Bon Jovi - Rogers Center, July 20, 2010

Am I getting old?  I might be getting old.  (nah....I don't feel old!  Impossible!)

We got talking about Bon Jovi yesterday before the show and I came to the realization that I was listening to him waaaaay back in my teenage years.  We're talking early 80's here and I have vivid memories of Bon Jovi being a large part of that.  From the posters on my wall (Jon had the BEST hair and was sooooo dreamy!), to sitting on my living room floor with the girls around the video countdown swooning over Jon eyeing the camera, to rocking out singing into my hairbrush (yep!  Did it!) in my bedroom to "Runaway" playing via cassette tape from my ghetto blaster (KNOW there was even a little Richie tribute on air guitar!).  I guess it kind of amazes me that this many years later, Bon Jovi is STILL selling out massive arena venues like the Roger's Center on a regular basis 2 nights in a row.  We are talking in the ballpark of 42,000 capacity x 2...full up.  I relay the words of a friend (who's musical taste I respect greatly) when I sheepishly admitted to having tickets for this show:  "don't feel bad about going to Bon Jovi, their longevity has earned them respect in my book, and who doesn't like a good Bon Jovi anthem?"  Indeed!!  While their music may not be groundbreaking, it can be argued that they are still somewhat current, in that they produce new material every couple of years.

So, the show....

Kid Rock was the opening band.  I like Kid Rock.  I even own some Kid Rock.  Bob Ritchie, the guy, I don't really care for a whole lot - think he's the epitome of redneck sleaze (he wears it proudly in fact), and man, the whole unwashed look he's got going on is really gross, but as a musician, I think he's got some chops.  Again, not groundbreaking musical poetics, but he is talented  (took to the guitar, piano and even rocked the turntables last night, and he's got a very versatile vocal range and a multi genre aesthetic that sort of fascinates me).  He worked it with a capital "W" and everything was BIG.  The flaw I found however, was that he was just too much for an opening act.  He had 45 minutes to do his thing, so there was no build to insanity, you were just sort of plopped into it - very "in your face", and his slow down midway by inserting the Country ballad "Picture" (then immediate ramping back up into guzzling from a bottle while asserting he's the the mo'fo bad ass) seemed out of place.  As an opening act, I wasn't prepared for, nor did I have time to assimilate into his circus...I'll repeat what I stated to a friend on my FB wall last night during the performance that sort of sums things up:  "There is a lot of fire!  And he has a shiny belt buckle!".  Not sure I'd attend or not, but I'd be very curious to see what a headlining show of his would be like.  Where I come prepared for his brand of thrill ride, strap in and go "whoo hoooo" for the duration.

Bon Jovi took the stage at exactly 9pm.  The stage was huge, and so were the screens, which was a good thing as the vastness of the Rogers Centre made the band look like ant people.  I hate watching a band on a screen, but knew this was going to be the case for this show if I wanted to catch any form of their personality.  I HATE the Roger's Centre as a venue....won't digress into this - for full description of why, check out my Eagles review where I go off on a lengthy side rant.  I will say that this will be the last time I darken the doorway of the Roger's Centre for a concert....will have to be an awfully big lure to get me back in that building again.

Bon Jovi KNOWS their audience.  They KNOW that people are coming to see them in large part based on the nostalgia factor, and in such, they played 27 years worth of material, with all those aforementioned rock anthems taking their place in the set list.  There were only a couple of songs off the new album, with a few off albums from the last decade's offerings, but the majority were the crowd pleasers from days gone by, and the stadium full of hot sweaty people ate it up and sang along.  You could feel the "whoosh" of the crowd's excitement when one of the familiar riffs started up - Bad Medicine, You Give Love a Bad Name, It's My Life (envision the "buh, buh, na na na na..na" with fist pump following the lyric "This is a song for the Broken Hearted").  And then there was the converse, the entire crowd swayed to the ballads - Bed of Roses (can't tell you how much I loathe the syrupy sweetness of this one, but seems I'm alone in that sentiment), I'll Be There For You, and one of my personal favorites, Always (sickly sweet, but there's a message there I identify with....you take things for granted, you're going to lose them and regret it big time later when it's too late).  It was a great mix, with the only ones I felt the real lack of enthusiasm for being Lay Your Hands on Me (which is a shame, because I usually enjoy when Richie takes over fronting vocal duties), Keep the Faith (seemed the boys were running out of steam), and We Got it Goin' On.

The Boys came back for an encore and played the aforementioned "Always", and then "Wanted:  Dead or Alive".  Yeah, it's kinda kitchy.  But for a song born out of the 80's where the "on tour trials and tribulations ballad" tune was a staple, I think it's a well done song with some neat metaphors and it still holds up today in my very humble opinion.  And of course....they capped off the show with their signature tune......one of the coolest concert moments of recent memory, was Jon saying "you know this one right?", stepping away from the mic and letting 42,000+ people belt out the chorus to Living on a Prayer in complete solidarity - made me smile and feel at one with the crowd before the band picked up and they brought the house down with the full song.  I'm not a people person (especially a "drunken, weaving, hollering mess of mass morons" people person), but these are the moments that I'm happy to be one of tens of thousands in an arena.  As someone who much prefers an intimate setting where my soul is moved by an artist performing, and forming a connection to the songs due to that intimacy and artistry, it takes a moment like this to make fighting the sea of drunken humanity, temporary hearing loss and sweating my ass off all worth while. 

