interview: The Wooden Sky by blurasis
Overall it was a nice set they put despite being a hot humid summer day.

Arietta in Ottawa

I went to see Arietta play at Zaphod Beeblebrox on July 25th.
Apparently they were suppose to open up for Black Diamond Bay but the drummer fell ill.
So it was just a solo show for Arietta.
Here are some photos.

Also I did a interview with the band.
Its about 20 minutes.
Sorry if the waitress happens to come in part of the interview.

Bear Claps: Interview

On July 23rd (same night as the Bruce Peninsula show).
I interview the Ottawa band Bear Claps.
The members consist of:
Derek Ledoux

Jenna Johnson

Tyson Everitt

I interview them at the chinese restuarant Imperial Palace on Dalhousie St.
Derek: Pop music, more nitty gritty which is more electronic music and pull in folk and rock
Who are your influences?
Derek: Radiohead, Pavement, Modest Mouse
Jenna: Blur
Tyson: Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, My Bloody Valentine
Favorite venues in Ottawa?
All three:Babylon
Derek: Blacksheep Inn
Tyson: Dekcuf used to do webcast shows.
Who have you played with local or out of town musicians?
Locally: New Teeth, Silver Birch Society, Ennuie, Adam Saikaley
Out of town: Mina May, Bruce Peninsula
What's coming up for Bear Claps?
Going into the studio to make an official EP
Here is the audio part.

CD Review on The Sound Technicians

CD Review of The Sound Technicians

by Jade Sperry

Sounds like: power pop with a bit of grunge/glam in the mix

Power pop songs with catchy riffs are what this Ottawa ON band have in this 7-song self titled EP. Kicking it all off is "Reset", which is a fun song with catchy guitar riffs and easy sounding lyrics, followed by "Looking At You" that made me laugh the first time I heard it. It's a solid song musically with melodic guitar riffs, strange noises that compliment the guitar riffs, solid drumming and interesting lyrics that really mimic being at a concert. "Po Boy" is a song that slows it down somewhat and is interesting in the sense that it's more of an observation song. I can see the front man and bassist, Pete Ling, watching someone like the poor boy in the song. It's also an interesting song musically with frequent stops and starts but it works. "Aldo Nova" is a much slower tempo song about the 1980's singer/songwriter Aldo Nova, who Pete admires quite a bit, and it's a tribute to him. Quirky lyrics and noises make this song a memorable one. "Not Coming Home" is a song that is power pop at its best. This is a song that is for dancing and grooving to, with drums that are solid and bass lines that jump with the guitar. "The Sun" is an interesting song that feels very mellow although it's up tempo with a bit of hip-hop lines thrown into the mix. It's an original song that gets crazy towards the end and is a lot of fun. "Make A Million" is the final song in this line up and I feel that this song is one of the better ones. It's a song that makes you want to get up and dance. It also gives you some kind of inspiration that maybe one day you could also make your mark on the world, not so much in a financial sense, but in an original one of a kind way. All in all, this is a fun, energetic and crazy EP that shows this band is going on to bigger things. There's no need to run out to your local CD store to buy it... as the album is exclusively available electronically on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody and eMusic. You can find the band's website here and their My Space page here.

Bluesfest: Day 2

July 9th was my favorite night of Ottawa Bluesfest.
It was better than Day 1 mostly because I knew the bands/musicians that were playing on Day 2.
I had a great time running over from stage to stage.

The acts that I got to see:
Kyrie Kristmanson
Kyrie was totally amazing live. She wore her famous white fuzzy hat during Song X but took it off after it.
Nice to see her back from France for the summer.


Holy Fuck
Loved hearing Milkshakes and some new tracks.
They were absolutely amazing live and I was happy to catch Lovely Allen at the end.


Metric
Seen them alot of times now. Glad that they sang "Help! I'm Alive" live.


Iron & Wine
I wish I got to stay longer for his set.
Sad that I missed out on Such Great Heights


Ben Harper and Relentless7
All I have to say that he was totally loud.

