Painting Over Silence - A Winnipeg Music Blog

Afternoon Headlines: Bands v. Filmmakers III; Free Shows at Old Market Square

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:08:00 +0000

The Crackling is at the Windsor on Tuesday, June 18th. (side note: does anyone have an accurate listing for future events at the Windsor? If so, please email.)

Local a capella group Those Guys will perform at the WECC on both Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st.

Lee Harvey Osmond is at the WECC on Friday, October 4th.

Bands vs. Filmmakers III is going down at the WECC on Thursday, June 6th. Featured bands: Mariachi Ghost, Mahogany Frog, Flying Fox & The Hunter Gatherers, JD Edwards Band, and Slattern. Featured filmmakers: Ian Bawa, Leslie Supnet, Doreen Girard, Nick Friesen and Lotte Reinger.

Local act Poorboy is releasing its debut record on Saturday, June 15th at the Cavern w/ Surprise Party and Paincave.

Toronto psych-rockers The Highest Order is at the Park Theatre on Thursday, June 13th.

Scottish indie-folkster Alasdair Roberts pops in at the WECC on Monday, July 29th

Finally, a few readers have urged me to mention the free indie-rock-related stuff going down at this year's Jazz Festival, so here goes:

(All at Old Market Square)

Saturday, June 15th

4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The F-Holes

Romi Mayes

Greg Arcade & His Rockin' Band

Cannon Bros

Boats

Maylee Todd

Royal Canoe

Sunday, June 16th

3 p.m. to midnight

Reggie San Miguel

Aaron Shorr

Soulstation

Maylee Todd

Orgone

Moses Mayes

Morning Headlines: Iron and Wine to Play Pantages

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:12:00 +0000

This just in...Iron and Wine will play the Pantages on Thursday, September 19th. Tickets on sale this Friday and prices range from $25-$35 plus the requisite exorbitant fees.

Contest: Enter to win tickets to see The Abramson Singers @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:43:00 +0000

Courtesy of our best pals over at the West End Cultural Centre, I've got a pair of tickets to giveaway for the The Abramson Singers show going down on Monday, May 20th. Joining them on the bill is Oshima, solo project of Michael P Falk (Les Jupes).

If you're interested in checking out the event, fire me off an email (on the right hand side, below the concert listings) by Thursday, May 16th at noon CST with the subject line "The Abramson Singers Ticket Giveaway" and your name in the email's body. Winning name will be drawn randomly sometime that afternoon and contacted shortly thereafter, with the first name and last initial published on my Twitter account.

In The Know...Q & A with From Giants

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:46:00 +0000

From Giants is an up-and-coming local band definitely worth hearing.

This Thursday, May 9th, the foursome will take the stage at the Park Theatre to introduce the city to its whimsical and delicately crafted folk-pop stylings. Kerri Latimer gets the EP release party going.

I recently caught up with the promising Winnipeg act for a short Q & A, and here’s what they had to say:

1. From Giants evolved from a Jaymie Friesen solo project to a full-fledged band. How did this come to be?

From Giants began when Jaymie Friesen recorded a full length album together with Nathan Blanchard and various other friends out in the woods of Marchand, MB. Upon completion of the album "Wake Up Oh Sleeper" by From Giants, Jaymie found herself in Winnipeg with an album but with few musicians to help her translate the album into a live performance. After moving in with an acquaintance, Jaymie learnt that her room-mate Gabriella had a gorgeous voice. The two of the started singing together in their free time just for the fun of it. Not long after, Nathan Krahn and Charles Enns graced Jaymie's life and offered to collaborate with her. So in the Spring of 2011, these two women and two men found themselves in a living room week after week creating music and decided to carry on under the name From Giants.

2. So, then, who comprises the band?

Jaymie Friesen - lead vocals, guitar
Gabriella Neaufeld - vocals, drums
Nathan Krahn - cello
Charles Enns - banjo, electric guitar

3. What is the band’s songwriting process like? Is Jaymie still the principal songwriter?

Jaymie continues to write the songs and lyrics for From Giants. However, each song goes under a major transformation as every musician in From Giants offers insight and musicality to each song that allows the process to be collaborative.

4. Where was the EP recorded?

The EP was recorded at Private Ear Studio and MCM Studio

5. Michael P Falk produced the record – what did he lend to the process?

Michael P. Falk (of Les Jupes, Head in the Sand) offered a great deal of care and patience with each song. He held a great understanding for the essence and language of the songs, giving each song the space and time it needed to unfold. Being a band on a serious budget, Michael was still able to shape our EP in a way that reflected the spirit behind the music

6. When can fans expect an LP?

An LP? Fans can expect one when the season is right :)

7. And finally, what are the band’s summer plans?

We are checking our tour plans for the Summer with hopes to revisit a tour in the near future. Otherwise we will be playing at a couple local music festivals throughout Manitoba this Summer.