Was even softened (somewhat, but still not coming back) on the choice of venue...Jon thanked the fans for coming, acknowledged that the venue likely WASN'T their favorite place to see a live show, but that in the span of their career, they had played every venue in Toronto from the El Mocambo to the ACC...with this one exception, the biggest, so they wanted to give it a try....

All in all - 'Twas good!

Crowd filing to Union Station post concert.  Five minute walk took about 40 minutes.

The Eagles - Rogers Center, Toronto, June 8, 2010

I sooooo love the Eagles. 

I know that they are "old" (no offense intended, but in the realm of the touring rock world, they are up there, Glenn Frey being the youngster of the bunch at 61), but they have been a favorite of mine since my teenage years.  I've always said that I love all different types of music with two exceptions...country twang and thumping club type dance/techno music, and the Eagles do have a certain country flavor to them...but they are an exception to the exception.  They've always been like home for me...I get bored of my musical selections and I can put on an Eagles live disc in the background and just chill.  Wasted Time is one of my favorite heartbroken wallowing songs EVER, and I think Don Henley is a brilliant lyricist for putting real emotion into words (even have a specific part of "Heart of the Matter", (the actual sheet music notes as opposed to the words) of the song, tattooed on my arm because what it says speaks to me and always will).  So in short...I've been a fan for decades.  Whether that affects my musical cred or makes me outdated (and it shouldn't....they are at this point, musical legends), I could care less.  Respect people!

A quick word about the venue.... I intensely dislike the Rogers Center (formerly known as the skydome) for live music.  The place was not designed for optimum stadium rock.  Saw U2 there last year and it wasn't bad because they had the dome open, but last night, with it closed, it was hot, and the acoustics were shit.  Sound was bouncing back from the walls and you got an echo as a result, and if you didn't know the words to the songs there is no way you could hear them clean.  In addition, when the lights go out, it's pitch black...attempting to find our seats in the dark was a complete disaster and I found myself thinking "if a fire breaks out, I'm going to die a horrible, horrible death by either burning up or being trampled" and I had a little debate with myself on which would be preferable (still no conclusion on that one folks).  Not very rock and roll of me, I know, but the amount of people crammed together was a little overwhelming.  Was able to let it go once we found our seats and staked out our sardine like personal space.  And of course the vastness of the place made for an ant like band....giant screens allowed us to see details, but I abhor watching a band on a screen, so tried to concentrate on the miniatures with quick screen glances to check in on where everyone was on stage.  And finally...the restrictions... it truly was "Hotel California" last night...you can check in, but you can never leave.  No re-entry once you're in.  So you and 40,000 folks are spending the next 4 hours together without a breath of fresh air whether you like it or not.  And no cameras.  So what I really mean to say is...Rogers Centre blows as a venue

All that said, it was an incredible show. 

Dixie Chicks opened....in light of my hatred of country music, surprisingly I don't actually mind them.  They were enjoyable but found it getting a little shrill by the end of it (that's a lot of high pitched voices echoing back at you even if they are flawless!).  "Not Ready To Make Nice" was pretty powerful live though...very overplayed song, but I like it, and feel it is a great musical response to a traumatic and incredibly unfair event for the band and what songwriting from the soul is all about...they still mean it and it resonated.  Respect to them for standing up for their freedom of opinion.

Eagles took the stage at 9 (right on time...how punctual!) and the four boys opened up the festivities with Seven Bridges Road...a testament to their stellar harmony skills.  Then their touring band joined and the journey began.  Surprisingly, they pulled out Hotel California early on in the set (like 3rd or 4th song) which got the crowed riled up into a giant sing-along.  (was as wild as the crowd got...40,000 people...sat for the entire duration.  My feeling is, if the 60+ year olds on stage can stand and play for 2 hours straight, shouldn't we be standing to indicate our enjoyment and appreciation?  Hmmm.  Although the girl in front of me spastically waving her effing glow stick nearly gave me a mini seizure...I guess not everyone can indicate their enjoyment in the same manner and we all need to adapt...but she very nearly ended up glowing from the inside had my rage urge to ram it up her ass taken over).

They covered the entire spectrum of hits....70s on up.  I was telling someone yesterday that I feel the Eagles songs stand the test of time and I still feel that way after last night, save a few exceptions.  Some of the early 70s tunes really require a disco ball and the boys decked out in full porn 'staches.  (i.e. "One of These Nights" and "Witchy Woman"), but they were enjoyable nonetheless and a reminder of the vast career span.  Each band member had their stand out moments.  Timothy Schmit's lead vocals on "I Can't Tell You Why" was beautiful and I would have loved to have seen him take a turn at the front a few more times.   Joe Walsh fronted quite a few songs and was incredibly enjoyable to watch....the man is a complete cartoon (his mouth is so "Grandpa Simpson" like that I was almost hypnotized watching him with big goofy grin on my face!).  "Life's Been Good To Me So Far" was performed by him with wink, wink, nudge, nudge homage to the life of a rock star with a montage of old photos of the band (got my real life of the boys in porn star 'staches here!) He certainly entertained and his underrated guitar skills were highlighted in a number of the songs.  Glenn Frey was also enjoyable to listen to and pleased the crowd with his fronting turns.  But no surprise, it was Don Henley that made the night for me.  Don Henley is still one of the coolest men alive, in my humble opinion.  His talent is effortless and laid back.  Whether singing from his drum kit or strumming his guitar at the front mic, he commanded attention with his raspy yet strong voice.  Was pleased that they included a couple of his solo tunes - "Dirty Laundry" and "Boys of Summer".  Would have loved had they included "Heart of the Matter", but no dice.  He closed the show with the obvious choice of "Desperado", standing at the lip of the stage, arms open, embracing the crowd with the beauty of his voice.  I know the song has descended into cliche over the years, but performed live and relying on the strength of Henley's vocals it gave me my goosebumps moment and was truly moving.

