Grace Potter and the Nocturnals bring the sizzle to Venue

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best bands of 2010, played a sold out show at Venue in Vancouver on Saturday night, slamming blues, rock and soul into a menagerie of wild sound. 

Potter’s voice ignites a fire like Janis Joplin’s and soothes like Bonnie Raitt’s. A scream never sounded so sinfully delightful.

Draped in blonde, flowing hair from the flower child era, and wearing a sheer long black shirt, Potter dazzled the crowd with her perfectly pitched screams, soulful moans and shiny undies. 

“I’ve just been informed that you can see my underwear under these lights,” she said sounding shocked but not embarrassed. 

With a sexy nonchalance, she continued to dance around the stage and rock out as comfortably as if she were in her own living room. 

And the crowd adored her for it. 

Purple and blue lights bathed the band for bluesy songs such as “Joey” and “Low Road,” while strobing beams of white, red and yellow lights bombarded everyone’s senses during the Jefferson Airplane cover “White Rabbit.” 

Glimpses of a toy tiger could be seen chilling in the background on stage.

Originally from Vermont, this band has somehow picked up an undeniable southern vibe. They’ve been steadily gaining popularity across the U.S. since their third album, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, peaked at number five on iTunes when it was released in 2010. The opening track “Paris (Ooh La La)” made the Top 40 on iTunes Rock Songs Chart.

Potter’s confidence and ease in unleashing her powerful sound compelled attention as she shifted between playing the organ, shimmying the tambourine and swirling her hands seductively. Meanwhile, guitarist Benny Yurco, created fierce sounds on a double neck electric guitar.

The show ended with all the band members simultaneously pounding out the heart of rock ‘n’ roll together on the drums, before giving the crowd what they’d all been waiting for: a chance to go, “Ooh La La.”


*Also posted on The Vancouver Observer: http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/music/2011/01/31/grace-potter-and-nocturnals-sizzle-venue

In praise of Gospel music

I dare you to sit still at a gospel music concert. The kind of energy that comes out of gospel is contagious. You can't help but feel uplifted and joyful. The word bursting comes to mind.

Before you know it your clapping along singing about how happy you are that Jesus is coming. In gospel there is so much hope and joy and sorrow and none of it apologetic or timid - all of it comes from the gut, is expressed from the gut.

There are more ways of feeling spiritual than there are religions. Different kinds of music can strike a spiritual chord within. Gospel, to me, feels like one that reaches out with arms wide open for a group hug in the name of pain or joy.

With all that said, I have a newfound love for gospel after seeing this ....

A last taste of summer with Two Lions and a Lady

Last Friday night, the Coppertank stage was transformed into the porch steps of summer by the soulful harmonizing of Two Lions and a Lady, a charming new indie-folk-pop trio.

Beautiful harmonizing, it’s just something that never gets old.

But there’s more to why this band has got it going on. They play twelve instruments between the three of them, including guitars, an accordion, banjo, didgeridoo, mandolin, djembe and harmonica.

Onstage they took turns evoking nostalgia for the 60s group Peter, Paul and Mark, and tickling the crowd’s sway-button with modern rhythms.

Their set combined a mix of originals and covers that offered a genuine dose of acoustic bliss with a twist - from their rumba-infused cover of Neil Young’s “Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World,” to their clap-inspiring original “Twilight.”

They have a talent for morphing covers into their own unique style. If you haven’t seen it already, you must check out their cover of MGMT’s “Kids” up on Youtube. It makes a pretty strong case for the comeback of the accordion, and has you liking a song you thought you couldn’t like any more than you already did.

You can catch Two Lions and a Lady at the Coppertank on October 16th. Listening to their breezy summer sound might be a perfect way to postpone any hints of the winter blues. Also, stay tuned for information on their upcoming album.

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/twolionsandalady

*Also posted on The Vancouver Observer:
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/music/2010/10/07/last-taste-summer-two-lions-and-lady

Two Lions and a Lady ~ Kids by MGMT



Two Lions and a Lady ~ Twilight

Matisyahu: rockin' the heart of reggae

You’ve probably never seen an Orthodox Jew headbang unless you’ve been to a Matisyahu concert.

His hair a little silver, beard covering his face, he seems wise beyond his 31 years, but can still headbang harder than any teenager I’ve seen. Hasidic Jews are known for incorporating music and dance into their worship, expressing their spirituality through creative outlets, but I don’t think it’s been done quite like this before.

Two seemingly contradictory paths, a devotion to Orthodox Judaism, and a talent for gritty free-style beat boxing and reggae-infused singing, have intertwined with style in Matisyahu’s genre-busting music.

Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, there may be little mystery to how these distinct cultural influences found their way into Matisyahu’s music, that blends Hasidic Jewish singing (which uses syllables rather than words to express emotion, reminiscent of skat and reggae “eh oh’s”) with the kind of poetic rapping only found in underground hip hop, and a little bit of masterful beat boxing to top it all off.

