So another week has trundled through. Yeesh. Sorry about that…again. I haven’t been on the (now obsolete? ) iBook too much since last posting…. Virgin Fest sort of steamrolled over the weekend, it was a great couple of days packed with some amazing sets. I made sure to hit up the reliable CanCon favs -Buck 65,The Hidden Cameras,The Dears,K’naan,We Are Wolves & got what I expected. Same great schtick, open air venue & more laid back interpretation. One CanRock gem that I stumbled upon thanks to my 2nd stage work-time wasBorn Ruffians - the 2-degrees of indie-rock separation rule had me knowing friends-of-friends of these lads & sneaking away from my post to enjoy a rousing singing-in-rounds round with former co-workers…& yeah, they are Ruffian around the edges, but sparkly energetic goodness inside - very much like my new fav Guelph bad D’Urbervilles.
As for the marquee acts - Hugest Letdown Award goes toGnarls Barkley - I really wanted to relish this performance. 
It’s never a good thing to see a gig & feel relieved that you didn’t shell out any cash for either the ticket or the CD. Ouch. I love whatDanger Mouse did for Gorillaz (who could’ve retired into the gimmicky cartoon-band sunset withthe Banana Splits & The Archies with theirTankGirlEsque heads held high….) & for MF Doom/Gemini/Jay-Z/Beatles…& I LOVEDGoodie Mob back in the day…but something about the combo is either not schizophrenic enough or not linear enough for my ear-palette to enjoy. I have been spinning the brilliant mashup of Gnarls/TheWho/Supertramp, tho, by Arty Fufkin on my early morning runs.
The Flaming Lips were - exactly the same kind of perfect as they were in the winter. I can’t be bothered to re-gush sohere is the link to the last time I saw’em.The Raconteurs completely blew me away - I wasn’t expecting the harder-edge performance that the Detroit boys delivered….
White’s guitar solos were especially sick, & having never seenthe White Stripes live I was totally taken aback by his intuitive & raw playing. & of course, Brendan Benson’s vocals were as sweet as honey, twangier than his solo discs, but still warm and wholesome. Just a lovely perfect pop-rock package. Brilliant. Another pleasant surprise was (were?) The Strokes. Wow. Nostalgia City - Population Me & my Id from 2nd year Uni. The set was very heavily weighted with 1st album tunes, many slowed down so Julian could really vamp up that torch singer swagger he’s mastered. Tho his coolness was immediately eclipsed by Sr. White. The Strokes were another band that I just wrote off as never going to get an opportunity to see - They began & ended with Kool Haus/ACC-level venues…I do remember when the Strokes played the Horseshoe for some cluster&%ck ’secret’ event in 1999 or so…but I wasn’t the camp-out-like-it’s-a-Star-Wars-prequel-premiere type of gal (but after reading Klosterman’s Fargo Rock City & his analogy of one-dimensional planets begin akin to one-dimensional metal music…I’m tempted to maybe try watching one of the originals….maybe….only after I finish re-watching all the Altman gems & myDolly Parton movie marathon weekend is over…)
So, um, anticlimactic end should go rightabout here. After a weekend of V-fest & the Sadies gig on Saturday (which I didn’t really get into, had hurtin’ feet & achy bones & cold bod & just wasn’t into the whole Partridge Family Tour vibe that the show was taking on….I probably pissed a ton of people off by leaving after the 1st hour & yawning throughout…but I just couldn’t enjoy it as much as I’d expected/hoped…)…I have been hibernating - bailed on TIFF tix, enjoyed some downtime with Mrs. D, chilled out with old Austin coworker for a coffee, mini-outings are about all I can rustle up the energy to accomplish….even tomorrow’s show, Nouvelle Vague, will have a distinctive retro-chill vibe, no pounding bass, no drunk dudes & certainly no earplugs necessary.
If you’re in the mood for some folkier laid back bands, please do come to the Horseshoe on Saturday night for the amazing & talented opening act Delta….& the headliner with an infamous Crooked Fingers-past, Eric Bachmann…His new disc has been getting super strong reviews & he’s on Saddle Creek, which is always a good insurance policy (Heads up for the new Cursive disc that is also getting raves)…
& in addition to my nerdy splurge on abig Flickr Account…I’ve started upa YouTube one, too. Ahh boo. So I’m just diving into nerdom - & here is Buck65’s 1st verse for what will be you favourite song when his new disc is released:
Peace
Meegs
P.S. If anyone has a copy of Jose Gonzalez’ ‘Teardrop’ - please send it my way. It beat the Raconteurs’ Nancy Sinatra cover for best V-Fest cover song…by a hair.
sweet buck65 video
Post a Comment