To offset the final (I hope) blast of winter in southwestern Ontario, here are various highlights (and lowlights) from last week’s concertgoing, as promised.
The Good
- There’s a reason I go to see Sirens so often, and it’s not simply because they perform at venues located within two blocks of my condo. There’s something special about this group that even the people of London are starting to figure out.
- Friends, Sirens’ fourteen-part-harmony Bartlett-inspired madrigal-influenced impossible-to-sing-along singalong drinking song.
- Donna’s enigmatic statement about my having
lots of work
to do in the near future. - Lenni Jabour and The Third Floor were wonderful as always. Gabe, which I praised before, is still a favourite; I must pick up Motor Motel Love Songs, Jason Collett‘s recent CD featuring the song Lenni performs so wonderfully.
- Alex McMaster said hi, somehow recognizing me from a recent e-mail conversation.
- Talking to my Lenni-friend Sarah in the cold outside C’est What? while waiting for the doors to open.
The Bad
- The ridiculous speaker volume for Emm Gryner‘s set at Call the Office. Even Nigel Tufnel‘s amp only went to 11; Emm’s band’s must have been set to 27! I couldn’t stand it; I almost left during her set, which I never do. Wound up ditching in the break before Holly McNarland took the stage.
- Dayna Manning‘s concert. Actually, I’m sure her solo performance was fantastic, but I can’t say from personal experience because it was sold out. Unfortunately I only discovered that rather salient fact after driving for an hour to Stratford; on a Saturday night in March at 8:00 there isn’t much left to do other than turn around and head home.
- Ignoring Sarah and friends at C’est What during Lenni’s performance and the two teachers I sat with during Sirens’ Friday show, and dissing Alex (who’d only said about fifteen words to this blithering fanboy) when Lenni came out from backstage. It’s honestly nothing personal, I just get into performance mode to the exclusion of anything and anyone else.
