Preoccupations – My (life in) music lists

Live music galleries: Preoccupations [2016]

(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.)

Preoccupations performing at Ottawa Bluesfest July 9, 2016

Artist: Preoccupations
When: July 9th, 2016
Where: Black Sheep stage, Ottawa Bluesfest, Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa
Context: We’re only halfway through the first month of 2026 and I’m already itching to see some live music. I feel that with the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and then my health problems last year that I’ve got a lot concert attending to catch up on. Call it a resolution or whatever. It’s what I plan to do. I’ve already got a ticket for one show and my eye on a handful of others. Until then, here’s some pics from a fantastic show I caught 10 years ago (!) at Ottawa Bluesfest and I’ve included some words that I wrote about it at the time for my old blog Music Insanity!

“…The final band of the night for me were headlining the tiny Black Sheep stage and went by the name of Preoccupations. The Calgary-based, post-punk four-piece were formerly named “Viet Cong” but changed it after facing accusations of racism due to their choice in moniker. I was really excited to see them live because I was curious how they would match the insanity on their incredible debut long player. I got my answer when the lead guitarist broke a string within minutes of starting into the first song. The band employed plenty of effects and electronics in changing the sounds of their instruments and their voices but the energy was all theirs. Like their records, it was all angular guitars, rapid fire drumming, surprising time changes, loud booming bass, and yes, extremely dark. The drummer was particularly incredible, employing a mixture of electronic and traditional drums in his kit, and hitting them like he was a machine possessed by a poltergeist. The crowd was relatively small in size but didn’t lack for enthusiasm. Plenty of times, those closest to the stage erupted into violent, tribal dance, much like a mosh pit. I didn’t join in the fun but did often find myself lost in the waves of music. Their set was loud and dense and consisted of many (if not all) of the tracks off their debut album (including personal favourite, “Continental shelf”), as well as a preview of new material. […] All in all, an amazing set, well worth stamping around in the rain for.”
Point of reference song: “Anxiety”

Matt Flegel at the mic

Mike Wallace at the kit

Daniel Christiansen close up

Scott Munro concentrating on the synths

Mike Wallace loses his shirt

Daniel Christiansen rocking out like no one is watching

Scott Munro’s death stare

Matt Flegel singing in the rain

Preoccupations under the cover of darkness

Playlist: New tunes from 2022, part three

If I was still looking at this blog as something that should be scheduled or on schedule or whatever, I might consider this post a couple weeks behind that “s” word. I’ve been trying* to post these quarterly playlist updates a couple of weeks after the end of each quarter but well, the two week vacation I took that spanned the end of August and the beginning of September put me a bit behind.

Yeah. That’s right. I took some vacation. Two weeks! It was the longest period from work that I’d properly taken since before the pandemic. I spent as much of it as I could experiencing nature, sitting by the water, going on hikes, and just generally taking in our province’s natural beauty. It wasn’t exactly restful, per se, but it was definitely good for the soul.

Prior to that, I actually attended several evenings of an honest-to-goodness music festival at the beginning of July. It was an amazing feeling to return to a bit of normalcy, see some bands I’d seen before and some I hadn’t, and seeing people outside of my bubble, all revelling in the ecstasy that is the live music experience. I say again, I t felt great. Then, the day after the festival ended, a friend of mine who I had attended a couple of the dates with texted me to say he had tested positive for COVID. So I tested myself and thankfully came through it clean. But it was definitely a bitter reminder for me that though we may be done with the pandemic, it may not necessarily be done with us.

Otherwise, the summer flew by in a haze and blur of sameness. With all the work, eat, and sleep, I am super thankful of my continued employment, general good health, and that I am continuing to spend my life with my very best friend and love of my life. And of course, there is always the music.

This third part of this annual playlist represents the music that has followed me and kept me going through this third pandemic summer. It is yet another great 25 tunes (for parts one and two, check here and here) representative of the best that’s been released during the last three months. Highlights include:

- - Opening things up with “Rockstar”, this ripping track off the third album by Momma calls to mind 90s rockers, like maybe Babes in Toyland and L7, but most definitely Veruca Salt
  - “Circumference”, a brilliant synth-pop gem by Working Men’s Club ripped right from the heart of the 80s
- - More dream pop beauty from Toronto-based indie pop quartet Tallies, a sweet explosion called “Wound up tight”
- - I’ve not been a fan of Animal Collective, nor Noah Lennox’s solo work as Panda Bear but his recent collaboration with Pete “Sonic Boom” Kember is pure sunshine, “Gettin’ to the point” is just a case in point
- - When I think of Kasabian, I typically think of blistering high energy numbers but this ballad called “The wall” off their latest record is equally full of passion
  - “It’s always the quiet ones” by Suede – that’s right, they’re back and it’s majestic
  - Kristian Mattson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, covering “Pink rabbits” by The National is like a collision of some of my favourite music from a decade ago
  - Finally, Yeah Yeah Yeahs teamed up with Perfume Genius for “Spitting off the edge of world”, the magnificent first single of their latest album