WHO: Julie Doiron, Calvin Johnson, Slow Down, Molasses
WHERE: Le Relais
WHEN: June 25/07
* photos by Maja Montgomery
Let's start some dialogue, because I didn't like it. Well, to be more accurate, I didn't like 1/3 of it. That third was Calvin Johnson. I didn't do my homework before I went to the show and had no idea what he was doing. My uneducated, visceral reaction was that (keeping in mind I was sitting on the floor, my foot was asleep and I had a migraine) this guy was kind of nuts, everyone was laughing at him nervously and that his voice was atonal and unbearable. Then I read his wikipedia and apparently he's an indie-god in some circles and a prolific and established D-I-Y song-writer and artist. Sorry. I still didn't like it, although I will say that his song-writing is very interesting. Under better circumstances it's something I'd like to spend more time understanding, and when Julie Doiron sang with him, she turned the weirdness into a beautiful song. So that's that. Please tell me why I should have loved him.
As for Julie Doiron, she's definitely a treasure. Her personality on stage is endearing and her voice is beautiful. The show did go on really long, and felt a little self-indulgent at times because of its disorganization. But I think for the audience (most seemed to be big fans) it was a really nice experience to see her so open and up close and sweet. Her songs felt real and true, with a lot of references to snow and cold, her voice practically chilling you with its aching honesty.
Finally, Slow Down, Molasses pleasantly surprised me. They are a band who isn't afraid to play quiet, which takes some guts. It's far easier to just bang loudly on a drum kit, strum some heavy power chords and plunk a three note bass line. I'm sure these guys have spent plenty of time doing just that, but now seem to be progressing to well-rehearsed upwardly mobile level of musicianship. Plus I have a deeply rooted affection for banjoes and lap steel. An ace in my books, I'm continually impressed by the amount of local talent Saskatoon has and this band was no exception.
1 comment:
My personal highlights:
- The Molasses bassist barking "WOOOO!" just as their set closed. It was like he was saying, "I just made that song my bitch!"
- Julie Doiron's beautiful voice. I wanted to cut her hair, though. She's beautiful, but I really did want to take an inch off her bangs.
Post a Comment