AWmusic

Photographs by Jennifer Picard. More photographs at Flickr.

It was a surprise to open the Georgia Straight and see a listing for Daniel Johnston at Venue. Venue is a “new” live music venue in Vancouver. Anti-climactically, all that really means is that The Plaza has given itself a new look and a new name, perhaps trying to wedge its way into the market once belonging to the recently closed Richard’s on Richards.

Why would Daniel Johnston, the subject of the intriguing 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston, be on tour?

As it turns out, the forty-eight-year-old Johnston is releasing an album of new material and has embarked on a North American tour in support of that album, titled Is And Always Was, to be released in October. The artist and musician’s trademark DIY-sounding recordings have been met with much praise over the last twenty or so years, and Johnston is often hailed as one of America’s greatest songwriters.

Ford Pier, a trio of aging troubadours who would seem less out of place at a wedding, seemed on odd choice for an opener. A low-budget version of The Police or Dire Straits, the three-piece’s weak guitar riffs and exaggerated rock star kicks were almost embarrassing. “You don’t wanna know what I’m into,” sang Pier. It’s true. The crowd was not really all that interested.

Daniel Johnston’s appearance onstage was a blessing: track pants, a stain on his shirt, skate shoes and crazy hair.

“I love you all but I hate myself,” Daniel Johnson sang, causing a wave of sadness and pity to wash over the crowd, hushed by the sincerity of his songwriting. A lack of eye contact with his audience made for what felt like an exploitative performance. However, his songwriting shone again and again, and the honesty in his vocals and lyrics shattered any doubt that he was in this one hundred percent.

“I had a dream that this guy was sentenced to death because he wanted to commit suicide…and it was me,” Johnston said with a smirk, a segue into his next song: “The show must go on, it’s never really over.”

Launching into a new song on his tiny guitar, he played for about ten seconds and then stopped. “Let’s try another one,” he said with a smile and a chuckle, completely and endearingly awkward.

During “There is a Sense of Humour Way Beyond Friendship”, his hands shook violently, his whole body tremoring, bringing new meaning to the term “tortured artist”.

He was later joined by a guitarist, allowing him to concentrate fully on his vocals. “Don’t wanna be free of hope,” he sang during “Life in Vain”. Somehow, the majority of his catalogue would appear otherwise.

“Grievances” was excellent, with its honesty and his fists shaking at his sides. “I’ve come this far and I know that I can make it,” he intimated during “Silly Love”.

A major highlight was the Beatles cover “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”. The crowd joined in on the chorus; the room was full of magic and electricity.

Innocence and sadness, honesty and self-expression, a need for connection: these are the themes in Johnston’s work. It is apparent as to why Kurt Cobain might have related to this man: the darkness, a lack of love, mental instability, sensitivity.

Joined by Ford Pier and an additional guitarist, Johnston followed a short break with a number of rockier favourites, including “Casper the Friendly Ghost”. On the band’s instrumentals he leaned on the microphone with both hands and closed his eyes, concentrating on feeling.

“There was a day when I was so lonely,” he sang.

And then he ran off the stage mid-song with his laminated music binder under his arm.

The crowd demanded more, so Johnston returned to the stage with the beautiful simplicity of “True Love Will Find You in the End”.

Perfectly imperfect.

MP3:
Daniel Johnston – Grievances
Daniel Johnston – Silly Love

More info:
Myspace / Website

Photograph by Valerio Berdini

Finding a parking spot on a rainy night in downtown Vancouver is about as fun as a root canal. And so is arriving at the venue for a show you’re reviewing exactly two minutes before the act goes on and then finding out your name isn’t on the list.

It would seem luck wasn’t on our side that evening. That was until Patrick Watson began singing.

Although the first two songs of his set were missed (one of them “Fireweed”) and gaining an eyeline of the band over the sea of standing bodies was a test of patience, it was well worth the trouble. Mr. Watson was in especially fine form last Wednesday night.

