Live Blogging Olympic Music : Coeur de Pirate & Great Lake Swimmers

February 21, 2010

La Maison du Quebec and Ontario Pavilion sure have stellar musical line-ups despite their horrible lack of getting the word out. Quebec House featured acts such as Malajube, Les Trois Accords and last night's Coeur de Pirate, while Ontario Pavilion rivaled with acts such as the Arkells, Broken Social Scene, and last night's Great Lake Swimmers. It's clear that whomever the artistic coordinators are deserves great kudos. The vast talent of central Canada is further displayed via the Ontario House soundtrack, which featured the likes of Jill Barber and Jason Collett.

Where they differed, however, were the line-ups out the doors. Ontario Pavilion always had at least hour-long trails of people out its doors, as well as a separate line-up for its 4D theatre. Quebec House, in contrast, saw a steady flow of people in and out of its white cube, save for during performances. This meant some finessing when going from show to show; thankfully, they were within 2 minutes walk from one another within the larger Concord Pacific Place, which worked out very well when I went from Coeur de Pirate's set to that of Great Lake Swimmers'.

I try to keep commenting of artists' appearances to a minimum unless it adds in some way to the performance, but it's safe to say that Beatrice Martin, aka. Coeur de Pirate, is a very worthy winner of the CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for Sexiest Musician. A petite blonde coming in at a similarly petite 20 years old, Montreal's CdP dazzled the forlorn Canadian hockey crowd after a 5-3 loss to the US hockey team.

It's tough coming on stage right after a deflating game, but the sweet piano melodies and charming voice of Martin soon had the audience rapt and grinning. She also encouraged spirits by bantering in both English and French, frequently commenting how she loved it when we clapped to her songs-- before, during and after. She wrapped up her lovely set with 3 gems-- a cover of fellow Montrealers Malajube, the big hit "Comme des enfants" and a cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella." Yes, you heard me right. The latter song got an energetic kick as a piano ballad, complete with an adorable french accent. Coeur de Pirate ended by informing us that she was doing another set at 8pm, which was a short 15 minutes later. Although I didn't stay for that set, I'm sure many others got to enjoy her once more.

A somewhat unrelated note: Martin seems to like writing in 3/4 time, which is good news for all you waltz dancers out there.

For the complete Coeur de Pirate photo set, visit my Flickr.

After waiting a short while in line for Ontario Pavilion, I was soon within its reddish-glow bounds waiting for Toronto's Great Lake Swimmers. The crowd was considerably more low key than for Broken Social Scene the night before. Unfortunately, I was standing in between two people who seemed to enjoy their self-proclaimed favourite band by talking loudly through the set. Of course, when security escorted them away from the front, there was a collective sigh of relief.

Outside of some problems with feedback during opening track "She Comes to Me in Dreams," Great Lake Swimmers was as usual-- wonderful, incredibly tight, with Tony Dekker's voice soaring quietly above the beautiful instrumentation of his bandmates. Miranda Mulholland once again joined the Swimmers and, decked in an "I <3 Parkdale" shirt, proved to be a favourite with the audience. Not only that, judging by the time that the spotlight person and cameramen graced her with their attention, the technical crew saw a star in the redhead as well.

After a set representing their entire discography, Great Lake Swimmers were cheered back on stage for an encore, which was not even granted to the rowdy Broken Social Scene crowd of the night before. They obliged by covering Neil Young's "Harvest," and closing off the night with a lullaby "Concrete Heart."

All in all, a great concert, although lacking somewhat in the intimacy that made the show a month ago at the Vogue Theatre so unforgettable.

Here's the set list for the show:

For the complete Great Lake Swimmers photo set, visit my Flickr.

Live Blogging Olympic Music : Jenn Grant & Kathleen Edwards

Since I'm writing this a day late, I can also add-- first female gold medal for Maelle Ricker of North Vancouver in snowboard cross! My mom and I were watching--no, wincing-- throughout the preliminary rounds because of the choppy snow and heavy fog that lingered, necessitating a second qualifying round. And it was in this second round that Ricker came in third, sending her to the race which saw her beat her competitors by a mile and garner the third medal on the troubled Cypress Mountains. Very well done, Maelle, and what a big, contagious grin she bared to the TV cameras!

