Cuff The Duke w/ Bruce Peninsula and The Stables @ The Horseshoe

I left my hometown of Oshawa, Ontario back in 1994 and I proudly never looked back. Until now. Cuff The Duke made me feel downright nostalgic about that dirty town, and I'm almost at the point where I'm ready to take back all of the nasty things that I've said about The 'Shwa over the past several years. The fact of the matter is that Wayne Petti and the gang put on a performance that was literally everything that a solid rock show should be when they hit the stage on Friday night at The Horseshoe with Bruce Peninsula and fellow Oshawans The Stables.

If The Horseshoe ever decides that it's time for them to get themselves a house band, my vote goes to The Stables. Their brand of rip roaring countrified punk is exactly the type of music one longs to hear when entering the back end of this legendary venue, and they totally tore the house down. I remembered how great they were the last time that I saw them, but I think the significantly larger and more enthusiastic crowd had the band bringing us their 'A' game this time around. The simple setup was still in tact: namely the guitar, the hockey stick bass, and the grass skirt drum kit, which gave their simple songs the ability to really stand on their own, without unnecessary clutter. Every band on the bill gave us at least one memorable cover song, and The Stables' version of The Dead Milkmen's Punk Rock Girl managed to achieve the impossible, that is, making the song more outrageous and fun than it already is. The members of the band (Poor Pelly, Blind Billy Blasko, Darren Clarke) seem to make every show as much fun as possible, and this is especially true with Clarky, who has got to be the happiest man alive. The songs range from silly country to contemplative songwriting, and this is ultimately what makes them a band to pay close attention to.

Photos: The Stables @ The Horseshoe on flickr.
Myspace: The Stables
Download: Too Old To Skate mp3


I was glad to see that Bruce Peninsula were also part of the show on Friday night. I've really wanted to see them again, since I find their music to be very uplifting, which meant that it would serve as a useful complement to the other bands who were playing that night. I was surprised to see how much the lineup had changed since last time. There was no Casey Mecija, no Katie Stelmanis and no Isla Craig. As valuable as those members were however, their absence didn't make the band any less inspiring, as their set was still full of powerful vocals and heart stopping, transcendent melodies that makes you wish that you could also be a part of this unique ensemble. For some reason, their music always makes me feel as if I've been transported to another time in the distant past, perhaps during the discovery of sound. What I mean is, that their vocal choruses exhibit a vibrancy that sounds as if they've just discovered the effects of vocal manipulation in order to create melodious sound patterns. (erm.) Anyway, I know what I'm talking about. Their memorable cover was of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain which, if I wasn't already familiar with the song (as I think probably everybody is), I could be persuaded to believe that it was a Bruce Peninsula original. The song sounds like it was written especially for them, and I can't remember the last time an artist so wisely chose a song to cover.

Photos: Bruce Peninsula @ The Horseshoe on flickr.
Myspace: Bruce Peninsula

Cuff The Duke seriously met and exceeded my expectations. In more ways than one. All the enjoyable concerts that I attend generally fall into one of two categories. Firstly, there's the older bands. These shows are great because they've obviously had several years to hone their craft, and nothing can compare to the tightness and musical craftsmanship of a band who has paid their dues. Secondly, there's the newer and younger bands. Rarely are they ever as polished, but it's their enthusiasm and youthful vigor that generally sucks me in. Would you believe that Cuff The Duke excel at both?

They are as tight as any band that I have ever seen, which makes their relative newness to the music scene somewhat perplexing. I was simply beside myself every time Wayne Petti wailed away on the guitar, and the rest of the band displayed that same level of musical sophistication throughout the course of the show. The show was full of many surprises. The biggest of these was seeing Canada's sweetheart Basia Bulat (with her bandmates Holly Rancher and Allison Wonderland) join the band for a few numbers. Her stage presence reminded me of when you'd see Feist rocking out with Broken Social Scene. This was a different side of Basia. Ms. Bulat, the rock star, if you will. Wayne called fellow Oshawans The Stables to the stage to perform their tribute to the town in which they were raised, Rossland Square. I literally used to walk to Rossland Square almost every day between the ages of 12 and 16, and hearing those lyrics being sung from the stage dang near brought a tear to my eye. The crowd singalong to If I Live or If I Die was a definite highlight as was their rocking cover of The Rolling Stones' She's A Rainbow. However it was the encore that really sealed the deal for me. Wayne admitted that Bob Seger's Against The Wind was one of his favourite guilty pleasures, and he called Basia Bulat's band, Bruce Peninsula and The Stables all on to the stage to help him sing it. The results were an appropriate mix of hillarity and sentimentality. Once again, this is unusual for a band that is as new as they are. But they pulled it off effortlessly, and ending the encore with Ballad Of A Lonely Construction Worker is pure perfection as that song lends itself to enough guitar solos that even a Neil Young fan would be leaving satisfied. Finally, you add all of that to the fact that Petti has got to be the most gracious performer on Earth (I can't even count how many times he 'genuinely' thanked all of us for coming to the show,) and you've got yourself one of the best concerts I've ever been privileged to attend. You'll definitely be seeing this one on my year end top 5 for sure.

