Band Swap 2K - Saturday, December 29, 2007

Last night I witnessed something truly funny, inspiring, and an all-around great idea: local band members drawing names out of a hat with 24 hours to prepare 3 songs. This is brilliant for so many reasons, including that it is around Christmas when so many displaced Saskatoon musicians have come into our great city once again. The result was absolutely hilarious and sometimes surprisingly good. In addition to all of that, there were some great door prizes from local businesses and everyone that paid their $10 to get in the door got a ticket... and all of the proceeds made from the show go to the Saskatoon Crisis Nursery, which is a place designed to help children in crisis situations.

Highlights of the night were "Bon Jodi" (as in Jodi Thomson's band with Alison Whelan, Dean Summach, and Kim Warner) playing "The Sign" and "Manic Monday." The climax was Shawn (from Dumb Angel) and Zach's (from Carbon Dating Service and Maybe Smith) band playing "Final Countdown." The best original song was Colin Skrapek's (from Maybe Smith) band playing "Band Swap, wooooah, somethingsomething group orgy." There were 8 bands in total and lots of short shorts and awesome costumes (Drabble's shorts may have been the shortest, but Jim Ginther's were the sexiest). Oh yes, and my absolute favorite song of the night was Mike (from These Hands) and his band singing "Who let the dogs out" as a BALLAD!!! So good.

My cheeks were so sore by the end of the night from laughing and singing along. It was a really fun night and anyone that was caught in the line-up to get into Amigo's or who thought that hanging out at home was better missed a really great night.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Playlist - Top 10 Albums of 2007!

This morning's show featured songs from my Top 10 Albums of 2007 list. Here is the order of my list and the songs I played:
(Artist - Song - Album; * = Canadian)

6:00 - 7:00 am
#10. The Deep Dark Woods - Hang me, Oh Hang me; They won me over on Saturday night and squeaked in to the last spot on my Top 10 list.
They Won't Last Long
Rumble in the Sky
Five Hundred Metres

#9. Ween - La Cucaracha; These guys are so messed up, but their albums are so interesting.
Your Party
Learnin' to Love
Sweetheart in the Summer

#8. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Living with the Living; He surprised me at his show and his album surprised me at how good it was.
Who Do You Love?
Bottle of Buckie

#7. The New Pornographers - Challengers; Such a great dancing album.
Go Places
Mutiny, I Promise You

#6. Little Miss Higgins - Junction City; Gotta love a local gal singing Memphis Minnie songs!
In the Middle of Nowhere
You Ain't Done Nothing to Me

7:00-8:00am
#5. Cuff the Duke - Sidelines in the City; A quick change of plans put these guys in the middle of the pack. I love this album a lot... it's got soul.
Long Road
By Winter's End

#4. The Heartstrings - self-titled; Local artists that bring it all together on many levels.
Orchard Morning
Mind the Signs

#3. Xavier Rudd - White Moth; Such a moving album from Aboriginal sounds to love songs... and the digeridoo!
Stargaze
Anni Kookoo

#2. Immaculate Machine - Fables; So fun that you can't help to dance along.
Nothing Ever Happens
C'mon Sea Legs
As promised, here is the recording IM did of Dear Confessor in Mandarin!

#1. Feist - The Reminder; She's really making it with this album: 4 Grammy nominations, The Rolling Stone magazine, countless interviews, and mainstream radio. This album is so good, it's hard to listen to... so listen to it a million times!
Past in Present
I Feel it All
1234

Honourable mentions: Radiohead, Maybe Smith, Basia Bulat, Nathan

Shuyler Jansen & The Deep Dark Woods - Saturday, December 15, 2007

The crowd change from Friday night to Saturday night was understandably astounding. The cell-phone carrying, fashion-caring, glossy-haired pouting crowd on Friday was replaced with smiling faces, wool coats, and flowing skirts of the alternative country crowd. I much prefer being in the positive environment of this crowd. On top of that, the show was amazing.

Shuyler Jansen has been in the music scene for over 10 years and has played more shows than I've even been to. His new album "Today's Remains" is a really good album that I've only had a small chance to peruse. With The Deep Dark Woods backing him, his songs were complemented greatly and it gave him a full sound that is just not possible to get on one's one. However, there is a serious lack of stage presence from Mr. Jansen. At one point during the show, someone shouted that she wanted him to play faster music. He remarked in a dead-pan voice, "Well, that was a ballad. Ballads are slow." This is all we got from Shuyler all night in terms of interaction with the crowd, vocally or otherwise. It's unfortunate because he's a great song-writer and has a decent voice.