Despite starting out with a somewhat rebellious attitude towards authority and discipline, (dropping out of high school, following the band Phish around on tour), Matisyahu (then known as Matthew Miller) later found the balance he was looking for in the structure of Orthodox Judaism.

After traveling to Israel when he was 16, and completing high school in a wilderness school that focused on cultivating the arts, the seeds had been sown for his spiritual conversion. In retrospect, it may not seem so surprising a 180 coming from someone who makes a living out of harmonizing contradiction.

Dressed in his traditional Jewish hat, an Adidas-style track suit hoody, and Nike shoes, his style and movements (slight step-hopping, the would-be break-dancing kind) screamed New York hip hop scene, as he took the stage at the Commodore Ballroom Sunday night.

He has been touring around the world with his band, Brooklyn’s The Dub Trio, for almost 2 years, promoting his latest album Light (going everywhere from Poland, to Russia, to Australia and South America). He is best known for sparking a new-age revival in reggae music with the Billboard top-charting hit “King Without A Crown,” and his Grammy-nominated 2006 album Youth, his latest album, Light, inflects more ska and rock-edge to his style. Matisyahu seems intent on making it even harder to place him in any one particular box.



But he made sure to warm up the crowd with some generous doses of the soulful reggae beats that made him famous, before showing off some of his cultural expansions found on Light.

Melding hints of drum ‘n’ bass, rock, and ska-punk, he showed us that there’s a few more genre-bending cultural shocks up his sleeve. But make no mistake, Matisyahu pulls it off so naturally that it makes you think the would-be culture clashes should have fit together all along.

This musical mix came together most dramatically and skillfully in his song “Darkness Into Light” which had a synthesizer spouting drum ‘n’ bass beats, while an electric guitar created elevating sounds behind Matisyahu’s reggae rapping.

But all this added edge was softened by Matisyahu’s surprisingly beautiful and uplifting voice which, backed by the echoes of an electric guitar, created ethereal dreamy songs that built up and smoothly transitioned from singing, to scatting, to beat boxing, rapping and reggae chanting like in “I Will Be Light” where he chants “You’ve got one tiny moment in time, for life to shine, to shine, to burn away the darkness.”

His song “Aish Tamid,” ending with a powerful crescendo, but starting off as a beautiful ballad, and then transitioning smoothly to something between singing and rapping, before picking up speed towards a marching underground hip hop beat where he spit poetic lyrics that created a collage of images of Israel and New York.

Many of the songs showed off his singing voice, but near the end of the show, his voice dropped a whole octave for a medley of songs (“Dispatch the Troops”, “Lord Raise Me Up”) that held a distinct grimy reggae sound that belongs in a bumping cadillac. It’s here where it was unquestionably clear that the record was recorded in Jamaica, and if you closed your eyes, you were easily transported there.

While his faith provides the inspiration for his poetic lyrics, and at times Matisyahu performs in a way that makes it seem like a spiritual act (eyes closed, deep in concentration, or else lost in his own spinning) his music invites people to share a connection to his triumphant sense of hope.

His songs “One Day” and “Jerusalem” had the crowd’s enthusiasm drawing him out of himself and into direct connection with those singing along. There is a recurring theme of perseverance that undoubtedly people from all backgrounds can relate to, like is found in “So Hi So Lo” where he sings “I am searching for the shade of the tree/Heard about it from a tune in the breeze/They say it exists on the other side of the road/But which road nobody was told/ So low/ All I know is I must find a road/That leads where nobody goes/So low/I can roll down the windows where the wind blows down those fears and foes.”

Matisyahu is a reflection of melding of cultures that co-exist but rarely intertwine as gracefully, successfully, and confidently. His constantly evolving sound is somehow stunningly and excitingly new, while also being comfortingly familiar and reminiscent of the simple poetic hope found in the likes of reggae icons like Bob Marley.

*Also publish in The Vancouver Observer:
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/music/2010/08/09/matisyahu-rockin’-heart-reggae

The African Way: Kunaka and Miyanda

There is a theory that music evolved to serve the function of enforcing social cohesion and I am always reminded of it when I see an African drumming circle.

There is something about African drumming that compels the body to move – almost from the inside out. It goes in deep to draw movement out almost by command. As the drums pull you rhythmically in sync with everyone around you there is a powerful connectivity between yourself, the drummers, other dancers, and the ground.

Last week in Vancouver, on the first beautiful spring- like day we’ve had, a general feeling of joy could be felt in the city. Predictably, everyone was outside enjoying the scenery and the warmth, and down at Kits beach I stumbled onto one of those random free concerts that remind me why I love this city so much.