Great Lake Swimmers Interview

This interview was originally played on CKCU FM 93.1 in Ottawa on the June 23rd edition of the Tuesday Morning Special Blend which airs every Tuesday morning from 7-9am. It was originally posted on the shows website which can be found here.

The new album, Lost Channels, by The Great Lake Swimmers was one of ten albums included on the short list for the 2009 version of the Polaris Music Prize. On June 19th they played a show in Ottawa at First Baptist Church located at the corner of Elgin and Laurier. Prior to the show I spoke with the lead singer and songwriter for the band, Tony Dekker. The interview can be found below. In the interview we talk about a cover version the band did of Neil Young and Crazy Horse's song "Don't Cry No Tears". I have included videos of both songs below.

Listen to the interview.

At the end of the interview I throw to the song "I will never see the sun" from the band's self-titled debut album. Since this isn't live radio you can hear the song by clicking here.

Bluesfest: Day 1

July 8th was the start of the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.

Highlights that I covered:
Amanda Rheaume

Flash Lightnin'

Amos The Transparent


MonkeyJunk

Jon & Roy

Jeff Beck

CBC Radio on Canada Day: Justin Rutledge, Julie Doiron & Maybe Smith

This year, for the second time, I spent Canada day in Ottawa. I went up to Parliament Hill around noon and had a look at the massive crowds then wandered over to nearby Magor's Hill park to see what was going on there. CBC Radio was about to start their songwriters circle with Justin Rutledge, Maybe Smith, Julie Doiron and the Sojourners. Unlike Parliament Hill I was able to walk right up to the stage - so I decided to hang out. Sadly I couldn't find a good camera angle for the Sojourners - every time they stood up they were blocked by a railing on the stage and I couldn't actually see them. There were a few songs by the others that I missed for various reasons (mostly technical.) This should give you some idea though:

Justin Rutledge at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 1



Julie Doiron at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 1



Maybe Smith at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 1



Justin Rutledge at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 2



Julie Doiron at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 2



Maybe Smith at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 2



Justin Rutledge at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 3



Julie Doiron at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 3



Maybe Smith at CBC Canada Day Songwriters Circle Pt 3

>

Jenn Grant Interview

Originally posted to the website for the Tuesday Morning Special Blend on CKCU 93.1FM in Ottawa. To subscribe to the podcast just search the iTunes directory for CKCU Fanclub and subscribe.

On Friday, June 12th Jenn Grant played at Westfest. Prior to the show I spoke with her about her new album Echos and the process of writing and recording the follow up to her critically acclaimed album Orchestra for the Moon. If you missed her at Westfest you can catch Jenn at Bluesfest this year as well.

At the end of the interview I throw to the song "You'll go far." Since that doesn't work when not listening to Mike and I live on Tuesday morning I have included a couple of videos of the song.

1) Jenn playing the song at Westfest that night.


2) A live version of the song at Verge Fm studios. The audio on this one is much better.



Adam Talks with Jenn Grant

Ottawa's Westfest Showcases Canadian Talent

Taking place every June, Ottawa's Westfest is one of the Nation's Capital's best kept secrets. A free and truly local festival, held in the Westboro area of the City, Westfest always creates a fun and vibrant atmosphere with a strong focus on local arts in all disciplines, including music, performance art, literature, spoken word, media art, visual art, dance, theatre, and live animation.

The music line-ups have always been great, and 2009 is no exception. Free shows take place all weekend - Friday evening, Saturday late afternoon and evening, and Sunday early afternoon and evening. Here's just a sampling of the great Canadian acts you can check out:

Danny Michel, Jenn Grant and ARCTIC tonight;

Prairie Oyster, Lynne Hanson and Ladies of the Canyon on Saturday night; and

Ottawa (and my) favourites The Acorn on Sunday night, along with ska legends Rudeboy, and local uber-producer and musician Dave Draves.

