Hole at SXSW, 2010.

On her Twitter account @CourtneyLoveUK on Aug. 29, Courtney Love wrote, ” am not looking foreward [sic] to ‘Bumbershoot’ wtf is a Bumbershoot btw? spoke to Cornell., like me he sees Seattle as a warzone [sic].” We’re assuming that’s Chris Cornell, formerly (and once again, if reunion rumours are true) of Soundgarden.

The embattled Love re-emerged this year with a new Hole album Nobody’s Daughter (the band’s first in years, although Love remains the only original member). The singer/gossip-column-fave lived quite a few years in Seattle with husband Kurt Cobain before his suicide. Guttersnipe is under the general, unsubstantiated impression that she did not make a lot of friends (with the exception of Chris Cornell) while living there.

Of course, everything might be okay if it weren’t for the choice of hotels in her former hometown. In a separate Tweet one minute later (12:45 a.m.) Love, in Italy at the time, writes, “wish there was a Standard at the Pike St. Market, i cannot possibly stay at the 4 seasons where the 3 of us lived forever, #Seattlehotels“.

Hole through the ages:

Hole circa 1993-4

Hole circa 1995.

Hole, present-day (photo from SXSW 2010).

It is Parlour Steps.

- interview by Jenn Laidlaw

It’s a good year for Parlour Steps. Following the release of their fifth album The Hidden Names late in 2009, the Parlour Steps single “As The World Turned Out” was selected as iTunes Canada Free Download of the Week, they played at South By Southwest in Texas, and they landed in the top 20 of the 2010 PEAK Performance Project. Next up – Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Music and Arts Festival.

Having been around for a decade in some form or another, the band is not new to the music scene. Lead singer Caleb Stull is the only original member to have weathered the years under the Parlour Steps name. Bassist/vocalist Julie Bavalis, guitarist Rees Haynes and drummer Robert Linton have been around for a couple of albums, with newest member Alison Maira joining the crew for the latest. The current chemistry is obviously the winning formula.

The Hidden Names is the right combination of snappy-yet-simple rhythms, sorrowful harmonies and catchy choruses. Songs like “Little Pieces” and “Sleeping City” have been haunting me for weeks and my only relief has been to crank the band’s MySpace in my cubicle and hum along repeatedly, probably to my coworkers’ dismay. The pop-esque “As the World Turned Out” is a bit typical of the indie-gone-mainstream fair. It sounds like it should be in the next iPod ad, but as I bop down the sidewalk pretending I am in said ad, I can hardly complain.

It might be The Hidden Names that has brought Parlour Steps into the mainstream spotlight, but their 2008 album Ambiguoso garnered a pretty solid base of fans who swear the album is actually their best. “Thieves of Memory”, with its saucy beat and boldly drawn out “yeeeeah heh’s”, makes for a great listen, as does “Only Mystery” and “World as Large”.

I managed to catch up with Parlour Steps‘ lead singer Caleb Stull as the band was embarking on an intensive one-week Peak Performance Boot Camp (part of the deal with becoming a top 20 finalist). Working with some of the industry’s top professionals and performers, the finalists are getting tips on the music business, live performance, song writing, marketing and promotion.

Caleb Stull (middle) and The Parlour Steps.

Parlour Steps, “Little Pieces”

JL: What was it like being a part of Peak Performance and what is the band hoping to get out of the boot camp?

Caleb Stull: Well, we’ve just started – it’s the first day. We hope to make some friends, maybe collaborate with some of these amazing and diverse musicians here, relax in this beautiful spot. The project itself has been illuminating – challenging and inspiring.

JL: You will be playing at Bumbershoot in Seattle on the Labour Day long weekend, what are you most looking forward to?

CS: We are thrilled to be invited to play the preeminent rock music festival in this region – we’ve been knocking on their door for a while. I’m stoked to see Plants and Animals, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Ra Ra Riot, and of course Mr. [Billy] Bragg and Mr. [Bob] Dylan.

JL: Where did the name Parlour Steps come from?

CS: The name is purely for its tactile appeal: soft lighting, exchange of ideas and humour.

JL: Is there a brief story about how the band came to be/how you all met?

CS: The band is basically built out of an uneducated indie punk rocker (that’s me) leading a ragtag crew of jazz school grads.

JL: What is your favourite venue in Vancouver?

CS: Richard’s on Richards was great. In regards to the existing places, the Biltmore has become a great room.

JL: How about outside of Vancouver?

CS: Phog Lounge in Windsor, Horseshoe in Toronto (for the history – some of those decrepit ceiling fans in there look like they’re gonna decapitate someone!), La Divan Orange in Montreal is also a cool room.

JL: What is your overall opinion of Vancouver’s music scene?