Richard’s on Richards, one of the best venues for live music in Vancouver, is dying a slow death. The washrooms are in disrepair and no wonder: it’s only a matter of time before the building is demolished and replaced by yet another condo development. An intimate room, its structure allows for good views from almost any location.

There was the obligatory commentary on Vancouver’s rain. “I think you guys can deal with the rain,” said Watson, comparing it to the snow and “brown river” of Montreal. Singing and playing piano from the corner of the stage, Watson was backed by the remarkable Simon Angell (guitar/banjo/mandolin), Robbie Kuster (drums/percussion), and Mishka Stein (bass).

“Beijing”, a beautiful tangle of percussion and piano, allowed Watson’s voice to soar to the rafters, unrestrained, while “Wooden Arms”, with its evocative mandolin part, was like a sleepwalk stumble through the forest. Watson’s compositions are a showcase for his incredible (and M. Ward-like) voice, at times manipulated by megaphones and effects, mechanical and electric, filling empty space with the sounds of vintage cinema and broken AM radios.

Whether adding unexpected touches such as kazoo buzzing, or idiosyncratic stage moves and head shaking, Watson was able to awe his audience, visibly touched by the band’s smooth transitions from symphonic euphoria to cabaret, thunderous and rambunctious to quiet and transcendent. “Big Bird in a Small Cage”, one of the finest on Wooden Arms and allegedly written with Dolly Parton in mind, was brilliantly done, but lacked the dazzling backing vocals of Katie Moore. “Where the Wild Things Are”, written for Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s children’s story, was a lot of fun, as was “Machinery of the Heavens”, introed by the crowd’s males grunting and its females “ahh-ing” to produce a surprisingly exquisite reverberation.

During their encore, Watson shuffled through the crowd, wearing a backpack sprouting five megaphones that his vocal was fed through. The audience clapped along gently to “Traveling Salesman” (“selling the distance between us and the sky”) and sang along to “The Storm” (“eyes wide open, shutters closed”). Watson and his merry men sauntered back onstage to finish the song, with Watson relaxing at the rear of the stage drinking a beer while the band jammed out.

In the calm afterwards, left alone at the piano, Watson gave a heart-wrenching performance of “The Great Escape”, the crowd singing quietly on the “doo doo doo” part.

Maybe luck was on our side after all.

MP3:
Patrick Watson – Big Bird in a Small Cage
Patrick Watson – Where the Wild Things Are

Buy at:
Patrick Watson Shop / Amazon

More info:
Myspace / Website

Photographs by Jennifer Picard – View more at Flickr

Mother Mother wowed a sold-out crowd in their hometown of Vancouver on Saturday night. The excellent O My Heart was released in the fall of last year, avoiding the sophomore album curse and receiving complimentary reviews left and right. Founding vocalist Debra-Jean Creelman left to pursue other musical projects in December, but based on the quality of Saturday’s performance, the band has suffered very little. Jasmin Parkin (vocals/keys) joined the band earlier this year and according to Ryan Guldemond (vocals/guitar), her contribution to the group has so far been amazing.

The sprawling crowd was warmed up by local talent – Gang Violence’s stylish dance pop and the vanilla Said the Whale (redeemed by the hickory voice of guest Hannah Georgas). After being instructed by management to meet at coat-check fifteen minutes prior to Mother Mother’s set, only to be informed that a press pit was not, in fact, an option, the media’s photographers were left with the difficult task of pushing through a sea of unrelenting fans to gain a sightline to the band.

Mother Mother got off to a strong start: “Neighbour” and “Body of Years” were both foot stomping numbers, showcasing their trademark girl-boy harmonies, a quintessential Vancouver sound. “Ohhh…can’t stop tripping on these,” they sang, Ryan Guldemond bathed in spotlight. His guitar solo prompted frantic cheers and whistles from the crowd, all bent-knee-dancing, surrounded by a cloud of smoke and an all-too-familiar scent.