Every live CD I own, and the majority of the live footage I've looked at over the years, the one song I really wanted to hear, "Wasted Time" is always included.  Sad that they left it out this time, likely the only time I'll ever see the Eagles live.  But no matter, I was entertained to the max regardless, and I had a little car concert on the way home singing it at the top of my lungs, feeding off the afterglow of an awesome live music show that will stay with me for days.  There really is nothing better than that feeling.  Thank you boys.

Them Crooked Vultures - ACC Toronto, May 15, 2010

Them Crooked Vultures.... Them friggin' AWESOME!

For those of you who have been living under a (music free) rock, Them Crooked Vultures is the side project collaboration between a few dudes you may have heard of perhaps (I so need a sarcasm font!).....John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme.  As indicated by the boys themselves, the sound of the band can be described as follows:  "It sounds like the guy from Queens of the Stone Age singing and playing guitar with the bass player from Led Zeppelin and the drummer from Nirvana" (ah, I love it!)  So, you know immediately, with this level of talent involved, that you are going to get some quality sound. 

Going to this show was a no brainer.  Who knows if they'll ever tour together again, and man, to have the privilege of seeing these musicians live.....just Wow!  I don't know a whole lot about Queens of the Stone Age and Josh Homme (can now very confidently say that his voice sounds like sex through a mic so will be looking them up), but Dave Grohl is one of my favorite musicians ever, and I feel justified in saying I think he is one of the most musically talented men alive on the planet  (challenge me on this one...I dare ya!).  John Paul Jones....do I really need to say more?  Really?  (Gonna!)....For any true music fan, being able to witness John Paul Jones in action can be equated to touching the Holy Grail.  So, very excited, we headed down to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto Saturday night, prepared (in fact, hoping) to have our faces melted off!

The opening act was the Arkells, a band from Hamilton.  There was a lot of hype for these guys....a big deal about the Vultures having hand picked them, their Juno win, etc.  While they weren't "bad", I was underwhelmed by them.  I do feel sorry for any opening band though as a general rule.  While over the years I've made a lot of cool discoveries through opening acts, it has to be a hard place to be in - usually, nobody is there to see them, and the crowd is hoping they hurry the hell up and get off the stage so the main event can get going.  May give them a second look later on - just didn't grab me initially, and I've heard good things, so will re-check them out at some point.

Them Crooked Vultures:  Holy Hell!

I see a lot of live music shows, and I like a lot of different genres of music.  I take enjoyment from pretty much everything I see for different reasons.  But this show....this show was on a whole other level.  Here's the thing, with this show....it was straight out, no frills, no drama, all substance, high end talent, blood and guts rock and roll.

From the moment they stepped on the stage, until they took a bow and said goodnight, it was about the music, and I was IN.  There wasn't a lot of banter, there wasn't an elaborate stage show, or props, or theatrics.  I felt like I'd been transported back to the seventies, where true rock and roll ruled. 

Josh Homme, as front man, gained a new fan in me.  He had presence, but without the constant swagger most front men are known for.  He didn't deliberately work the crowd (no need...), they just drank in his effortlessly flawlessly sexy vocals and reacted accordingly with adoration.  Add his guitar wielding into the mix, and you have some music magic happening.

Dave Grohl didn't disappoint on drums (not that I expected him to)....watching him was just amazing, and I'm not entirely sure how he didn't pass out midway through the show he was so into it.  He rocked my world!  Picture Animal from the muppets....and you have a visual of Dave Grohl on drums.  Frantically, mindblowingly, skillfully, awesome.

And really, what can I say about John Paul Jones.  We were in the presence of a true rock and roll legend, and the crowd knew it and appreciated it, and he delivered.  There were moments that I stood back (there was no sitting....this was a ROCK show), and just drank him in.  Genius!

Add in Alain Johannes, their equally talented tour guitarist, and the living dream machine, complete with heart, rock and roll soul, and the best genetics ever, blew us away.  Musical collaboration at it's best.  (Check out "Reptiles" below...my favorite tune of the night).  When you have this level of musical excellence, joined together on one stage, you must consider yourself fortunate to worship at their alter.  And the beautiful part, the part that made it such a joy to experience, is that I believe they enjoyed it as much as we did....for these men, these musicians in the truest sense of the word, playing music for a crowd ain't a job, it's their lifeblood. 

Face.  MELTED.  Off! 

