The presence of these tapes made one wonder just how long some of the treats had been on the shelf. I briefly scanned to see if there were any boxes of Gorgo to be seen. These Joe (Jos?) Louis looked pretty dusty -- do they even make them anymore?
Alienated in Vancouver
(rants and observations on outsider culture, music & cinema in The Big Wet)
Monday, February 10, 2025
Dan Scum's return, and a lot of other music; plus two strange malls and a Husker Du cover!
The presence of these tapes made one wonder just how long some of the treats had been on the shelf. I briefly scanned to see if there were any boxes of Gorgo to be seen. These Joe (Jos?) Louis looked pretty dusty -- do they even make them anymore?
Saturday, February 08, 2025
Yesterday at the WISE: Cryin' Time Day Two, plus some plans for Day Four, and an unrelated Punk Rock Flea Market
Real folk musicians can rarely sing. This is not actually a bad thing, though it makes reviewing shows challenging, since one doesn't want to seem rude or anything; saying someone can't sing (which, of course, means "can't sing well") might be taken as a criticism. It ain't!
In fact, (neverminding the fact that I also cannot sing, and couldn't even before I acquired my speech impediment), I actually feel suspicious of an alleged folk singer when they can sing well, mistrust their sincerity or something. If a folk group has beautiful harmonies and polished voices -- I guess I'm thinking Peter, Paul and Mary, here, with no intended disrespect for the recently-deceased Mr. Yarrow -- chances are you have a commercial act made up of professional performers that has been put together because they can do beautiful things with a tune, which means that someone wants to make some money; the Kingston Trio might be another example. It might have mass appeal, enough that the economic impetus makes sense, but it seldom has staying power. I presume that at least some people agree with me on these matters, because you sure do find a lot more Peter Paul and Mary and the Kingston Trio when you're thrifting than any other 1960s folk acts -- a testament simultaneously to how many records they sold at the time and how few people want them now.
This is all as it should be. Personally, I will take a folk singer who sings like a cat fucking over a Joan Baez every time (also no disrespect for the still-alive Ms. Baez; she has a gorgeous singing voice, it's just that her records kinda bore me [the song Judas Priest covered is pretty good, granted, but I prefer Priest's version]). My favourite folk vocalists are the ones who belt it out with 100% commitment, manic gusto, and total fuckin' idiosyncrasy (like Peter Stampfel, but we might also talk about Mr. Dylan or, say, Neil Young in this respect -- and note, I have more records by Neil Young in my collection than by any other single artist). The idea, here, I guess, is that a person who really loves music, who really knows music, and who really cares about playing it may or may not be gifted with a technically "beautiful" voice, but will not let this stop them; if they get far, it's based on purity of expression, not prettiness of delivery.
There was a whole lot of purity of expression goin' on at the WISE Hall Lounge yesterday, and it was absolutely great. There were no Peter Stampfels on hand (I wish!) -- no one with that level of cat-carousing gusto -- but there was also no question that the people in the room, performers and audience alike, were there for the right reasons: with Chris Gauthier (who didn't sing at all) shifting between dobro and pedal steel and Bob Blair and Sue Decker, the vocalists, playing more types of guitars than I could jot down the names for -- one of them I think was a Weissenborn, and Decker told a story about vastly overpaying customs charges on a pedal steel variant that sounded like a "Jo-El," which I remember only because I thought of local promoter/ performer Joelle May -- the gathered audience was treated to some of the best roots music playing and the most consistently mediocre vocal performances that I have heard onstage since I was last onstage myself (I jest, here -- I'm not a performer, I just get up there to go "eep" with David M. now and then). And I'm gonna go see some of the same folks again on Sunday, if the fates allow, to take in the Dobro Demolition Derby at the Heatley. I'm even going to bring gifts for a couple of the aforesaid (I told Bob Blair about Salvation on Sand Mountain, which I had planned to give to the Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter before she cancelled her Vancouver show, and now am re-purposing, because it's too fascinating a read to just sit there on my shelf; and I promised Sue Decker a CD of the Harlan County USA soundtrack, after she talked about Hazel Dickens -- whose voice also is an acquired taste -- as one of the greatest and most un-sung musicians in American history (she did a Hazel Dickens tune yesterday, in fact, though I didn't note down the name, but in trying to find it, I have discovered the terrific "Will Jesus Wash the Bloodstains from Your Hands," so that's a win, maybe even more potent than that John Prine flag decal tune, tho' clearly of the same mind).