Those are just the night time headline acts: check out the Westfest artists listings for full details on this great event.

Skate4Cancer in Ottawa

It was a very cold Sunday evening down at Confederation Park.
The free all ages event was called Skate4Cancer, where it was organized by Rob Dyer.
To bring awareness about cancer and how it has affected in people's lives.
Also there was music and playing there was:
Steve St.Pierre (who usually plays in the band Anchors)
The Love Machine
Brighter Brightest
Photo of Rob Dyer.


First up was Steve and he sang some of his solo.
It was a nice settling with him and his guitar.
He sang a cover of MGMT's Kids which was amazing to listen to.

After him was the Love Machine.
I never got to hear them live acoustically.
They were amazing doing it without the electric instruments and drums.
Shows that they can really belt out their own tunes acoustically.
Sang Squirrels, Love Is On Your Side, Amos the Transparent cover and a new song.
Great performance.

Finally it was the Brighter Brightest from Aurora.
It was only two members that played acoustically.
Sang mostly from their EP.
They were great live with just their guitars.
If they come back to Ottawa, I would like to see the whole band play live.


Overall it was nice intimate and cold event in the park.

Oh No Forest Fires, Dinosaur Bones and Arietta at Mavericks in Ottawa

Last night it was a triple bill of Toronto acts at Ottawa's Mavericks.
It was Oh No Forest Fires,Dinosaur Bones and Arietta.
It was a fun show.
Here are some photos.

Coverters & Black Hat Brigade at Cafe Dekcuf

On May 22nd i(heart)music got Black Hat Brigade to Ottawa.
It is their third time in Ottawa.
I was happy to see them again.
I guess you can say "Third times a charm"??

The first band to play was an Ottawa band called Converters.
From what I was told from Matt of i(heart)music was that it was either their second or third show meaning that they are new band.
They were great, rocking it up.
The lead singer sound very much like Roy Orbinson.
Maybe they will get to play more show in Ottawa and beyond.


Waiting a few more minutes for Black Hat Brigade to set up.
They have alot of equipment to put up on the stage and it was crazy.
They were very amazing and love their high energy sound.
They are a band you have to see live. Why? Because each members (minus the drummer) alternate turns in playing a different instrument and vocals.
Its great to see the dynamic of the band and never gets boring if its the same old routine.
I recommend that seeing them live.

Get their new CD called "Fathers"

Review: John Allaire's Great New Record

Alright - I am totally excited about John Allaire's new record being released next week: Up Hill...Both Ways. Not surprising given my previous post on his music. If you live in Ottawa, you'll have no fewer than four chances to hear him live next week: May 21st on my radio show, the Thursday Morning Special Blend on CKCU, after 8:00 a.m., May 21st, 12:30, at Ottawa independent music store Compact Music, May 22 at Club Saw (CD Release Party!) and May 24 at the Blacksheep Inn (with J.P. Ranger - A concert in support of The Weekend to End Breast Cancer). No surprise that Allaire is an Editor's pick in the Ottawa Citizen.

I sure hope we'll hear plenty from this new release. Here are my first impressions: this is a great record. Excellent production, great sound, nice contributions from Tara Holloway and Amanda Rheaume. And a showcase for an evolving singer-songwriter pushing the envelope a bit but also doing what he does best: heartfelt troubadour songs about real people.

Opening track "Highway 105", a reference to the Quebec highway that heads north from Ottawa to Wakefield, Gracefield and Maniwaki, starts out with a woeful harmonica line but then kicks into a beat sounding like a train rolling through the country side - no doubt a reference to the steam train in the song and the one that heads north to Wakefield. With a nice country twang, this opening track sets gets you in the mood for the rest of the record.

