Tag: Live

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Live music galleries

Live music galleries: My Son The Hurricane [2023]

(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.)

My Son The Hurricane live at Bluesfest 2023

Artist: My Son The Hurricane
When: July 12th, 2023
Where: SiriusXM stage, Ottawa Bluesfest, Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa
Context: So we’re exactly two weeks away from the first night of this year’s edition of Ottawa Bluesfest. For the longest time, I was debating whether or not to attend due to being initially underwhelmed by the lineup. But this, I realized, was truly due to the previous year being much more aligned to my own personal taste. In the end, I broke down and got a full festival pass, partially* because of sets like the one I am featuring today. I had never heard of Niagara, Ontario’s My Son The Hurricane before wandering over to the SiriusXM stage early on in the evening but it wasn’t long at all before I was caught up in their energy, right along with the rest of the crowd. Theirs was a mad mix of Mighty Mighty Bosstone ska punk, Jane’s Addiction cali surf rock, old school Chili Peppers gnarly funk, and whatever you call the racket that Rage and the Machine gets up to. They have a dozen or so members that make up a big sound, all contributing to a musical message of change, acceptance, and love. A set I’ll not soon forget, to be sure.
Point of reference song: “Mr Holland’s locust”

Sylvie Kindree on vocals
Chris Darling, Fraser Gauthier, and Alyssa Shangham
Chris Sipos on guitar
Cooper Hannahson adding some beats
Ashlee Standish on the keys
Raphaël Désilets with his trumpet
Sylvie flirting with Alyssa
Raphaël Désilets, Lisa Gudgeon, Chris Sipos, Victoria Cox, and Danno O’shea representing the banner
Sylvie, Cooper, Justin, and Craig
Victoria Cox on the baritone sax
Equality!

*But also because I love live music and finally decided there were more than enough sets that I wanted to see to make the pass worth the money.

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Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Weezer [2023]

(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.)

Weezer at Bluesfest 2023

Artist: Weezer
When: July 7th, 2023
Where: RBC stage, Ottawa Bluesfest, Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa
Context: I’ve read somewhere that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Weezer’s self-titled debut album and that they will likely be doing a special tour in hour of said anniversary. I think a show honouring their debut album would definitely be worth seeing and would be interested in taking pains to do so, in spite of the fact that I’ve seen the group three times already. Granted, the first two times were almost by accident*, but for the third time, I made sure to catch their headlining set at last year’s Bluesfest. I remember being amazed at the age range in crowd and even more so at the kids singing along word-for-word to Toto’s “Africa”** when it blasted from the festival speakers to announce the onstage arrival of Weezer. Once there, they treated the blissed-out crowd to a set that pulled from their entire career, playing all their hits, making full use of the technicolour stage design and backdrop displays. It was pure fun from the opening notes to the crowd pleasing encore that finished with the song below.
Point of reference song: “Buddy Holly”

Rivers Cuomo of Weezer
Brian Bell and Patrick Wilson of Weezer
Scott Shriner of Weezer
Brian and Patrick in front of the cartoon set
Scott with the crazy double neck guitar
Rivers at the steering wheel
Rivers, Brian, and Scott all acoustic

*I first saw them opening for Lush at The Warehouse in Toronto when they were touring in support of their debut album and the second time I saw them was because someone I was at Bluesfest with really wanted to see them and I found myself pleasantly surprised.

**The revival of the song is something we can thank Weezer and whoever it was on social media that lobbied for their cover of it.

Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Dum Dum Girls [2012]

(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.)

Artist: Dum Dum Girls
When: August 3rd, 2012
Where: Tree stage, Osheaga, Jean Drapeau Park, Montreal
Context: After catching a crazy early afternoon set by a just-breaking-out Of Monsters and Men, at small side stage packed with curious onlookers, I had to bust my butt to get to the next stage over to catch the Dum Dum Girls perform just five minutes later. (These are the joys of musical festivals but one shouldn’t really complain after the last few years we’ve had.) I thought for sure that the L.A.-based, noise rock quartet would’ve already been well into their set by the time I got there, but they were still trying to get the microphones working. Despite their polished appearances and the perceived attitudes that they convey, the band was quite gracious and understanding in the face of all the delays. Once they finally got going though, their performance was beautifully loud and fuzzed out and angst-laden. Personally, I loved it, but there were many others that didn’t appreciate it as much as I did. I started off the set pretty far back because of my late arrival, but managed to get right up near the front by its conclusion. Dum Dum Girls finished their shortened set (eight songs early by their telling) with my favourite “Bedroom eyes” and a brand new track called “Lord knows” (though at the time, I had yet to listen to the recorded track). Technical difficulties aside, I thought Dum Dum Girls’ set was brilliant and definitely would have jumped at the chance see them live again. Unfortunately, they disbanded four years later and that chance never materialized.
Point of reference song: “Bedroom eyes”