In a lot of ways, Ricker echoed a lot of the energy that dedication that Jenn Grant and Kathleen Edwards (and bands) demonstrated the night before in their shows at the Richmond O Zone on February 15th. Although the weather had been nice or overcast the entire day, the rain trickled in and came to a downpour once Grant's set began at 8:30. It wasn't just the rain; winds pelted sideways, bringing piles of accumulated rain down from the tarps above the outdoor stage onto the heads of front row listeners. Throughout the sets, especially Edwards', the band had to warm up their hands in between songs, and occasionally in between striking chords. Jim Bryson of Kathleen Edwards' band seemed to wince because some of his riffs simply couldn't happen because of his rigid fingers. But, needless to say, both bands stuck it through the set, and so did the soaked and shivering audience. So whether you were the ski officials up in Cypress or the fans down in the Cultural Olympiad, weather was the foremost thing on your minds.

Jenn Grant opened the night with her quirky voice and light pop. The show in Richmond was the second last of her 14 date Cultural Olympiad tour. Hailing from Prince Edward Island, I previously knew of Grant superficially from a few singles and the glowing recommendations from artists such as Hey Rosetta!. Unfortunately, the weather did not work in her favour, and the intricate and pretty pop orchestrations were largely distracted by the elements and the sheer size of the O Zone compared to the relatively small crowd. I wouldn't write off the show however; the crowd was still very pleased with her music, as well as her jovial banter. I would love to see her again in a smaller, more intimate venue-- indoors.

Kathleen Edwards and band stepped onto the stage amidst roars and applause, which was somewhat more muted than expected due to frozen hands. Edwards was warmly dressed in a poncho-- Peruvian and from her mother, as we were informed in between songs. Guitarist/keyboardist Jim Bryson (and established singer-songwriter in his own right) sported a toque and according to my friend, somewhat resembled Seth Rogen. It's fair to say that no layers were shed in this show. What was frequently shed were guitars; Edwards must've had no less than 5-6 guitar changes. She and band amped up the energy for the show, proving  to be better suited for the venue than their opening act.

Edwards kicked off her hour-plus set with the hockey-inspired "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory." The show was filled with hits spanning from Failer in 2003 up to her latest, and the few times she went slower tempo, it worked in her favour. "Asking For Flowers," the title track off her latest 2008 Polaris short-listed album, was dedicated to the tireless Olympic volunteers. "Goodnight California" showcased Edwards' formidable fiddle skills, which was demonstrated in this one song in the whole set. That's not to say the band didn't pull their weight comparatively; both Jim Bryson and Edwards' husband and lead guitarist Colin Cripps switched between killer guitar solos and riffs and rhythm guitar alternately. Bassist Kevin McCarragher and drummer Joel Anderson kept the rhythm strong and thumping, and bodies in the crowd if not dancing, then at least shuffling enthusiastically.

It's perhaps apt that Kathleen Edwards played the day after Valentine's Day, as her songs are often filled with anguished love stories and fun kiss-offs. It's safe to say that it's always satisfying to listen to Edwards, whether on your iPod or in concert. And I'm very glad to have caught her live in one of her few, sporadic shows.

And of course, it's always nice to get a customized thank-you tweet from the band. Come back anytime, y'all.

And here is the set list for Kathleen Edwards' show. As you can tell, there are 2 new songs, "Mint" and "Empty Threat."


For some free tracks off her older records Failer and Back To Me (2005), check out Edwards' website under the Music section.

Concert Review: Basia Bulat at St. James Hall

My musical weekend began Wednesday night in Vancouver with Basia Bulat's show at St. James Hall. She also played last night at Metro Theatre in Victoria.