The gears shift abruptly with the next track, "Lonesome Fiddle". And what a song - a beautiful story about a working man whose soul is found in playing fiddle at home. With lovely fiddle sounds (courtesy of Nathan Smith), Allaire paints a wonderful picture of one of the many unsung musical heroes amongst us. The best thing about the track is that Allaire is confident to allow his voice carry the theme - a voice sung over moderate and lovely guitar picking, expressing the joy of music: "The sound of the mountains, the vibration from the strings. the caress from his fingers, and the way rosewood sings...."

After these two different tracks, Allaire heads straight into slow rocker territory with "Trails in the Sand", featuring accompanying vocals from awesome Ottawa blues artist Amanda Rheaume. These two have collaborated together before, and the result is magic. And I love the anxious musician reference: "pass the courage between sets". Ottawa natives will note the reference to heading past the Mayfair - a reference to Quinn's Ale House?? Rheaume also sings backup on "Sunday in June", another great country rocker featuring some great slide work. [And Amanda will be on my show on May 28th....] The slow rocker theme continies with "She Walks on Water". There's a great crunchy guitar sound here, reminding me a lot of Crazy Horse. And Allaire does Young to Crazy Horse well.

On of the features of the record is the Pete Seeger-inspired "Swing the Hammer Down", a fantastic duet with Sara Holloway. Featuring an old timy sound with fiddle and banjo, this track is an upbeat, joyful tribute to everyday life - work of course, moving on when you need to, and the simple things. A great refrain and good advice: "Hey, breaking for the light when we swing that hammer down".

"St. Eugene" is one of the standout tracks. A pretty song, featuring a mellow, nice harmonica line. A lot of Allaire's songs are rockier, which can overwhelm his voice. This one showcases it so well - this reminds me a lot of John Prine - in vocal style and lyric - a postcard description of everyday people. "Magnets" is another showcase for Allaire's voice, and it works so well with the mellow guitar picking and slide guitar. A song about love gone bad, Allaire uses unique and compelling metaphors to convey his feelings - hallmarks of a great songwriter. This track features one of my favourite lines on the record: 'And I’ve got steel in the soles of my boots. And you’ve got magnets in the floors'. We've all been there, I'm sure, but Allaire captures that trapped but seemingly free feeling perfectly.

"Candy Apple Killer" is the fun track. First heard on my radio show, this is a foot stomper about about a wild, cash spending good for nothing partner. Allaire has a great sense of humour, and it shines here. Set in an amusement park, this song hits all the high points of this unique feature of North American culture. I love the line about the bingo tent: "She knows the caller's name which is kinda creepy". Save this one for late in the show, John, it'll go really well after a lot of pints.

At this point the record shifts into experimental territory. "The Sonic Properties of Fire" features standard guitar sounds - slide, acoustic strumming, rockier refrains - but the key to the track lies in the contrast: this is a far more serious song lyrically, and finds Allaire using spoken word as much as singing, with a little hip-hop beat. Sounds odd? It works. and the highlight is the echoed vocal: "I hear the sound of you burning books. I feel the heat of the words you took." A standout track for sure.

"What it Takes" is a straightforward rocker with back up from Tara Holloway, and this one should get some radio play. Perfect for a sunny summer day, this is a song about hope, and it's amazing how well Allaire captures these sentiments. But that's what comes from experience - a former member of the Town Criers, Allaire has been writing a long time but, more to the point, observing for a long time.

The last track - "Reels and Breathes" finds Allaire experimenting again. It's as if we've been rocking all night but have retired to a mellow lounge for a nightcap. It works well - soft jazz horns, and the whispered haunting refrain "Ella respira" from Tara Holloway, and echoes on Allaire's singing. And another great metaphor to end the record:
"Meanwhile as I search to find the keycard for my mindThe bellhop takes my thoughts, but he leaves my bags behindThe concierge reminds me that she checked out long agoShe’s the real star, I’m a cameo."