Brand New

BRAND NEW

Members:  Jesse Lacey, Brian Lane, Vinnie Accardi, Garrett Tierney
Hometown:  Long Island, New York
Record Label:  Interscope Records
My Space:  http://www.myspace.com/brandnew





I have a couple of preambles before I review this band, so bear with me, because it IS relevant to their review (I promise!  No skipping or skimming!  There may be a quiz!)

Unrelated, but relevant preamble Number 1:
Back in University (many, many moons ago), I took a Psychology course in Visual and Auditory perception. One of the theories we studied involved the brain going through a mental Rolodex of templates, analyzing for a match, and then clicking when the match has been made sending a recognition acknowledgement to the visual/auditory receptors. For example, when you hear someone talking in your native language, but with a very thick accent...at first it doesn't click what the person is saying to you, but once the brain scans through and matches to it, you have no problem understanding it word for word, the brain just needs to assimilate the accent to the language template and then it "gets" it and your problems in hearing the message conveyed vaporize. Always liked this particular theory...it seemed very plausible to me and fit my life experience.  Often apply it to music, and in so doing, always give something new at least 3 good attentive listens before I make a judgement call on it in case it just hadn't clicked onto my "good music" template on the first pass.  My theory is, true creativity, by definition, is different from what you've ever heard before, so it's possible the brain needs to churn for a bit to grab onto it.

Unrelated but relevant preamble Number 2:
Very recently, one of my music chat acquaintances (we'll call him Snuffaluffagus, or "Snuffy" for short) and I were having a conversation about a music recommendation I had made to him....Snuffy listened to it once, and didn't particularly like it. Said that while he liked the artist in question, this particular album didn't "attach to the magical receptors in the brain" on first listen, that he wouldn't be "throwing it in his car stereo any time soon", so he gave the disc away to a neighbor (gasp!).  Snuffy wasn't amused when I asked him if he was awake (or pissed off at me) when he listened to it and we had the music is subjective, etc., back and forth.  You see....it was one of my favorite musicians of all time, so it ate at me, enough to harass Snuffy to give it a second, and if necessary, a third listen because *perhaps* it just hadn't clicked on first listen to the "recognition of a work of art" template in his brain.  (this album IS a work of art that is probably not appreciated by most....it isn't a car stereo album, it's an "enter the dark innermost fears and perceived failures by abstract in the artist's mind" album....once you assimilate to THAT template, it should change your opinion of it...but I won't go into an in depth description of my love for it here (sent off a very looooong e-mail to Snuffy on that topic already), because that isn't the purpose of this particular blog post, so on with my point...Brand New is the topic of conversation here, so back to them).  I mention this story, because I feel strongly that it isn't always about what instantly attaches to those magic receptors, and sometimes, you need to allow for a template match, or to even be patient and open enough to allow the brain to create a new template, especially when it comes to something creative like music.

Brand New
Brand New was one of my 13 band recommendations mentioned in blog post number 1.  It is one of the favorite bands of the friend who made the recommendations to me, and on first listen, I have to say, I didn't get it.  There was no initial "attach to the magical receptors"....I didn't dislike it, and I could see the appeal, but it didn't strike me... you know? 

Then I listened again.  Upon second listen, I started to pick up on the lyrical content, some of the musical innovation, and the progression of the band as they grew from album to album.  By third listen, I'm stopping what I'm doing because a particular lyric in a song is striking me as fucking brilliant and I'm rewinding it because I need to hear it again.  By fourth listen, I'm in.  I'm feeling the passion behind the musical choices in certain songs, the arrangement of the vocals and their ever changing intensity, and it's all very pleasurable to my senses.  I'm putting certain songs on repeat to analyze and appreciate the artistry.  And with all art, even though it's completely subjective and people will react to it differently, sometimes it's much the same as how you would assess visual art, where you have to step back, then closer, then walk around it, then tilt your head a little to gain a different perspective, before the light bulb goes on and the template fits and you have your "aha!" moment where you've grasped onto it and appreciate it and say "Yes!, yes, I like this!".  Well this is how I became a fan of Brand New.  Sometimes you just have to digest and let it speak to you.  Open the mind and allow it to do it's thing.  And there are times that impatience or other things on the brain, cause you to miss out on things that are worthy of the extra attention as the taste for them needs to be acquired.  We've become a society of greedy consumers of art folks....I'm a guilty party, I'll admit....I like my instant gratification too, but I'm so glad I didn't immediately dismiss on this one.

Of the four albums I dove into, I liked all of them, for very different reasons.  Your Favorite Weapon (release date: October 9, 2001), is a good, solid album in the pop-punk genre, but definitely my least favorite of the bunch.  While it's unfair to assess it against the ones that follow, it's almost impossible for me not to do so here because the band matures so much in future offerings.  Great first album...but they just get better going forward.  Now THIS is a car stereo album...they are telling us a story within the songs, but it's not as deep...less life experience driven.

For Deja Entendu (release date: June 17, 2003)  I was told it was a "landmark album for the genre", and I couldn't agree more.  Took the pop/punk feel of Your Favorite Weapon and built on it.  You can feel the maturation from the first album.  The lyrics are more meaningful and the music itself is expanding out of the boundaries of the genre.  The lyrics on this album blew me away - took the time to even write some of them down I liked them so much.  "I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light", in particular, had so many lyrical gems I can't pick just one to include here as an example, and "the Quiet Things that No One Knows" is just such an enjoyably well crafted song in all respects that my ipod hit count for it has landed it in my top 50 in a music library that numbers several thousand songs.

