Shout Out Out Out Out at Bluesfest

I was sitting on an old decrepit rail bridge spanning the Ottawa River, chilling with some friends, when we overheard the pulsating bass coming from the River Stage at Bluesfest. We immediately decided to cut back to dance together.

Little did we know we’d come upon Shout Out Out Out Out, an Edmonton-based outfit playing to an enthusiastic crowd at the stage overlooking the river. Suddenly I found myself among a sweaty throng snapping photos all the while moving to the seductive beats.


SOOOO has this great sound, what my friend from Edmonton called a real Edmonton sound. While I’m not sure she’s totally on board with that take on Alberta’s capital, they did have a unique blend of electronic goodness, mixed in with conventional rock rhythms, and lots of cowbell. That's right, at one point the bassist and keyboard player were playing dueling cowbells, one plugged in and reverbed to make it sound like a house beat. Very cool.


Between the synthesizers, samplers, and bass, SOOOO makes some truly volatile dance music. Some dirty beats mixed in with some deep bass, and a fun performance. This was my first time seeing or hearing about Shout Out Out Out Out. I’m sure it won’t be the last, and next time it won’t be through a chance encounter.

http://www.myspace.com/shoutoutoutoutout

Manu Chao at Bluesfest

Not surprisingly, Manu Chao put on a good show last night at Ottawa Bluesfest. From the moment his band started playing and Chao stepped on stage, you knew it was going to be a memorable concert under the clouds and dampness.

With the backdrop of the Parliament Buildings and city’s skyline, Chao kept the crowd moving for nearly two hours. Chao understands well how to keep the energy in a crowd flowing, he seldom broke between songs, keeping the hungry dance fanatics smiling until the end. Well not quite until the very end, they did manage to play a ridiculous amount of encores, maybe 4 in total, enough to keep the crowd a bit annoyed in the final 10 minutes.

However, through his diverse set- Chao sang in at least 4 languages-he exuded tremendous confidence, willing the crowd to join him for the ride. He’s truly a great performer. The fact that his music is deeply infused with messages of global peace and social justice, much like the music of Sarah Harmer and Micheal Franti, made for an amazing night of socially-conscious music and dance.

While Chao’s performance was good, that of the Bluesfest sound and lighting crew was seriously lacking. What’s with not being able to hear background vocals at Bluesfest? On several occasions, Chao’s extremely energetic lead guitarist and bassist were yelling vocals between Chao’s own, but could scarcely be heard at all. It was so bad that a text-messager posted "A little bit of background vocals would be nice" on the giant screen for all to see. It sure beat all the other obscenities being posted.

In addition to this unfortunate mishap, the lead guitarist performed a number of truly awe-inspiring solos, and yet, every time there was no light spotting him. In fact, he was left in the dark in the center of the stage, as if he was in the back room being punished for bad behaviour. Bring out the lights on such wicked stuff, Manu Chao wasn’t the only person on stage worthy of some light.

Besides these technical faux-pas, the concert was a success. The thousands of people streaming out of the park afterwards were commenting very favourably on Chao’s groovy mix. Most were surprised that he sounded so punkish live, but were still happy to be able to dance outdoors and see a key figure in world music.

Micheal Franti & Spearhead at Bluesfest

Like usual, Franti and his band of misfits put on an brisk show full of fine reggae and ska-influenced moments of raw energy. He had the crowd moving to his peace-loving vibes, something Franti is renowned for, given his music’s heavy reliance on messages of social (in)justice.

While I dig Franti’s message, last night his irksome tendency to chant out various calls to arms was a bit too much. I saw him last year at Bluesfest, that’s where the photos accompanying this review come from, and it was a bit of an irritant then, but the party went on. But last night, it drove me a little crazy. I think I woke up this morning hear Franti yelling “Ooooooottawaaaaaaa! How you feelin?” over and over again. We get it Micheal, you like saying our city’s name, and you care about how we all feel, I mean that’s central to your message, but please, spare us the repetitive mush. Don’t get me wrong, if I had to choose between Van Morrison’s scorn for the audience or Micheal Franti’s over-enthusiasm, I’d take Franti any day. I just wish he’d add a bit of variety to his efforts to engage the audience.