After a short break, The Deep Dark Woods took the stage and took the energy up a notch or ten. They were so tight that there were moments when I wondered how long it would be before they made the big time. The whole band seemed as relaxed as the crowd that were dancing hard to their music... they must have been happy to be back in Saskatoon after touring with Shuyler Jansen across Canada. Time seemed to not exist as they played on well past 2:00 in the morning. I didn't even notice as my weekend bedtime came and went easily.

It was a great show with great people around and I think everyone was glad to have The Deep Dark Woods and Shuyler Jansen back in Saskatoon.

Crystal's rating: 8/10

You Say Party! We Say Die! - Friday, December 14, 2007

I was pretty excited to see this band for the first time on Friday and they proved to be a really fun, high-energy band. The opening band, whose name I have purposely forgotten, was more of an annoyance than a band. I can't even remember what they sounded like. If You Say Party! We Say Die! wanted an opening band that made them look really really good, they definitely succeeded. YSP!WSD! played a really great, really short set. The lead singer was having some voice problems and apparently couldn't sing for longer than 30 minutes. So it was short, but sweet. The crowd was really into it and it is apparent that there are some hard-core YSP!WSD! fans in this town. I couldn't help but hear a lot of Metric in their sound. If Metric and Stars had babies, YSP!WSD! would be their child.

Crystal's rating: 4/10

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Playlist!

Note: Next week's show will premiere my Top 10 Albums of 2007... make sure to tune in!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00 - 7:00 am
Cat Power - Lived in Bars - The Greatest (2006)
Christine Fellows* - A Spinster's Almanac - Nevertheless (2007)
Hawksley Workman* - A Moth is not a Butterfly - Treeful of Starling (2007)
Calexico - Alone Again Or - Convict Pool (1999)
P:ano: - I felt his presents/Doing the can-can - Ghost Pirates without Heads (2005)
Basia Bulat* - Little Waltz - Oh, My Darling (2007)
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly - Once Soundtrack (2007)
The Bicycles* - B-b-bicycles - The Good, The Bad, & the Cuddly (2006)
Spiral Beach* - Made of Stone - Ball (2007)
Bella* - Didn't mean to break our love - Bella & Columbus EP (2006)
Nathan* - Scarecrow - Key Principles (2007)
The Heartstrings* - Songs about me Belle - self (2007)
Little Miss Higgins* - That Train's 'a Comin' Down - Junction City (2007)

7:00 - 8:00am
Magneta Lane* - Constant Lover - The Constant Lover (2004)
The Organ* - Love, love, love - Grab that Gun (2004)
Metric* - Handshakes - Live it Out (2006)
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Who Do you Love? - Living with the Living (2007)
The Ride Theory/New Rival* - My Girl June - In this City (2005)
Sloan* - Underwhelmed - Smeared (1992)
Shuyler Jansen* - Play Fair - Today's Remains (2007)
Xavier Rudd* - Better People - White Moth (2007)
Cuff the Duke* - Remember the Good Times - Sidelines of the City (2007)
The Sadies* - Loved on Look - Tremendous Efforts (2001)
Immaculate Machine* - C'mon Sea Legs - Fables (2007)
The New Pornographers* - Challengers - Challengers (2007)
Feist* - I feel it all - The Reminder (2007)

Ride 'til Dawn Amigos and The Fjords - December 8th

Maybe it was all the local musicians at this show or maybe it was all the people happy to be out of the -30oC wintery night, but Amigo's was full of positive energy for this show. I have seen The Fjords a number of times, but this was my first time viewing Ride til Dawn Amigos (yes, that is their catchy name). I thought they were fantastic! A little rough around the edges, but I was quite impressed with what I heard. I think that with a little more tweaking of the vocal sounds, they are going to be a great local band to be reckoned with. I was happy to see a few members of "Parades Against Parades," a great local now-disbanded band, playing music together. I'm glad that they gave Fraser a microphone for the in-between-song banter because it was quite hilarious to hear the joking banter of "you suck, no, you suck" that carried on throughout the evening. I look forward to hearing more from this great band. They will be playing shows over the holiday season and I intend to be there based on this performance.

The Fjords. Every time I see them, I think that they could "make it." Luke Ryalls has a certain "rockstar" quality to him... is he really becoming Saskatoon's local "Boss?" They are so tight and so full-sounding that I quite believe that they could be huge in the indie rock scene. They have a completely solid rhythm section and they're cute to boot! I have owned their debut EP for a while now and know all of the songs on it by memory. I was a little surprised they started the show with "Breezy Day," by far their most catchy song, but they totally pulled it off. Their new album is supposed to be coming out soon and I look forward to putting it on my Top 10 albums of 2008.

Crystal's rating: 7.5/10

Wednesday, December 5th Playlist!

