'Sup in March: Ten Picks

After a couple of months of relatively casual concert going action, it looks like the month of March is going to be a busy one for me, concert-wise. If you couple that with the fact that life is also going to be quite busy life-wise, than you're going to be looking at a fairly exhausted guy come months end. For the most part however, it'll be worth it, since the month promises not to leave me wanting in terms of high quality shows, so here are a few picks if you're looking for something to do.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Semi-Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. Joanna Newsom / Kevin Barker @ The Phoenix
(Saturday March 13th; Cost: $28)

I've been listening to Joanna Newsom's (pictured above) latest 3-disc opus Have One On Me over and over and over again this week, which is amazing considering the fact that it is certainly what one could classify as a daunting listen. Her voice may be a tad normalized this time around (no doubt making some people quite happy) but this is still an example of primo Newsom as it showcases her usual penchant for adventure, both lyrically and instrumentally. There are so many layers to peel back throughout this recording that I hope I'll be able to have it fully absorbed in time for the show, which is sure to be a classic performance. [Myspaces: Joanna Newsom, Kevin Barker]

2. Thrush Hermit @ Lee's Palace
(Fri. Mar 26th - Sun. Mar 28th; Cost: $17.50)

The reunion of the boys in Thrush Hermit admittedly brought me mixed feelings since my tastes have changed a little bit over the last 15 years, and I'm fairly indifferent to the solo version of Joel Plaskett. Both this fact, and the other fact that I have not listened to the Thrush for several years had me wondering if the old tunes would still do it for me in my advanced age. Well, I recently dusted off both the Smart Bomb EP and Sweet Homewrecker and I hafta say that both of those albums held up exceptionally well, proving to me that Plaskett's former band truly was a different beast altogether. Two sold out nights at Lee's, with undoubtedly a third one on the way confirms that they've still got the ability to generate some great enthusiasm. [Myspace: Thrush Hermit]

3. Canadian Music Fest @ Various Venues
(Wed. Mar 10th - Sun. Mar 14th; Cost: $63 for the 5-day pass)

To be honest, I'm still perusing the schedule for this one, trying to use the opportunity to focus on bands that I wouldn't normally get to see, but making a decision on what to do ain't coming as easily as it has in the past. I'll keep you posted on some picks in relation to this as we get closer to the date. [Myspace: Canadian Music Fest]

4. Language-Arts/ The Pinecones / Allie Hughes @ The Garrison
(Friday March 5th; Cost: $6)

Vancouver's Language-Arts are an amazing band that I only recently was introduced to, but within seconds of listening to their debut LP Where Were You In The Wild, I knew that this band was going to be right up my alley. Their airy and organic tones, in theory, should really serve as a contrast to Kristen Cudmore's pixie-ish vocals, but the pairing is one of pure magic as the compositions themselves are abstract works of art that defy characterization by showcasing something new with every listen. This is mesmerizing stuff that I'm curious to see how it will translate to the live stage. [Myspaces: Language-Arts, The Pinecones, Allie Hughes]

5. David Ford @ The Drake
(Tuesday March 9th; Cost: $11.50)

At first listen, David Ford doesn't seem like much, as his vocals are certainly not all that unfamiliar and the songs themselves at first seem like your typical pop fare. But as you let his sounds linger a bit, it becomes apparent that there is some pretty impressive Tom Waits-ian lyricism taking place, not to mention the articulate musicianship that refuses to limit itself within the confines of the 3 or 4 minute pop song. The looping machine is being used by many these days, but I guarantee that you have never seen it used to the impressive extent that it is used by this multi-instrumentalist, to the point that you can actually hear the sound of a full stadium band emanating from that stage, even though Ford may be the only person up there. If you haven't seen him live yet and you appreciate pure musicianship, than you owe it to yourself to be at The Drake on March 9th. [Myspace: David Ford]

6. Scout Niblett / Picastro @ The Horseshoe
(Wednesday March 17th; Cost: $11.50)

Scout Niblett is the perfect antidote for those who are suffering from "lack of rawness" syndrome. Too many artists start out with an intensely raw sound, only to trade it in for delicacy later on. (I'm looking at you Chan Marchall). Scout Niblett, on the other hand, is about as raw as it gets, with a sound that encapsulates all that grunge attempted to create, without actually be grungy at all. In fact, Scout probably has more in common with P.J. Harvey than Kurt Cobain, but if you're in the mood for some a little bit harsher than usual, her show comes highly recommended. [Myspaces: Scout Niblett, Picastro]

7. Spoon / Deerhunter / The Strange Boys @ Sound Academy
(Monday March 29th; Cost: $32.50)

There was a lot of excitement generated by this double bill, featuring the consistently catchy indie rock of Spoon and the atmospheric, yet still mildly hooky, ambient-punk of Deerhunter. While I'd imagine that a certain majority of the crowd will be there for Britt Daniel's band, I really hope that many will show up early enough to catch Bradford Cox's band, since they really are awesome live. I, however, won't be there in time for either since I think I've lost my ability to not be grumpy when I'm at the Sound Academy. Yep, don't think I'm in the mood for that. [Myspaces: Spoon, Deerhunter, The Strange Boys]