John Allaire is a fantastic singer/songwriter and an even better performer: check him out live if you can and buy the record, some T-shirts - whatever. It's on vinyl too!! After the gigs in Ottawa, John is heading out on a busy tour in the U.S. We look forward to another great performance at the Bluesfest in Ottawa (July 18) and the Blacksheep Inn (Aug. 20). Toronto fans can see him out Aug. 21 at the Tranzac Club. London fans can see him Aug. 22 at the London Music Club.

White Whale 5th Anniversary in Ottawa

Saturday night I went to the White Whale 5th Anniversary party at Babylon.
White Whale Records was located in Vancouver but moved to Toronto.
It was a nice night of White Whale's finest acts.
Playing were:
The Mohawk Lodge
Octoberman
Tusks
Poorfolk

I totally enjoyed it.
Great to hear rocking music.

The Mohawk Lodge was great to see.
Jon from Poorfolk was playing guitar in that band.

Octoberman was amazing.
Previewed alot of new materials.
Nice to see a great line from the band that were playing.
I can't wait for the new album in the summer.
Didn't sing "Run From Safety".


Tusks was amazing to see live again for the third time.
Great band to check out.

Poorfolk totally rocked the final set.
Love people going on stage during "Stupid As A Tank" and singing and play whatever instruments is available.

All four set were about 30 mins yet.
Five years and still hoping the best for that record label.
Keep up the work White Whale.

Ennuie @ Avant Garde Bar

The Ottawa indie-duo Ennuie had their CD Release party.
It was a fun night of indie pop-dance at the Avant Garde Bar.
They finally released their full length album called "The Lady and the Unicorn".

Rich Aucoin @ Cafe Dekcuf

Rich Aucoin was in Ottawa on May 7th.
He played at Cafe Dekcuf.
I was there for about 4 songs.

He did abit of Dr.Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
Previewed a few new tracks.
It was a fun set.
Can't wait for his album.

The City Above/Opopo/Politique at Zaphods

On Friday night (May 1) I went to see three bands at Zaphod Beeblebrox.
It was a nice show.
The City Above


Opopo


Politique

Kelp 15

Last night was the beginning of Kelp Records 15th Anniversary.
It will be three days of six different events to celebrate the works of this Ottawa-based record label.

To kick things off they held a show at the Mayfair Theatre.
Playing there was Anders Parker, Jim Bryson and The Acorn.
Here are some photos from last night.
Anders Parker:


Amanda Putz introducing Jim Bryson on stage:


Jim Bryson:


The Acorn:


During the intermission, I was looking for whoever was around and ask them this question.
I didn't know I gave them such a hard question but here are the answers and sorry for my spelling mistakes.
"One word to describe Kelp Records perfectly?"

Jim Bryson: Eventuality

The Acorn:
Jeff Debutte - Family
Rolf Klausener - Relentlessly
Howie Tsui - Geezerbag
Jeffrey Malecki - Love
Pat Johnson - Amazing
Mike Dubue (Also from the Hilotrons) - Shayne-Cox

Andy Swan: Lycanthropy (I need to actual spelling for that word)

I asked two people from CBC Radio (Hope someone will like this one?).
Amanda Putz: Sexitude
Alan Neale: Scumdelicious

Here's to Kelp being 15!

Shout Out Out Out Out/The Cansecos @ Babylon

My summer has kind of already started.
Last night I went to see Shout Out Out Out Out and the Cansecos.

Just have to say Shout OutX4 just blew me away and I never danced my butt off.

The first band was The Cansecos.
They were really great.
Enjoyed their electro-disco alternative rock sound.
I bopped to some of their tracks.


While waiting for Shout OutX4 to set up on stage.
There were alot of equipment on stage.
It was insane, two drums, two keyboards and various electronics.
When they started, people just crammed near the stage.
Everyone were dancing away.
I never expected this show to be this amazing.
They were promoting their new album.
Lots of fun electro-dance beats.
Surely you have to check them out live.

Said The Whale/Hey Ocean! at Zaphods

Last night I went to see Said The Whale and Hey Ocean! at Zaphod Beeblebrox.
It was due in part with the BC Scene happening in Ottawa.

