Gord's photos will be better but I did snap a few! From Sinéad X Sanders opening set with Dave Dykhuizen (I interviewed her here, and shot one clip of an original from her new album, Them Shadows). I had not (I don't think) seen Dave before, and I didn't make it to Sanders' big album release gig a couple of weeks ago, so I very much enjoyed the set, especially "Coca Cola," which struck me as having a similarity to Bruce Springsteen's "Open All Night"--I discuss the meaning of the lyrics with her in the Straight piece above. Her covers were fun, too; I had grown tired of the Talking Heads' "Road to Nowhere" in the original at some point, but her version lends new life to it.
The next act was the Nightflower Orchestra. I also have interviewed Dennis Mills about that project, and about the Jazzmanian Devils,
here. I'm particularly delighted about their song "
Punk Rock Nursing Home," which packs in the references to local musicians, including my friend David M. (who gets referenced by far too few people). It's my favourite song on the EP, so it makes sense that it was my favourite song in the set; Mills also offered a few extemporaneous alternate verses (which I
caught on video). The funniest moment in the song however came around when Mills dedicated the song to "the fallen," then pointed across the room and said, "And I don't mean Ed Hurrell."
You can see Hurrell's head best in the middle image, below, watching in amusement. As we presume most reading this blog know, Hurrell, of Stab'Em in the Abdomen/ MeBats fame, and a constant presence at live music events, suffered a spinal injury after he made the mistake of leaning on the bathroom door in the LanaLou's men's room a few months ago, thinking it was locked. Alas, it doesn't really lock (even still), so the door fell in and he cracked his head and neck on the toilet, or such. (There is also apparently damage to the wall where he fell?).
Last night was the first time I've seen him back at a live show. He seemed in great spirits -- he's lost some weight and is using a cane for the moment, but his time out of the scene seemed to have done him some good; he was smiling and healthy and seemed to be having a great time. Almost losing something can help you appreciate it, I guess is the moral there...
Another amusing Ed-related moment occurred between sets at the doorway to selfsame bathroom. As Taylor Little (Payolas, Art Bergmann, Swagger Lee) used the urinal, I remarked to Ed in passing that, in addition to the John Otway show in March, which he already knows about, the Young Fresh Fellows are coming. Then I went into the very stall where Ed had wiped out, and commenced to pee (left hand reached back behind me to keep the door from swinging in; they really should fix that thing!). Through the wall, someone who I presume was still Taylor called to me, "Did you say the Young Fresh Fellows are coming?"
We chatted about that through the stall wall for a couple of minutes. I think he said he was at the last show they played in Vancouver, some 36 years ago...!
Next up were the Jazzmanian Devils (clips here and here, the latter also featuring Ms. Sanders). Dennis namechecked me quite directly a couple of times. They were very fun, and I love a couple of the songs off Happy Hour, especially "I Done Done It"--I dig the witty lyrics.
Erika and I ducked out about the halfway point of the set, but a fine time was had by all, especially many enthusiastic dancers, and I snagged an extra Nightflower Orchestra CD for David M. (And my wife and I shared some of Dennis' birthday cake, which was welcome, as LanaLou's remains oddly dessert-free). A great date night, and both CDs being showcased are very entertaining. Apologies to Ms. Shelley Grace Preston that we were gone before she took the mic as the Jazzmanian Devils' guest vocalist -- but I enjoyed her with Nightflower Orchestra, and still think she's one of the best female vocalists in this town.
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