CS: More, more!! This city has a bit of an identity crisis when it comes to the arts. The vibrancy of live music is constantly butting up against a wall of liquor license nightmares, sound bylaws, zoning that doesn’t allow dancing (nowhere on Commercial Drive is actually zoned for dancing except Frederico’s – that seems ridiculous to me). In such a new city, the balance between homeowner (condo-owner) rights and the need for cultural vibrancy has not yet been found.

JL: Do you have a favourite anecdote from touring?

CS: We played for a gang of guerrilla show makers in Waterloo, who held shows in a house called The Trepid House. After our show they got us kinda drunk, had us put on pirate costumes, and we spent the evening singing our songs with pirate accents playing a ukulele and an out-of-tune piano. It was fun.

JL: You pen the lyrics for the band’s songs. Where does your inspiration come from?

CS: I’m inspired by ideas about love and existence and technology versus the natural world, the questions that come up – the usual: bodily and animalistic desires versus the purity of the soul. You know, light fare. Lately I’ve been writing a lot about unplugging, getting back to real face-to-face communication, discarding what of this modern world makes us sacrifice meaningful interaction and learning for convenience and speed. Hmm, maybe I’ve spent a little too much time on my computer.

JL: Everyone tends to comment on the dance-ability of your tunes, which I tend to agree with, yet I find a lot of the harmonies charmingly sorrowful.

CS: We’re drawn to the more mournful chord movements – so much beauty can be squeezed from that stuff. Plus we like shaking our ass, and seeing others shake their ass to our songs.

JL: Names some musical influences of the band and/or current listens.

CS: The Shins, Pixies (still!), Arcade Fire, Tom Waits, Sufjan Stevens, plus I’ve been listening to a lot of Chopin lately.

JL: Have things changed with the addition of your fifth member, keyboardist Alison Maira?

CS: We’ve been forced to make more musical room, which has tightened up our ears, and helped tighten up our intentions in regards to the songs – what we’re adding has to be worth it and cohesive. We’re playing less, which is more.

JL: In a few words, describe yourself and your bandmates.

CS: This is my pass. Sorry, these would only be my judgments and I don’t trust them. There’s a great line from The Philadelphia Story that goes something like “The time to have figured someone out is never.”

The Parlour Steps (Caleb Stull, centre).

JL: Parlour Steps has broken in America. What does this mean to you guys?

CS: Border issues. Seriously, much bigger ponds, some amazing fans and band connections and sights seen. It is also amazing at making us appreciate our home of Canada.

Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival runs from Saturday, September 4 to Monday, September 6 in downtown Seattle. Parlour Steps are playing on Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at the EMP Sky Church Venue.

Club founder Leah Costello told the Vancouver Sun she selected the former Alaska governor, and author of Going Rogue, for her “lightning-rod appeal.” Palin is one of six international speakers who will appear at the Vancouver Club for the Oct. 13 event, which includes a reception, dinner and question-and-answer period.

Other speakers include… ah, who cares? Sarah Palin is coming to town. She’s getting $100,000 for her appearance, “paid for via sponsorships,” Costello said.

Tickets are $500 and attendance is by invitation only.

Crowded House at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Aug 29 2010. Jade Dempsey photo

- photos by Jade Dempsey

Oh, Crowded House, how I love you. The Australian/New Zealand rock band wooed and won over their loyal fans yet again with their deliciously melodic music at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Aug. 29.

I’ve always found the Queen E to be an odd venue for a rock show. When I’m in there I feel like I’m playing dress-up – the beautiful venue, with its bars in the lobbies and its army of ushers, makes me feel like I’m in a classier establishment than I deserve. The flip side is that we’re left with the awkwardness of the fixed seating, when most of us would rather be up front and dancing. I’d love to see that place erupt in a dance party, but when I’ve seen Cake, or even James Brown, the Queen E just sort of, restricts you. Slaps you on the wrist, if you will, saying, “Don’t forget, this is a classy establishment. Named after the Queen.”

But within 30 seconds of entering the theatre I ran into an Australian friend of mine, there with his best friend, a Kiwi. “We’re here for a taste of the Southern Hemisphere,” the Aussie told me. We all rushed to our seats when the lady on the intercom told us to, and you could see the excitement and anticipation on everyone’s faces.

Neil Finn with Crowded House at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Aug 29 2010. Jade Dempsey photo

As soon as Neil Finn hit the stage, singing the unmistakable opening line for “Distant Sun” (“Tell me all the things you would change…”) he had the entire theatre in the palm of his hand. For the next two hours we sat, captivated by the foursome (and occasionally five-some) led by Finn, the 52-year-old Kiwi frontman who I believe is one of the most underrated songwriters of our era. He was joined by original Crowded House bassist Nick Seymour, guitarist and keyboardist Mark Hart, and more recent addition drummer Matt Sherrod. The performance also featured the occasional cameo from opener Lawrence Arabia on guitar and Finn’s wife Sharon on backing vocals.