Sorry for the tardiness!
Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
The Decemberists - The Island: Come & See, the Landlord's Daughter, You'll not feel the drowning - The Crane Wife (2006)
Glen Hansard & Market Irglova - Falling Slowly - Once Soundtrack (2007)
Po' Girl* - Home to You - Home to You (2007)
Billie Holiday - I'll be Seeing You
Sarah Harmer* - Uniform Grey - You Were Here (2003)
The Cracker Cats* - Yer Sure Purdy - Livin' on the Run (2005)
Stars* - Your ex-lover is Dead - Set Yourself on Fire (2003)
Regina Spektor - On the Radio - Begin to Hope (2006)
Feist* - Mushaboom - Let it Die (2004)
Tegan and Sara* - Knife Going In - The Con (2007)
Feist* - Past in Present - The Reminder (2007)

7:00-8:00am
Jason Collett* - Tiny Ocean of Tears - motor motel love songs (2002)
Corb Lund* - Hard on Equipment (Tool for the Job) - Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! (2007)
Barley Wik* - Highway 3 - Beyond the Down (2006)
Corin Raymond* - Days Go By - Record Lonesome Night (2005)
PJ Harvey - Grow Grow Grow - White Chalk (2007)
Neil Young* - Beautiful Bluebird - Chrome Dreams II (2007)
Christine Fellows* - Spinster's Almanac - Nevertheless (2007)
Grizzly Bear - He Hit Me (and it felt like a kiss ) - Friends EP (2007)
Basia Bulat* - December - Oh my Darling (2007)
Shotgun Jimmie* - Bedhead - The Onlys (2007)
The Deep Dark Woods* - Straight and Narrow - self (2006)
The Sadies* - Anna Leigh - New Seasons (2007)
Carolyn Mark* - Happy 2B Flying Away - Nothing is Free (2007)

Christine Fellows - November 30, 2007

I can't think of a better way to wave goodbye to a cold, stormy, and tumultuous November than a great show at Amigo's with great people and Christine Fellows! I was feeling particularly good after a couple glasses of red wine. So when I got to have a chat with CF herself in the washroom, I talked to her about the crazy cold temperatures, how the dry air just messes with our skin, and how the guys travelling with her were from the east and they were whining about the weather. We laughed together, knowingly.

Before Ms. Fellows took the stage, Baby Eagle played a few tunes with Shotgun Jimmy. Baby Eagle is a solo project for Steven Lambke from the Toronto-based, superduper rock group The Constantines. His song-writing is great and Shotgun Jimmy was a great accompanist, but the whole Bob Dylan singing style has been a little over-done lately. So I wasn't as into that. Not that he didn't do it well, I just don't think I would go out of my way to hear it.

When Christine took the stage, someone set up this spotlight in front of the stage and out of nowhere there was an interpretive dancer in front of the stage where people would have otherwise been standing. At first I found her to be amusingly distracting and wondered what was going on. I've seen some pretty crazy things at Amigo's, but I've never seen anybody willingly roll around the dirty, beer-spilled floor in front of the stage (I sat on it once and I'll never do that again). After a while, I really got into the music through her dance and she did such a good job of complementing the music. Christine Fellows mentioned that Susie Burpee was the name of the contemporary dancer that was dancing on "the dirty white carpet" on the stage at Amigo's.

The fun didn't stop there, though. Shotgun Jimmy and Christine sang us a special Christmas cover song that will definitely not be heard in the shopping malls this holiday season called Me and Little Andy by Dolly Parton. The chorus of the lyrics go like this:
Ain't ya got no gingerbread
Ain't ya got no candy
Ain't ya got an extra bed for me and little Andy
Patty cake and bakersman
My mommy ran away again
And we was all alone and didn't know what else to do
I wonder if you'll let us stay with you
It was the oddest thing I've ever seen.

This show went down as the second oddest show I've seen this year (the first being the Julie Doiron show where Calvin Johnson played ridiculously long, awkward songs for an uncomfortably long time on a Monday night and part of the audience actually left). But all-in-all, the charm of the musicians and artist made the show so wonderful and a pleasure to see. Now if only we could get the crowd to cooperate and understand how rude it is to yell while there is a quiet show going on.

Crystal's rating: 7.5/10
Special thanks to Franny for pointing out my unintentional changing of my rating scale for the Stars review... I have changed it to be out of 10. :o)

Wednesday, November 28th Playlist!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
Tori Amos (featuring Damien Rice) - The Power of Orange Knickers - The Beekeeper (2005)
Sarah Slean* - Mary - Day One (2004)
Regina Spektor - Better - Begin to Hope (2006)
Tegan and Sara* - Take me Anywhere - So Jealous (2004)
Corin Raymond* - Three Thousand Miles - Record Lonesome Night (2004)
Laura Cantrell - Not the Tremblin' Kind - Not the Tremblin' Kind (2000)
Jason Collett* - Tiny Ocean of Tears - Motor Motel Love Songs (2003)
Keri McTighe* - When I Ride my Bike - i'm somebody too (2004)
Barley Wik* - Highway 3 - beyond the down (2006)
Corb Lund* - Hard on Equipment (tool for the job) - Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! (2007)
Elliott Brood* - The Bridge - Ambassador (2005)