The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me - (release date:  November 20, 2006) is a much quieter album.  A bit more melodic than it's predecessors, but you can hear them toying with some experimentation with their sound.  Just a slight flirting really...a sign of things to come on Daisy.  Great album start to finish and may just end up on my top 10 Desert Island must haves.  Stand out tunes...Jesus Christ is an absolute favorite...lyrics to make you stop dead and pay strict attention.  While its (for lack of a better description) more mellow feel may make you think it's something you can listen to in the background while doing something else, you'd be wrong....you'd be missing out on all the content.  The bursts of brilliance are subtle, making it all the more clever in my mind.

Daisy (release date:  September 22, 2009)
When the band was originally recommended to me, I was told I should listen to the albums chronologically to see the progression of the band.  Being the rebel I am, I started with this one, their latest.  (Actually, I wasn't sure which one came first when I cued them up on my ipod on the bus, and this one happened to be first on the list being alphabetical...so more orderly than rebellious, but that's our secret 'kay?!  Between you, me....and the rest of the world wide web!).  Started with an initial old gospel type drop in opener (this soft little ditty bookends the album songs), and launches immediately into the first BN song.  I experienced this, while I was standing on the bus, inadvertantly shoved up against someone lumpy in all the wrong places and smelling vaguely of old curry, as the gospel number immediately segued into Jesse Lacey sing-screaming at me right off the bat during Vices.  Lets just say I wasn't in the most conducive environment to be receptive to it.  Further listens (as described above) and I was able to assimilate and enjoy.  I was able to find the melody, enjoy the bass line, the guitar work and the very cool drum beats, and "get" the song.  The album tends to be a hills and valleys type project - no way are you going to be permitted to sit back and relax and let it fade into the background...it wants your attention, and it's going to get in your face if it feels you pulling away. 

It's a bit of an abstract album as well.  Lots of sound experimentation and they drop different items in randomly (like the bookending gospel tune).  While I didn't care for  "Be Gone" with it's out of focus lyrical track, I can appreciate the experimentation.  They are definitely giving us a buffet of different morsels to gnaw on here.

Stand out Tunes:  Sink (Shears a layer of skin off me every time I listen to it....musical exfoliation rocks!) and I really like Noro with it's whispery vocals and rhythmic arrangement.  I find in this one (and most of the songs on this album actually), every instrument is standing out - nothing is fading into the background of a song and all the band members are equally prominent.  And the title track, "Daisy", with it's brilliantly beautifully poetic lyrics of self doubt and the instrumentation that builds from soft guitar picks to the striking riffs to full on band harmonies.  If you can't appreciate the story being constructed within, I don't know what to tell you....it's vulnerability set to song...I like my musicians human and this is as stripped down human as you can get.  Also a perfect example of the evolution of the band....compare this one to, say, Seventy times 7 off the first album with it's bratty, giving you the finger, attitude....the boys have grown up and while their younger selves were enjoyable to listen to, I much prefer the adult conversation I'm having with them in their later fare.

So folks, there you have it.  I'm all in!  Give them a listen!  Be forwarned...they aren't for the faint of heart....open your mind and let that template rolodex get rolling!

The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows


Jesus Christ


Daisy


Sink

Hawksley Workman - April 24, 2010 Massey Hall

Ahhh, Hawksley Workman.

He's a tough sell really. He has no defined musical genre and is something of a chameleon musically, so you either "get" him, or you don't. A lot of his stuff I REALLY dig, and some of it I don't at all, but his live show, regardless of musical taste, is an experience. I'd had a conversation with an acquaintance where I was asked to describe what kind of music it was prior to the show we attended back in December 2008 that went something like this:

Him: "Hawksley Workman? Never heard of him. What kind of music is that?"
Me: (puzzled, and speechless, which is quite a feat)..ah, Hmmm.
Him (clearly jumping to conclusions from the name): Is it classic rock? Country? Rockabilly?
Me: Sort of..., no... , (laughing and wondering if I look like someone who would go to a "rockabilly show")..NO!

The truth is, you never know what he's going to come up with and he is an extremely prolific singer song writer, who has been around for a very long time (mentioned that he and his keyboardist had just recently played their 700th show together). He has a large catalogue of albums, and has released two albums this year alone, one in the rock vein called "Meat", and one soon to be released in full (but is being released song by song in digital form since the beginning of the year) called "Milk", that has somewhat of a (shudder) electronic dance vibe to it. My favorite all time record of his is "Between the Beautifuls" released in 2008 that has a soulful, singer songwriter vibe to it, and is one of my no brainer desert island selections...could listen to it start to finish over and over never tiring of it. Makes my entire being feel good.

(Seriously...how do people who don't self calm with music function?...ok, digressing).

He writes what he feels. He has a thought, (even something random or mundane), and a song emerges and that is how he works, often producing songs for an entire album in a single week. He doesn't overthink it, or tweak it, he just lets it flow out of him. (so I guess sometimes, he feels like dancin'!) Point being, I feel he is a true artist that just lets himself be the instrument of the song being created and doesn't concern himself with boundaries of genre. I like that and regardless of whether or not I subscribe to the art being produced every time, I appreciate his creativity. Will always see him when he rolls through town...