After setting the mood right with “Distant Sun”, the band proceeded to play mostly new songs. Some were from Time on Earth, the 2007 album that marked the first Crowded House release in 14 years. Finn and co. also treated us to some songs off their latest album, Intriguer.  “Amsterdam” might just prove to be the newest Crowded House singalong, but I was particularly taken by “Either Side of the World” – an ethereal song with soft, enchanting harmonies and a samba beat that created a beautiful and, well, intriguing soundscape. (Pun slightly intended.)

Crowded House at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Aug 29 2010. Jade Dempsey photo

I didn’t recognize most of the songs within that part of the set, and I started to get a wee bit concerned they might not even play my favourites – “Mean to Me,” “Fall At Your Feet,” “Better Be Home Soon”. The list could go on. But, never one to let their fans down, after the new tracks Crowded House launched into arguably their most famous hit, “Don’t Dream it’s Over”. This was to the great enthusiasm of the crowd who were sitting there all the while like well-behaved middle-aged adults, which I suppose they pretty much were. After that crowd-pleaser they continued on with a string of older hits, including “It’s Only Natural,” “Private Universe” and “When You Come”.

Crowded House periodically invited us to sing along to their songs, the acoustics in the theatre allowing a healthy dose of banter between the audience and the band. Finn was captivated by our collective voice, calling a haunting chord we somehow crafted “sexy – sexy Vancouver!” The band was certainly feeling social, although much of their chat seemed to consist of awkward innuendo that came to sudden halts, to which Finn responded by just shrugging and launching into yet another beautiful tune.

Crowded House at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Aug 29 2010. Jade Dempsey photo

When they finally walked off stage we gave them a standing ovation which, while well deserved, seemed a little ironic considering that was the first time anyone stood up at all during the show. The band returned a minute later with the energetic “Locked Out” to which we finally let loose and danced. Saying it was nice to see us finally standing up, Finn rewarded us with the heartbreakingly beautiful “Fall At Your Feet”, the sweet “Weather With You”, and finally “Better Be Home Soon”. Despite the awkward onstage banter, restrictive seating, and one electrical fire – Finn’s amp started smoking after the first song – judging by the utter joy everyone seemed to be experiencing, I was wondering if we would ever let them offstage.

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Crowded House at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, Aug 29 2010. Jade Dempsey concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

Vampire Weekend at Malkin Bowl, Aug 27. Jade Dempsey photo

- review by Kristen Milliron/photos by Jade Dempsey

The last few shows of the 2010 Concert Series in Stanley Park kicked off over the weekend with two sold-out performances by indie darlings Vampire Weekend. It was a little crisp and damp in Stanley Park for Friday night’s show, but that didn’t stop the relatively young crowd from showing up in their hipster best. Not that they put any money or effort into their outfits of course.

The Dum Dum Girls started promptly at 6, opening their 30 minute set with a melancholy cover of Sonny and Cher’s “Baby Don’t Go”, and moving through most of the songs off of their debut album I Will Be. They seem to be following a similar formula to a number of other all-girl bands that are around at the moment – The Like and The Vivian Girls (in fact ex-Vivian Girls member Frankie Rose is part of the DDG) have a similar sound and differentiate themselves by their onstage personas. The DDG’s wear all black, short skirts, textured tights, lots of leather and bright lipstick.

It works. They have fantastic harmonies, catchy lyrics and a distinctly retro sound that is anchored by the lead vocals of Kristen Gundred (stage name: Dee Dee). This is her brainchild, and she smartly enlisted the services of producer Richard Gottehrer (who has produced albums for the Go-Go’s and Blondie and also co-wrote “My Boyfriend’s Back”). They sound great live, and got the crowd moving during my personal favourites – ‘Bhang Bhang, I’m a Burnout’ and ‘Jail La La’.

Next up was bliss-pop band Beach House. Back in Vancouver for the first time in a number of years, this was their biggest audience in a city that clearly loves them. It was another short set at 45 minutes, with a mix of songs from all of their releases. They opened with “Used to Be” and played favourites “Apple Orchard” and “Norway”, which were clearly loved by the growing crowd. Lead singer and head-banger Victoria Legrand has an incredible rich and controlled voice that filled the park. In spite of their mellow sound, Beach House had people up on their feet within a few songs, preparing the audience  for the dance tunes of the headliner.