7:00-8:00
The Tragically Hip* - Long Time Running - Road Apples (1991)
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - When your Mind's Made Up - Once Soundtrack (2007)
Stars* - What i'm trying to say - Set Yourself on Fire (2004)
The Pinch* - Break a Smile? (2003?, local)
Novillero* - The Hypothesist - aim right for the holes in their lives (2006)
Travis - Flowers in the Window - The Invisible Band (2001)
Matty Powell & the Resonance* - Hope - The Ness Creek Sessions (2007, local)
The Heartstrings* - Orchard Morning - self-titles (2007, local)
Xavier Rudd* - Better People - White Moth (2007)
Animal Collective - Unsolved Mysteries - Strawberry Jam (2007, dedicated to Travis)
Mother Mother* - Oh Ana - Touch-up (2007)
Immaculate Machine* - Broken Ship - Ones and Zeros (2005)
Cuff the Duke* - Remember the Good Times - sidelines of the city (2007)
Maybe Smith* - Open War - Animals and Architects (2007, local)

Stars - November 22, 2007

It was a chilly night to be waiting on the sidewalk for a show to start, but over 800 Stars fans trekked through the snow for the first show of winter. By the time we got in to The Odeon, Miracle Fortress had started their set. It was decent and I'm becoming more and more a fan of bands with multiple drummers.

The stage was all decked out in real flowers and one could only hope the show would prove to be as just lovely. The good thing, it was. Despite the crowded fans all trying to find a place to stand, see, and dance, it was a very enjoyable show. There was a positive vibe in the air as we all realized that winter is here and we now have to wear winter jackets that need to be checked, but we might as well make the best of it and enjoy the night.

The highlights of Stars was all the songs they played off of Set Yourself on Fire and when Amy Millan crowd surfed. I thought that her dress was going to be pulled all the way up over her head, but she got back to the stage before that happened and before she had to sing the next verse. She's got talent, I tell ya. The end of the show was really exciting when I got to see many familiar faces on the stage to sing the last few notes with the band. The members of Carbon Dating Service and Pearson, both local bands, looked like they were in heaven as they sang their lungs out for the last few minutes of the last song. It was really good to see.

All-in-all, a great show... Stars really put a lot into the whole show and it was obvious that they came ready to play and party!

Crystal's rating: 8/10

Konono No. 1

I had heard about Konono No. 1 from the Aquarius Records online CD reviews so I was pretty excited to see them at Coachella. Their set was basically one long song of world beat music. The place was packed and everyone had a smile on their face. One couldn't help but dance to their intoxicating sound of thumb pianos and drums. It was exhilarating, even on the last day of the 3-day, 40+ degree sweltering hot, marathon concert.

Here is a collage of photos that I took that day:


(click on this for a better look)

Stay tuned for more "collages" and show reviews. The Ween review is coming up!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Playlist!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
Hawksley Workman* - When these Mountains were the Seashore - A Treeful of Starling (2006)
Feist* - Mushaboom - Let it Die (2004)
Serena Ryder* - Again by you - Unlikely Emergency (2004)
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights - 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)
Megan Lane* - One Word - Purple and Blue (2003)
Konono No. 1 - Nsimba and Nzuzi - Live at Couleur Cafe (2007; photos will be posted later today)
Megan Lane* - Story - Wrapped in Plastic (2006)
Hank Williams III - Mississippi Mud - Lovesick, Broke, and Driftin' (2002)
Hand Williams Jr. - Both Sides of Goodbye - Out of Left Field (1993)
Dar Williams - I Won't be your Yoko Ono - Out There Live (2001)
The Heartstrings* - Song about me Belle - self-titled (2007)
Po' Girl* - 9 Hours to Go - Home to You (2007)
Xavier Rudd* - Twist - White Moth (2007)

7:00-8:00am
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly - Once Soundtrack (2007)
Christine Fellows* - Saturday Night on Utopia Parkway - Nevertheless (2007)
Marissa Nadler - Thinking of You - Songs III: Bird on the Water (2007)
Iron and Wine - Each Coming Night - our endless numbered days (2004)
The Decemberists - Apology Song - 5 Songs EP (2007, 2002, 2001; the album has 6 songs!)
The Decemberists - July, July! - Castaways and Cutouts (2002)
Tegan and Sara* - Knife Going in - The Con (2007)
Stars* - The Night Starts Here - In our Bedroom after the War (2007)
Stars* - Elevator Love Letter - Heart (2003)
Immaculate Machine* - Dear Confessor - Fables (2007)
Sloan* - Pen Pals - Twice Removed (1994)
Ween - Your Party - La Cucaracha (2007)
The New Pornographers* - Mutiny, I Promise You - Challengers (2007)