And whatever happened to Franti & Spearhead’s hip-hop rhythms. It seems that when they perform live they turn to more conventional rock, reggae and ska sounds, but I always miss their hip-hop beats. Maybe next time they’ll pull out the hip-hop from the bag, I think everyone would appreciate it.

On the point of variety though, many people in the crowd enjoyed his environmentally-charged version of the Sesame Street anthem. It was a great way to get the crowd involved in a sing-along. Well done! I hope they keep up the good work fighting for environmental, social and racial justice, and in the meantime, that they keep the party alive.

Sarah Harmer at Bluesfest

Unfortunately, what I remember most vividly about Sarah Harmer's concert was the guy sitting beside me being a total jerk. He complained so often and belligerently about how this wasn’t the blues, that my crew had to get up in the middle of the lawn chairs section (the horror!) and move camp to another area between the sea of sitting folks. Trust me, you don’t do that at Ottawa Bluesfest without a very serious reason. I was glad to escape the drunken tyrant who seemed to be ruining things for everyone around him, but I can’t say that I enjoyed the concert much more afterwards.

I’m a pretty big Sarah Harmer fan, but I think she’d be much better to see in a smaller venue. There’s something about her slow-moving pseudo folk-country that has the potential to lull one slowly to sleep in the expanse of a cavernous field. Even her more rocking songs came out mellowed-out quite considerably, which was too bad, because I had high hopes. I think having Harmer on the same bill as Micheal Franti & Spearhead and Manu Chao was a mistake. I could’ve used someone to get me pumped for the big dance party to come, but Harmer was not that person.

Don’t get me wrong, Harmer’s a great songwriter and talented vocalist, this came out clearly last night. But she’s not an opener for the acts who were following. I’ll go see her again, but not at a big outdoor stage like this, unless of course it’s a folk fest where she fits the bill more solidly.

But can I say one more thing? Her background vocalist rocked. At times she stole the show, her sweet voice could be felt miles away. Will you come sing for me?

Jetplanes of Abraham at Bluesfest

Amazing. The Jetplanes of Abraham are a must-see for everyone who hasn't been fortunate enough to do so yet. These Ottawa-based rockers are quickly making a name for themselves on the Canadian indie music scene with their multi-instrumental melodies and their fun stage antics. Think The Broken Social Scene meets The Arcade Fire in a field along the 401 outside of Kingston, Ontario, at the exact point between Montreal, Toronto & Ottawa. Can you hear the pulsating rhythm, better yet, can you feel it? That's the Jetplanes, all slow melodies broken up by a furry of power chords and strings, with some hand-clapping and chanting thrown in for very good measure. You know the musical break is coming, you can sense it in the air, just like a good mystery story, you know the hook has come and gone and the story's going to take a turn for the shocking, but it matters not, if it's done well, you're along for the ride. That's how I feel about Jetplanes, it was the second time I've seen them, last time at a smaller venue in Ottawa, and this time I'm hooked. I'll be scouring the local papers for when they're playing in town next. I suggest you do the same if this genre of music appeals to you.


I had two relatively minor problems with the show. The strings need to be more prominent. There were a couple of songs where the strings were completely drowned out by the guitars, which was unfortunate, because I think they could've carried the song, perhaps even brought it into some new territory. Also, give me some background vocals! I don't think I ever heard the women singing background. I saw them, but it just didn't translate to a sound. Too bad, we could hear all the boys fine, I think hearing the girls would've been nice. In other words, give me more of the girls, both on vocals and on strings.


