Concert Poster Of The Day June 30th (Leeroy Stagger)

Today's poster is from the Leeroy Stagger show I saw at the Haven Social Club here in Edmonton in the summer of 2009. The opening bands for this show were local band The Wheat Pool and Saskatoon artist Carrie Catherine. I missed Carrie, saw Wheat Pool, whom I didn't much care for and then Leeroy put on an excellent show.

A couple of pictures I took at the show.






In concert news... Leeroy Stagger will be playing a free show this Sunday July 3rd at Sir Winston Churchill Park in downtown Edmonton at 8:30pm as part of The Works Festival.

Concert Shirt/Poster Of The Day June 29th (Neil Diamond)

Today's t-shirt is from the Neil Diamond concert I went to in 2008 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. I wasn't going to go to this show until I got lucky and scored a row 2 on the floor seat for the show. I was never really a fan of Neil Diamond, always kind of thought of his music as stuff that my Mom n' Dad would listen to. That was until my buddy Buzzard played the live album "Hot August Night" for me years ago, that I became a fan of him. This was a great show, a bit on the schmaltzy Vegas side, but still a great show. I would go see him in concert again for sure. Maybe not for the price he charges though.

Front.


Back.


Full page newspaper ad for the show.




The one and only picture I was able to take at the show, before security asked me to put the camera away.

Concert Ad Of The Day June 28th (Four Horsemen)

Today's concert advertisement is from the third time I saw The Four Horsemen in concert. This show was at Peoples Pub in Edmonton in 1994 I believe. I wasn't all that impressed with the band this time around. I recall them doing cover songs and such. They came across as more a cover band then doing their originals.

The Sadies with The Sheepdogs Live In Edmonton June 26th 2011

Sunday night show at The Pawn Shop in Edmonton with Saskatoon band The Sheepdogs opening for Toronto band The Sadies. Stupid Sunday night shows. Nonetheless, my buddy Hurl and I made it out to the show. This show was a make-up show for the February concert that cancelled when singer/guitarist Dallas Good slipped on some ice in Saskatoon and broke his leg.

This was my first time seeing The Sheepdogs in concert and have to say I thought they were pretty good. They play a southern rock style of music, along the lines of the Allman Brothers Band and Skynyrd. The Sheepdogs have three albums out and are currently touring for their newest album "Learn & Burn". The group consists of four hairy hippie looking dudes that know how to rock. Both guitarists Ewan Currie and Leot Hanson can rip it up, and bass player Ryan Gullen and drummer Sam Corbett can keep the back end rocking. I was really impressed by the bass player. They played a 45 minute opening set. Some of the songs I recognized from the new album were "The One You belong To", "Southern Dreaming", "Right On' and the title song "Learn & Burn". The band was tight and rocking throwing in some little jams here and there that had a cool groove to them. The place was packed for them as they seem to be getting a lot of hype these days.

The Sheepdogs are in a battle of the bands right now to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and are one of two bands left to vote for. It would be nice to see a Saskatoon rock band get the cover, so go to RollingStone.com and vote for them.









Next up were headliners The Sadies. This was my eighth time seeing them play live, and again, they didn't disappoint. This band just keeps getting better and better. Truly a Canadian rock n' roll gem. Brothers Travis and Dallas Good really know how to feed off of each other pushing the envelope to playing there surf/country/psychedelic music. I wasn't able to stay for the whole show last night, as I had to work in the morning, and the night before I ripped er' up pretty good at the C'mon show. Three beers in, I was starting to feel pretty good and knew I best get home before this really turns in to a late night yet again. The little more then an hour of the show I did see they played about half a dozen songs from their latest release "Darker Circles" and some older ones as well, including two of my favorites "Tiger Tiger" from the album Stories Often Told and Higher Power from the album Pure Diamond Gold. Just amazing music from these guys. This is a band you really have to see live to get a good feel for them. I don't think their studio albums do them justice. Travis Good is such an animated performer, he is worth the price of admission alone. I thought The Sheepdogs were good, but they totally got schooled by The Sadies. Even the members of The Sheepdogs seemed to be in awe of them. Another awesome show by The Sadies. If you get the chance to see these guys, you have to see them play.













Front.


Posters from the cancelled show in February.






This was a great weekend of Canadian Rock N' Roll with bands C'mon, Eamon McGrath, Krang, The Sheepdogs and The Sadies. Good times!!!

C'mon with Eamon McGrath and Krang Live At The Wunderbar June 25th 2011

Last night my buddy Hurl and I went and saw Toronto band C'mon led by I an Blurton with local band Krang and ex-Edmontonian now Toronto based Eamon McGrath at the Wunderbar just off Whyte Avenue in Edmonton.

This was my first time going to Wunderbar which is just a little hole in the wall bar that holds maybe a couple hundred people at the most. It's got a cool dive bar feel to it, looking like a basement. I went to order a Budweiser when we first got there, only to find out that they don't sell any Molson or Labatt products. What they do have is, over 80 different micro brewery beers, cool. Nice to see a bar support the small breweries. So last night we had a fair share of different kind of beers. Which might explain why I feel like shit today.

