Category: Live music galleries

Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: The Box [2024]

(I got the idea for this series while sifting through the ‘piles’ of digital photos on my laptop. It occurred to me to share some of these great pics from some of my favourite concert sets from time to time. Until I get around to the next one, I invite you to peruse my ever-growing list of concerts page.)

The Box live @ The Bronson Centre, September 2024

Artist: The Box
When: September 27th, 2024
Where: Bronson Centre Music Theatre, Ottawa
Context: I hummed and hawed about attending this show but am glad I decided to go in the end because The Bedouin Soundclash show that I had a ticket for in December got pushed to March and I had to sell my ticket for a January Slowdive show due to my ongoing health issues. So this was the last live show that I’ve seen for some time and what a doozy it was. Put on as part of local station, Boom 99.7’s Legends Weekend, the bill included 80s New Wave ‘legends’ Strange Advance, Images in Vogue, and these guys, Montreal’s The Box. I had always loved their tune “L’affaire dumoutier (say to me)” from back when I was a pre-teen and my AM radio-listening days. However, at some point during the pandemic, I decided to give the rest of their catalogue a listen after seeing a poster advertising a show by the band and found that I knew a lot more of their tunes than I realized. The only remaining original member from back in the day is frontman and driving force, Jean-Marc Pisapia but the rest of band is a gaggle of fantastic musicians that he put together when he decided to re-start performing as The Box back in the early 2000s. Given the length of the bill and the average age of the audience members, each act was only allotted a short set but The Box made the most of their time, blasting eight of their greatest and well-known hits, including the song already mentioned, “My dreams of you”, “Closer together”, and Cold War classic, “Ordinary people” (see below). Jean-Marc and his band were pure performers and crowd pleasers all the way through. And I found myself smiling and singing along with the rest of the crowd.
Point of reference song: “Ordinary people”

Jean-Marc Pisapia with Isabelle Lemay
Dan Volj on bass
Francois Bruneau on guitairs
Martin Lapierre on drums
Jean-Marc singin’ it
Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Fanclubwallet [2024]

(I got the idea for this series while sifting through the ‘piles’ of digital photos on my laptop. It occurred to me to share some of these great pics from some of my favourite concert sets from time to time. Until I get around to the next one, I invite you to peruse my ever-growing list of concerts page.)

Fanclubwallet at Ottawa Bluesfest 2024

Artist: Fanclubwallet
When: July 14th, 2024
Where: River stage, Ottawa Bluesfest, Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa
Context: Just over a month ago, I was deep into the enjoyment of attending the local music festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, and as I often do, I spent more time at the side stages than I did partaking the main event on each night. In fact, some of my favourite sets were not just native to Canada but were local to the city I currently call home. And I thought I might like to give props to some of these over the next few weeks, starting with local indie pop outfit, Fanclubwallet. Hannah Judge originally started making music in her bedroom during the pandemic, got some attention on the streaming services, and after a full length album and a couple of EPs, put together a full band to collaborate with on her latest outing. She had said band with her when she performed on the River stage on the last day of the festival, a set I had penciled in the moment I purchased my pass. I had enjoyed pretty much everything by her project that I’d heard thus far, a quirky brand of dream pop with plenty of hooks, and it was just as fun live. Hannah and her crew obviously felt comfortable on the stage, perhaps emboldened by the family and friends and hometown built fan club (not intended to be funny). The frontwoman was just as novel as I had imagined, playing her guitars by times and at others, a toy apple. And still others, dancing like no one was watching and singing in those cheerful tones that help make Fanclubwallet’s tunes so bright and full of sunshine. Perfect for a warm summer evening.
Point of reference song: “Band like that”

Hannah Judge aka Fanclubwallet
Eric Graham playin’ guitar
Luka Malatestinic also playin’ guitar
Nat Reid the bass man
Michael Watson banging on drums
Hannah playing the apple
Hannah and her band
Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Corb Lund [2024]

(I got the idea for this series while sifting through the ‘piles’ of digital photos on my laptop. It occurred to me to share some of these great pics from some of my favourite concert sets from time to time. Until I get around to the next one, I invite you to peruse my ever-growing list of concerts page.)

Corb Lund performing at Ottawa Bluesfest 2024

Artist: Corb Lund
When: July 11th, 2024
Where: SiriusXM stage, Ottawa Bluesfest, Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa
Context: So this year’s edition of Ottawa Bluesfest wrapped up five days ago and as is usual when I purchase a full festival pass, it’s taken me a few days to recover from the grind. Indeed, I always find myself glad it’s over but at the same time, sad and missing having live music to see every night. All told, I went to seven of the ten nights of the festival and saw more than twenty excellent sets. Hands down, my favourite of the bunch was Corb Lund’s 8pm set on the SiriusXM stage on the second Thursday night. I’d heard of the Canadian country singer-songwriter before, of course*, but had never really given his music a chance**. I had done a small sampling in the week before seeing him so was somewhat familiar with some of the tunes. Lund and his band powered through a set that played on the rockabilly, blues, and rock country side of the genre. With lyrical themes of trucking, farming, and drinking, he had the crowd jumping like maniacs and knocking back cans of Canadian like it was water. Corb and his cowboy hat never took himself too seriously but his talent on the guitar was palpable and his voice hit all the right notes, even when he yodelled. His backing band kicked ass, as well, with Grant Siemens setting the tone on the lap steel and Sean Burns knocking us all out with his upright bass chops. It was such an eye-opening performance, that I’ve resolved myself to make up for all the lost time without his music in my life and would definitely jump at the chance to see him and his group perform again.
Point of reference song: “Redneck rehab”

Lyle Molzan on the drums
Sean Burns on the upright bass and mouth organ
Corb Lund
Grant Siemens and the lap steel
Sean Burns and Lyle Molten
Corb and Sean Burns sharing the mike
Grant Siemens
Corb Lund taking it away

*In fact, my friend Tim left Mark and me to catch a bit of his set at Osheaga back in 2013.

**Not because I was prejudiced in any way against listening to him but as usual, a case of so much music, so little time.