The Sadies Live at the Biltmore

The Sadies stormed their way into a sold out Biltmore Cabaret for the second show in as many nights in conjunction with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. And they certainly didn't show any signs of wear and tear (any more than usual) as they ripped through a rollicking 2-or-so-hour set to a supremely psyched audience.

Now a little back story on what led me to the Sadies last night. Last summer I was lucky enough to score a free ticket and backstage pass to see Blue Rodeo at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park (compliments of Mark Kerry of the wicked awesome Sam Bradley Band). Though not really a Blue Rodeo fan, the Deet Street is never one to turn down a free concert. And who should be opening up for Blue Rodeo that fine summer's eve? Why Toronto's own Indie-Country-Surf-Rockers The Sadies. Not only was I floored by their set, but meeting Dallas (guitar, vocals, piano) and Travis (guitar, vocals, fiddle), the Good brothers, was a total pleasure. Talked about the rigors and joys of working with the legendary Garth Hudson and other tales of a long tenure in the music biz. I picked up their massive live album The Sadies In Concert Vol. 1 (http://www.thirdestatedistro.com/products/view/201), which features a plethora of musical talent; and on a handshake promised to check them out on their next ride through Van.

Which brings me to The Biltmore on a rainy Saturday night. Starting out the night to an already well packed and rather well liquored up crowd was rising-rocking star Rich Hope. From the opening twang of a vintage looking guit, Hope had the crowd enthralled with his rip roaring two piece in the style of the Black Keys with a heavy dose of Rory Gallagher and RL Burnside. Jumping on amps and slamming down hard on a foot operated tambourine, Hope surged through an enthusiastic 75 minute set.

The thouroughly amped crowd were now set for The Sadies, who promptly launched into a rip roarin' rootin' tootin' barn burner or a show. The aforementioned Dallas and Travis Good were accompanied as always by the highly capable Mike Belitsky on drums and Sean Dean on upright bass. Eschewing their trademark country-blues infused with hits of surf rock The Sadies blasted into old favorites I've come to love from In Concert such as "Cheat" and "Tiger Tiger". But they also showed some of their more melodic Canadiana side with tracks from 2007's toned down but still uptempo New Seasons. My personal favorites being "Anna Leigh" and the acousticly massaging "Yours to Discover", which feature the lovely and sometimes overlooked harmonies of the Good Brothers. The musical treat continued as a high energy set led into a lengthy encore with the crowd wanting more and more and the Sadies refusing to back down. They just kept uping their energy and projecting it onto the sweating sometimes frenzied crowd until, dripping with sweat themselves in their well worn suits, they departed to the open curtain green room stage right.

I picked up a vinyl copy of New Seasons (many thanks to the lovely Emily G.) and made my way over to stage right. An amicable if winded Dallas Good signed my record and we resumed our conversation about Garth Hudson from a year ago. It seems the tracks they did with him should be out in the next year in their forthcoming studio album. After getting Travis', Mike's and Sean's signatures on my new record I headed out, mindful that whatever one thinks of the approaching 2010 Olympics, this Cultural Olympiad is a great excuse to support music and the arts...and see some killer acts.

Review: Joanna Chapman-Smith "Contraries"

Joanna Chapman-Smith
"Contraries"
Woundup Records (2008)

A splendid outing for for a stupendous local songwriter and performer. Anyone lucky enough to be at the Ukrainian Hall last Friday for the CD release knows that Contraries really is a journey is multiple styles. One could call it folk, but that would be an unjust pigeonholing. It touches on folk from so many angels. Mixing elements of reggae, jazz, klezmer, and clever songwriting into a vaudevillian dream sequence. Floating effortlessly between styles and genres one can see the world traveler in Ms. Chapman-Smith. The eclecticism ($5 word of the day) of the album is reflected in the album cover which shows Joanna's trio of geographic influences; being the CN tower of her home turf of Toronto, the yellow house that is her home on her new home turf (for the last 6 years) of Vancouver and the small kiwi roadsign refecting her love of New Zealand.

Contraries has something for everyone. The laid back grooves of "Urbanity", the suttle intensity of "Between the Minds" and "Into the Quiet", and the carnivalesque dance numbers like "Arbitraty Lines" and "Klezbian Mother" are part of a glorious mosaic of musical flavor. Grab this album or tell your local record store to bring it in. Or better yet, check her out in concert and grab an album from her in person. Joanna Chapman-Smith is the real deal.

http://www.joannacs.com

Folksy Canadiana for Obama

In anticipation of my visit to Washington DC for next week's Presidential Inauguration, I've put together a little folksy soundtrack of Canadiana for the incoming President to the south.

1)The Band - Acadian Driftwood
-a little history lesson from the greatest band to ever exist
2)Ian & Sylvia - Four Strong Winds
-according to CBC Radio, the greatest Canadian pop song, also one of my favorites.
3)Hank Snow - I'm Movin' On
-Canadians bucking the American style, Canada's own singing ranger
4)The Sadies - Eastern Winds (feat. The Good Family)
-www.thesadies.net (just check these guys out)
5)Redgrass - The Flag Son (feat. Jody Kramer)
-A north west lament using south east style
6)The Creaking Tree String Quartet - Mer & Sadie
-something to help the prez relax at the end of the day. www.creakingtree.com (check it out)
7)The Be Good Tanyas - Rowdy Blues
-Vancouver's own will mellow you down
8)Tamara Nile - Rusty Door Blues
-emerging artist for emerging president (www.tamaranile.com)
9)Harry Manx - Shame Shame Shame
-multiculturalism through music
10)Neil Young - Journey Through the Past
-our own bob dylan, but a better performer.
11)Sam Roberts - The Canadian Dream
-Socialism.....not always a bad thing
12)William Shatner - Common People
-the Shat will help test your dedication to the common people.

dig it.

check out CBC's Obama Playlist and vote (http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/obamasplaylist/)

also, if anyone knows of any Washington DC bands or venues I need to check out let me know.

vinyl makes a comeback or an ode to vinyl records

so apparently vinyl is back in again (http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Vinyl+record+sales+double+2008/1143511/story.html)? having dug out my parents late 70's JVC belt driven turntable as well as a few choice records (The Doors, Willie Nelson, etc) a mere five years ago, I can hardly consider myself old school; however I am both heartened and disheartened by this apparent trend. on the one hand, its nice that vinyl records are re-developing as a medium of disseminating music. their superior sound quality, required stationary set up and tangible but not cheap-feeling nature make them a more involved musical experience. however, increased demand will also equate to a rise in prices for bin hunters such as myself and many of those around me. furthermore, it is not always the record itself that produces the listening experience. of course the music coming into your ears is the motivating force, but a highly polished and digitized recording with sound the same of vinyl as it will on mp3. the depth of feeling created by the expanded range of sound is what one should look at. not only that, but I believe that one can never underestimate the importance of the hiss, crack and pop produced by older (and often analogue recorded) records. this helps to create the experience, lending a nostalgic air to the music, even if its a false or created nostalgia. as always with music it comes down to everyone's own personal flavour, but in my experience some of the most comfortable silences amongst friends are spent mesmerized around a glowing amplifier listening of the fizzle and hiss of a dusty old side. long live vinyl records.