Afternoon Headlines: Fish & Bird @ The Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:58:00 +0000

West coast folk act Fish & Bird is at the Park Theatre on Tuesday, May 21st w/ JD Edwards, Kacy & Clayton.

BC's Shred Kelly is at the Windsor on Monday, July 29th w/ Loon Choir.

You know what Greg MacPherson show I mentioned a few posts ago? It has conspicuously disappeared from the Albert's Facebook page. So consider that "not happening."

Plumes is at the CYRK on Tuesday, May 28th.

Overheard at the Gym approx. 5-6 years ago "I had to drop $400 to see The Eagles, but it's worth it since they never tour." Speaking of which...The Eagles will be here for the third time in around six years. Check them out at the MTS Centre on Monday, September 16th or if money's tight wait until next year.

Alice in Chains is at the MTS Centre on Monday, July 8th w/ Monster Truck and Chevelle.

And finally, Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folk is at the Park Theatre on Tuesday, June 25th.

Concert Review: Purity Ring w/ Blue Hawaii @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:57:00 +0000

Purity Ring w/ Blue Hawaii

Wednesday, May 1st

The West End Cultural Centre

Winnipeg, MB

It’s been a banner year for Canadian electro-pop band Purity Ring. They began making waves in 2011 when a steady drip of songs were picked up and hyped online by Pitchfork, and have gone on to garner buzz at SxSW and, more recently, a high-billed slot at Coachella. Their July 2012 debut record Shrines was hotly anticipated and did not disappoint, receiving near universal plaudits from across the blogosphere.

Blue Hawaii kicked off the evening. Despite releasing an underwhelming sophomore record, Untogether, earlier this year, its set was altogether more expansive and developed and earned a warm reception from the audience. And a highly rare encore song (from an opener!). Look for vocalist Raphaelle Standell-Preston to return to her other project Braids soon; the follow-up record to Native Speakers will be released later this year.

Finally, came Purity Ring. Making its second stop at the West End in less than a year, it is evident Purity Ring has cultivated an impressive live show, which revolves around a multimedia, translucent-paper-cocoon-lantern light show. It was a long developed project in which they sought to both create a more interactive audience experience and make themselves feel more comfortable on stage. It presented itself nicely on Wednesday night, in a well-versed and tight 45-minute set that spanned its debut plus a cover. Throughout, Roddick conducted musical proceedings while James drifted around stage and evoked a séance medium persona amidst the shimmering cocoons and smoke.

Maybe one of the reasons that Purity Ring has achieved such success is owing to the different aural spheres that both Roddick and James are working from. Roddick creates sounds that have a sweet otherworldly aura with elements of R n’ B and these stylings fuse brilliantly with James’ delicate and highly literate vocals.

The capacity crowd at the West End certainly agreed.

-Will Burton

Top Five "Must Attend" Events this May in Peg City

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:11:00 +0000

Welcome to a regular feature on Painting over Silence that previews the month ahead on the Winnipeg concert front: each month we'll be spotlighting five local shows/festivals deemed as "must-attend." This month's "must-attenders" were selected by contributor Stefani-Raine Allan, and, without further adieu, here are the five she selected, in chronological order:

Purity Ring (above)

Wednesday, May 1st

West End Cultural Centre

8 PM

I have this neurotic fear that if I miss a potentially great show, the opportunity may never present itself again in quite the same way. Last year I wasn’t able to see Purity Ring, and I’m so excited (and relieved) the band is headed back to the West End for another go in the ‘Peg. This electro-pop twosome, comprised of Megan James and Corin Roddick, is touring in support of their debut release Shrines. Kicking off the night is Blue Hawaii – more electronic deliciousness from Montréal, not an Elvis cover band – playing tunes from their ethereal album Untogether.