Wednesday, November 14th Playlist!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
Martha Wainwright* - This Life - Self (2005)
Wailin' Jennys* - Beautiful Dawn - 40 Days (2004)
Sarah Harmer* - Almost - all of our names (2004)
Crooked Creek* - Rasta Prairie Man - Lucky Stone (2000, by request)
Hawksley Workman* - A Moth is not a Butterfly - Treeful of Starling (2006)
Carolyn Mark* - Happy 2B Flying Away - Nothing is Free (2007)
Neil Young* - Beautiful Bluebird - Chrome Dreams II (2007)
Grizzly Bear - He hit me - Friend EP (2007)
Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation - Building Something Out of Nothing (1999)
The Weakerthans* - Confessions of a Futon Revolutionist - Fallow (1997)
Smashing Pumpkins - That's the way (my love is) - Zeitgeist (2007)

7:00-8:00am
Sloan* - She Says What She Means - Navy Blues (1998)
The Black Keys - Your Touch - Magic Potion (2006)
Hot Hot Heat* - Let me In - Happiness Ltd. (2007)
The Sadies* - What's Left Behind - New Seasons (2007)
Little Miss Higgins* - I'm Gonna Bake my Biscuits - Cobbler Shop Sessions (2005)
Great Lake Swimmers* - I will never see the sun - self-titled (2003)
Feist* - So Sorry - The Reminder (2007)
Bella* - Didn't Mean to Break our Love - Bella/Columbus EP (2006)
Liz Phair - Whipsmart - Whipsmart
Tegan and Sara* - Hop a Plane - The Con (2007)
Cuff the Duke* - The Difference Between Us - Life Stories for Minimum Wage (2002)
Cuff the Duke* - Surging Revival - Sidelines of the City (2007)
Elliott Brood* - The Bridge - Ambassador (2006)
Tegan and Sara* - Knife going In - The Con (2007)

Wednesday, November 7th Playlist!

Also, don't forget to vote today in the provincial election!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
The Cracker Cats* - Yer Sure Purdy - Livin' on the Run (2005, local)
Be Good Tanyas* - Ootischemia - hello love (2006)
Deep Dark Woods* - Bakersfield - self-titled (2006, local)
Serena Ryder* - Hiding Place - Live EP (2002)
Carrie Catherine* - Promises - Green Eyed Soul (2007, local)
Feist* - Brandy Alexander - The Reminder (2007)
Immaculate Machine* - Secret Affliction - The View EP (2003)
Novillero* - Morally Deficient Business - Aim Right for the Holes in their Lives (2005)
The Ride Theory* - My Girl June - In this City (2005, newly named Young Rival)
Marissa Nadler - Sylvia - Songs III: Bird on the Water (2007)
Christine Fellows* - The Spinster's Almanac - Nevertheless (2007, John K. Samson does backup vocals on this track)
Regina Spektor - Your Honor - Soviet Kisch (2005)

7:00-8:00
Cuff the Duke* - If i live or if i die - Sidelines of the City (2007, coming to Saskatoon on November 17)
Sunparlour Players* - Talk it to Death - Hymns for the Happy (2007)
Elliott Brood* - Oh Alberta - Tin Type (2004)
The New Pornographers* - Myriad Harbour - Challengers (2007, by request)
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Who do you Love? - Living with the Living (2007)
The Weakerthans* - Tournament of Hearts - Reunion Tour (2007)
The Acorn* - Oh Napoleon - Glory Hope Mountain (2007)
Carolyn Mark* - Happy to B Flying Away - Nothing is Free (2007)
Barley Wik* - the bells did ring - beyond the down (2006)
Of Montreal - Volcaic/undrum to muted da - Icons, Abstract Thee (2007)
The Unicorns* - Jellybones - Who will cut our hair when we're gone (2003)
Spiral Beach* - Made of Stone - Ball (2007)

Modest Mouse - November 5, 2007

Despite being extremely ill, I went to the Modest Mouse concert at The Odeon last night. There were two opening bands before then Modest Mouse hit the stage. The first opening band was nondescript and borderline boring. However, Man Man was the second band and they were fantastic. They came on stage adorned in all-white outfits, face paint, and messy hair. All of the members of the band sang and did crazy things. Their stage presence was amazing and they were extremely high-energy. It was really just as much a theatrical performance as a musical one. While the band was good, I knew that this was not a very friendly crowd as people pushed, pulled, and elbowed their way in front of people in order to try to get a "good spot"... presumably to see Modest Mouse.

