Thursday, March 20. 2008
For me, the opening show of Canadian Music Week 2008 was a packed room at the Kool Haus featuring The Hives with support from The Donnas and The Carps
| Click the thumbnail to view the full size image. All photos by John Hargraft |  |  |  |
The Carps are a hard to place in any one genre duo from Scarborough. A mix of rock and punk with some soul/R&B and a little electro. They are Jahmal Tonge doing the lead vocals plus drums and Neil White playing the bass / computer and also some vocals. It was a short set to try to get the early crowd going but most people really just wanted to see The Hives.
After a short break The Donnas came out to a crowd that had grown and was ready for some Rock & Roll. The Ladies don’t disappoint as rock is what these girls do well.
The band hails from Palo Alto, California. A four piece with Brett Anderson (formally Donna A) as lead vocals. Maya Ford (formally Donna F) on Bass. Allison Robertson (formally Donna R) with the Guitar and Torry Castellano (formally Donna C) on the Drums.
For those who don’t know The Hives are a five man band from Fagersta, Sweden. The Hives came out in their classic matching suits and jumped right into a couple songs from their newest release The Black and White Album. Throwing in a few songs from the previous releases Tyrannosaurus Hives and Veni Vidi Vicious, The Hives rounded out the set list. They played for almost an hour straight with a few minutes break and another fifteen minute encore. The band worked hard on the stage never slowing down for an appreciative crowd.
So all in all The Carps piqued my interest, The Donnas were great but The Hives were fantastic. A pretty good start to what should be an action packed week of musical mayhem at CMW.
Saturday, March 15. 2008
David Monks of Tokyo Police Club
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
by clint gilders - clubkingsnake staff
I'm was walking on air as I headed back to the hotel. If you've been here you know that after 7 days at SXSW to feel like your'e walking on anything but broken glass is a blessing.
For reasons I'm not privy to guitarist Josh Hook couldn't make the performance at the YR Radio broadcast stage today, so David stepped up and did an impromptu acoustic set. I loved it. "Nature of the Experiment" was obviously very different but held up. After his third song the crowd response was so strong that he was asked to play another. Monks said something like "I'll play whatever you want" to which someone loudly replied "Elephant Show!". So we got our encore featuring the title track form their soon to be released debut full length.
Just a cool experience.
Basia Bulat at SXSW 2008
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
by clint gilders - clubkingsnake staff
There's sound checking and then there's sooooound checking until the crowd doesn't really care anymore. Oh, and with SXSW's tight scheduling every minute wasted beyond the 20 minutes after the previous band means you'll have on less minute to impress whomever you're trying to impress.
Basia Bulat and her band did their best to get their stage mix to a point where they could perform at their best. A combination of nerves, which several people standing near me noted, along with a stage crew that seemed to be having a hard time dealing with a band made up of autoharp, viola, and tenor 8 string uke.
Ten minutes into her alloted time Basia gave up and came out to do an a capella number before the packed house (SXSW 2008 Buzz band Vampire weekend was performing here at 11:00). Her voice is beautiful and powerful. Serena Ryder, whom I'd also seen for the first time at SXSW 2007, immediately comes to mind. Then the comparison ends. Basia has also has a delightful delicacy to her voice and a delicous bluegrass vibrato. She, like Serena, is also a stunningly beautiful girl.
Joined by by her band, and still soundchecking and bug fixing along the way, Basia's set was short but it hooked me and everyone else in the room. Like I did after experiencing Kimya Dawson the night before at the Body of War showcase I have vowed to search out and buy her music when I get home.
Blue Rodeo at SXSW 2008
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
by clint gilders - clubkingsnake staff
There were boundless reasons to get excited about SXSW this year, and one them had to be the appearance of Canada's country crossover troubadours. The appearance at Smokin' Music was billed as Blue Rodeo and Friends, and truth be told I would have preferred just Blue Rodeo. They were doing their good Canadian duty and giving an opportunity to some very talented musicians whom otherwise may not get to perform in front of a such a large audience at SXSW. But to bring out Oh Sussana after she just finished her set in front of the same crowd seems a bad choice. The audience that steadily thinned out during her stint as a "friend" seemed to agree. Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet did great jobs and the fellas from the Sadies thoroughly rocked the joint.
Everytime Blue Rodeo lost the friends and did what they do best with songs like "Lost Together", "Hasn't Hit Me Yet", and "Til I Am Myself Again" the crowd would swell, begin moving and begin singing.
The sound in the venue was fantastic and the performances spot on. Cuddy with his leading man good looks and dreamy voice in perfect counterpoint to the rough edges and Dylanesque vocals of Greg Keelor.
I left the hour and twenty minute set happy, but not satisfied. Like a big meal where there wasn't quite enough of the one dish I really craved. Please sir may I have some more Blue Rodeo?