$17 at Music Trader, Into the Music, and online at northerntickets.com

Masaki Batoh

Thursday, May 9th

West End Cultural Centre

8 PM

Masaki Batoh’s got his music down to a science – literally. Also known as the driving force behind Ghost, a Japanese psych rock group circa the ‘90s, Batoh creates music from human brain wave patterns through a machine he created specifically for this project. The process is a tad complex, and frankly, the mix of mechanics and musicianship has my left and right brains confused! This might go down as one of the most oddly transcendent, Suzuki-esque shows Winnipeg’s seen. If anything, you’ll have a guaranteed conversation starter for patio season. If that ever comes…

$15 @ WECC and Ticketmaster

Fleetwood Mac

Sunday, May 12th

MTS Centre

8 PM

Growing up, Fleetwood Mac albums were among the many classic rock records my parents kept on the shelf in the living room. I used to listen to Songbird repetitively, and fawn over Stevie Nicks’ billowing sleeves and long, blonde locks while I sang along. But even if you don’t have childhood memories of this Grammy-award-winning, rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-inductee band, you might be surprised at how many of their songs you actually know. This world tour, the first since 2009, will pull all the hits from their 17 studio albums, and it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. Don’t miss out!

$49.50 - $179.50, Ticketmaster

Mayworks Festival

Throughout May

Various locales

Mayworks is a labour festival utilising various art forms to focus our attention on working class issues. Inspired by 1919 General Strike, the festival showcases our diverse, prairie talent pool in multiple expressions ranging from poetry to amateur theatre. During the month of May, there are a few concerts that sound interesting – and educational! These include:
- Mayday Cabaret: United in Song ft. RasTamils. Mondragon, 7:30 PM. May 1st
- Festival of Mandolins ft. The Mandolin Orchestra. Ukrainian Labour Temple, 7:30 PM. May 11th
- The Songs & Music of Pete Seeger ft. Red Moon Road. WAG, 8:00 PM. May 24th
You can check out the event calendar here for more information about costs and other events.

P.S. Tune in to CKUW every Monday at 5:30PM for special Mayworks radio programming!

A Night of Original Music

Thursday, May 23rd

Folk Exchange

7:30 PM

Well, I was going to suggest going to see MGMT at the Burt, but that show sold out eons ago (I’m a little upset about it, hence the melodramatic italics). I can’t really find anything that feels comparable, so here is my suggestion: Make your own music! The Manitoba Independent Songwriters Circle presents a monthly event called – you guessed it – A Night of Original Music. This is an opportunity to perform your original works at an open mic and have others provide constructive criticism for your lyrics. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere, right? Except Andrew VanWyngarden. He was born a genius.

See website for more details; first two events are free, after that it’s a mere two bucks at the door.

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Now it's your turn, Dear Readers. What shows/events are you looking forward to this month?

In my younger and more vulnerable years...records that had a lasting impact on Raleigh

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Welcome to a regular feature on Painting over Silence in which musicians share records that had an indelible impact on themselves and discuss what it is about these albums that were - or continue to be - so important toward their own musical development.

In this edition of In My Younger...we're joined by three members (sorta) of Calgary-based indie-folk-pop act Raleigh.

Seamlessly weaving in elements of pop, roots, and folk in its sound, the buzzed-about trio present these dynamic, quirky stylings to folks at the West End Cultural Centre on Friday, May 3rd. Also on the bill is Kieran West & His Buffalo Band and Poorboy. Show kicks off at 8 p.m.

Reminder: we're giving away tickets to the show, but the contest ends tomorrow.

All three members - Clea Anaïs, Brock Geiger, and Matt Doherty (via Clea and Brock) - selected one record vital to their musical development. Here’s what they had to say about each:

Clea's pick:

If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle & Sebastian (1996)

I was eight years old when I got into Belle and Sebastian. It was my older sister's record, but I had it on a constant loop in my room. It was a tough time in my life and this was the record that gave me solace through listening to music that was simultaneously melancholy, beautiful, and hopeful as well. I wrote my own first lyrics while listening to If You're Feeling Sinsiter, and discovered the subtleties and dynamics of indie orchestral pop.

Brock's pick:

Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads (1984)

When I first started playing guitar with my friends in junior high, we were set on being the next best classic rock heroes. We were maniacs about Pink Floyd and did a full set of The Who covers at our first show ever. My mom started dating someone new at this time and knowing I was a music fan he gave me three "recommended listens:" Wilco's A Ghost is Born, Frank Zappa's Sheik Yerbouti, and Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads. I was floored by all three, but the Talking Heads stayed in my sony discman for almost a year solid. I finally got to see David Byrne last year performing the 'Love This Giant' tour with St. Vincent. SO much swagger and personality. Amazing.

Matt's pick:

Greatest Hits Collection - R. Kelly

Matt didn't get back to us with a choice, so we decided for him. We don't think this pick is too far off though. Last tour he was glued to R.Kelly's autobiography and he started emulating the guy. He keeps wanting to sleep in hotel room closets and stuff.