I had a fun time seeing both bands.
Said The Whale played some new songs.
Can't wait for the new album in the fall.
Of course played the older stuff from the Howe Sounds album.
Said The Whale:


Hey Ocean! put on a wild and fun show.
Hey Ocean!:

Ottawa Bluesfest Showcases Canadian Talent

Justin's already made a post about the great Canadian line-up at the 2009 Ottawa Bluesfest (the corporate folks out there call it the Cisco Bluesfest). But this is a huge deal for me so here comes some more detail.....

Music fans in the National Capital Region know that July is Bluesfest time, and that the Ottawa Bluesfest is one of the best music festivals going in Canada. Although a "blues" festival in name (which attracts many great blues artists), the Ottawa Bluesfest always has a stellar line-up of musicians from a wide variety of genres. The festival just announced the 2009 line-up, and I am most impresssed. Jeff Beck, The National, Okkervil River, Iron and Wine, Steve Earle, k. d. lang, Neko Case, Ornette Coleman, the Dodos and many many more will be performing.

But the best news is the Canadian content! The Ottawa Bluesfest will showcase a number of fantastic acts, many local to Ottawa, and some of which have been the subject of this very blog. It's too hard to list them all, but here are some highlights:

Marc Charron - I wrote about Marc here just a short while ago, and he will be performing with a great band. Read my post. And see Marc live.

Ottawa blues diva Amanda Rheaume - always a favourite on blues stages, Amanda delivers a fantastic performance every time.

Amos the Transparent - a major fixture of the Ottawa live music scene, hopefully playing many great tunes from their latest CD.

Andrew Vincent - Kelp Records stalwart and well loved and missed in these parts. Great new record. Better live. And check out Kelp's 15th Anniversary too.

Brock Zeman - from Carleton Place, Zeman has played many a show here. I've seen him at Irene's and at the Elmdale. Steve Earle voice comparisons aside, he is a fantastic singer/songwriter.

Good2Go - bluespunkskarock - whatever - Ottawa's Good2Go will have folks shakin' all the time.

John Allaire - John had a big break performing at Bluesfest last year. This year he'll be promoting a new record. Check out my post on him here. If you don't believe me, just see him live. And listen to him live in the studio on the Thursday Morning Special Blend on CKCU May 21st.

Handsome Furs - Couple Alexei Perry and Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) mix electronic beats and breaking guitars over Boeckner's wonderful voice. A can't miss show.

Hey Rosetta! - Orchestral indie rock from Newfoundland - Hey Rosetta! cleaned up at the ECMAs, and they'll show you why.

Jill Barber - sweet songstress from Halifax will steal your heart.

Ken Workman and the Union - Ottawa-based roots rockers will wow the hometown crowd - drummer Ian Cook has been on my radio show, and I hope to have Ken on between now and the summer.

Library Voices - Hailing from Saskatchewan, their show at Zaphod's last fall was probably the single most impressive concert I saw all last year. And maybe even longer. Don't miss this fantastic band, which I hope will be playing lots of new tracks. And check out my post on the band here.

Lindsay Ferguson - one of our favourite singer/songwriters, Lindsay scored huge with her breakthrough full-length Sound. Soulful singing and heartfelt lyrics: Lindsay will steal your heart, soul and mind. Oh, and we hope to have her on the Thursday Morning Special Blend on CKCU on May 7th....

Meredith Luce - what can I say here - started out with a little EP, played tons of gigs around here, and now has released two fantastic full length records. A great musician, a great songwriter, a great person.

The Duhks - Winnipeg based, this band has a solid pedigree in the folk/world music world. The Duhks are tight, talented and terrific. And they're just plain ol' fun to hang out with (I got to spend some time chatting with them a while ago in the Caribbean). Do not miss their set!

Tympanic - What a break for the local youngsters in this band! Rock, funk, jazz, R & B, pop - this is rhythmic music for your soul. I hope to get them on my show before the summer.