Because I stand at just under 5 feet tall, I always try to get near the front for concerts and there were lots of tall, inconsiderate guys. So I got near the front by using my master crowd-timing techniques. We stood there patiently waiting for Modest Mouse to make their grandiose appearance. However, the crowd was a rowdy one. When Modest Mouse finally did take the stage, the crowd went crazy. People were literally pressed up against each other. As my partner pointed out, it was no "Rage against the Machine at Coachella," but to me it might as well have been. It was uncomfortable for a short period of time, but I learned to let go of my personal space wants and just went with the flow. At least I did that until the crowd loosened up a bit and we could actually breathe. That is when the show really started for me.

Modest Mouse... what a band. I have many thoughts and opinions on them and their performance. First of all, I don't care what band you are, but if you take 5 minutes to get on stage after the lights go out, you're an asshole. Plain and simple. Secondly, their new album is not even close to my favorite one and after the show, I was not inspired to give it another chance. Thirdly, their performance wasn't the greatest - they weren't very tight as a band (except for the two drummers, who were amazing) and Isaak Brock's vocals were pretty weak. Also, there were more than a few sound mistakes made.

After they were done the first set, I wondered whether they would come back on stage. My partner was excited when Modest Mouse took their sweet time getting back because it was the first real encore he's seen in years. For me, the best thing about them taking so long to come back for the encore was the song they played, "Satin in a Coffin" (or known to me as the "Are you Dead or are you sleeping?" song) I never would have imagined that they would play that song and it was a welcomed surprise. They also played a decent version of "Float On" during their first set. Their encore was about three or four songs long and it was the best part of the show, in my opinion.

One other highlight was when Isaak Brock told a girl in the audience to "Fuck off" because she took a picture of a girl* who had passed out from being pushed up against the railing at the front and he gave her the finger too. I thought it was cool of him to be so aware of the crowd and speak his mind, but that is kind of their attitude. They are super rock stars... but in my opinion, they don't have the show to back it up.

All-in-all, a mediocre show and a terrible crowd. If they come back, I'll probably sit that one out... or I'll just go with even lower expectations.
Crystal's rating: 5.5/10

*I talked to the passed out girl before MM took the stage and her and her boyfriend had driven here from Edmonton for this show... so I really hope she's okay

Serena Ryder - November 1, 2007

I must admit that I was not super stoked on going to this show, but a friend of mine had an extra ticket. So I decided that I might as well check her out one last time.

It's not that I don't like SR, it's just that she is played on Top 40 radio stations and I have lost a lot of respect for her. Now that she has a band and a pop album, she's just not as good as she used to be. Maybe I'm being an indie snob and I know that it's good for her, but I miss the way it used to be: just Serena, her guitar, her attitude, her love to sing, and her amazing voice.

The first time I saw her was at Lydia's back when smoking was allowed in bars. She had the crowd hanging on her every note. It was an amazing thing to watch in such a normally loud venue. When I saw her for the second time, also at Lydia's, I got to interview her for the local university newspaper. So I showed up really early to get the interview in before the show started. I walked up to her and told her who I was. She took me upstairs where the bands hang out. We chatted about where she grew up and how she got here while she chain-smoked and drank some sort of alcohol. It was the best interview I've ever been a part of. She was very laid back and cool. I could see that part of her on this night, but I couldn't help but think in my mind that she was too cool for the passive crowd that barely even bopped their heads at the Lakeview Church. I wish I could re-interview her now about how she feels about her newfound "success."

I must admit that we were very late for the show and had missed half of her set by the time we got there, but I couldn't believe how deadpan everybody was. If it wasn't for the unmistakable sound of Serena Ryder's voice, I would have thought we were at the wrong place. Her band is pretty all right. However, her drummer messed up noticeably twice and the organ has GOT TO GO! It made her sound like the kind of easy listening that is only heard in elevators... not good. I mean, she has such an amazing voice... why let an ORGAN drown her out? It was disappointing to say the least - and I came into it with low expectations.

So all-in-all, a predictably disappointing show for me.
Crystal's rating: 3/10

Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - Halloween Special!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00am
Great Lake Swimmers - i will never see the sun - self-titled (2003)
Mother Mother* - Angry Sea - Touch Up (2007)
Regina Spektor - Ghost of Corporate Future - Soviet Kisch (2004)
Hawksley Workman* - Ice Age - Treeful of Starling (2006)
bonnie 'prince' billy - Death to Everyone - i see a darkness (1998)
Arcade Fire* - Une année sans lumiere - Funeral (2004)
Sebadoh - Skull - bakesale (1994)
The Decemberists - Leslie Anne Levine - Castaways and Cutouts (2002)
Memphis Minnie - I'd Rather See him Dead - Queen of the Blues (1938)
Little Miss Higgins* - Gone for Good - Cobbler Shop Sessions (2005)
Be Good Tanyas* - Lakes of Ponchartrain - Blue Horse (2001)
Po' Girl* - To the angry Evangelist - Home to You (2007)