Afternoon Headlines: Greg MacPherson @ The Albert; Oldfolks Home @ The Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:27:00 +0000

According to the Albert's Facebook page, Winnipeg's own Greg MacPherson makes his triumphant return to the local stage on Friday, May 24th at the newly-reopened venue.

Speaking of which, Toronto-based indie-rockers Hooded Fang play the joint on Wednesday, June 12th.

Their competition that night? The Cave Singers at the Pyramid.

Winnipeg's own Oldfolks Home is at the Park Theatre on Friday, June 28th. Check for the new record, Black & Blue, on May 7th (via Head in the Sand).

A Wilhelm Scream is at the West End Cultural Centre on Tuesday, July 2nd w/ The Flatliners.

And finally, on Tuesday, May 14th at the Park Theatre, Manitoba Music presents a live event to celebrate Flood At The Trading Post:A New Compilation of Young, Up-and-coming Manitoban Musicians. Featured on the bill are contributors to the compilation: Left of Centre, Viridians, and Almost Birds. Tix are $3 (yup, $3) at the door.

Morning Headlines: Sir Paul @ Investors Group Field; Fred Eaglesmith @ The Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:45:00 +0000

Sir Paul McCartney returns to Winnipeg for the first time in ~20 years for an outdoor soiree on Monday, August 12th at Investors Group Field. Tickets range from $35 - $250. Check for me in the nose bleeds.

Fred Eaglesmith is at the Park Theatre on Friday, August 9th.

As part of this year's Jazz Fest, BADBADNOTGOOD is at the Pyramid on Wednesday, June 19th.

Hollerado rocks the same joint on Friday, June 21st.

DJ Questlove performs a 60-minute DJ set there the night after.

And finally, take a trip back to 1994 and see The Counting Crows and The Wallflowers at the Centennial Concert Hall on Wednesday, July 10th. Yikes! That conflicts with Folk Fest. Double Yikes! Tickets start at $66.

Contest: Enter to win tickets to Raleigh @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:42:00 +0000

Courtesy of the good folks over at the West End Cultural Centre, I've got a pair of tickets to giveaway for the Raleigh show going down on Friday, May 3rd. Joining them on the bill is Keiran West & His Buffalo Band as well as Poorboy.

If you're interested in checking out the event, fire me off an email (on the right hand side, below the concert listings) by Tuesday, April 30th at noon CST with the subject line "Raleigh Ticket Giveaway" and your name in the email's body. Winning name will be drawn randomly sometime that afternoon and contacted shortly thereafter, with the first name and last initial published on my Twitter account.

Afternoon Headlines: The Besnard Lakes to play the Park Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:17:00 +0000

Personal fave The Besnard Lakes return to Peg City for a date at the Park Theatre on Tuesday, June 18th (although the event is presented by the WECC). Joining them will be July Talk and Grounders. Ticket $20.

Concert Review: The Men w/ The Hoots @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:01:00 +0000

The Men w/ The Hoots

Sunday, April 14th

The West End Cultural Centre

Winnipeg, MB

The Men don’t fuck around. Their no-nonsense style offered at the West End Cultural Centre on Sunday night showed that there is more depth to their simple name than expected. Garage, rock, indie, alt-country songs have all been put to disc by The Men in their short-yet-prolific, four-records-in-five-years history, and their raucous garage rock show drew from this array of styles.

On Sunday evening, the Men mainly pulled from their two most recent albums -- Open Your Heart (2012) and New Moon (2013) -- but also previewed new material, which recent interviews suggest is ready for imminent release via Sacred Bones. If listening to their sound didn’t hint enough toward the influence, guitarist Kevin Faulkner adorned a 2008 North American Tour t-shirt of Winnipeg’s Golden Boy Neil Young. The show evoked the aggression of Young, particularly in his raw, Crazy Horse moments.

The Men blazed through the hour-long set with a professional, workman-like attitude, efficiently shared vocal responsibilities between the three guitarists and lone keyboardist. Very little banter was had. They closed with set highlight New Moon closer ‘Supermoon, and 8-minute, slow-building number that winds into a manic, yet methodical, jam. The Men have something that other bands towing the same musical line don’t – they have big hooks, intensity, variance, and undeniable songwriting consistency. It was a powerful, masculine-charged performance, and it’s clear that their relentless energy is not solely directed to their shows, but musical output too. Neil Young would, no doubt, have approved.

Fortune favored the few who had arrived prior to 8:30 with local act The Hoots (off I’m Trying Records) opening. They were great. Their shoegaze-psychedelica and sprawling, winding guitars paired muffled vocals fed nicely into the headliner’s set.