These are only some of the great Canadian acts you'll see at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Ticket and schedule info can be found at the Bluesfest's website. Check them all out, and remember this: your ticket price allows you to see some fantastic live music, but buying CDs, T-shirts, posters, and other merch helps keep these great artists live. Do what you can to support them.

Ottawa Bluesfest Lineup Announced

Trendwhore has the lineup for this year's Ottawa Blues Fest. It is a long, long list but it includes Andrew Vincent, the Arkells, Beast, Blue Rodeo, Crystal Castles, Flecton Big Sky, Handson Furs, Hey Rosetta, Hollerado, Holy Fuck, the Human Statues, Jenn Grant, Jill Barber, K.D. Lang, Land of Talk, Library Voices, Meridith Luce, Mother Mother, Neko Case, Sam Roberts Band, Sky Diggers, Sunparlour Players, the Stills, United and Steelworkers of Montreal!

A full list is available here or at the Ottawa Blues Fest site which also has the full schedule (by stage etc.)

Luke Doucet Blood's Too Rich Ottawa Bluesfest 08

Bell Orchestre @ First Baptist Church

On April 18th, the Montreal band Bell Orchestre played at Ottawa's First Baptist Church.
It was a lovely show.
They were promoting their new album As Seen Through Windows.
Here are the photos:


It was almost as close to attending to something Arcade Fire-ish.

Hooded Fang @ Zaphods

Here is a photo from Hooded Fang on April 15th in Ottawa's Zaphods.
They opened up with the Whitsundays.

Show review on here

Torngat at Zaphods video

Video from the Ottawa show on April 9th.

Torngat @ Zaphods from Ming Wu on Vimeo.

Kyrie Kristmans at Compact Music

Kyrie Kristmanson is a Ottawa singer.
Right now she is in France studying abroad.
Yesterday she was in Ottawa, promoting her album Pagan Love at Compact Music.
Also she will be opening up for Buck 65 at the Black Sheep Inn on April 11th.

Here is a video clip of her singing a new song.
Sorry if you hear the motoring sound on my digicam.

Kyrie Kristmanson @ Compact Music from Ming Wu on Vimeo.

More on the Kelp Records 15th Anniversary Weekend

Not too long ago I did a post on the Anders Parker/The Acorn/Jim Bryson concert that Kelp Records is putting on (at the Mayfair Theatre) as part of its 15th Anniversay concert weekend here in Ottawa. But don't think that's all that's going on. Every year, the Kelp anniversary weekend is jam packed full of great shows by awesome musicians. If you live in Ottawa, check some out (Kelp will dare you to go to all the events). If you don't live in Ottawa, this is your chance for a nice weekend away. Here's the schedule:

THURSDAY APRIL 30 9pm
Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank): The Acorn, Jim Bryson, Anders Parker

FRIDAY MAY 1
6pm Kelp 15 Art Show WIP Gallery (73 Preston @ Elm):Piet Masone, Andrew Vincent (solo)
9pm Elmdale Tavern (1084 Wellington): Camp Radio, Andrew Vincent, Andy Swan, Micarza Camaro
1am Raw Sugar (692 Somerset): DJ Geoff Brown + special guests

SATURDAY MAY 2
12pm Steve Vardy Pulled Pork Party! Carleton Tavern (223 Armstrong): w/ Chris Page, Yellow Jacket Avenger, Centretown Cripplers
9pm Gluepot Pub (340 Queen): Nutsak (members of The American Devices), The Flaps, Flecton Big Sky, Rhume

Weekend passes are only $15 (the Thursday Parker/Acorn/Bryson show is ticketed separately).

Help Kelp celebrate 15 years of great music!