Photos: Cuff The Duke @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Cuff The Duke
Download: Rossland Square live mp3

Deadbeat Dads, Boxes & Bags and The Stables @ Rancho Relaxo

The first ever edition of Two Way Monologues Wallet Friendly Indie Showcase was a hootin' and hollerin' good time, featuring three bands that focused on a good natured "let's see how much fun we can possibly have" type of attitude that taught us all that one does not need to be snobby to be indie.

The first band on the bill was Deadbeat Dads who, like their name, are not meant to be taken too seriously. Lead vocalist Carlo began the set with a rambling spoken word piece that may or may not have been prolific, but was certainly a lot of fun to listen to. From there on in, the band blasted through a frenetic set that reminded me a bit of Ween meets Moldy Peaches. I really appreciated their whole tongue in cheek attitude, and I think they're the type of band that one should really see at the end of a long hard work week, because they are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I've been listening to their demo CD all day, and it gets better with every listen. They handed it to me after the show. It was recorded on a simple Sony CD-R, with the track listing scribbled down in pen, which I consider to be very Daniel Johnston, which equals very cool, as far as I'm concerned.

Photos: Deadbeat Dads @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Download: Happy Destroyer mp3
Myspace: Deadbeat Dads

I had never felt more confused than I was before, during, and after Boxes and Bags hit the stage. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy them. I did. They just confused me, that's all. They played (mostly) instrumental music. And they yelled sometimes. And they held up signs with catch phrases on them. And they clapped their hands and chanted. And they laid down on the ground. And the lead singer wore a fake beard. And a couple of them had masks on. And a Blue Jays hat. And the guitarist with the cowboy hat had no shoes on. Or socks. However, all of this chaos and tom foolery would have been incredibly off-putting if the band didn't have the chops to pull it off and thankfully they did. Their playing was tight and their presentation, while completely schizo, created the exact mood that they were likely striving to create. Or at least I think it did. I'm not sure. Because I'm confused. I am pretty sure that I can't wait for the CD to be released though. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing / hearing them again as I'll bet that they are constantly full of surprises.

Photos: Boxes and Bags @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Myspace: Boxes and Bags

The band I was really anxious to see was The Stables. Let me explain. I don't really mention it all that often but I was born and raised in Ontario's virtual time warp, a city called Oshawa, or The 'Shwa to its townspeople. I haven't been introduced to a lot of good music from The 'Shwa over the years, simply because it's not a city that's generally known for its quality indie music stylings. I think Kim Mitchell's "Patio Lanterns" has been number one on the Oshawa charts for the past 20 years. (I'm kidding of course; pretty sure there is no 'Shwa chart.) Thankfully, alt-country outfit Cuff The Duke put to rest any notion to the thought that Oshawa was incapable of providing the indie scene with anything worthwhile. This is simply by virtue of the fact that, as Tony the Tiger would say, they're great! So when I started to hear the buzz about this other band from the Galahad, Glebe, and Gladfern district, I just had to check them out. (You have to be from 'Shwa to understand the triple 'G' reference, and even then...) In a word, they're fantastic! A sampling of their myspace selection could lead one to foolishly conclude that they are simply a novelty band, but that couldn't be further from the truth. They do play songs that are incredibly fun, like "ADD" and "Too Old To Skate" which has the wittiest singalong chorus I've heard in a while. But as the show carried on, I became more and more impressed with their ability to craft an incredibly well put together pop song. They truly have a gift, and many of their songs are incredibly moving and heartwarming. I also love that their band setup is as simple as they come. You've got your guitar, a tiny little drum kit, and a "standup" bass made out of an overturned wash basin, a pole and a rope. By this time of the night, the crowds were beginning to get a little scanty, but the band performed as if they were standing in a stadium full 'o people. That takes devotion and a real love for their craft. Next time they're in town, please take the opportunity to see them. You will not regret it.

Photos: The Stables @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Download: Too Old To Skate mp3
Myspace: The Stables