Tag: Live

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Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Dizzy [2018]

(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.)

Dizzy live at Ottawa Dragonboat Fest, 2018

Artist: Dizzy
When: June 22nd, 2018
Where: Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, Mooney’s Bay, Ottawa
Context: Tonight marks the start of Ottawa’s Dragon Boat Festival, the festival that is considered by many the kick off to the festival season in our nation’s capital. It is a non-profit event that showcases both competitive and for fun dragon boat racing. They also happen put on a series of free concerts on every night of the festival and often, the Canadian talent they manage to draw is amazing. Unfortunately, this year will mark the first in the last six that I will be unable to attend any of the free music sets. Indeed, I have seen some great shows over the recent past and discovered some great homegrown musical artists. Oshawa-based Dizzy is one of two bands that blew me away last year and made a fan of someone who had not heard them before their performance on the Dragon Boat stage. They are a quartet made up of Katie Munshaw and brothers Alex, Charlie, and Mackenzie Spencer and their sound is some upbeat dreampop in the vein of Lorde. Their set was engaging, their cover of “The suburbs” compelling, and most definitely enough to draw me into investing in their debut album, “Baby teeth”. And now, they’re my second favourite band from the town where I was born.
Point of reference song: “Joshua”

Katie Munshaw of Dizzy
Alex Spencer of Dizzy
Mackenzie Spencer of Dizzy
Charlie Spencer of Dizzy
Katie Munshaw, close up
Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: The National [2014]

(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 National live @ Ottawa Folk Festival, 2014

Artist: The National
When: September 12th, 2014
Where: Eh! Stage, Ottawa Folk Festival, Hog’s Back Park, Ottawa
Context: I had almost forgotten that tomorrow is the day The National is due to release their eighth studio album, “I am easy to find”. They have become one of my favourite bands still regularly releasing music and one of the few that are so reliable, I feel confident purchasing each new album for my vinyl collection without first hearing any of its tunes. I got into them with their fourth album, 2007’s “Boxer”, and by the time 2013 and their sixth album, “Trouble will find me”, rolled around, things had gotten serious between me and the band. While they were touring in support of that album, they headlined the third night of Ottawa’s Folk Festival, for which I had purchased a pass, mostly because The National were appearing there. That year was the final year the festival was held at the pastoral Hog’s Back Park and and the final year before it was rebranded as “CityFolk”. The National’s set on September 12th was mind blowing, my favourite of the festival and likely, of all the sets I had witnessed that year. All of that to say, the release date is remembered. See you all at the record stores tomorrow.
Point of reference song: “I need my girl”

Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf of The National
Bryce Dessner of The National
Matt Berninger and the brothers Devendorf of The National
Aaron Dessner of The National
Bryce Dessner again
Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf close up
Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: James [2008]

(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.)

James live in Montreal, 2008

Artist: James
When: September 22nd, 2008
Where: Club Soda, Montreal
Context: I recently finished wrapping up the series on my favourite albums of 2008 and in talking about how James’s 10th album “Hey ma” was my number one, I also referenced their show that I caught in Montreal that year and how it was my favourite (as well as my wife’s favourite) ever live show. Much like the gallery I posted recently from the Virgin festival that took place earlier that same month, the pictures here are not quality because they were taken with my old camera but I do have pictures and this is mainly due to Victoria’s forethought. It was the first and last time we ever drove to Montreal and back the same night for a concert and never plan to do it again because it was exhausting. However, neither of us regret seeing the show. We saw one of our favourite bands that normally plays gigantic shows at an intimate venue and were able to sing along with all of our favourite tunes. In fact, the whole club loudly sang along, blowing the band away, especially during “Sometimes” when the crowd lengthened the song to well over seven minutes by repeating the chorus refrain over and over again. Such an exhilarating and magical night.
Point of reference song: “Sometimes“*

Tim Booth, Mark Hunter, and Andy Diagram of James
Jim Glennie, Saul Davies, David Baynton-Power, and Andy Diagram of James
David Baynton-Power, Tim Booth, and Mark Hunter of James
Saul Davies and Andy Diagram of James
James performing ‘Sometimes’
James’s final bow

*The link I’ve shared is to the music video but someone who was also there has shared video footage from James’s performance of this song on YouTube from the show. You can find that here.