Fresh off of a three-week break in their touring schedule, Vampire Weekend took the stage, greeted by a now full Malkin Bowl. These two Vancouver shows marked the first of their fall tour with The Dum Dum Girls and Beach House. The band has been touring to promote their second album Contra since February, and has continuous dates scheduled through early December.

The lower half of the Bowl was transformed into a happy dance pit, with mellower fans lying on blankets on the grass inside and outside the Stanley Park walls. While all songs were greeted with cheers, favourites such as “A-Punk” and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” noticeably prompted the best reaction, proving Vampire Weekend’s self-titled album was perhaps the preferred release from this NYC band. Feeling that the audience was receptive to all that was put forth, lead singer Ezra Koenig announced a live first for the band – the title track of their second album. They moved back and forth between songs off the two albums, and seeming to appreciate the fans’ knowledge of their lyrics, and the location up-grade from their last performance in town at the late Richard’s on Richards.

Although playing live is obviously second nature to the band, Vampire Weekend’s enthusiasm to be back onstage was restated by the constant smile on bassist Chris Baio’s face and their reluctance to end the show after only 75 minutes. While maybe a little chilly and disappointed to be leaving Stanley Park before 10 p.m., cheerful hipsters poured onto the downtown streets, some of whom more than likely returned for round two on Saturday.

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Vampire Weekend at Malkin Bowl, Vancouver, Aug 27 2010. Jade Dempsey concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

- review by Julia Brown

I really wanted to write a glowing review for Daniel Stamm’s The Last Exorcism. It was obvious from the trailers that this wasn’t going to be your standard modern horror film, wherein people get sawed up and generally tortured serial-killer style. It was clearly going to be creepy, though, and I love me some creepy.

In many ways, the film does indeed deliver. It’s not going to win any Oscars of course, but if you are heading to the theatre to watch a movie like this, you should adjust your expectations accordingly; horror films are not usually judged according to their artistic merits, after all. What really matters is that you are genuinely scared and/or disturbed at some point during the show.

The Last Exorcism even takes it one step further than that, and that is admirable, given its genre and its low-low budget (although I doubt the budget of $2 million quoted on various blogs and websites includes the marketing budget, because boy is this film being flogged heavily). The film’s faux-documentary, hand-held camera approach is somewhat familiar – the most obvious comparison being 1999’s The Blair Witch Project. Unlike Blair Witch, the film is intentionally funny in spots, versus unintentionally (c’mon, you laughed at the close-up nostril shot in Blair Witch, too). Like Blair Witch, the audience is often forced to question the characters’ motivations, plus deal with a certain level of uncertainty over WTF is even going on. Which creates a very real sense of unease, and that, of course, is the point.

Alas, now we get to the “but.” While it is understandable that casting name actors in the film wasn’t possible or even desirable, an actor does need a certain amount of acting ability to act as if they are not acting (say that ten times, fast). Given that this film is shot in faux-documentary style, and the thrills and chills depend on a certain amount of suspension of disbelief, it is rather distracting to be constantly aware of the actors’ acting.

Not that the lead, Patrick Fabian, sucks or anything. He does a fine job of playing shady, used-car salesman-like Southern preacher, Cotton Marcus. Cotton is a good-looking guy (yes, as a female, I had to point that out), and a charmer who has used style over substance to hold sway over church congregations – and uneducated “demon-possessed” folks – since he was a young ‘un. And while it’s possible that Fabian is deliberately coming across as “fake” to be consistent with his character, it still gets somewhat in the way of the audience taking the film seriously – which is necessary, if the film-makers want to inspire actual fear in the audience at any point, that is. If all they want to do is make fun of the horror genre, then that type of knowingly-fake acting style works perfectly.

The acting is not the only area where the film reneges on its unspoken agreement with the audience. Given that the producers didn’t have a lot of money for razzle-dazzle effects or Anthony-Hopkins-as-Hannibal-Lecter-level performances, they have to build suspense mainly through the storyline. The ending is particularly key, since everything that happens in the film is building up to the point where the audience finally gets to find out what the heck is causing all of this crazy stuff to happen.

Yes, there are some truly creepy moments along the way. The scene where the young, maybe-she-is-maybe-she-isn’t-possessed girl (played convincingly by Ashley Bell) finally goes Full Demon is rather disturbing to say the least. This scene is real horror, and pays very appropriate homage to The Exorcist. Plus, the fact that throughout the scene Stamm continues to play with the audience’s expectations in terms of whether or not this is a “real” demon possession (if indeed there is such a thing, of course) adds another layer that traditional horror films cannot really explore. And that’s a good thing for today’s post-modern audiences.

Still, given that the film clearly depends heavily on the last scene to deliver the final one-two punch, it seems to take the easy way out. Or rather, the “they probably ran out of money” way out. It’s a good flick, to be sure, and probably worth at least two viewings. Just don’t believe all of the hype.