Blue Rodeo at SXSW 2008
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer | 
Blue Rodeo at SXSW 2008
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
Thursday, March 13. 2008
Click the thumbnail to
view the full size image.
All photos by Clint Gilders
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SXSW 2007 was my introduction to The Nightwatchman. A surprise show in a back room at Stubb's jammed between sets on the main stage. I've been singing the praises of Tom Morello's solo creation ever since. After I played Christie a little bit of his music she was interested too, and we made plans to head to Esther's Follies at 8:00 on Wednesday and then over to Stubb's for R.E.M.
Cut to 7:00 pm at the hotel for a quick break and to dump the photos from my camera. I open up iCal to double check the schedule and now The Nightwatchman is listed at 11:00 pm. The SXSW Music Big book says 8:00 though. The only way to be sure is to head to the venue and check the schedule posted on the door, and sure enough Tom goes on at 11 now. I kill 3 hours by heading up 6th street and seeing a couple of forgettable bands and the back to Esther's Follies for a couple more forgettable bands.
11:00 arrives and Esther's is packed. Everyone had been sitting in their seats and acting civilized during he earlier bands but during the changeover the floor in front of the stage quickly filled. We made a dash for the front and staked out prime piece of stage front property.
Tom's set this year was fierier than last year. I suspect he's more comfortable in his Nightwatchman role than he was 12 months ago. We were asked to make the loudest noise in Austin while he tuned his guitar to avoid any uncomfortble dead air. He shouted "they turned off my shit" when his guitar unexpectedly cut only to soon realize it was his own doing and to sheepishly intone "I meant to say I turned off my shit". The set included "One Man Revolution","Union Song","Guerilla Radio", and "Flesh Shapes The Day" and the highlight for me "Battle Hymns". No, Slash didn't show up (like he did at the Parish last year), but late in the set Tom was joined by Ben Harper. It was a fantastic duet with their vocals a great counterpoint to each other.
The set ended with an extended version of "The Road I Must Travel". At one point Tom asked for the house lights to be turned on and for everyone to jump up and down and sing because he thought it would be cool to see. We of course complied and it was pretty cool. Oh yeah, I spotted Perry Farrell singing along in the wings too.
[UPDATE from Christie:] Sometimes it's about the music. Sometimes it's about the power of an idea or a cause. Sometimes it's about being in the place where something new, different, or important is happening. And sometimes it's all three of those things. And that's what The Nightwatchman show at SXSW 2008 was.
I don't think that any words that I can assemble into a coherent statement can do justice to either of the headliners I saw perform tonight. I am just stunned. I will let my pictures talk for now.... more later.
Continue reading "News: SXSW - Van Morrison and R.E.M. - Nuff Said..."
Wednesday, March 12. 2008
After Foreign Born at The Red Eyed Fly I was on cloud nine. An official SXSW party, The Canada Blast, was my next stop. I happened to run in to the fellas from NQ Arbuckle. A Toronto band showcasing this year. They play country folk with some great guitar work by Peter Kesper. The reason I was so hot for the Canada Blast was City and Colour. Dallas Green (get it, city and colour) of hardcore/screamo giants Alexisonfire, this is his acoustic alter ego. Under the warm Texas sun Dallas easily pulled us into his melancholy world. After Dallas was Hot Springs. Slightly tipsy, curvaceous Giselle led us into her rock and roll world. Imagine Victoria Williams sitting in with Jucifer.......but in a good way.
Here's some pics.
I went to The red Eyed Fly and caught Foreign Born. I love this band. Live they are a different beast than that on record. More of an edge, more up tempo. Recorded or live I dig it. I chatted with Louis about vintage gear and their writing. He said that they tend to write slow songs but feel the audience demands something upbeat. All I know is that their set set the stage for today. They played some new stuff some old stuff and closed with the amazing Union Hall.
Here's some pics.
Tuesday, March 11. 2008
Oliver Future at Stubb's, SXSW 2008 -
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
by Clint Gilders club kingsnake staff
Monday in Austin dawned cold a wet. Safe in my hotel room I wrestled with the "free" internet. In this case free means crap I guess. My shiny new MacBook plays pretty well with the WiFi but Christie's evil windows beast won't even shake hands with the the wireless or wired connection.
Late in the afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun peaked out. Now it was time to hit some parties. My first stop was the PhizzPop Design Challenge Finals. What is the PhizzPop design challenge? I'm not sure really, but I do know they gave me a free t-shirt and the gratis G&T had glowing ice cubes in them. There was only a DJ spinning. I set off in search of live music.
