Krief w/ Obviously Five Believers and Schomberg Fair @ Rancho Relaxo

There are good guitarists and there are great guitarists. The Dears' Patrick Krief is one of the great ones. He released his solo EP, brilliantly entitled "Take It Or Leave" earlier this year and he's been frequently showcasing it live ever since. On the album, he does it all himself, but on stage he is in full band mode with Roberto Piccioni (keyboards), Andre Bendahan (bass), and George Donoso III (drums). The CD is a very personal affair, that shows that, if anything, The Dears are really his side project, not the other way around, as some may believe. I had heard that his live show is really something to behold, and boy, is that an understatement. Watching him play, transported me back to the days of watching Hendrix or Zappa wail away on the axe. (Of course I've never actually been to one of those shows. C'mon, I'm not THAT old!) You can however, and should, add Patrick Krief to the list of heavily underrated guitarists like Jay Farrar or J. Mascis, because his playing goes far beyond the sonic noodling of some of the other so-called greats. When he solos, his playing is filled with precision and discretion. In other words, they do not simply come off sounding like a solo simply for the sake of soloing. Every solo feels like a composition within itself, and that is incredibly impressive to witness onstage.

Patrick Krief has two dates at The Rivoli in Toronto on December 7th and 8th.

Photos: Krief live at Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: Worries Are Over mp3
Myspace: Krief
Video: For a sampling of what this guy is capable of, watch this. Holy Mackinaw!
Purchase: Take It Or Leave here.

I don't want to start any rumors, but I'm pretty sure that the guys in Schomberg Fair may have shot a man in Reno, and if they did, it was simply just to watch him die. If you recognize that reference, than going to see Schomberg Fair should definitely be put on your to-do list. With the spirit and attitude of a young Johnny Cash, these guys ripped through a set of hard livin' and thrashy country punk that smacks with even a slight hint of rockabilly. Their sound is classic rock 'n raunch, and you would be hard-pressed not to become a country convert after hearing them play. I really appreciate the dynamic between lead vocalist Matt Bahen's raspy throat aerobics and bassist Nathan Sidon's deep 'close your eyes and you swear it's Johnny Cash himself' baritone. Add to that Jake Stewart's 'anything but subtle' skin pounding, and you've got yourself a true genuine roots rock sensation.

Schomberg Fair have several dates in the near future but their Toronto appearances are at Tiger Bar on November 8th and The Horseshoe on December 29th.

Photos: Schomberg Fair @ Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: John The Revelator mp3 / Some Things Never Change mp3
Myspace: Schomberg Fair

I've mentioned before my weakness for all things 60's. Obviously Five Believers are one of my new weaknesses. Their love for the psychedelic sixties is apparent in that their sound does not simply pay homage, but it actually sounds like we may have transported back to that era while listening to them. They opened the night off with a very enthusiastic set, that got the crowd enveloped in a frenzied shake-fest. I could probably compare them to a hundred different bands, but you likely already know the sound that I'm talking about. Basically I think that they would have made a splash on Ed Sullivan, before getting kicked off for not giving in to Eddy's standards. They're the type of band that I would imagine always puts on a great show and I'd love to see them play a place like The Mod Club next time, since I really feel that their music would be ideal in that setting.

Obviously Five Believers will be performing at Mitzi's Sister in Toronto on November 15th.

Photos: Obviously Five Believers @ Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: Darling Of The Underground mp3 / Song For When We Die mp3
Myspace: Obviously Five Believers
You can purchase their CD on their myspace page as well, or simply e-mail them if you live in the city at obviously.five.believers@gmail.com