The Last Exorcism is now playing in Vancouver at Cinemark Tinseltown and Van East Cinema.

]]> http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2010/08/28/last-exorcism-reviews/feed/ 0 http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2010/08/27/teenage-paparazzo-movie/ http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2010/08/27/teenage-paparazzo-movie/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:12:28 +0000 Shawn Conner http://www.guttersnipenews.com/?p=21106

Adrian Grenier and Austin Visschedyk in Teenage Paparazzo.

- review by Alex Hudson

If anybody is qualified to make a documentary about celebrity, it’s Adrian Grenier. After all, this is the dude who first rose to fame by playing mega-star Vincent Chase on the HBO drama-comedy Entourage.

As his own life began to resemble that of his on-screen character, Grenier befriended a young paparazzo named Austin Visschedyk, a 13-year-old who once snapped the actor’s picture. Visschedyk then became Grenier’s muse and his entry-point into the insular world of celebrity photographers.

Much of the first half of Teenage Paparazzo focuses on Visschedyk and his paparazzi friends, as Grenier seeks to understand the methods and motives behind their parasitic violation of celebrities’ privacy. Talking heads by Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and others provide first hand stories about media exploitation.

Adrian Grenier and Paris Hilton in Teenage Paparazzo.

This alone would have made for an interesting movie, but Grenier takes a more academic approach by examining Western culture’s obsession with celebrity. With the help of authors and university professors, Grenier explores how we all help to fuel celebrity mania – even those of us who claim to be immune to the lure of, say, up-skirt photos of Britney Spears’ lady bits.

It’s a brave piece of analysis, since Grenier is forced to admit that the mere act of filming a documentary makes him a participant in the pop culture machine – essentially, a paparazzo himself. And, of course, this means that the audience are participants simply by watching the film.

Which, if you think about it, means that you’re a participant now that you’ve read this review. Confused? Watch Teenage Paparazzo and get to the bottom it. Or you could just say fuck it, head over to TMZ.com and forget about the whole thing.

Teenage Paparazzo opens in Vancouver today at Tinseltown.

Katy Perry at Bumbershoot, Seattle, 2009. Simon Kear photo

- text by Drinky Crow/photos by Simon Kear (from our Bumbershoot 2009 photo gallery)

As everyone knows, Teenage Dream, the new Katy Perry record, was released this week. As everyone – or at least, everyone who pays attention to pop culture, also knows – Perry is also engaged to Russell Brand, star of stage, screen and author of the memoir My Booky Wook.

In a recent article in the Guardian UK, Perry had this to say about her new-ish beau and their 10-year age gap (not that Guttersnipe has an inordinate amount of interest in the subject): “He knows that I’m young and have friends and a social life… Every once in a while I need to remind him of that and he listens. It’s all about communication. It’s not about taming… We all start to slow down. I think he was ready for change. I mean, you just don’t have the stamina to be in bed with 80 different women a week when you’re 35 and trying to do good work.”

Tell it to Jesse James. Oh right, he’s a “sex addict” – that’s the difference.

Katy Perry at Bumbershoot, Seattle, 2009. Simon Kear photo

- by Erin Hanson

In late summer 2007, Crowded House played the Malkin Bowl. The rain was torrential; a downpour greeted the band as they took to the stage. But there was something so uplifting about that gig – we couldn’t stop singing, dancing, smiling. The energy was so contagious, even Neil Finn laughed with surprise at our spirit in the rain, and remarked at how honoured he was that we stood out there quite happily drenched in order to watch them.

A good friend of mine is from New Zealand and met me at the show. (He happily paid an extortionate price for his ticket – anything was worth Crowded House, he told me.) He brought along a Kiwi friend of his who was visitng from home.

After a positively heartwarming show (quite literally; we hardly noticed the cold of the incessant rain), I turned around to face my two Kiwi ex-pats.

“So?!” I asked the two young men.

Chris looked at me with damp eyes.

“… I miss my mum,” was all he said. We laughed.

I didn’t know much about Crowded House, but I grew up with some of their international hits. I listened to them a lot more when I was in Australia. Their music was ubiquitous over there, and I loved it all. I didn’t know much about the band though, or their history, even though many Aussies and Kiwis know the saga of the band from Split Enz to guest appearances on the Wiggles.

I live with an Australian, who, like my Kiwi friend from the Crowded House concert, tears up a little when he hears me play Crowded House. It reminds him of home. It surprised me, as he tends to listen to heavy metal. I told him about their show in Stanley Park, but he said he probably wouldn’t have gone. “It’s just not the same without Hessie,” he said sadly. He was referring to their original drummer, Paul Hester, a natural comedian and a central force of the band. Hessie, despite being a constant source of comic relief, strugged with depression and committed suicide in 2005.