Go see the Jetplanes of Abraham the next time they're in town. They're hot, and they'll get you moving. Promise.



www.jetplanesofabraham.com
www.myspace.com/jetplanesofabraham

Janiva Magness at Bluesfest

While I was walking through the main festival grounds, looking for shots of volunteers hard at work, I heard the powerful, smoky voice of Los-Angeles based Janiva Magness, and couldn't resist strolling over to the Rogers Stage to not only hear her, I could do that just fine from anywhere on the grounds, but to see her. Magness is that kind of performer, someone you have to hear and see to get the whole experience.

She put on a great performance on this mid-afternoon day, singing some Blues classics, along with many tracks from her latest album, Do I Move You, released on Canadian label NorthernBlues Music.

Two moments stand as being memorable. First, there was the song in which Magness wore some faux armour, and played the front of her body armour with what looked to be a spoon. It was great to watch her move to the music as she literally played her body. Next was her long interlude to one of her new song's, where she talked up the necessity for older women to hook up with younger men. The cougar's in the crowd cheered enthusiastically throughout, I couldn't help but be reminded of Etta James' performance at last year's festival. Without a doubt, James is one of Magness' biggest influences, and her sauciness, along with her sultry voice, points to this.

I was glad to wander over to the stage when I did, as were the 4-500 people enjoying her performance. Magness is definitely a blues star worth seeing again, perhaps in a smaller, more intimate venue.

The Elmer Ferrer Band at Bluesfest

Closing out the first night of Bluesfest was the Elmer Ferrer Band. Ferrer, the lead guitarist in the band, is recognized as one of the most talented guitarists in Cuba, and perhaps the most talented electric guitarist on the island. He didn’t disappoint the large crowd pouring out from the Van Morrison show, as he dazzled with his blues licks.

In addition to Ferrer, the band features Roberto Riveron on bass guitar, another of Cuba’s hidden musical wonders. Together, they form a dynamic duo, playing off each other’s blues riffs to the crowd’s delight.

The famed blues guitarist Tony Dee also joined them on stage, and rose to the occasion, showing off some impressive blues guitar solos. Together with the EFB’s singer and rhythm guitarist, they had people moving to the roaring sounds of the rumba blues. It was a nice switch from Morrison’s more mellow set, as the EFB, featuring Tony Dee, played a series of harder blues lines.

The EFB plays Bluesfest later in the week as well, so if you missed them this time, check them out before they’re gone.

Van Morrison at Bluesfest

I headed down to Lebreton Flats in Ottawa today for the opening of Bluesfest, the capital’s largest music festival. While it hardly counts as a “blues” festival in any purist’s mind (INXS anyone?), it did kick off this year with Van Morrison, a notable blues aficionado.

Yes, you read that right, Van Morrison doesn’t just play mellow pop ballads from the ‘70s, for example, everyone’s favourite campfire song, Brown-eyed Girl, and such hits as Gloria and Moondance. Both of those girls did make an appearance, I think I may have known one beforehand, but Van Morrison and his accomplished band pulled out a strong blues-inflected set that didn’t disappoint his many adoring fans, perhaps over 30,000 in total.

Not surprisingly, many of these baby boomers rocked slowly back and forth throughout, giving one a sense of being at a slow-moving dance party. Fittingly, this matched the music’s tempo to a tee, and everyone was happy when it all came to an end after nearly 90 minutes.

On the down side, Morrison, renowned for his petulant personality, didn’t say a word to the crowd. I’m not even sure I saw him smile through my 300mm lens. This type of energy was reserved for his band, who put on a great performance. If it wasn’t for the smoky-smoothness of Morrison’s voice, I’d say that his keyboard player might’ve stolen the show. Close, but not quite on this night.

On the strength of this performance, I don’t think I’d go see him perform again. But one time was just about right.

Sicko

"Sicko" is Micheal Moore's latest political documentary about the state of U.S. society. As openly polemical as his previous films ("Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9-11"), "Sicko" is an exposé of the U.S. health care system, or perhaps, the lack of an American health care system. Peppered with horror stories from various parts of the country, it is typical Micheal Moore- shocking social commentary meant to wake the sleeping 'middle America.'