8. Justin Townes Earle / Joe Pug @ The Horseshoe
(Monday March 1st; Cost: $15)

When your father is a country legend and you're named after another country legend, I think it's safe to say that certain expectations are going to be pretty dang high. Well, if there was one thing proven by last year's Midnight At The Movies, it was that Justin is not one for undermining the aforementioned expectations. He may have definite similarities to his father Steve and his mentor Townes, but Justin Townes Earle is very much an individual songwriter and performer that is all his own, and from what I've heard, he puts on a pretty impressive live show too.  [Myspaces: Justin Townes Earle, Joe Pug]

9. Rodrigo y Gabriela @ The Phoenix
(Friday March 5th, Cost: $29.50)

I was recently thinking that I simply don't cover enough jazz tinged, acoustic guitar, instrumental duos from Mexico on this here blog, so I figured Rodrigo y Gabriela's show at The Phoenix would be an excellent opportunity to do so. Seriously though, Rodrigo Sánchez' natural abilities on lead guitar coupled with Gabriela Quintero's accompaniment on rhythm guitar is one of those great musical wonders of the world that I don't get the chance to see too often these days. [Myspace: Rodrigo y Gabriela]

10. The Besnard Lakes @ The Horseshoe
(Thursday March 11th; Cost: $16)

I would've assumed that The Besnard Lakes were big enough to fill a larger capacity venue than The Horseshoe by now, but I guess that the collective longing for neo-progressive orchestral flourishing isn't as intense as I thought. Perhaps the release of their upcoming new disc entitled The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night will be epic enough to change that, In the meantime, smaller venues seem to be the way to go for this trippy outfit, and if The Horseshoe is still a little too large scale for you, than perhaps you can catch their instore performance the day before (March 10th) at Criminal Records at 6:30pm. [Myspace: The Besnard Lakes]

Honorable Mentions:
Steam Whistle Unsigned #13 takes place at the Steam Whistle Brewing Club featuring three of the city's finest in Make Your Exit, Everything All The Time and Dinosaur Bones (Mar. 5th / $5); TWM 58 looks pretty interesting, boasting a lineup including BA Johnston, Racoon Wedding and Andrew Vincent (Mar. 6th / $7); Brooklyn's Vivian Girls are playing The Wrongbar (Mar. 10th, $14); my friends Maned Young Lions are at The Horseshoe (Mar. 15th / FREE); and finally, one of my favourite local alt-country acts Elvyn is celebrating the release of their new album The Decline at The Silver Dollar with The Champion Heartache opening for them. That show takes place on March 26th (Cost: TBA)

Where I'll Be:
I've already got my tickets for Joanne Newsom, David Ford and Thrush Hermit, and I'm pretty positive I'll be going to see Language-Arts as well. Canadian Music Fest is pretty much a sure thing whether I'm officially accredited or not. I'll also be checking out as many instores as I can, including Zeus at Soundscapes on March 6th, as well as whatever other ones I can squeeze into my schedule. Gonna be a busy one peoples, so we'll see how I fare.

St. Vincent w/Scout Niblett & Katie Stelmanis @ The Horseshoe

Friday was a night of complete female eclecticism as St. Vincent and a few others took to the stage at The Legendary Horseshoe in downtown Toronto.

I arrived partway through the set of local girl Katie Stelmanis. Although she was equipped with what appeared to be only a synthesizer, she managed to pull out a vast array of interesting prerecorded sounds that gave her show a bit of a new age feel. Coming across to me as sort of a female Phillip Glass, I have to admit that I had a little trouble getting into her sound right away. Her operatic voice seemed to thrill the crowd however, and towards the end of her set I was finally starting to appreciate her sound more fully. She closed off her set with a cover of "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", which could not have sounded any further from the original if it was performed by Tom Waits. Which, to me, is a good thing.

Downloads:
You'll Fall mp3 / Roll mp3
I only managed to take a few pics but you can find them here, on flickr of course.

Only discovering Scout Niblett's music on Friday night has me wondering what right I have to pretend to be at all knowledgeable. She had many devoted fans at the show, and upon doing more research I came to realize that this is not just a newcomer to the indie rock scene. Her first album was released in 2001, and she has often been compared to the likes of Cat Power or PJ Harvey. However if I may make a bold statement, I even heard doses of Kurt Cobain in her music. In an era where the idea of a grunge sound has suddenly become dated, watered-down and forever synonymous with the 90's, Scout's music sounded vital and current. I feel that it's exactly what is needed to re-energize what was once viewed as a means to bring realism back into a stagnant music scene.

Downloads:
Uptown Top Ranking mp3 / Drummer Boy mp3
Hear some more recent recordings over on her myspace page.
View my Scout Niblett pics on flickr.

St. Vincent put on a significantly different show than the last time I saw her, opening for Midlake. That was a stripped down affair; only Annie, a guitar, a piano and her impeccable wit. This time she had a four piece band with her, and the banter, while still there, was kept to a minimum. Yes, this time around it was solely about the music and she put on a powerhouse performance. For those who have listened to her CD, there is an awful lot going on there. One has to wonder how that sort of strong production could possibly be duplicated on stage. She of course, had no problem, making full use of the massive amounts of pedals and gadgets, in order to convey her point. These included some sort of mannequin arm turned into a handclap and bass drum machine, and also a simple board, perfect for stomping on in a maniacal fashion. She is simply rabid on the guitar, delicate on the keys, and always compelling to watch. Besides all that was going on onstage, she did return to the intimacy of her last show during the encore, when she pulled out an amazing cover of Jackson Browne's "These Days", (popularly recorded by Nico.)

Downloads:
Now Now mp3
St. Vincent's myspace page.
My St. Vincent pictures from the show on flickr.