We were fortunate for this show to have obtained front row balcony seats at Massey and will be forever spoiled going forward at this venue. All settled into our primo seats, we were surprised when the lights went down and the keyboardist (Todd Lumley, a.k.a. Mr. Lonely) came to the stage and started playing a medley of Hawksley tunes as an opener before the rest of the band and Hawksley himself took the stage...no opening band! Made sense after the fact because they had a wealth of material to play for us, and in fact did a non-stop 3 hour show, so really no room for an opener. Suited me just fine. Hawksley Workman was who I came to see perform and perform he did and then some!

The atmosphere for the show was one of a lengthy jam session with all of their friends in attendance. Hawksley chatted up the audience as if we were sitting in his home (and he in fact referred to the stage as his "bedroom"...complete with spotlights and chairs for spectating, ha!). I liked the easy casual atmosphere. While he is a definite performer in a big way, there were no instances of planned theatrics...the funny moments were completely random and unplanned and therefore that much more enjoyable for their spontaneity (aside from the leather jumpsuit debacle, photo below....explanation? He was bringing out his Cheval guitar for a few tunes, therefore had to have "Cheval wear"). Jakki and I were in hysterics at one point when the Guitar tech brought out his red "flying V" (also pictured), and he launched into a lengthy description of how much he loved this particular guitar:
- large dirt mark on his chest from where it lays
- that he washes around it (washes into the V...but not too deep into the V...motioning...)
Carries it on the plane, not checking this baby...security stops him with "Is this Lethal?"(he answers "Yes!")
-Security scans the dirt mark on it and asks if it's magnetized and his response being "of course...I happen to sweat nickels!".

By the end of his rant, which must have gone on for 10 minutes, Jakki was snorting, and I was crying. You may have had to be there (probably), but he's a funny guy with his straight delivery. I love a talky musician because it makes you feel like you're one of his friends, that we're all just sitting around, listening to a jam and shooting the shit. Last night, it was a very friendly atmosphere.

During this show, I paid particular attention to Hawksley as a musician. He has an amazing voice, this man. It's velvety smooth and has a variety of range from a silky quiet whisper to a belting falsetto that fills the Massey venue. THAT, I've always known. He took to the drums for one of the songs (believe he started out playing drums as a kid, a fact we gleaned from story telling at his last show at Massey in 2008, and also plays bass and keyboards).

In particular, I really dug his guitar playing.


He had no less than 5 guitars that he interchanged depending on the song. I realized, watching him, that he is an EXTREMELY talented guitarist. There were times that I completely zoned out of the song and just got absorbed in the guitar work, and was completely blown away. From a sensual caress of the strings, to intricate finger work, to downright frantic and vigorous manipulation of all aspects of the instrument, the guitars under his hands made very pleasurable sounds of varying intensity, and I've come to the conclusion that he interchanged them so frequently because the guitars had to go back stage, lay back, have a cigarette and compose themselves before they could "go" again after he'd worked them over. Awesome!(I'm sure there is a technical/sound preference reason for the constant switcheroo, but I like my theory just fine thanks!)

For a 3 hour show, it went by in a flash, which is always a sign that I'm "in" and engaged. He came back for two encores (his final song, you could tell that his voice was shutting down due to his cold, which he relayed to us was obtained from licking door handles at the airport and touching his boarding pass to his eyeball :-). He set out to entertain, and entertain he did. Hawksley Workman was home, and wanted to spend his Saturday night, his whole Saturday night, with his friends.


Hawksley Workman is a true Canadian musician's musician who counts himself lucky to be able to perform his own work to an audience on a regular basis, and even made a commentary that in doing so, it's his fortunate side project and that his true income (sadly)comes from writing songs for those who "look good on TV" (he counts Kylie Minogue and Kelly Clarkson among those he's written pop songs for). Me? I count myself lucky that we can experience him at his most creative in all his glory. While he's taken on the name Hawksley Workman for his stage persona (real name is Ryan Corrigan), this is the only manufactured thing about him, and it was a pleasure listening to him play for us in all his sincerity and stripped down talent. He isn't looking to be commercial, even though he is capable of it. He is what he is....One of few authentic homegrown musicians out there and he will remain, one of my concert staples.

Do see him if you get the opportunity.

Hedley - April 15, 2010, Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, New Brunswick

My name is Lindsay and I've been a closet Hedley fan for 3 + years. I understand that they are a band that caters to the teenage crowd. I am also aware that each album they produce is descending more and more into the pop genre due to their aforementioned fan base. But there has always been something about them that appeals to me. (Could be Jacob's hot abs....I don't know...probably has something to do with it anyway). Admitting you have a problem, they say, is the first step to recovery.

For the last couple of years, I've been fortunate enough to have a "beard" to hide behind, to get me to their live shows (see? I'm quite aware that they are a "guilty" pleasure...enough that I feel I need a beard!). My son, who is almost 13 now, attended a couple of Hedley shows with me so it didn't seem *quite* so creepy that a woman my age was *ahem* attending and enjoying the show, but this year, he looked at me when I asked if he wanted to go and said "ah...No." So beard gone, and no music buddies really wanting to go, I did not acquire tickets for Hedley's tour through Toronto. So how did I end up going to see them in Moncton, New Brunswick, you ask? Well....My sister mentioned she'd like to go, I was planning a trip east for "get out of the city sanity purposes" anyway, so I booked a flight, bought our tickets, and it was a done deal! The Chase sisters were having a Cougar night!