7:00-8:00
Rocky Horror Picture Show - Time Warp
Crash Test Dummies (featuring Ellen Reid) - The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead - Dumb & Dumber soundtrack (1994)
Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (are made of this) - Smells like Children (1995)
Sleater-Kinney - Leave you Behind - All Hands on the Bad One (2000)
Veruca Salt - Seether - American Thighs (1994)
Sixty Stories* - Countdown - Anthem Red (2002)
Elliott Brood* - President (35) - Ambassador (2005)
Buck 65* - Wicked and Weird - Talkin' Honky Blues (2003)
The Deep Dark Woods* - Hang me, oh, Hang me - Hang me, oh, Hang me (2007) (local)
The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings - Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
The Cranberries - Zombie - No Need to Argue (1994)

Elliott Brood - October 28, 2007

It was a Sunday night at Louis' and only the strong-willed came out to see one of the best shows in Saskatoon this fall. While the crowd was small, the energy was high... and so was the appreciation. Appreciating such a mild evening (4 degrees), the unusually well-mannered Saskatoon crowd, and the bands that came here to play with such might to such a sparse crowd. I think that people are getting "showed out" with all the fall bands coming through. Midterms are in full force, it's getting cold out, and people are starting to hibernate into "Saskatchewan winter mode." Myself, I sacrificed many hours of sleep, spent a lot of money on merchandise, and figure that there is plenty of time to hibernate once the snow flies. For now, we dance.

The opening band was the "Sunparlour Players" and they blew me away. I had heard good things about them, but I had no idea to the extent of their greatness. It was a good sign for the show when there is such an amazing opener. Each member of the trio sat down and thumped on their bass drums and played their respective instruments. The lead singer was red in the face by the second song. It was hard to believe that a band sitting down could have such a fantastic stage presence.

The Acorn is a band that I have only recently become familiar with. The 6-piece band has been played quite a bit on CFCR, but I listened to them for the first time last week. The lead singer has a great singing voice and the two synchronized drummers were super tight, despite the bleeding hand of one of the drummers. And who knew that the yukilele could be so versatile! For all of you who learned to play it in grade 5 and thought, "This is so lame," is sorely mistaken... it's true that "Someday over the Rainbow" is not the most inspiring for a 10-year-old, but some teachers could take a lesson or two from The Acorns and their use of such a clear-sounding instrument.

Once Elliott Brood took the stage, it was 11:30 and many people were getting antsy to see at least a few songs before they took to their beds before the work/school week began. However, those of us who sacrificed sleep for music were rewarded 10-fold. When they came out and started off the set, I wondered if Mark Sasso (lead vocalist, banjo player, and guitarist) had wrecked his voice on the tour. However, they soon explained that he has a terrible cold and he was going to "give it his all" because they have a day off tomorrow. Casey Laforet (guitarist, vocals, & bass pedals) helped out a lot more in the vocal department than he usually does. Somehow they pulled it off. Sasso belted it out many times and I could see the pain in his face, but it seemed to get better with time... maybe it was the tea he was drinking. Stephen Pitkin's bass drumb is how I convince people to come with me to see this amazing band. As soon as I tell people, "He uses a suitcase for a bass drum," people are intrigued. He keeps a good rhythm too! They played all the good stuff "Second Son," "Oh Alberta," "The Bridge," and so much more. They had a collector's item of cool stuff that I was this close to buying, but I had only so much money and there was a lot of cool merch there.

The next time any of these bands comes through town NOT on a Sunday, I expect the place to be packed, which would be a shame because it was great to have so much room to dance and rock out to these amazing bands.

Crystal's rating: 9.5/10

Jr. Pantherz CD/LP Release Party - October 27, 2007

I got to Amigo's late as I was hanging out with some new amigos earlier in the night. However, I definitely wanted to go because I knew the Junior Pantherz (JPZ) would not disappoint... and they didn't!

The opening band was a local Saskatoon band called Golden Smoke. This band is a montage of Saskatoon indie rockers and play quite a few shows around these parts. I wasn't super impressed with their show, but I think they have potential. They might just not be my cup of tea.

The JPZ show started out with the first song off of the new album, revoice.remain called "On and Off" and they continued from there. They played every song on the album from start to back. If their goal was to inspire people to buy their album, it was a great effort. I went home with the new album, a favorite song off the album ("Least Favorite View"), and their new vinyl album Discover Vinyl, which is a compilation of songs off of previous albums. The JPZ have a great rapport on stage and are a very tight band. S.J. (bass and backing vocals) and Maygen Kardash (keys and backing vocals) must get along as siblings if they can get along in a band. Arnold Van Lambalgen II (drums) keeps a good rhythm as he closes his eyes, bows his head, and tries to disappear behind the front line. Tonight JPZ had lots of help from other local artists on violin and horns. It really shows how Saskatoon's musicians are interconnected and help each other to fill out a concert.