Stubb's is arguably the best live music venue in downtown Austin. One problem, it's outdoors. The weather gods were shining on Opera (and a bunch of other venues) though. I saw two cool bands at Stubb's. The first was Oliver Future. Now living in L.A. these Austin natives mix Electro pop with sometimes roaring, somtimes twangy guitars and Bowie-esque vocals. A Fantastic mash-up. The second Gliss. Gliss play the garage rock that I love with a nod to the Brits, some dance beats and ooze rock star. Both have bunch of shows in Austin over the next few days
The climax of my night was to be Tokyo Police Club at the Mohawk. I knew that before I even arrived in texas. I headed to the Mohawk at 10:00pm. Yeah, there were 2 hours until TPC would hit the stage but I wasn't going to risk being stuck listening from the street (ask JeffB about that). 
Tokyo Police Club at The Mohawk, SXSW 2008 -
photo by Clint Gilders - staff photographer |
On my way through the club I stopped for a short chat with bassist/vocalist David Monks. It seems that the airline hadn't bothered to put the boy's instruments on their flight from Chicago. Luckily another band on the bill stepped up and provided guitar, bass and drums.
When TPC took the stage shortly after midnight it was so cold you could see your breath and I'd been standing in the same spot for two hours. None of that mattered the moment they launched into "Box" of their most recent Smith EP, and then "In a Cave" from the soon to be released Elephant Shell. Even on borrowed gear TPC rocked the tiny dark stag at the Mohawk.
Full setlist below:
Continue reading "SXSW 2008: Monday Night Parties, and how to be a rock star on borrowed gear."
Friday, March 7. 2008
TigerBomb
Hi Fi – Leeds - UK
Friday 1st February 2008
http://www.myspace.com/tigerbombuk
 I really should have been snug warm at home with a cup of tea and a DVD, but instead I braved the near arctic Yorkshire weather to arrive at Leeds Hi Fi to see Tiger Bomb. It had been a long time since I’d been so excited about seeing a new band. I’d caught Tiger Bomb for the first time at a venue in Bradford a few days earlier and was immediately intrigued. You just can’t ignore a band with such an eclectic range of instruments. Trumpet, glockenspiel and cello all feature on their CD “Not on My Mountain� and I was eager to hear more from these guys. I wasn’t to be disappointed.
They certainly have an unusual sound, unlike anything I have heard before. To compare them to other bands for a point of reference would be misleading. They flip their style so smoothly without losing any of their own inimitable character, making me smile each time they do as I’m surprised by each clever little sweep. I don’t know how they do it! It could have something to do with the fact that most of the band are music academics and have been playing together since they were in their pre-teen years. It could be that they don’t try to fit into a predictable marketable niche. (I heard that Dan the Front-man refuses to write the catchy pop tune everyone knows he could.) It could be that these guys just really enjoy doing their own thing. Who knows? Who cares? Just keep it coming!
What really strikes me about this band is that everything they do just WORKS. The arrangement is tight and clever. They don’t overuse the trumpet or any of the keyboard effects; they are not a gimmick. It feels like we are being teased and left wanting more each time you hear them. The band’s style isn’t at all contrived but not many could pull it off as well as they do. They look good, but not as we know it. But in today’s plastic and manufactured music industry such innovation is not a marketable commodity.
Unbelievably, Tiger Bomb are not yet signed. Festival organisers don’t really know what to do with them and they are not part of the boring cliques which make up the UK music scene. It appears that for a band to be marketable they need to be part of an already popular genre and innovative bands such as Tiger Bomb are reluctant to conform. Whist the mainstream music channels are chock full of predictable greyscale banality, the really interesting artists are to be found playing small venues. All I can hope is that in a few years time I’ll be boasting about having a drink and a laugh with the guys from Tiger Bomb. These guys really deserve to make it big.
Set list below the jump.
Sunday, March 2. 2008
Marilyn Manson at The Austin Music Hall - more photos...
photo by Jeff Barringer - staff photographer |
by jeff barringer
club kingsnake staff
Marilyn Manson
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
http://www.marilynmanson.com
Marky Marilyn Manson Concert Photos
Saturday March 1st, 2008
Austin Music Hall (Austin, Texas)
Sometimes there is a story within a story within a story within a story. This is one of those stories.
Industrial metal god and whipping boy for the media world wide, Marilyn Manson brought his "Rape The World" tour to the Austin Music Hall last night, before he closes the tour in Houston tonight. I went completely ready to dismiss the show but I was shocked to see how good his set was.
The first time I saw Manson perform, I believe it was his first tour, he was opening for Nine Inch Nails. I had some nose bleed arena seats at the Frank Erwin Center and from where I was I couldn't tell that he had eyes, much less what color they were. I could, however, see what appeared to be an enormous black phallus that he was waving around. Between that, my seats, and an awful sound mix, I let discretion be the better part of valor, and quickly retired to the concession lines for a Coke until Reznor and crew came onstage.
Continue reading "Concert Review: Marilyn Manson at the Austin Music Hall, Austin Texas"
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