- Will Burton

Morning Headlines: Rococode, Mac DeMarco, Shotgun Jimmie, From Giants all book dates @ The Park Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:29:00 +0000

First up, solid triple bill going down at the Park Theatre on Thursday, April 18th: Vancouver indie-pop/rockers Rococode play the joint. Salinas and Animal Teeth complete the bill.

Speaking of the Park...Mac DeMarco and his band will be there on Wednesday, June 26th w/ Departures.

Join Shotgun Jimmie and Cannon Bros at the Park on Saturday, May 25th.

And finally, burgeoning local folk band From Giants is releasing its debut EP, This Burden is Light, at the Park Theatre on May 9th. Keri Latimer opens.

Contest: Enter to win tickets to see Little Annie and Baby Dee @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:21:00 +0000

On Friday, April 19th, Little Annie is teaming up with her good pal Baby Dee to perform songs off their 2012 record, State of Grace. And courtesy of our pals over at the WECC, I've got a pair of tickets to giveaway for the show.

If you're interested in checking out the event, fire me off an email (on the right hand side, below the concert listings) by Monday, April 15th at noon CST with the subject line "Baby Dee and Little Annie Ticket Giveaway" and your name in the email's body. Winning name will be drawn randomly sometime that afternoon and contacted shortly thereafter, with the first name and last initial published on my Twitter account.

Afternoon Headlines: Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ The WECC; Claire Morrison EP release

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:24:00 +0000

First up, a concert that has me brimming with excitement: Portland-rooted psych-rockers Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be at the WECC on Friday, June 21st. Tickets will ran ya $15 in advance.

Masaki Batoh - integral member of Tokyo's Ghost - will bring his Brain Pulse Music project to the WECC on Thursday, May 9th.

Irrepressible rockers KISS will be at the MTS Centre on Thursday, July 18th. Will Gene Simmons wear his key to the city around his neck?

Local singer-songwriter Claire Morrison is releasing her debut EP, Here's to You, Here's to Me, at Ballroom (218 Roslyn Road) on Friday, April 26th.

Comeback Kid is at the WECC on Thursday, May 23rd w/Distances.

Calgary's Raleigh is at the WECC on Friday, May 3rd w/ Kieran West and his Buffalo Band & Poorboy.

And finally, triple bill going down at the WECC on Tuesday, June 4th: Your Demise, Empire, and Rotting Out.

In my younger and more vulnerable years...records that had a lasting impact on Eagle Lake Owls

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:52:00 +0000

In this edition of In My Younger...we're joined by two members of up-and-coming Winnipeg folk group Eagle Lake Owls: leader-songwriter Andy Cole and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Dominique Lemoine.

Rounded out by cellist Nathan Krahn, the trio will introduce the city to its stripped-down folk stylings this Saturday night at its EP release going down at the Exchange Community Church. Federal Lights and Man The Selector kick off the event. Show starts at 8.

Both Cole and Lemoine each picked two records, and here's what they had to say about them:

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Andy Cole's Picks:

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

It remains something I often go to in my mind, intentionally or not, when I'm writing. It's sad, tragic, dirty, frenetic and raw. There are layers upon layers of meaning, but you can take a lot of it on face value and feel like you understand. It's one complete experience that leaves me emotional and exhausted every time. Musically, it taught me that a melody can expand greatly across just a few chords. I pretty much learned to sing by playing these songs on my guitar and howling the words when nobody else was home.

Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. - Self-Titled

I was 16, and it was my first indie record ever. It's noisy in a way that serves the melody, and production tricks become a part of the music rather than just some kind of sheen. White noise, feedback and phone filters are as much a part of the songs as the guitar. The songwriting is very organic - if the point is made and it's only been a minute and ten seconds, then that's it. That was a big lesson for me to learn, that a song didn't have to fit the verse-chorus-verse template. It's such a "summer" album for me that I can only listen to it at that time of the year, and keep the CD stashed away til then.

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Dominique Lemoine's Picks:

No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom

In 1995, I was in Grade 4 and the girls in my class were talking about No Doubt. I didn’t know what it was but I wanted to find out, so I asked for Tragic Kingdom on tape for Christmas and was surprised and ecstatic that my conservative parents actually bought it for me. It was a treasure, my first record, other than mix tapes of songs recorded from the radio. I still know it by heart.

The Beatles – 1

In 2000, my parents separated and my dad asked me for The Beatles’ greatest hits record for Christmas. I happily bought it for him, knowing they were a famous band from the 60’s but not knowing their music at all. The next summer, my dad took my siblings and I camping in the Whiteshell and we listened to the CD I’d gotten him on the way there. I was flabbergasted. For years after that, I couldn’t get enough of them.