2009 Polaris long-listed Woodpigeon opened. He had a lovely high voice which contrasted his low speaking voice. That voice floated over some nifty electric guitar-picking. He sounded hesitant and nervous throughout a good chunk of the set, and combined with the hot and stuffy atmosphere in St. James, made it difficult to stay awake, much less concentrate, unfortunately. He did cover Lay All Your Love On Me by ABBA; along with a song complemented by an audience member (?)'s soaring harmonies, those were the highlights of his set for this reviewer.

Those of you who have seen Basia live (or if you haven't yet-- you should!) surely remember being surprised at her small frame and her large voice. Her warble-y, occasionally breathy yet strong voice convey at once strength and vulnerability, intimacy but enough force to blow the roof off of wherever she may be playing.

She also has a way of making the crowd fall in love with her instantly, as was the case Wednesday when she mentioned that the audience is not at the "stage in our relationship" yet to see her in her glasses, which she was wearing.

Basia plays music to dance to, such as the waltz-able The Pilgriming Vine, and she herself sways her dress to and fro, stomping her boots while strumming her guitar or autoharp.

Basia Bulat has a new album coming out in the new year (January 26th) called Heart of My Own. Many of the songs she played Wednesday night were from the upcoming LP. The set list for that night is to the right.

Go to Basia's website for a free download of a track off her upcoming album called Gold Rush.

Concert Review - Hey Ocean! at Telus Studio Theatre

Originally posted here.

Tonight (September 17), Hey Ocean! played at the Telus Studio Theatre at University of British Columbia's Chan Centre. The show was phenomenal as per usual. More polished than the 3-4 previous times I've seen them... as the set was being recorded by CBC Radio 2; The beautiful albeit somewhat formal setting of the theatre must've helped as well.

The mood was somewhat subdued compared to other shows of theirs. The amount of dancing was about 87.43% less (approximately) and the cat-calls as well. Except for of course, me, who should really be carted around from show to show to make loud noises when it is lacking.

David Beckingham, the guitarist, even mentioned that it was a huge change from playing bars on their tour, to a quiet (but really appreciative) audience in their hometown.

Ashleigh Ball was in top form tonight, lilting her playful voice high and low, spitting rhymes interspersed in their West Coast-inspired set harder, better, faster, stronger. (thought I'd use a more positive Kanye reference.) Her family was in the audience cheering her along, as well as at least one member of local band Said The Whale, whom can be expected to be at any given show in Vancouver.

Hey Ocean! played hits from both their debut Stop Looking Like Music and their sophomore album It's Easier To Be Somebody Else. Their set was also interspersed with new material for their upcoming album, which is still in the process of being written.

Particular favourites from the set for myself included Uh Oh, a new song which I've heard live a couple of times, which is a catchy tune that references hipsters and the infamous Adbusters article about them (or us?). 15 Words is great when Beckingham is sober enough to get the riff right, which was the case tonight. Bicycle is a stripped down little ditty about love and love lost. Beatboxer is always fun and infectious, and Jolene had fantastic harmonies. (Is this the same Jolene who also haunts Jeremy Fisher?)

Another point of note is the new drummer. They've got one, at least temporarily. The last time I spoke with bassist Dave Vertesi (also of local band Topless Gay Love Tekno Party) he had mentioned that this one has promise, and is currently their touring drummer. Unfortunately, I didn't catch his name, but he seemed quite in sync with the rest of the members. After showing off his chops in an extended drum solo, he also proved that he can match the rest of the formidable band in terms of musical skill. This is important, as the biggest draw to Hey Ocean!, besides Ashleigh Ball's captivating presence and singular voice, is the driving and diverse rhythms that compels shoulders to sway and feet to dance. Here's hoping the band will find that percussive match soon, if they have not already found it in this current drummer.

Hey Ocean! is coming to a city near you! Below are some upcoming tour dates, including a stint in the United States. (Playing with Joel Plaskett in Pop Montreal?! Nicely done! Stacked show.)