Not unlike "Bowling," Moore turns to comparative international analysis to add to his U.S.-based examples of the utter injustice of the private, for-profit health care system. That's how we find ourselves in a Windsor, Ontario walk-in clinic, a London, U.K. National Health Service hospital, a Parisian restaurant and a massive concrete hospital in downtown Havana. In each place, Moore talks with an assortment of doctors, ex-pat Americans and what he passes off as every-day citizens to back up his ultimate claim that everybody but the Americans have it right.

Please Micheal, spare us another recycled rendition of your soiled American dream! I'm not sure why I put myself through this every time, but there he is once again, passing Canada off as a socialist heaven vis-a-vis the U.S. capitalist hoard. Last time I checked, there were many people in Canada fighting to improve the universality of health care, and in so doing, fighting back against the increasing privatization of the health case system. I'm sure the same can be said about people concerned about the state of health care in Britain, France and even Cuba. Does Micheal Moore ever talk to these people? Apparently not, he prefers to talk to Americans living in Paris about how much life there is easier than in the U.S. Who are these people who live comfortable lives sipping wine in Parisian restaurants? No doubt they exist in droves, but c'mon Micheal, stop trying to make me believe this is the norm.

I'd much rather he provide us with an integrated analysis that would help me to understand the globalizing push to privatize hitherto public services. Instead, I can't help but feel that Moore sees his audience as incapable of anything other than very basic information digestion. Keep it simple stupid might work for reality TV, but it minimizes his otherwise important message.

And one more thing. Stop playing the nationalist card Micheal. Here I am listening to the stories of a number of working class/working poor Americans, when Moore brings out the national heroes, the 9-11 emergency workers as the ultimate example of a system gone bad. Shit, he even brings them to Cuba because the prisoners at Gitmo are getting better health care. What a sorry gimmick! It plays to all of the worst xenophobic and racist tendencies in U.S. society to suggest that heroes deserve at least the same as terrorists. Micheal, last time I checked many of these apparently coddled prisoners, getting their MRIs and colonoscopies at Gitmo, at least according to the U.S. military, have never been charged with anything! Oh yeah, and did you ever stop to think that the reason for the military's ostensible generosity in regards to prisoner health care comes from the fact that they're busy torturing the prisoners on a daily basis! Oooops, maybe it's not so great to be a prisoner at Guantanamo after all. Micheal, don't use racist imagery to make your point about health care, it's unseemly and discredits your message, forget about the fact that a hugely disproportionate number of the 50 million Americans without health care insurance are racialized, something you fail to mention outright.

What about the movie? I've seen it all before, and I'm feeling a little insulted by Moore's apparent distrust in my abilities to see through his manipulative ways. I'll still recommend it to people, but begrudgingly, as every new Moore film makes me less and less of a fan. It still beats the other crap Hollywood puts out on a regular basis. It got me thinking about a few things I hadn't in a while, and that's usually a good thing. I just wish Moore could try to shock a little less and leave us all a little room to wiggle and come to our own sorry conclusions. I can hear middle America sighing in disbelief, not at the content of his film, but the style in which he presents it.

On Composting Toilets and Thunder Boxes

When using a composting toilet, one should never throw trash or anything other than your digestive by-products into the hole. Never. (Lake Superior Provincial Park- Agawa River)

When using a more traditional outhouse, one should never throw garbage into the hole. In fact, someone often needs to fish out your garbage amongst the other shit in the hole. Very inconsiderate. (Algonquin Provincial Park- Shall Lake)

When using a back-country thunderbox, one should never throw garbage into the hole. This encourages animals to jump into the hole after your garbage. Of course, if you're feeling rather annoyed with a particular animal species, perhaps the often revered red squirrel, this is a perfectly reasonable, ethical response to their incessant perturbations. Throw your waste into the hole along with your digestive by-products, and watch them swim their way out. It can take a while. (Algonquin Provincial Park- Booth Lake)