The songs yesterday were mostly covers, though Decker did some originals, as well; sadly, the band ran out of time to do Blair's own original, "Snake Handling Man." Rick Blair, Bob's brother -- pictured on the right in the photo above -- joined the trio for an Ian Tyson song I don't know -- you can see it penciled-in between songs on the setlist -- called "Summer Wages," he told me later. He swapped with Decker for a later song, too. I wasn't taking written notes -- though by chance, I caught what for me was the high point of the set on video, "If I Could Only Fly" -- a song by Blaze Foley, who most people, I suspect, still know because of Lucinda Williams' "Drunken Angel" (or maybe Townes van Zandt's "Blaze's Blues"), though Ethan Hawke's movie about him might have helped.
Lu -- whose most famous cover, Decker also covered -- further came up in a story Decker told about being in Nashville, recording with Steve Dawson ("who I bet a lot of people in this room know... personally," she quipped; does having interviewed him count?), that saw her staying a few doors from Ms. Williams house, but I can't do it justice (she resisted the urge to stalk her, suffice to say). Note to self: I should tell Decker about sittin' behind the 90-year old friend of Lu's father, who was in the audience last time Lu played Vancouver at that Big Thief show. I was kind of irritated at how slowly the old boy made his way down the aisle to get to the washroom, crossing in front of me -- which he did a couple of times, as I recall, inspiring some un-Christian thoughts ("who is this codger?") as he blocked my view, but later was most impressed as he made his way backstage; if you haven't read Lu's book, she first met him in Vancouver; it's an interesting story.
Anyhow, back to "If I Could Only Fly," that song may be most widely known because Merle Haggard covered it, but I have as much Blaze in my roots music section as I have Merle, by which I mean, I have one record by each. That song was only the high point for me, understand, because I love it; musically, the best moment in the night was probably another song Merle Haggard sings -- and actually wrote, I think -- which Sue Decker did, which fit her voice perfectly and was probably the best vocal performance, all-round.
But Blair also shone on a Shel Silverstein song I didn't know -- originally recorded, I think, by Bobby Bare -- called "The Winner." Again, hard to tell, because I'm a Shel Silverstein fan too. Blair also movingly dedicated a song to pedal steel avant-gardist Susan Alcorn, who I wish now I'd seen while she was alive. I hadn't realized she'd died (he also namechecked the late Paul Plimley, though I missed how he connected with Alcorn; maybe they were on a bill together at the Western Front? Something like htat).
Blair didn't do any avant-garde music, rest assured!
There's lots else going on as part of the Cryin' Time festival this weekend (I posted the whole lineup here). Workshops kick off today at the WISE Hall around 1pm, as part of the main convention day, though I'm not sure how much of that is presentations, how much of that is how-to, and how much of that is playing. Talesha pointed me towards The Unbranded, later today at the Heatley, while I was considering Andrea Whitt at Green Auto; I gather that there's particular buzz around Brennen Leigh, too, on Sunday. Alas, Leigh's set conflicts with the Punk Rock Flea Market (I want to go see Gnash, aka Nicky Noodles, AKA Cam Templeton do some Huskee Dude stuff, and catch Philly's set; and I might bring a Japanese prison movie I found as a gift for Dan Scum, though maybe that's in bad taste?). I just might be able to do most of the Dobro Demolition Derby and then boot it down the block for 7pm?