I have to say, I've been spoiled by excellent music venues in Toronto. Entering the Moncton Coliseum, it took me a bit by surprise, because I hadn't been in the building since attending Moncton Golden Flames games back in my high school days. Seemed a whole LOT bigger back then. There were 3 opening acts, but my sis and I didn't feel a big need to be on time for them, and luckily I had a "correspondent" who filled me in. (found Liz and her kids sitting a few rows over and chatted with them...)

Alex Warman reports: "Stereos came on first, and they were alright. Fifi Dobson was actually pretty good...if she headlined, I'd go see her!"

We were there in time to see Faber Drive. They were OK - you know...pop, but trying to have an edge.

Then Hedley took the stage and my first thought was: "What's with the theatrics?". This has always been a band that is into the "big", but there was a large video montage introducing all the band members that had me already bored before they even arrived on the stage. Was a throughline for the show actually...lots of "stuff" that was gimmicky and unecessary. Would have preferred if they had just come out, and played with fierce energy, and left the theatrics at home. i.e.: the telling of stories around the fake campfire to set up the next tune...the wardrobe changes (with owl hoots on the audio in the darkness), and Jacob's almost evangelical speeches of "thank you for coming...if you keep come back, we'll keep come back".

They played almost if not all, every song off the new album and a bunch off the first two. Not a huge fan of the new offering, as it seemed to cater to the teenybopper set, and the show carried on in this vein. Are they talented? Sure. Jacob in particular has got "it", and plays guitar and piano really well in addition to his vocal ability, but it seemed forced to me...the show I saw at Massey Hall a year back was more real and more raw. Did enjoy when he sat down to the piano for the softer stuff, as it seemed more sincere.

Can't really fault them for their descent into popdom...it is their bread and butter and good for them really. Still maintain that their first two albums are pretty good, and that even the third has some catchy numbers that are fun. But having been experiencing some music with more depth as of late, the show didn't give me the shivers. Need one that does real soon.

And unlike past shows....Jacob didn't take off his shirt. (what can I say...he's got the best torso in the business...I missed that!)

So Hedley, baby....I think I'm over you. I'm sorry, but I'm breaking it off... it's not you...it's me! (I deserve much, much better). I wish you well, and you and me Hedley? We will always be friends.

Jelly Beans and Squeeze Cheeze...... (a.k.a. Nickelback - ACC, April 8, 2010)

Yes.....I went to Nickelback.

So a couple of posts back, I compared my music intake to food....some that offered life sustaining nutrition, and then there were the guilty pleasure foods....the ones I knew weren't good, that I wasn't fooled by, but that regardless of their nutritional value (or lack thereof), I would consume and take some enjoyment from anyway...keep THAT in mind and please don't write off my musical credibility here, because I fear that this post, for this particular show, this early in my new blog, could conceivably shoot it all to hell. Give me the benefit of the doubt even if you dismiss this one...please?

So here's the story.

I am the instigator a great deal of the time in attending concerts with Jakki, my music buddy partner in crime. It's safe to say that she attends a great deal of shows she may not have really chosen to if I hadn't made the request. Not to say she doesn't enjoy the shows, or that we aren't on the same page a good deal of the time in loving certain artists, or that she hasn't introduced me to some kick ass stuff I wasn't aware of prior ('cause she does, we are, and she has), but there have been some concerts that I say "by the way...we're going to this..here's a few discs...listen to 'em to prepare", and she's all over it. Best music buddy ever and she usually ends up liking whatever I've dragged her to, but the point is, she is always game.

So back in December one day, she pops over to my desk and tells me that Breaking Benjamin, a band she likes, is playing in Toronto and she'd like to see them. Glad to accomodate, no questions asked, I log into ticketmaster to acquire us some tickets, and discover that the show in question is Breaking Benjamin... opening for Nickelback. Neither of us can stop laughing at this point...the two of us are in fits of giggles. Did a quick "Music Gods Forgive us" and secured us some tickets. From December on, whenever we mention the shows we have in the lineup, we almost mumble this one to people, or just say "Breaking Benjamin". It's really taboo to even speak the name!

I've noticed an interesting phenomenon whenever Nickelback comes up in conversation. Nobody will admit to liking them....it's extremely uncool, in fact, and you will be subjected to some serious ribbing. An acquaintance of mine once confessed that he enjoyed them to a group of friends, and was greeted with the counter attack of "How in the reign of F&*k...(complete tirade omitted, but it was guffaw inspiring, ending with)...Have you been drinking???". Seems to be the general consensus. I don't get the ferociousness of the backlash really. Yes, they are generic. Yes, the music is disposable, but all in all, are they really that bad? I find that Canada tends to be fairly snobby when it comes to it's own musicians...if they didn't sweat blood and pay their dues by crawling their way out of the ashes for years and years, commercial success is really frowned upon. Canadian's want to see their artists toil! Nickelback, no matter how "unpopular" or "unoriginal", have achieved commercial success relatively quickly. A good point was raised by Mandy, another music buddy, who said that we should embrace bands like Nickelback because their commercial success with major labels here in Canada provides cash flow, and in effect allows the labels to take on smaller bands who actually have a unique talent but have yet to gain a following. So, on that logic, we are just doing our part in support of Canadian talent folks! (Okay....justification for going done. It is what it is, so on with the show. Jakki, myself, and Tracy headed off to the ACC...)