Top Five "Must-Attend" Events This April in Peg City

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:52:00 +0000

Yukon Blonde is at the Pyramid in a few days. It's highly doubtful the dogs are along for the trip.

Rah Rah

The Park Theatre

Tuesday, April 2

8 p.m.

I’m from Saskatchewan, so I actually have quite a fondness for all things SK, and Rah Rah – arguably the best thing to come out of Regina since Dick Assman – ranks up there. The stage antics of these multi-instrumental pop-folksters are as fun and entertaining as their tunes. Local acoustic outfit Yes We Mystic and Charlottetown natives Two Hours Traffic join them on this eclectic Canadian bill. It'll be a solid show. I hope you can take my word for it, now that you know I hail from Riderville ...

Tickets are $12/advance or $16/door.

Yukon Blonde w/Zeus

Pyramid Cabaret

Wednesday, April 3

8 p.m.

Unseasonably frigid April weather calls for back-to-back weekday indie shows, don't you think? Check out BC indie-rock trio Yukon Blonde at the Pyramid; they're touring in support of their new album, Tiger Talk. I've been streaming it on their website, and it’s ridiculously catchy and upbeat. Check out “My Girl” and “Stairway for LA.” Also on the bill is another staple on the Canadian music scene – Zeus – who always deliver a raucous, entertaining set. For the vinyl lovers, they'll be selling a deluxe edition of their latest record, Busting Visions, which includes an appropriately titled 7-song EP, Cover Me (featuring covers by Stone Temple Pilots and Sam Roberts Band, of all things.)

Tickets are $18.50 in advance.

The Bad Nerves EP Release

Royal Albert Arms Hotel

Friday, April 5th

9:30 p.m.

Over the last few weeks, I've overheard this question a lot: "So, have you been to the Albert yet?" If you didn't realize it's back open, then there's no time to waste. The Bad Nerves are celebrating their EP release along with Surprise Party, The Thrashers and Hostile Life. If you're not a hardcore fan, that's okay. After all, drinking pints of PBR with friends in a back corner is a perfectly legitimate way to spend an evening.

Tickets are a scant $8 at the door.

Todd Snider

West End Cultural Centre

Wednesday, April 17

8 p.m.

Since Folk Fest last summer, I've been hoping Todd Snider would make another visit to our fair city. I got my wish. The ever-prolific Snider's been pumping out great folk-Americana albums since the mid 90s, and after an expansive near-20 year career, his low-key, storyteller style still captures the hearts of his adoring audiences. He's on his way to becoming an American legend, and I'm already looking forward to telling my kids I saw Todd Snider at the West End way back in the day...
Romi Mayes opens.

Tickets are $25 in advance.

AIDA

Centennial Concert Hall

April 13, 16, 19

8 p.m.

And now for something completely different ... When was the last time you went to the Opera? I'll admit it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you've never been, it's a great way to try new things AND support Manitoba arts! AIDA, which debuted in 1871, is a love story set in ancient Egypt and is one of the most popular operas of all time. So make a night of it - get dressed up, go for dinner, buy a pair of those mini binoculars, and please - leave your cell at home! Culture On Every Corner is offering a 20% off deal on tickets - see details at cultureoneverycorner.ca.

Range of prices and seating guide available at manitobaopera.mb.ca.

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Now it's your turn, Dear Readers. What shows/events are you looking forward to this month?

Evening Headlines: Amelia Curran @ The Folk Exchange; The Young Pixels @ The Cavern

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:36:00 +0000

First up, singer-songwriter Amelia Curran returns to Winnipeg for a date at the Folk Exchange on Wednesday, May 22nd.

Speaking of the Folk Exchange...Aidan Knight is there on Friday, May 3rd while Belle Starr drops by the joint on Friday, April 12th.

Treasured country singer Loreena McKennitt is at the Centennial Concert Hall on Friday, August 9th.

The Prairie Kitchen Party (2013 edition) goes down at the WECC on Saturday, April 27th featuring Emma Cloney & Patti Lamoureux w/ Dan Frechette, Robert Allan Wrigley & Jeremy Rusu.

Corin Raymond & The Sundowners is celebrating the release of its latest record, Paper Nickels, over two nights at Times Changed: Friday, April 5th and Saturday, April 6th.

A benefit concert for David Fort and Chelsea & Chris Bristow (click link for more details) is taking place at the Windsor on April 3rd featuring Demetra, A La Mode, The Girth, Dust Adam Dust, Blisters, and Oriigins. Tickets are a scant $10.