Anyways, the show started off with Eamon McGrath and his old Edmonton band backing him up The Wild Dogs. This was my first time seeing Eamon perform, I have read and heard lots about him. He not only plays rock n' roll, but also folk and punk music. On this evening, it was good old rock n' roll. I thought they sounded real good and put on a hell of show, with lots of energy and good vibes. My only complaint was, I think you had to be over six feet tall to be at the front of the stage. Like, holy fuck, it's hard to see the band when you have a bunch of tall pumpkin heads obstructing your view. Stand the fuck back you tall bastards, so that everyone else can see the band too. Nonetheless good band and great music.







Next band up was Krang, a band I had never heard of before. When they first came on, I didn't think much of them, I just thought they were a loud bad metal band. Well after a few songs and a smoke outside, I started to really dig there fuzzed out, sludgy psychedelic style of metal. They were actually really a tight band and trippy. I have to say, by the end of their set, I was a fan. They kind of reminded me of the band Earthless. I didn't get any pictures of these guys, as I was standing near the back and was kind of tripping out. Good stuff though guys.

Next up were headliners C'mon from Toronto. This was my third time seeing this awesome three piece band play live. Lead singer guitar player Ian Blurton and drummer Dean Bentley and bass player Katie Lynn Campbell know how to play loud balls to the wall rock n' roll. Ian the guitarist never ceases to amaze me how fucking good he is, no pedals or effects, just all out giver shredding. By the end of the night, my ears were a ringing, I was sweating and drunk, a great night of music from three wicked bands. If you get the chance to see a band at Wunderbar, I highly recommend going,great venue, good selection of beers and great staff as well. Good times!!!











New ten inch C'mon vinyl EP I picked up at the show.




In concert news... Eamon McGrath will be playing in Edmonton again on Saturday July 2nd at The Empress Ale House on Whyte Avenue.

Krang at Wunderbar from Jonah Braun on Vimeo.

Concert Poster Of The Day June 25th (Misery Signals)

Today's poster is from one of the many times I saw Misery Signals in concert. This show was in 2003 at King Edward Hall in Edmonton. The opening bands for the show were locals .the.hollywood.ending, Drive By Punch, The Wolfnote and others. What I recall most about this show was being in a concert funk. I had been to a few shows in recent months before this, but it seemed the shows weren't doing a whole lot for me. Doesn't happen often, but for a while it just seemed real lame. But going to this hall show brought it all around for me, a small sweaty loud hardcore show brought back the energy that the shows I had been going to before were lacking. I left this show feeling energized again and reminding me why I do like checking out live music. Good times!!!

RIP Gaye Delorme

On my way home from work today June 24th, I heard the sad news of the passing of blues/slide guitar player Gaye Delorme at the age of 64. Apparently he had a heart attack while waiting to do sound check for a show in Calgary the night before.

Gaye Delorme called Edmonton home in the 70's and 80's. When I was 17 and 18 years (1987-88) old I worked in a bar/restaurant called Billy Budd's as a dish pig, they used to have blues bands that played there. As a teenager I was a metal head, loving the heavy metal. Well, I got to meet and hear some awesome blues musicians while working there. One of them musicians being Gaye Delorme. I got to see him play many times at Billy Budd's, solo and with another local blues guy and harmonica player Rusty Reed. When they used to play together, you could guarantee the place would be packed for every night of the three night stand they would do. Those were some awesome rocking shows I got to see and hear, wasn't so bad working them days, other then wishing I could be in the bar watching, but then I was under age for one of them years. What a treat it was to meet Mr. Delorme, to be able to talk with him and listen to him warm up in the back kitchen part. He was a super nice guy and would take the time to talk to us metal heads in the kitchen and tell us stories. Gaye Delorme and not to mention other great musicians like Rusty Reed, Big Miller, Lester Quitzau, Lionel Rault and Amos Garrett really opened up my eyes and ears to blues music. Since them heady teenage years, I have been a fan of blues music. A big thanks goes out to Gaye Delorme and others for helping me see that there was more to music then raising your fist and banging your head. I even have a few bootleg cassettes of Rusty and Gaye Delorme playing at Billy Budd's that I taped with an old ghetto blaster from the kitchen, surprisingly enough, the tapes actually sound pretty damn good.

I hadn't seen Gaye Delorme play in a few years and am now kicking my ass for not having got out and seen him. Just goes to show, that a guy should get out and support and see these guys play when given the chance, cause you never know if you will get the chance again.

RIP Gaye Delorme, you were one of the best guitar players I have ever seen or heard. I still listen to his album "Blue Wave Sessions"(1990) on a regular basis. I will raise a glass this evening and have another listen and be thinking of you Gaye Delorme. You will be missed. Thanks again for opening me up to blues music.