18 Sep 2009 21:00	The Gateway	Calgary, AB
19 Sep 2009 21:00	Louis’ Pub	Saskatoon, SK
20 Sep 2009 20:00	WCMA Awards	Brandon, MB
23 Sep 2009 20:00	Phog Lounge	Windsor, ON
24 Sep 2009 20:00	Call the Office (All Ages)	London, ON
25 Sep 2009 20:00	The Bombshelter Pub - U of W	Waterloo, ON
26 Sep 2009 20:00	Paddy Flaherty’s	Sarnia, ON
29 Sep 2009 20:00	Algonquin College	Ottawa, ON
30 Sep 2009 20:00	The Ale House w/ Joel Plaskett	Kingston, ON
1 Oct 2009 20:00	Club Soda w/ Joel Plaskett (Pop Montreal)	Montreal, QC
2 Oct 2009 20:00	Blacksheep Inn	Wakefield, QC
3 Oct 2009 21:00	Montreal House	Peterborough, ON
7 Oct 2009 20:00	M Room (Manhattan Room)	Philadelphia, PA
8 Oct 2009 20:00	Piano’s (10 PM)	New York, NY
14 Oct 2009 20:00	M Room	Philadelphia, PA
15 Oct 2009 22:00	Piano’s	New York, NY
17 Oct 2009 20:00	The Rivoli	Toronto, ON
21 Oct 2009 20:00	M Room	Philadelphia, PA
26 Oct 2009 20:00	Uptown Bar	Minneapolis, MN
7 Nov 2009 20:00	NACA West	Portland, OR

Char2d2 Small Vampires EP and Concert Review

Char2d2, consisting of Charla McCutcheon (Bella) on guitar and Eric Breitenbach (Lefinn, Heatwave) on drums, opened for Victoria band Immaculate Machine Saturday, September 12 at the Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver. I was truly blown away by their set, as I had gone in with no expectations and very little knowledge beyond name recognition.
For this reviewer, there are a few things you need to check off in order to deem a set truly excellent.
As for them?
- Packed dance floor after only a few songs: check
- Responsive crowd: check
- Band members sincerely enjoying their time playing together: check (big grins all around)
- Presence of other musicians: check (rumors have it that Tegan of Tegan and Sara was around)
- Positive audience bathroom reviews: check

What truly caught me off guard was the ability of this duo to fill up the lounge with more energy and sonic presence than many considerably larger bands I've seen. Charla's guitars did not seem sparse even without the presence of bass, and Eric kept the rhythm driving and pounding throughout their much-too-short set.

Below is the set list of songs that they played, mostly off their Small Vampires EP (except for the starred ones):

Only Man For Me
You Are A Small Vampire
Don't Want To
I Am Safe
B-Day Girl**
Some Will Have To Go
Torn Apart**
Take and Send

Since grabbing a copy of it at the show, I've been listening to Char2d2's debut EP Small Vampires (what is it with vampires anyway?) on repeat. It's a disc full of lovely romantic pop ditties that are guaranteed to stick in your head.

I cursed myself for not putting the album on my iPod as I was humming You Are A Small Vampire the entire commute to school and back. And why not? Charla has an excellent sense of melody, which is combined with a lovely girlish voice, bright melodies and sweet choruses such as,

can I be the one that you wake up at 6am?
and we talk to the clouds till we fall back asleep again

The result is an uplifting album which will make you vow to love your cherished ones just a little bit more. 

The Small Vampires EP, like their set at the Biltmore, is short and sweet, and ends much too quickly. It leaves you smiling but wanting more, like a single forkful of cake. Hurry up with the full length please!

Small Vampires was written and co-produced by Charla McCutcheon, with the other half of that producing team being Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara. 

Char2d2 will be playing at Victoria's Rifflandia Music Festival on Saturday Sept. 26 at the Metro Theatre. Make sure you catch them; you will not regret it!

You can buy Small Vampires at Maple Music or on iTunes.
You can find Charla of Char2d2 on MySpace and Twitter.