Finally, an intriguing triple bill at the Cavern on Friday, April 12th: The Young Pixels, Hey Pilgrim, and Dust Adam Dust will rock the party.

Afternoon Headlines: Full Flex Express Tour Cancelled

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 17:40:00 +0000

Good afternoon, Folks. Just a couple quick updates:

The 2013 Full Flex Express Tour (feat. Skrillex) has been cancelled which originally included a July 17th date in Winnipeg. Look for it in 2014.

Late to the party on this one: Bend Sinister will be at the Windsor on March 27th. Give whomever is booking gigs at the Windsor a prize - there are some solid acts playing there these days.

The Dudes will play there on Friday, April 12th w/ The Zolas.

And finally, Winnipeg's The Treble is holding its EP release for Northern Lights at the WECC on Monday, April 22nd.

Contest: Enter to win tickets to the Ingrid Gatin album release @ The WECC

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:21:00 +0000

Compliments of our besties over at the West End Cultural Centre, I've got a pair of tickets to giveaway for the Ingrid Gatin album release show going down on Wednesday, April 10th. Twin Voices and Keri Latimer make this a terrific triple bill.

If you're interested in checking out the soiree, fire me off an email (on the right hand side, below the concert listings) by Thursday, April 4th at noon CST with the subject line "Ingrid Gatin Ticket Giveaway" and your name in the email's body. Winning name will be drawn randomly sometime that afternoon and contacted shortly thereafter, with the first name and last initial published on my Twitter account.

The 2013 Winnipeg Folk Festival Lineup

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 16:24:00 +0000

Josh Ritter returns to the Folk Festival

Photo by Sarah Gofflot

The 2013 Winnipeg Folk Festival lineup dropped today, instantly setting the social media world ablaze with excitement, indifference, and some disappointment. (Although, excitement seems to be the majority).

The main stage lineup is as follows:

Wednesday, July 10
Oh My Darling
The Avett Brothers
City and Colour

Thursday, July 11
Sara Watkins
Indigo Girls
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band
Serena Ryder
Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists)

Friday, July 12
Nathan Rogers sings Stan: The Rogers Legacy Continues
Lindi Ortega
Danny Michel & The Garifuna Collective
Patrick Watson
The Cat Empire

Saturday, July 13
Habadekuk
Whitehorse
Martin Sexton
Dr. John & The Nite Trippers
Galactic

Sunday, July 14
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
The Flatlanders
Xavier Rudd
Finale

What say you, Readers? Are you feeling unbridled enthusiasm over the lineup? Bitter disappointment? General indifference? Personally, I'm intrigued by some of it (Colin Meloy, Dr. Dog), but am leaning toward sitting this one out.

See the full lineup below:

A Tribe Called Red
Afro Kumbe Sound System
Aidan Knight
Aurelio & The Garifuna Soul Band
Bhi Bhiman
Bob King
Bombino
City and Colour
Cold Specks
Colin Meloy
D'Harmo
Dan Bern
Danny Michel & The Garifuna Collective
David Francey
David Lindley
Dr. Dog
Dr. John & The Nite Trippers
Hayes Carll
Indigo Gilrs
Jason Collett
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band
Kaki King
Ken Whiteley & The Levy Sisters
Lake Street Drive
Leon Redbone
Lindi Ortega
Locos Por Juana
Los Vega
Madame Diva
Martin Sexton
Matt The Electrician
Nathan Rogers
Niyaz
Oh My Darling
Over The Rhine
Patrick Watson
Peter Paul Van Camp
Rich Aucoin
Robert Ellis
Rose Cousins
Sara Watkins
Sarah MacDougall
Sean Rowe
Sean Watkins
Seanster and the Monsters
Serena Ryder
Shelley Bean & The Duckety Muds
Stringband
Sylvia Tyson
The Allan Kelly Gang
The Avett Brothers
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Cat Empire
The Dunwells
The Flatlanders
The Garifuna Collective
The Great Balanzo
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
The Howlin' Brothers
The JD Edwards Band
The Magnificent 7s
The Milk Carton Kids
The Okee Dokee Brothers
The Poor Fools Comedy
Tinpan Orange
Tony Furtado
Whitehorse
Xavier Rudd

Evening Headlines: Eagle Lake Owls EP release; Matt Epp; Folk Fest lineup coming soon

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:24:00 +0000

Resident folk act Eagle Lake Owls is releasing its self-titled EP at Exchange Community Church on Saturday, April 6th.