But that's Sunday. I really don't know what I'm going to do today. It might not involve music at all! It won't be for lack of options.
Thursday, February 06, 2025
Cryin' Time Steel Guitar Convention 2025 FULL LINEUP this weekend in Vancouver
Was trying to figure out the Cryin' Time full schedule. I like steel guitar! I wrote them, they sent me a press release, so here are the gigs as they are listed, which I don't *think* is online in any one place yet? I couldn't find it, anyhow. I gather Leeroy Stagger has cancelled, not sure if any other changes have been made but there are tons of great players in the schedule (some I've actually seen!) and lots of stuff I know nothing about. I really hope to hear Bob Blair's song about snake handling live -- first song on that clip; listen to the story Blair tells, too, it's kind of fun -- and am tempted to try to catch everything he does.
CRYIN’ TIME STEEL GUITAR CONVENTION is a four day event dedicated to the celebration of steel guitar music and culture, and takes place FEBRUARY 6TH - 9TH, 2025 in Vancouver, BC, at The Wise Hall, Green Auto, The Heatley, and The Pearl.
The weekend joins professional and amateur players, artists and industry professionals, and above all, fans. We do not claim to be any authority, but we hope that if we can give folks access to a wealth of knowledge, and all the beautiful tones their hearts can hold, they will have all the opportunities they need to become one.
Programming includes workshops, lectures, and jams, along with performances and appearances from a roster of Featured Players, and from artists like Brennen Leigh, Bob Sumner, Andrea Whitt, Brett Cassidy, Vanessa Dee & The Brightsides, Chaya Harvey, Ben Vallee, Dead Flowers, Rich Hope, Elliot C. Way, Ian Badger, Leah Barley & SO MANY MORE!
The full schedule (?):
THURSDAY Feb 6
Double Kick Off Party!
with Bob Sumner, Chaya Harvey, Ben Vallee
GREEN AUTO // 8:00 PM
FRIDAY Feb 7
Sho-Bud In Store
with Andrea Whitt & Jimmy Roy
RUFUS GUITAR // 2:00-4:00 PM
Lectures with Scott Smith & Mike Drassler
WISE HALL // 5:00-7:00 PM
Steel Amigos
with Bob Blair, Sue Decker, and Chris Bauer
WISE LOUNGE // 7:00-8:30 PM
Adventures in Pedal Steel: Cryin’ Time Editon
with Scott Smith, Ben Vallee, Matt Kelly, Mike Drassler, Conner West, Rich Hope, Elliot C. Way, Vanessa Dee, Leah Barley, Brett Cassidy, Marin Patenaude, Mercy Walker, Ian Badger, Miles Zurawell, Michael Brennen & MORE!
WISE HALL // 8:00 PM
SATURDAY
Main Convention Day/Workshops
with Brennen Leigh, Conner West, Tom Hammel, Mike Drassler, Bob Blair, and a Sho-N-Shine, with an update on the relaunch of Sho-Bud with Andrea Whitt!
WISE HALL // 1:00-7:00 PM
Cryin’ Time Honky Tonk Happy Hour
with The Unbranded
THE HEATLEY // 6:30-8:30 PM
New Riders of The Green Auto: Cosmic Steel Country
with Andrea Whitt, Brett Cassidy, Dead Flowers, No More Tears
GREEN AUTO // 8:00 PM
SUNDAY
Saddle Up Radio Cryin’ Time Round Up
with SPECIAL GUESTS!
BROADCAST FROM BSIDE RADIO // 1:00-3:00 PM
The Dobro Demolition Derby
with Mark Kilianski, Miles Zurawell, Bob Blair, Sue Decker, Mike Drassler, Janky Bungag & MORE!