Crowded House got their name from a house in LA they all lived and played in during the band’s early days, after Split Enz. Going with this theme, the video for “Don’t Dream It’s Over” features each member in his own house; from various family homes from childhood to present day’s “crowded house.”

I love this idea. It’s like a tribute to where we come from; the places we grew up, the places and people that have influenced us to be where we are today. (As they sing in “Silent House”, “Who do we become without knowing where we started from?”)

One song from that rainy concert stood out to me. It was a new one I had never heard before, but it captivated me with it’s beautiful, haunting melody. After some searching, I found it to be “Silent House”.)

“Silent House” has got to be one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard. The lyrics have reduced me to tears on more than one occasion. I’ve learned that Neil Finn co-wrote it with the Dixie Chicks, about Natalie Maines’ grandmother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. However, I can’t help but think it could easily also be about Hessie. Once I learned about the origin of the band’s name, the song title “Silent House” is absolutely heartbreaking:

I will try to connect all the pieces you left
I will carry it on, and let you forget
I remember the years when your mind was still clear
All the laughter and light that filled up this silent house.

I find that artists take on entirely new dimensions when you bring in the context of their lives; their character, their influences. As I was learning more about Paul Hester, I found this tribute at the ARIA awards just months after his death. I found it very moving, and am amazed that Neil Finn was able to finish the song without even shedding a tear. I’m sure most of that audience were reaching for tissues afterward!

Ah, Crowded House has produced some fine, fine music.

My Australian roommate is going on a roadtrip in a few days. I’m just about to burn him a copy of Recurring Dream, the Very Best of Crowded House. What an absolute essential.

The Swell Season at Malkin Bowl, Aug 22. Jade Dempsey photo

- review by Ria Nevada/photos by Jade Dempsey

Vancouver has had its share of legendary musical performances in the past year. Adding to that list is the unique pairing of Black Francis and The Swell Season. The two acts brought in families of fans to the Malkin Bowl on Sunday: teens were seated with their bundled parents, expectant mothers lay on the lawn, rambunctious toddlers sprinted down the aisles, while everyone else in between attempted to get comfortable in their plastic seats.

Black Francis promptly opened the show at sunset with “Bullet”, blending his trademark parlando vocal style with rockabilly rhythms. The now middle-aged star rarely addressed the audience in between songs and barely interacted with his two band members; but his reputation as the leader of the Pixies, one of the most forward-thinking bands in the last 25 years, easily compensated for these minor shortcomings. Francis displayed his ability to rouse audiences with abstract melodies and unsettling thoughts on tunes like “The Black Rider” and “Sing for Joy”. His nonchalant attitude was best reflected on the self-reflexive “That Burnt Out Rock and Roll”. As the lyrics suggest, he may have lost a bit of his luster, but Francis’ epic body of work will continue to influence the punk and indie scene for generations.

As soon as Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard of The Swell Season hit the stage, they breezed through a cover of the Pixies tune “Cactus”, and met with an approving nod from Black Francis. The rest of the chaps from The Frames, Hansard’s band, joined the duo on “Low Rising”, the first track on their current record, Strict Joy. Romantic and serene, this performance set the tone for a relaxing evening under the stars. Feeling the vastness of the space, Hansard warmly invited close to 50 audience members to sit amongst the band. Needless to say, security wasn’t exactly thrilled with this decision. After a few folks in the first row complained about the obstructed view, the fans (including a charming nine-year-old named Olivia who offered homemade jewelry to her favorite duo) were forced to exit the stage, but not without a heartfelt apology and blue-moonlit serenade from Hansard.

Irglova took her turn under the spotlight with “If You Want Me”, her wistful and silky vocals carrying across the park. Hansard harmonized with her on “Lies” and “When Your Mind’s Made Up”, balancing her delicate tone with his earthy rasp. As the rest of the band took a breather, Hansard delivered a no-holds barred performance of “Leave”, accompanying himself on the guitar while almost in a pained scream as he sang “Let go of my hand, you said what you have to now leave”.

As the temperature dropped a few more degrees, Hansard noticed a two-year-old weeping in the crowd, and joked, “Your kid doesn’t like our band. Don’t force them to come!” He then dedicated the sorrowful “Back Broke” to the tiny tot. Picking up the pace of the evening, The Swell Season jumped into a spry rendition of “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison, followed by a Western Irish violin interlude from Colm Mac Iomaire. Hidden as he was by a monstrous speaker, I couldn’t fathom how a single musician could create such a multi-layered sound. “Feeling the Pull” was another romping track that had Hansard riffing on his harmonica while doing a jig and shuffling his feet. Then out of nowhere, an adorable pre-schooler popped onto the stage to dance for the amused band, adding to the high-spirited and spontaneous atmosphere of the entire show.

