(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.)
Colter Wall and his band performing at CityFolk September 2018
Artist: Colter Wall When: September 16th, 2018 Where: CityFolk Festival, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa Context: Ottawa’s CityFolk festival wrapped up for another year just a couple of days ago. It’s been six years since I’ve attended any of its shows and seven since I bought a full festival pass but this year’s lineup was so impressive I definitely would have pulled the trigger on one had I been able to attend. Much like its sister festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, CityFolk* has allowed me to see a litany of great acts over the years. Back in 2018, I hadn’t yet heard of Colter Wall, a Saskatchewan born country/folk singer/songwriter, but I made sure to catch his set based on a recommendation from my youngest sibling Emma. Wall blew into town with his touring band**, the self-proclaimed “Scary Prairie Boys”, and breathed a whole different life into a selection of tunes from his first two records. Wall was but twenty-three years old at the time but his deep gruff baritone made him sound thrice that age. And man, was it something powerful live. Even if you’re not a fan of dust and tumbleweed old country, I’d recommend giving Colter Wall a go. He blew the doors off everyone who showed up early for his set and I ended up buying both of his first records on vinyl soon after. Point of reference song: “Wild Bill Hickok”
Colter Wall at the microphoneJason Simpson on the bassPatrick Lyons on the pedal steelJordan Solly Levine beating the skinsJake Groves resting his harmonicaColter Wall and Jordan Solly LevinePatrick Lyons and Jake GrovesJason Simpson having a wobbly popColter and Jason and Jake, oh my…
(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 drumsSean Burns on the upright bass and mouth organCorb LundGrant Siemens and the lap steelSean Burns and Lyle MoltenCorb and Sean Burns sharing the mikeGrant SiemensCorb 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.
I didn’t want to like Orville Peck when I first listened to him, especially when I learned that the cover art to his debut album, “Pony”, wasn’t just that, but an actual portrait photo. And to be honest, I didn’t think that much of it at first listen, quirky, yes, but also kitschy. With each successive listen, though, I delved deeper into the lyrics and the aesthetic that Peck is creating and yeah, it grew on me. Then, I saw him perform with his band at CityFolk back in the fall and the deal was sealed.
Orville Peck is a stage name. He wears a mask – all the time. He has worked to keep his real identity a secret but given our collective curious nature, we have tried to out him. The little information he has released in interviews, that he has toured quite a bit with punk bands, and that he is from the west coast of Canada, has music writers feeling sure that they have identified him. Peck has never confirmed, nor denied, and I won’t give the suspected name here.
I’d say that it should be the music that’s important but Peck has created an image here, a brand of sorts. A Lone Ranger mask with a long fringe, the ever present cowboy hats, and clothing that ranges from garish and sparkly to rough-hewn but slightly fey. He sings songs about cowboys with a voice Roy Orbison would be proud of, the whistles and plodding bass lines only slightly covering up that he is actually subverting the traditional idea of the cowboy. I remember seeing an exchange on social media between Peck and some critical troll sneering that he wasn’t country, perhaps pointing to the invasion of indie and dream pop sounds on the rodeo. And Peck merely scoffed about the troll being head of the “country police”.
All that to say, “Pony” is quite the debut that has turned a lot of heads, not just for the enigma, but also the obvious talent. Have a listen to my three picks for you below and see what you think.
“Dead of night”: The opening track sets the mood and tone from the beginning. “Dead of night” starts with a lonely guitar intro and finishes with a jaunty banjo outro, calling to mind singing cowboy balladry, full moons, cactus and tumbleweed, coyotes and yodelling, the bonfire at night while the trusty steed is tied a ways away. A lonely remembering of a travelling companion that might’ve been more than just friends, a worried outlaw. “The sun goes down, another dreamless night. You’re right by my side, you wake me up, you say it’s time to ride in the dead of night.” Forlorn and haunting.
“Turn to hate”: A song about being on the outside of things, an outlaw, a migrant cowboy, a musician constantly tour, wearing a mask or otherwise. “Walking out towards the gate. You’ll all be stars, now just you wait, done enough to take the bait. Don’t let my sorrow turn to hate.” It builds from a quiet, almost whispery intro to something of a barn burner, guitars a-flashing, boots a-jumping, and Peck’s by now well-worn vocals warmed up and on a tear. He’s trying not to let the isolation get to him but it’s hard. He just wants it all to be okay. And damned if it doesn’t feel great.
“Big sky”: It all starts with that big and vaunted guitar again, Peck singing gently against it with the pluck of banjo and the shake of a rattlesnake. He is out on the desert plain, alone on his horse, nothing but the wind, the echo, and the huge expanse all around him. There’s something menacing about all the quiet, as if his backing band is made up of ghosts, the ghosts of relationships past. “Fell in love with a rider, dirt king, black crown.” He sings all of this with passion and hurt and a bit of his angsty punk showing. Indeed, it doesn’t quite feel like he’s crying in his beer, does it?
Check back next Tuesday for album #4. In the meantime, here are the previous albums in this list:
My (life in) music lists 