THE HEATLEY // 5:00 PM
The Grand Ol’ Pearl: Cryin’ Time Edition
with Brennen Leigh, Vanessa Dee & The Brightsides, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, DJ Amy van Keeken
THE PEARL // 7:00 PM
Tuesday, February 04, 2025
The finite list 2025 - vinyl want list
Sunday, February 02, 2025
Paul Pigat, the Vanrays, and Los Furios: report from the Rickshaw on a fine, fabulous night
What a wonderful show at the Rickshaw tonight! Danced up a storm. Paul Pigat did mostly Cousin Harley songs, but solo electric, plus an amazing quieter song called "Hartland," a murder ballad with a very poor survival rate indeed. Paul has explained to me in a previous email that the song was "written by Tolen McNeil, who is a roofer on Vancouver Island; we used to play together with Carolyn Mark" in a band that he told us tonight was called the Metronome Cowboys. "He wrote that driving home from the Heartland Dump, so that entire song took him about 30 minutes. He walked in the door and played it to me off the top of his head. Beautiful and infuriating!" (or as Paul put it from the stage, "I love him and I hate him for it").
My favourite photos of Paul all involved Melody Mangler, who, near the end of his set, took the stage in a green dress, which did not last her very long. She had several costume changes over the course of the night, and appeared for one or two songs with each artist.
After "Hartland," my favourite song Paul did was "Rained Like Hell" off Let's Go, but I was too busy dancin' to shoot video. That Cousin Harley stuff works just fine solo, turns out.
I didn't shoot any video of the Vanrays that I liked -- superb Vancouver soul band whom I wrote about here, previously, but I was too into dancin' (though I wish I'd shot "Take a Dive," my favourite song from their set, unless I got the title of that wrong... it's always hard to remember what was what after a gig, and I was *not* taking notes). But I got lots of photos, including... who is this gorgeously zaftig fleshpot taking the stage? It's Melody Mangler again!
Did I hear someone call the Vanrays' female singer "Rebel," at one point? It got me squinting: "Is that Rebel Valentine?" I have not yet determined if it is so. She's about the size of Rebel, and the approximate shape, but her face looks pretty different from the woman onstage at the Bowie Ball the other week. Though she also looked pretty different at the Bowie Ball Pit at LanaLou's the next day, so... I dunno!
It sure must be fun to be a burlesque dancer and -- with apologies to anyone who had a prudish-cum-feminist conniption at Ms. Mangler's semi-nude gyrations -- it's a fine, fine idea to have burlesque onstage at a show like this. It doesn't really awaken the "objectifying eye," at least not in me (it might have when I was a teenager) -- it's not like I was "getting off" in any lascivious way -- but it still tickles your kundalini a little and maybe enhances the physicality of your dancing? Seemed to do that for mine, anyhow. And it's rather fun to photograph!
But if the Vanrays were the beneficiaries of the most photos taken, the headliners, Los Furios, were the losers: I got very few of them, and most aren't worth showing. I do rather like these. You get a small taste of Corinne's stage presence -- the second most charismatic person to grace the stage of the Rickshaw tonight, after Melody? Or should that be Gonzalo? She's certainly the bandmember who is the most fun to watch over the long term... Gonzalo pops in and out....
But if my photos aren't worth much for the headliner, I did shoot clips of Los Furios doing "Crazy World," "Jokes On You" (featuring Melody Mangler and her floral projectile "lactations," which squirted me more than once), and a twofer older song and brand new one, "Brand New Low" and "This Means War." I already had a copy of Old Ghosts -- it's out at record stores -- but Kyle was very helpful in getting the members present to sign the back of my record. I might have missed one or two -- and one guy on the record wasn't even present tonight -- but, what, I'll settle for six out of nine. Favourite song was probably "No Borders No Flags," but again, I was too busy dancing to shoot video of that one.
Immensely positive, tuneful, and danceworthy night tonight. Let's hope Los Furios come back soon! (I mean, they're local, but Kyle lives in New Zealand and I think there are other members who are dramatically out-of-town besides him). Check out their new album, Old Ghosts, here. Thanks for the great night, y'all!