The Swell Season rounded off the evening with their Oscar winning song “Falling Slowly” from Once, a picture of the immense chemistry, precision and passion that these artists possess. Romantic attachments aside, Hansard’s warm personality and charisma, steadied by Irglova’s poise and magnetism, creates a solid musical partnership that will go down in the books.

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The Swell Season at Malkin Bowl, Vancouver, Aug 22 2010. Jade Dempsey concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

Alejandro Escovedo at the Venue, Aug 19, 2010. Skot Nelson photo

- photos by Skot Nelson

Fuck, this looks like it was a great show! Unfortunately I had to miss it, as I am in Winnipeg on a Culinary Adventure (among other things). However, Guttersnipe photog Skot Nelson was there to capture the excitement as Vancouver’s favourite ex-punk-turned-roots-rocker (not to mention songwriter extraordinaire) came through town once again, this time with fellow Texas singer/songwriter Amy Cook in tow.

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Alejandro Escovedo at the Venue, Vancouver. August 19th, 2010. Skot Nelson concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

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Amy Cook opening for Alejandro Escovedo at the Venue in Vancouver. August 19, 2010. Skot Nelson concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

Tila Tequila after her appearance at the Gathering of the Juggalos, 2010. Photo courtesy Nate 'Igor' Smith

Insane Clown Posse fans gave Tila Tequila the Juggalo treatment when the reality-TV star took the stage at the annual Gathering of the Juggalos (Juggalos being the name given to fans of the Detroit hip-hop duo) Aug 13 (Friday) in southern Illinois.

Apparently, Tequila was pelted with “rocks, bottles and even ‘human poop’”. According to this Village Voice blog post, other projectiles included “several rubber dildos… along with beer cans, Faygo containers, Stryofoam cups, liquor bottles, cigarettes, mustard, half a lemon, a pizza slice, a pearl bracelet, a pudding cup, an unopened can of ICP’s self-branded energy drink Spazmatic, part of a watermelon allegedly soaked in feces and urine, a clothed baby doll, a mini Mag Lite, a bag of chicken tenderloin.”

As well, one overenthusiastic Juggalo drew first blood when a well-aimed full beer can cut open Method Man’s face. The rapper plans on suing… someone. (Method Man Vs. Juggalos)

Tila Tequila at the Gathering of the Juggalos Aug 13 2010. Photo by Nate 'Igor' Smith

ICP’s Violent J’s statement reads:

“Although what happened to Tila Tequila at the 11th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos is extremely unfortunate, Juggalo Gathering, LLC and Insane Clown Posse are not responsible. Ms. Tequila was made aware, in advance, of her unpopularity with many Juggalos at the Gathering, but she insisted on performing. She was even paid in full before her performance, and was told that she did not have to perform, but if she did decide to perform, she could leave the stage the minute that she felt uncomfortable. Gathering’s head of security told her that it was unsafe to go on stage, and recommended that she leave the Gathering grounds. Despite warnings and already being paid without being required to perform, Ms. Tequila made the decision to go onto the stage and perform. As soon as her show started the crowd began to boo heavily and throw garbage. It was immediately obvious that she was not welcome. Her injuries were only sustained because of her refusal to leave the stage. After several minutes, she even removed her top, exposing herself, which seemed to mock and further antagonize the crowd. Finally, Gathering security pulled her off of the stage. Soon after, she was escorted to her car, and was driven safely off of the Gathering grounds.”

Which begs the questions: Why was Tila Tequila asked to perform in the first place? Why did she agree (money)? And what kind of psychopath wouldn’t be awed into silence and respect by the sight of her fake boobs?

Tila Tequila at Gathering of the Juggalos. Nate 'Igor' Smith photo.

Tlia Tequila at the Gathering of the Juggalos. Nate Igor Smith photo.

According to Wikipedia, “The Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual event for the Juggalo Family put on by Psychopathic Records first staged in July 2000. Described… as a ‘Juggalo Woodstock’, the Gathering of the Juggalos spans four days, and includes concerts, wrestling, games, contests, autograph sessions, and seminars with artists…

“After 2002, the Gathering became an outdoor event, and was held at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park for a number of years. Following the 2005 Gathering, Quarry Park owner Evan Kelley stated that the grounds would no longer host the event. Kelly has said: ‘Psychopathic Records broke some of the rules set down for the 2005 event, including blasting music all night long’ and: ‘Drugs, alcohol, nudity, profanity and trash also became serious problems.^‘”

Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, the actual location, is, writes the Village Voice’s Camille Dodero, “a Midwestern state park approximately an hour from anything resembling real civilization, a setting that the official Gathering site helpfully notes, “has a history of violence as long as your tattooed arm! This area has been home to River Pirates, Smugglers, Counterfeiters, Ghosts, and some of the nation’s first Serial Killers!”