During the show, I moved to the back of the room and watched from afar to get a different perspective other than standing at the front of the stage. I witnessed something that I haven't seen much of in my years of going to shows at Amigo's - a band doing some crowd control. There was a guy wigging out in the front of the stage and the crowd had moved away from him. He must have hit Terry Mattson's (lead guitarist and vocalist) guitar. Mattson told the guy through the microphone not to "touch [his] fucking guitar," which surprised me because Mattson always seems like a laid-back guy. After a few more moments, he got the guy kicked out. I respect him for that because it takes a good band leader to notice crowd dynamics and see that someone is disrupting the flow and enjoyment of the crowd.

The sound at the beginning of the show wasn't great, but it definitely got better as the show went on. Ryan Drabble definitely works hard, though, to keep the bands and the crowd happy with his constant adjusting of the levels. As much as I love Amigo's, I think this town needs a venue that starts early and has a high stage. After going to The Distrikt in Regina to see Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (although the sound there wasn't great either), I feel like we don't have a venue like that. There is definitely enough demand for another mid-sized venue.

All-in-all, the show was good. JPZ definitely delivered once again! As we knew they would.

Crystal's rating: 7/10

Great Lake Swimmers - October 24, 2007

Lydia's was packed tight. Warm bodies radiating the heat from the warm summer-like October day as they squished between the walls of the small pub. Many friendly faces, happy conversation, and anticipation filled the room. The first of two acts went on after 10:30 - a late start for the middle of the work/school-week. Tables were moved to make room for the eager fans to see one of their favorite bands play. The opening acts were good, but I couldn't help but feel impatient for the Great Lake Swimmers to take the stage.

Once they actually did come on the stage at around 12:30, it was worth the wait. Well, mostly. They played "moving picture silent film" and so many other great tunes. Tony Dekker's voice rang out heart-wrenchingly during "moving, shaking" off of his first album. At times I closed my eyes and swayed back and forth basking in the warm, fuzzy feeling that the music draped over me like a warm blanket on a wet and rainy night in the mountains. Dekker was backed by Erik Arnesen on banjo and electric guitar, Colin Huebert on drums, and Julie Fader on keys, flute, and backing vocals. Fader was a great addition and very complementary to Dekker.

Other highlights of the show were playing Your Rocky Spine, Backstage With The Modern Dancers, I Am Part Of A Large Family, and Where In The World Are You - all off of the new album Ongiara - and other great tracks off of their self-titled debut album and Bodies and Minds.

Crystal's rating: 7.5/10

Wednesday, October 24th's Playlist!

Artist - Song - Album (extra information)
* = Canadian

6:00-7:00
Sarah Harmer* - Basement Apartment - If it was You
The Heartstrings* - Songs about me Belle - self-titled (local)
Tracy McNeil* - Headlong into Nothing - Room where she lives
Feist* - I Feel it All - The Reminder
Tegan and Sara* - Hop a Plane - The Con
Immaculate Machine* - C'mon Sealegs - Fables
Belle and Sebastian - Act of the Apostle - The Life Pursuit
Mother Mother* - Dirty Town - Touch Up (requested)
Bella* - Give it a Night - No One Will Know (NEW!)
Girl from Saskatoon* - James Dean - This is only the Beginning
Matty Powell and the Resonance* - Hope - The Ness Creek Sessions (local)
Barley Wik - Highway 3 - Beyond the Down

7:00-8:00
The Acorn* - Even While You're Sleeping - Glory Hope Mountain (playing on Sunday, Oct. 28th at Louis' with Elliott Brood)
Great Lake Swimmers* - moving pictures silent film - self (playing tonight at Lydia's)
Calexico - Alone Again Or - Convict Pool
Corin Raymond* - Three Thousand Miles - Record Lonesome Night
Nathan* - Scarecrow - Key Principles
Musty Steers* - Strange Light - self (local)
The Ride Theory/Young Rival* - My Girl June - In this City
The Sadies* - Loved on Look - Tremendous Effort
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Who Do you Love? - Living with the Living
The Weakerthans* - Tournament of Hearts - Reunion Tour
Maybe Smith* - Open War - Animals and Architects (local)

Artists I wanted to play but didn't have time for:
Hot Hot Heat - Let me In - Happiness Ltd.
They Might be Giants - I'm Impressed - The Else
Interpol - No. 1 in Threesome - Our Love to Admire