Souljazz Success Story

One of the greatest Canadian music success stories over the last five years or so is the Souljazz Orchestra. The Ottawa six-piece (Pierre Chrétien - electric piano, clavinet, organ, percussion, vocals; Marielle Rivard - shekere, tambourine, vocals; Steve Patterson - tenor sax, percussion, vocals; Ray Murray - baritone sax, percussion, vocals; Zakari Frantz - alto sax, flute, percussion, vocals; and Philippe Lafrenière - drums, percussion, vocals), perform room lifting, butt-shaking soul music in all its many forms.

In 2002, these musicians started mixing a blend of jazz, R & B, African, Latin and more influences, creating a delicious stew of funky music which starts in the groove, grabs hold of your heart and soul, and keeps you moving 'til the end of the show or the record. Their first record, Freedom No Go Die (Toronto based Do Right! Music), was released in 2006 to much critical acclaim, notably catching the attention of BBC DJ Gilles Peterson. Peterson's listeners eventually voted "Mista President" as one of the top ten tracks of the year.

The band also had a regular gig at Ottawa's eclectic Babylon Nightclub, where local music fans were treated regularly to Souljazz's legendary, energetic live shows. But the band is no stranger to touring outside its home base, spending plenty of time honing their chops during tours across North America and Europe, often sharing the stage with world music luminaries, including the likes of Femi Kuti and Etta James.

Last year, Souljazz released the stellar follow up, Manifesto (Do Right! Music), which made many top 10 lists for 2008. From the Souljazz website:

Manifesto is the Souljazz Orchestra's latest endeavour: the powerful chants, majestic brass, overheated organs, chicken-scratch guitars, hypnotic bass and polyrhythmic percussion mix dirty funk and tropical jazz to the band´s signature militant afrobeat.

Not content to stay with their already wide-ranging world/funk/soul sound, Souljazz recently collaborated with reggae legend Horace Andy, re-arranging "Watch Me" into a 'bumpin' afro-reggae thing'. That record (on Strut) is set to be released in the next few months.

Souljazz is another testament to the success of Canadian music abroad. Souljazz hit Europe again in April and May, starting in England and ending up in Finland, with many stops in between. Ottawa fans, however, are in for a treat: Souljazz Orchestra return to the Babylon Nighclub on April 4th starting at 10:00. Don't miss your chance to see a phenomenal live show from an awesome Canadian band, and wish Souljazz Orchestra well on the tour.

At the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, with new track "State Terrorism":

A Bloggy B.Day Card for A.Putz

Radio 3 is safe and will be on the air for another year, but Amanda Putz is still not on the air anywhere. Hopefully someone at the Ceeb will wake up and fix that soon.

Amanda is one of the most passionate advocates of and for Canadian music, especially among people who are on the air. She was the host of the best music program on Radio 1 : Fuse (you can still find recordings of the show at that site) - then Fuse got cancelled. Then Amanda became the host of everyone's favorite Radio 3 show Waking Up With a Putz - that got cancelled too. She is also the person who brought you the first Country version of the Radio 3 Podcast which featured Corb Lund, Kathleen Edwards, Ridley Bent, Meredith Luce, Luke Doucet and Matt Masters among many others and she brought you the first episode of the Radio 3 Podcast for Kids.



She brought you the truth about beards


and then proved to be a master of the eggshaker


She also hosts concerts in her living room


and if the city of Ottawa ever (egg) shakes it's reputation as being dull and bureaucratic it will be largely thanks to her efforts and if the CBC doesn't find a way to get her back on the air it will be a sure sign that talent and passion are not factors they consider when making programming decisions.

Amanda is working behind the scenes on Canada Live now but this Sunday is her birthday and I thought it was a good time to remind her that even if she's not on the air, we haven't forgotten about her.

Happy Birthday Putzy!

Ottawa: Howie Beck @ Cafe Dekcuf Mar 26th

For those in Ottawa Howie Beck will be in Ottawa on March 26th at Cafe Dekcuf 

Opening up will be Angela Desveaux and For The Fairest.
Its also going to be taped for CBC Radio 2's Canada Live program.
So I am just spreading the word out and get people to check out this show.