We guess the real news here is that Tila Tequila has an act to perform…

Tila Tequila vs. Juggalos:

And here’s a blog that purports to spread the word about the dangers of the Juggalo-dom, Juggalo Holocaust.

The Joy Formidable at the Media Club, Aug 15 2010. Robyn Hanson photo

- text by Shawn Conner/photos by Robyn Hanson

Had the pleasure of seeing The Joy Formidable the other night (Aug 15), and it was a great show; a Welsh trio finding its wings after winding up a North American tour, and obviously on the verge of must bigger things (the band was recently signed to Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records). Advance buzz, at least on Twitter, was great guns for the live show, and the band didn’t disappoint; just under an hour of buzzing, crashing, feed-backing indie-rock. The Joy Formidable, esp. guitarist/signer Ritzy, loves its feedback and sound pedals, and a few times the group, which has one 8-song EP to its name, drove the music into a wall of distorted sound. The song “Poppinjay” stood out, but for me the highlight was Ritzy’s feedback adventure, propping up her guitar against her amp and returning to the edge of the stage to adjust her pedals and play with the feedback.

After the set, Ritzy manned the merch table, which was immediately surrounded by fans just about everyone who had ventured out to the Media Club for the hot August night set.

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The Joy Formidable at the Media Club, Vancouver, Aug 15 2010. Robyn Hanson concert photo for www.guttersnipenews.com

Arcade Fire at the Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts. Adrian Smith photo.

Arcade Fire, the World’s Biggest Indie Band, is confirmed to play Vancouver Sept 20 at Pacific Coliseum (which has not, startlingly, been bought by a telecommunications company).

Arcade Fire, of course, is from Montreal, and is signed to Merge Records in the U.S. The band’s latest is called The Suburbs.

Tickets for the Vancouver show go on sale Aug 20 (this Friday) at 10 a.m. at Zulu and Red Cat Records as well as Ticketmaster and something called a “Rogers wireless box office”. Which would seem to be a contradiction in terms. But that’s the Web for you.

Tickets are $30.50 or $46, which doesn’t seem all that unreasonable for a band that knocked Eminem (the white rapper) out of the Top #1 position on the Billboard chart, at least for a week, in this month, August of 2010. Apocalypse now!

Robert Christgau on Arcade Fire & music criticism

Les deux magots. In France. Photo courtesy Flickr

- text by Sonia Stastny

Now, we all know that the French excel in haute cuisine, are magicians in the art of pastry-making and experts in creating ridiculously good wines. Hence, something as “simple” as coffee is taken for granted; a typical French citizen will either have an espresso machine at home or take their morning dose of caffeine at the brasserie downstairs while reading the paper and nibbling on a croissant with the easy elegance that only a Parisian can have. Inquiring about up-and-coming coffee shops and barista competitions, I drew blank looks; the obsession with the perfect espresso shot, the consistency of milk foam and the newest blended drink seem to be specific to the North American continent (and just try and ask for an iced coffee in France!).

Place: Les Deux Magots

Location: Boulevard Saint Germain, Paris, France

Les deux magots, Paris, France. It ain't Starbucks!

Ambiance: Established in 1933, this famous French café is a prime example of an old-school Parisian establishment complete with stern middle-aged waiters, starched table cloths and a menu of bistro classics. Back in the day, it was the meeting place of Parisian intellectual élite, including the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway and Albert Camus. Today, you will find a mix of tourists, elegant regulars from the chic Saint Germain neighbourhood, and random voyeurs (such as myself) taking advantage of the expansive terrasse – a perfect vantage point for people-watching. Make sure to take a trip to the loo – the café interior is beautiful, with statues of the deux magots (two Chinese commercial agents) adorning one of the pillars.

Coffee: Great quality, as is everything else on the menu, ranging from croque monsieur to caviar and Dom Pérignon. In an attempt to prove that the French don’t waste time on such frivolities as “latte art”, I ordered a café crème and waited in anticipation. But instead of a plain café crème (which is basically a latte), I was brought an impeccably presented small silver tray with two carafes – one with an espresso shot and one with steamed milk – an empty coffee cup (with Les Deux Magots logo on it), and a small glass of water.  This is apparently the classy way of serving this otherwise ordinary coffee drink. Who knew?

Price: Be prepared to pay for the famous reputation:  espresso is €3.70, café crème €4.70, and cappuccino €6.70.