“Arms Tonite” coaxed the crowd into full-on leaping and drunken hand-waving. Breathing new energy into each of Guldemond’s compositions, the band sounded as tight as they do on the Howard Redekopp-produced O My Heart. Buoyed by Ali Siadat’s kick drum and organ, this song elicited an especially positive response. “Body” evoked further movement and excitement, and afterwards Ryan Guldemond had no trouble expressing his gratitude: “Thanks for joining us, Vancouver! Thank you so much!”

Next up was “Burning Pile”, with Molly Guldemond (vocals/synth) and Parkin static at their keyboards, Ryan Guldemond kinetic and lit from behind. “All lit up and I start to smile,” he crooned.

“This is a new song of ours. Hope you enjoy it,” he said, launching into an extraordinarily percussive number boosted by an eerie organ part. The room was slow to respond to the Beastie Boys-inspired rapping, accompanied by video screens displaying dancing women in bikinis and heart graphics. “Wrecking Ball” brought them back on track, stacked with muscular harmonies and elastic snare.

Saxophone solos (from bassist Jeremy Page) and fist pumping followed, and on “Ghosting”, with its lilting acoustic introduction, the once-superior harmonies began to grate. “Heart Heavy” induced overhead clapping and more Eighties’ sax. Parkin got her chance to shine during “Try To Change” with a soulful solo vocal serving as further verification of her talent. Maybe the band was losing steam, or maybe something went awry at the sound board, but the rhythm section drowned the vocals on “Wisdom”, with its frenzied ending and general messiness.

The terrifically infectious “Hayloft” made their set. Fans climbed onto each other’s shoulders – one guy mid-crowd waved his hat in the air and bucked about as though he was at a rodeo. Bodies moved like a million dribbling basketballs during “O My Heart”, too loud and not nearly as tight as earlier in their set. Their encore, however, was redeeming, solidifying Mother Mother’s dynamic talent and their determination to entertain and animate an audience.

Mother Mother visits Winnipeg on May 22 and plays Blues Fest in Ottawa on July 12.

MP3:
Mother Mother – Hayloft
Mother Mother – O My Heart

Buy at:
Mother Mother Shop / CD Universe

More info:
Myspace / Website

Photographs by Jennifer Picard

Anyone with a sweet tooth would have loved Lenka’s saccharine performance at the Media Club in Vancouver last night. Cavity-inducing and incredibly charming, Lenka and her band delivered bubblegum pop, radiant with positivity and authenticity. The stage’s décor was a collection of cardboard and wood anime-influenced toadstools and colourful trinkets, and the room was scattered with youthful and enthusiastic fans.

A former teen actress (who studied with Cate Blanchett) and member of band Decoder Ring in her native Australia, Lenka Kripac has been based in Los Angeles since 2007, releasing her debut solo effort in the fall of 2008. Her image is sugary sweet: candy colours, bird-heavy illustrations and Miranda July art-school quirkiness. In the last six months, her songs have been featured in commercials for Telus and Old Navy, and on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty.

Backed by solid players John Graney (guitar, keys, vocals), Danny Levin (horns, keys), Erik Kertes (bass, glockenspiel), and Stella Mozgawa (drums), Lenka arrived on stage just after 10:30pm. The band launched into “Trouble is a Friend”, Lenka’s yellow bird earrings swinging to and fro. With one eyebrow raised, she flashed her dimples and hammed it up.

“You’re gorgeous,” cried a fan. “We love the Aussies!”

Aussie or not, it was hard not to be magnetized by her undeniable stage presence, a sharp contrast to Kellarissa’s deficient charisma.

Gum-chewing drummer Mozgawa led the group into “Knock Knock” as Lenka shook her tambourine and shimmied around the stage. For “Skipalong”, she debuted a mini-keyboard, hung around her neck and decorated with one red felt heart. Throughout her performance, Lenka’s sense of humour imbued each of her songs, a sequence of progressively exaggerated and campy selections. Despite the over-the-top enthusiasm, Lenka is a genuine and heartfelt performer with a fresh innocence which flouts her age and the jaded business of rock ‘n’ roll. Her band was not overshadowed by her exuberance: anchoring bass lines, energetic drumming, gorgeous harmonies and crisp horns coloured her endearing vocals and lyrics.