3 opening bands....

Sick Puppies. An Australian alt rock band. They were pretty good. Liked the singer's voice. Bassist was extremely fun to watch!...next!






Shinedown. ah...tried a bit too hard. I always feel sorry for the opening bands at big shows. They were asking the audience to get up and "jump" on command....the audience was having none of it. Realized during their last song that "hey...I've heard these guys!". One of their singles was playing in heavy radio rotation for a while last summer. Name escapes me, and I guess I don't really care enough to go look it up. Was a catchy tune. That's about it.

Breaking Benjamin. They were quite good, I thought. But their time was quick. Each opening band only got a few songs really. Would have been interested in seeing a bit more of them. They knew their place, played their set and exited. I do own some of their stuff, so I'm already familiar with them.

Sound for all 3 openers was not the greatest - the bass was so pumped up I could feel it running through me (and not in a good, meld with the music while it courses through you way), and the vocals were muffled. I'm no stranger to a rock show, so when I say it was "very loud", I don't mean it in a "turn that rock music down young man" old lady kinda way, I mean it in the way that their sound guys didn't have the mix right and it was just booming bass.

The main event....

Out of nowhere and without any kind of warning (i.e., lights going down, interim music stopping), a big BOOM sounded and scared the shit out of me. Then the fire errupted. I swear, it felt like my eyebrows were singed clean off and I was sure I'd go home with a sunburn. I've never seen so much pyro....and I've been to a live Motley Crue show! Nickelback had taken the stage.


Nickelback knows their audience well and they played (and provided commentary) FOR said audience. Much talk of drugs (we got really high...and then I wrote this song...cue guitar). I'm sure I got contact high from the second hand weed... you know when Chad comments that he can smell it from the stage amidst the pyro odor, that there was a lot of it going around. And there was audience drama (the drunken "cougars" in front of us got into an altercation with a younger girl and her boyfriend that was a bit distracting, all while embarrassing the shit out of the 13ish year old son of one of them).



They played all the "hits" to an audience of 20+ thousand (give or take) that ate it up. They worked the stage really well. Chad was a talker and adopted the "stance" in various positions from the stage (you know the one....legs spread, pelvis pointed to the audience like a blinking arrow). It amused me to a certain extent because I had a momentary flash of Jason Lee's character in "Almost Famous" where he says "I look for the one person in the audience who ISN'T getting off....and I GET them off! THAT you can print!". Gave me the giggles a bit, but gives you the sense of my mindset...for a show I'm extremely into, my mind doesn't wander and I'm at one with the band. Here, I'm thinking about movie quotes. They played the main stage, then headed out into the catwalk end of the stage and played there. Had some audience interaction (there was a 10 year old on the floor with his Dad literally pressed up against the gate that Chad kept coming back to to chat with. Cute, but...my inner Mom was cringing on the parenting choice to bring a 10 year old and put him in THAT spot where as an adult, you take your chances on bodily harm). Then they had an "intermission" of sorts where they shot things into the audience and literally THREW cups of beer to the fans. Bottom line, they were there to put on a show, a reaaaaaaly big sheeeeew, and entertain...and I believe they succeeded in their mission, minus moving the audience emotionally with their music.

Here's the thing with the band.... they played extremely well, and Chad has a great voice there's no denying (I don't care how much you hate Nickelback...he does have a great voice.) The music sounded pretty flawless live (better sound team, I'd say), and they are all technically proficient musicians. But for every song I'd think "oh, this is the one I know...ah, nope, not it". "oh, this one...nope" And then again. And again. Really got a sense of how their songs are interchangeable as the majority of them sound exactly the same, but with different lyrics dropped in. But I'm thinking perhaps I was in the minority, as the cougars in front of us (and the rest of the audience come to think of it), sang along with every word, so clearly, they could tell the difference.

I don't fault the band. I can see where the Nickelback haters are coming from for sure, mind you. But they have a formula, and it works for them...they filled (and pleased) the Air Canada Center so I'd say they're doing alright for themselves. While I'd be interested in seeing what they could do with a show where the theatrics are cut away (less fire, more substance), and they maybe tried an acoustic set to make a connection with their audience, lyrically and with a sincere meaning behind their music, they are what they are and they've found their niche...if it ain't broke, don't fix it. This mentality may offend serious music fans, but really, why should it matter to them? Why waste time criticizing. Live and let live.

Fav part of the show? The drum solo. Now that was a thing of beauty to watch. For those several minutes, everything else was blocked out for me and all was right.


Did I enjoy the show? Hell yeah, with a qualification. In a way you enjoy jelly beans and squeeze cheeze. Very little value, nutrionally, to either of these guilty synthetic pleasures, but you eat them and enjoy them. These are "food" items you'd never want to over-indulge on because there is nothing organic about them, and they tend to give you an unpleasant sugar rush/aftertaste. The initial rush always is followed by your body craving something with a little more substance.

Thanks Nickelback, I was entertained.
Devil horns (or "ears" right Trace?) raised.