A bunch of 12-15 year olds (of the group Kunaka) were quietly, unassumingly setting up a full drum set and about 10 Ugandan xylophone-like instruments, ranging in size from a suitcase to a piano. When they started playing, their sound, energy, and talent blew me away with what I can only describe as the happiest music EVER! It was definitely a lucky encounter and a large crowd had gathered in mutual awe and appreciation. It was during their playing, noticing my own desire to jump, and observing the crowd and sea of grins and claps, that I thought about the connection between music and dance and how empowering, releasing, and connecting it can be.

I found this video of Kunaka on their site. And below it is another video I found on youtube of a Vancouver group called Miyanda that performs African dance.

Kunaka - Sarura Wako


Miyanda Mandjani Dance


http://kunakamarimba.com
http://www.miyanda-drum-dance.blogspot.com/

Adaline’s inviting fame with Famous for Fire

My love for Adaline’s music was a fast-paced evolution.

It all began with her voice.

The first time I heard it was at the Vancouver City Limits music festival at the Beaumont Studios, in a little intimate theatre with nothing but her emotive piano playing to accompany her. Haunting and beautiful, all it took was that voice of hers to captivate the crowd. Like she were channeling an energy from some other ethereal place, her voice simultaneously lulls and awakens you. Soothing, yet powerful.

It wasn’t until I saw her perform with her band a couple days later, kicking off her Western Canada tour at the Media Club that I really fell for her songs.

With hard-hitting pulsating drum beats, stimulating guitar, and ethereal synthesized sounds her music took on a whole new invigorating energy and explosive emotional appeal, and I was amazed by the depth and vitality it breathed.

What in my first introduction had been moving ballads were now engrossing cutting edge electro/rock songs and I could hear echoes of influences from Radiohead, Coldplay, Doves, Bjork, Esthero, and Air. Rather than drowning her out, the drums and guitar complement her sound and take it to another level, turning it into something new. "Poor You" is a heartbreaker that starts off slow - a perfect example of one of her songs that thrives on the echoes of the synthesizer and the gradual buildup of the beats of the drums and guitar.

With her brother on the guitar and a damn good drummer accompanying her, Adaline’s performance was electrifying. Her cabaret style song "Whiter/Straighter," in which her father played the trumpet, brought everyone up to the front to dance, sway, and sing along. "Chemical Spill," which she told us was her favourite song to sing, with its pulsating electro beat, had the audience completely transfixed.

After each song a roaring applause would ensue and Adaline would bashfully thank everyone and look to her brother and father in a jaw-dropped expression of, “Do you see this? Is this for real?” Sometimes the applause would overwhelm her so much that with a beaming slightly embarrassed smile she would shake her head in disbelief and grab it with her hands like she were keeping it from exploding from the high she were getting off of the crowd.

But the high was mutual, as people kept yelling, “You’re amazing!” throughout the night. The night ended with a real “kumbuya” type moment as everyone, to her obvious surprise and delight, swayed and sang along to her love song "We’ve Got Something." As everyone sang, “I’ve got something, you’ve got something, we’ve got something,” it felt like that something was in the room that night, and that something was some kind of musical high.

Okay, so after being so hyped up from her live performances I was curious to hear her CD, Famous For Fire, which was released in April of 2008.

Very rare does a CD live up to expectations, but this one definitely did

It is very well put together, with its great beats and melodies full of variation. Now I find myself replaying it over and over and humming her songs all day. This CD makes you wanna dance, makes you wanna cry, makes you wanna lie on your living room floor and just listen, makes you wanna sway, and makes you wanna sing. It surprised and thoroughly impressed me.

Sometimes people can sing, and sometimes people can even sing and write good songs. Sometimes people can sing, and write good songs, and even put on a damn good show, but to do all that and put out a fantastic debut album? Well I’d say, she’s got something!

New Song


Poor You

Adrian Glynn

Adrian Glynn sings the blues in a way that makes you feel his pain but crave nothing but his voice for comfort.

Soothing, sexy, rough, raw, and rich with feeling, he expresses so much in the tone and texture of his voice.

He captures and releases all the different nuances of feeling the blues: the helplessness, aching, and poignant beauty of despair and longing; the anger, blind rage and bitterness of heartache. It’s all there, in his voice alone.

And yet, watching him perform his sad songs is somehow liberating and empowering because you can feel an honest sense of relief, like he were really releasing something genuinely fierce and heavy.

It’s a voice you get lost in, like a dream you fell into to awaken stilled and captivated; a haunting voice that needs no help in commanding your attention. His music is heartfelt and stilling, somehow calming and yet violently emotive. After hearing him live, his songs gets stuck in my head for days.

I find it really hard to write about Adrian Glynn because the power exuding from his stage presence is something that needs to be witnessed for it to be understood. I’m thankful to have some clips to backup what I’m saying but they don’t replace the stilling electricity in the room felt when he sings. He fills up the space in a room with his voice and it’s just something you’ve got to feel in person.

Tonight I Loosen My Tie


Leaving Alone




Fisherman’s Lament


Little Boy Blue – The Sexy song


Until the end is near