Concert Shirt/Poster Of The Day June 24th (Bob Dylan)

Today's t-shirt is from the eighth time I saw Bob Dylan in concert. This show was in 2008 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. Bob has always been one of my all time favorite artists. You never know what kind of show you will get with Bob, but for me he never disappoints. I went to this show with Janis, this was her first time seeing Bob Dylan in concert. Good times!!!



Front.


Back.


Also at this show I picked up a reusable Bob Dylan record bag for 5 dollars.

Concert Ad Of The Day June 23rd (Wide Mouth Mason)

Today's concert advertisement is from the time I saw Canadian rockers Wide Mouth Mason play at Klondike Days in Edmonton in 2000. Wide Mouth Mason is a great band to see play live, not so much a fan of their recorded music, but live they put on a great show. I have seen them a few times, and never disappoint.



In concert news...Wide Mouth Mason will be opening for Big Sugar on Sunday July 24th at this years Capital Ex (used to be Klondike Days)

Song Of The Day June 22nd (Faster Pussycat)

I loaded up the mp3 player the other day and put on the debut album by Los Angeles sleaze glamsters Faster Pussycat, fuck what a great album, I am still digging this shit. Found myself really rocking out to the song "Don't Change That Song". This debut album came out in 1987 and is still better then a lot of the shit they play n the radio nowadays. Why this doesn't get played on classic rock stations is beyond me. Good times!!!

"Before I turn on my lover, gotta turn on my stereo
And it goes in better with a little bit of rock and roll
Now I'm easing to my pleasing by the candlelight
I'm slippin' on a stack of black wax and then I call it a night

I started groovin' and she started movin'
And we really started feeling fine
In the midst of consummation she caused me aggravation
When she started messing with that dial

Don't you change that song
It's my favourite record
Don't you change that song
It goes on and on again

I took her forty-fives right in my hand
And baby, I've got twelve inches of fun always at my command
Ease it out of the sleeve, put the needle in the groove
It ain't no silver platter, it's a matter of who does who

And I started shakin', the lady started takin'
And everything I disgorged
In the midst of satisfaction she caused a distraction
When she started messin' with that sound

Don't you change that song
It's my favourite record
Don't you change that song
It goes on and on again

Hey baby, there's no reason
Why we can't get along
It's easy to see I got the music in me
When it boils down, if you're gonna hang around
Baby, don't change that song

Don't you change that song
It's my favourite record
Don't you change that song
It goes on and on again
Don't you change that song
It's my favourite record
Don't you change that song
It goes on and on again"

Concert Shirt Of The Day June 22nd (Cake)

Today's concert shirt is from the time I saw Sacramento,California band Cake in concert. This show was in 2008 at The Edmonton Events Centre. A great show by a great band. Good times!!!

Front.




Handbill for show.






In concert news... Cake will be playing in Edmonton again as part of the Sonic Boom Festival on Saturday September 4th at the Northlands Grounds, other bands on the bill are Janes Addiction, Metric, Social Distortion and others.

Steve Earle In Concert Edmonton June 20th 2011

Last night my buddies Buzzard,Hurl,Cuz and I went to the Steve Earle and The Dukes( and Duchesses)(Duchesses, being his wife Allison Moorer and fiddle player Eleanor Whitmore) concert at the Jubilee Auditorium here in Edmonton. This was my seventh time seeing Steve Earle in concert. Steve is touring for his most recent release I'll Never get Out Of This World Alive, which is an excellent album. So i was looking forward to seeing him play with a full band again. The last 2 times I have seen him live, I have left disappointed, but I had a feeling this was going to be a kick ass show. And I was right!!! His back up band was bang on, all the members switched instruments through out the show and taking turns singing there own songs here and there.

The show opened up with a few songs from his new album "Waitin' For The Sky", other songs in his first set were "Molly-O", "I Love You Too Much","City Of Immigrants" from the album Washington Square Serenade, "My Old Friend The Blues", "Someday" from the album Guitar Town, Then he did a song from the album Train A Comin' "Ben McCulloch" which is my all time favorite Steve Earle song, I don't believe I have ever heard him do this song live before, so that was super cool. This was shaping up to be an awesome show. Then his wife Allison Moorer sang three songs which sucked the life right out of the show, in my opinion anyway. That was the end of the first set. Twenty minute break and time for a couple of quick beers.

The second set started with his biggest hit "Copperhead Road", other songs in this set were "Galway Girl" from the album Transcendental Blues, "Heaven Or Hell" a duet with Alison from his latest album, "This City" from the latest release again, "Taney Town" from the album El' Corazon, then closing out the set with "Revolution Starts Now" from the same album title.

Then came the encores, ya, more then one encore on this evening of great music.

The first encore had some great oldies, "Guitar Town" for one "Ain't Ever Satisfied" for another.

The second encore, another new song "I Am a Wanderer", and more, but fuck it, I can't remember no more. All and all a fantastic concert. What did surprise me was the small turn out for the show, it didn't look like there were a whole lot of people in the first balcony, never mind the second one, not sure what the attendance was, but if you missed this one, you missed one of the better Steve Earle shows. Good times!!!

















Front.


Back.