Matt Epp is at the Pyramid on Saturday, June 1st.

The Supersuckers will be at the Pyramid on Tuesday, June 4th.

The Abramson Singers will be at the WECC on Monday, May 20th.

Toronto-based artists Peter Katz and Emma-Lee will be at The Purple Room (in Frame) on Thursday, April 18th.

And finally, I've had a few readers ask when the Folk Fest and Jazz Fest lineups will be announced. As far as I know the Folk Fest lineup drops this Saturday (c'mon Kings of Convenience!) while all will be revealed regarding the 2013 Winnipeg Jazz Fest on Friday, April 12th.

In my younger and more vulnerable years...three records that had a lasting impact on Devin Cuddy

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:03:00 +0000

Welcome to a regular feature on Painting over Silence in which musicians share records that had a lasting impact on themselves and discuss what it is about these albums that were - or continue to be - so important toward their own musical development.

In this edition of In My Younger...burgeoning blues-country maker Devin Cuddy (son of Blue Rodeo's Jim) shares three records (all live) with us that had an indelible impact on his formative music years.

Touring the country in support of his buzzed-about debut release, Volume One, Cuddy will be at the West End Cultural Centre on Tuesday, March 12th alongside tour and label-mate Whitney Rose. (Remember, you can win tickets to see the show through us...see here!)

*******

Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival

This was my favourite record by my favourite piano player of all time. Every note, whether quarter, eighth, sixteenth or thirty-second, is perfectly in the pocket. His rhythm is unmatched, and on this particular album, he's swinging with no drums. Something I have always admired about Oscar is how well spoken he is, like he was a CBC personality. I was unfortunately too young to attend his workshops at York, but I did see him play Massey Hall when I was 13. People told me that he'd slowed down from his stroke, something I did not notice at all. He flew like always and I sat there knowing that I wanted to play that instrument. My favourite track is “How About You?”

Randy Newman - Randy Newman Live
This record is pure gold. Great piano playing and great songs. Newman's ironic style of songwriting has been very influential on me, his lyrics are very well crafted and witty and his piano playing is excellent. One of the things I admire about his playing is how busy he can play under his singing. Although I love Newman's studio records quite a bit as well, this record seems to convey his personality well as you hear him make jokes and interact with the crowd, he even takes a request. I saw him play a few years ago and some of his jokes and banter were the same as on this record, which was quite a thrill. It's a collection of some of his finest work with such favourites as “Mama Told Me Not to Come,” “Yellow Man,” “Davy the Fat Boy,” and “Maybe I'm Doing it Wrong.”

Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner
I discovered this record after listening to Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones, and Mule Variations, so I wasn't familiar with this style of Waits. My girlfriend had recently given me a cd of Jack Kerouac reciting excerpts from his works, with Steve Allen providing some nice background piano. I was just scratching the surface of the beatnik genre when I first heard this record. I loved it. The Waits' imagery is amazing, taking you right to the places and people that he's talking about, feeling their pain, angst, sadness and even intoxication. The band is hot, and the audience is digging it. Although I enjoy a lot of later Waits recordings, this one seemed to stand out the most in terms of influence on my own attempts at songwriting. I even have a copy of the Edward Hopper painting "Nighthawks" that inspired the name and cover of the record. Favourite tracks include “Emotional Weather Report” and my most favourite “Warm Beer, Cold Women,” a beautiful description of a wandering lonely drunk.

Evening Headlines: The Roots, Lights, Ingrid Gatin album release

noreply@blogger.com (Mykael) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Iconic Hip Hop crew The Roots return to Winnipeg for a Saturday, June 22nd date at the Centennial Concert Hall as part of this year's Jazz Festival.

Local indie-folk purveyor Ingrid Gatin is releasing her latest full-lengther, 1000 Lives, at the West End Cultural Centre on Wednesday, April 10th. Twin Voices warm up the crowd.

Speaking of the WECC, Baby Dee and Little Annie comprise a double-bill going down there on Friday, April 19th.

Pop songstress Lights is at the Garrick on Tuesday, May 7th.

Indie-pop artist JP Maurice is at the Rose 'n' Bee Pub on Sunday, March 31st.

Season rockers Primus bring its supposedly trippy 3D experience to the Burt on Friday, May 31st.

Cityreal and Swollen Members will be at Pulse Nightclub on Saturday, April 6th.

That Ron Sexsmith March 23rd show at the Burt has been moved to the WECC.

And finally, add Rich Aucoin to the k-os show going down at The Pyramid on Wednesday, April 10th.