“It’s all up to you / use what’s been given to you,” Lenka sang during “Live Like You’re Dying”, accompanied by her female fans, mouthing the words with eyes closed. It was one of those “singing-into-hairbrushes-romantic-comedy-scene”-type crowds, ok?

Radiowaves from WWII (which, if you get the frequency right, can still be heard in the air today) accompanied Lenka’s a capella version of “Like A Song”, haunting and further proof of her chops. During “The Show”, she requested the audience’s participation, the entire crowd singing “I want my money back!” at the top of their lungs. “You guys are a wonderful drunken choir,” she commented at the end. She had a false start on the bluesy (and new) “Pull Me Apart”. After fumbling on the keys, she said, “Ok, focus. Ready? Am I ready?” Several times throughout the show, she had to ask audience members stage right to quieten down, surprisingly distracted was she by drunken antics. After this point in the set, the show became somewhat of a dance party, complete with overhead clapping and head bobbing.

“I really like Vancouver,” she remarked, explaining that it was making her homesick for Sydney.

The band then launched into “We Will Not Grow Old”, a song inspired by high school ideas about growing up and wanting to remain child-like forever. Called back for an encore, the band performed “Wrote Me Out”, co-written with AFI’s Hunter Burgan and a track that wasn’t included on her album.

Audience participation? Check!
Singalongs? Check!
Overhead clapping? Check!
Kazoos? Check!
Cuteness overload? Check!

All the makings of a great pop show.

MP3:
Lenka – The Show
Lenka – Don’t Let Me Fall

Buy at:
Amazon / CD Universe

More info:
Myspace / Website

Photographs by Hey Mama

Plants and Animals are having a great year. The Montreal band’s album Parc Avenue, released in February 2008, was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. Now they’re up for two Junos (on March 29 in Vancouver): Best Alternative Album and Best New Group. There’s no question they’re worthy of such accolades.

DRMHLLR, of Vancouver, took the stage at approximately 9:30pm. The genuinely awkward outfit with a shirtless drummer managed to incite an enthusiastic response from the sold-out room. Relatively new to the scene, this capable foursome offered plenty of noodling guitar – wordless and snare-driven – as the crowd swayed gently.

Plants and Animals, made up of singer-guitarist Warren C. Spicer, drummer Matthew Woodley and multi-instrumentalist Nic Basque, hit the stage around 11pm. Spicer, somewhat tentative at first, his confidence building visibly song by song, wailed and whimpered, his guitar licks quick and frenzied and never wavering from infectious. Woodley drummed with his entire body, each song with its own unique movements, like choreography that maintains an undeniable spontaneity. Basque (with his charming pizza-emblazoned t-shirt) switched from keys to guitar to autoharp with ease, playing and singing ecstatically.

They shifted comfortably from Paul Simon-flavoured compositions (“Mercy”) to David Bowie-like choruses (“Bye Bye Bye”), somehow evoking Radiohead along the way. The first strains of “Faerie Dance” had the crowd roaring, while the chorus of “Good Friend” echoed the room’s feeling: “I wanna dance”. “Bye Bye Bye” was a full-on singalong. Three-part harmonies and catchy choruses were standouts. Woodley’s crisp high hat and light-handed drumming prompted frenetic dancing for the majority of the set, at times moving the audience to an altered state. If there’s one word that accurately sums up a Plants and Animals set, it’s “energetic”.

The crowd wasn’t about to let them get away without an encore. There wasn’t a disappointed ear in the whole damn place, even before they covered the fantastic Nina Simone. If every Plants and Animals show is this tight, this fervent, they’ll be selling out venues ten times the size of The Biltmore in no time.

They wrap up their North American tour in Vancouver at The Railway Club’s Junofest on March 28.

MP3:
Plants & Animals – Bye Bye Bye
Plants & Animals – Feedback in the Field

Buy at:
Website / Amazon

More info:
Myspace / Website