This Is How It Ends
Sled Island, I Mean. Not Life. Hopefully.
If you are reading this then I survived the day, and the festival. At least long enough to press the button and post this. I’m writing this sentence before the day begins, so it will make me glad if it is read. I guess that means that I am hopeful that I keep living. That’s a good place to be.
We’ve mostly stayed in the margins this festival - away from the headlining shows and big crowds. But not today. The guest curator of this festival is Japanese all-woman punk band Otoboke Beaver. At a big festival last year, Dave Grohl himself saw them and then called them the coolest fucking band ever. Good enough for me. Access to the big shows has been tough to come by this week, and I’m not waiting in line in the pouring rain, but I’m going to give it a good try. Opening for them is what will be the first hardcore band from Taiwan that I’ve ever seen, and a local band I’ve just missed a few times. If I can’t get into that show there are options, but that’s the plan for now.
I have seen five bands from Saskatoon in my life as near as I can remember. That’s not very many for a good sized city not far from here. (The list, because I’d be interested in that if someone else was writing this, is Wide Mouth Mason, Deep Dark Woods, The Sheepdogs, Slow Down Molasses, and The Northern Pikes.) In a strange and pleasing coincidence, that total is going to grow by 60 percent in less than three hours before the big show of the night. Three very different, and very interesting bands from a city I think I’ve only been to once. I only really remember bridges.
After that I may close things out with another local act. Or I may just go home. Anything is possible.
(Note: some pictures and videos are missing because this post got too long to send. I tried to give you too much. Again. Because I care. Too much, some would say.)
Grimelda, Saskatoon
This band may have the four best sentences I have ever read in a Spotify bio: ‘Wow! Just wow. Is this the future of music? Could these two skids from the Canadian prairies be transcending sound?’ I kind of have to see them, don’t I? They are either the best band ever, or the most delusional. Either is good. The Sled Island program also describes what they do as ‘home-schooled math-rock.’ Not a clue what that means, but I sure want to find out.
The drummer introduces a song ‘This song’s called Deja Vu. It's about having deja vu.’ Twenty seconds later - ‘This song’s called Deja Vu. It's about having deja vu.’ This is my band. Dad jokes endure because they are perfect
Favorite drummer of the festival, and well beyond that. Can't take your eyes off him. Holds his sticks in 94 different ways. His facial expressions put the Muppets to shame. He took a big swig of beer, and gargled in tune into his microphone for an impressive amount of time. He needed a drink of water, so he drummed his way across the floor to the water cooler on the counter and back. Total chaos. But also exceptionally good. Amazing.
There's just so much going on here. The guitarist had the biggest beard I've seen in a facial hair heavy week. And leopard pattern knee high socks under his dress. And 14 pedals on the floor. Wild. I love bands that operate on their own wavelength. These guys are on their own planet. And I want to visit.
For the finale they passed out party noisemakers so we could all play along. Predictably, chaos was achieved. The list of Saskatoon bands I've seen has some heavy hitters, but this is my new favorite, and it's not close.
schoolyard, Edmonton
First audible of the day. There was a break upstairs, so I headed downstairs to catch this act. Man, I love festivals. The first thing I noticed was a heavy smell of cleaning products that clearly wasn’t here last night. Makes me wonder what I missed after I left.
This is yet another band I've seen this week that is really young and heavy and smart and hungry and tight as fuck. The reports of our upcoming demise are overstated. These kids are alright.
These guys told us between songs that they hate fascists. That makes it 14-0 for the bands I've seen so far this week. Rough weekend to be a brain dead autocrat in these parts. Sorry, Danielle.
If Kurt Cobain knew that 30 years after his death countless lead singers would channel him, would he still have killed himself? He's still alive in this schoolyard, and everywhere else.
Microphones must not have come to Edmonton yet, because these guys insist on shouting their banter when it's really not necessary.
They covered Brain Stew by Green Day. Not a huge Green Day guy, except for this perfect song. They did it justice, too. Impressed.
blind commentary, Saskatoon
I really like emo music. I really like shoegaze music. So when a band calls themselves an emo-gaze band, they have me.
Reason #742 I love festivals - before Grimelda started I chatted with this guy standing beside me. Nice guy. We traded highlights so far. Talked about what we were seeing later. Now I come back upstairs and that guy is behind the drums. And singing. That a guy that pleasant can sing with this much rage is very impressive.
When we were talking he asked me where 88 Brewing is. Turns out they play there in an hour and a half. So, I did a small part to make this festival a success. Unless my directions weren't clear.
Is Saskatoon Canada's new music capital? Either they really cherry picked bands for this showcase, or I've really been sleeping on the city. Two for two on killer bands.
Pnoom, Montreal
It worked so well last time that I called another audible and headed back downstairs in the break. Montreal bands have done me right, so the fact I know nothing about them besides their name and hometown is not even a bit of a concern.
There's a thrill when music is so loud that you feel it in your lungs. You might think you don't like loud music, but you need to feel this before you decide for sure. There is nothing like it. Unmatched anywhere. And yes, I wear very good ear plugs at every show I go to.
I've easily seen a hundred bands in the basement of The Palomino. This is the loudest one, and it's not close. I didn't think this was actually possible down here. The old lady has new tricks to show off.
A good writer would have more to say than that these guys are really loud. But I can't get past that. It's definingly impressive. Kind of in awe.
The Garry’s, Saskatoon
I don’t have any siblings, so bands made up of siblings are always as fascinating as they are incomprehensible to me. And kinda creepy sometimes. The Garry’s are made up of three sisters and their brother. And every picture I’ve seen of them has them in matching outfits. Sign me right up.
Thanks to Pnoom, and the opportunity to have a quick chat with Grimelda’s guitarist to tell him how great they are, I only ended up seeing part of one song by these guys - enough to confirm that they sadly weren't wearing matching outfits, but that the sibling thing was still a bit creepy. I left to be responsible and get some food before the big show. But as I walked towards food I saw the line for Otoboke Beaver stretching down the block from the theatre and around the corner. So food, and common sense, lost out and I jumped in line. I'm in a show that I wouldn't have gotten into in half an hour. And beer has calories, so I'll be fine.
Brain Bent, Calgary
Everything I’ve heard from these guys is legitimately funny. And awesome. I like that combination. Chaos energy is good energy.
I've seen dozens of shows in the Palace over the past 25 years or more. But I've never been upstairs before tonight. I never come early enough to try. It's a revelation. Sightlines! A secret bar! A secret bathroom! Couches! I kind of hate those main floor people now as I look down on them - not just literally. I've also discovered that there is an even higher level with private boxes. Now I hate myself for not being up there. Rising up really plays with your mind, man.
This is the biggest room in downtown Calgary. And it's at capacity. I'd venture a guess that these guys have never played for this many people. They are clearly loving it. And way up for the challenge. It all makes me feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be at this moment.
I watch a lot of a YouTube videos. A whole lot. Unless they are music videos, I watch them at 1.75x speed. That's the speed that you can understand everything but get through them efficiently. Brain Bent live feels like I'm watching then on YouTube. Like I'm watching an already fast band on fast forward. These guys don't fuck around. Pedal down. Awesome.
I feel like a broken record, but the number of really great Calgary bands right now is just ridiculous. I hate Alberta for a lot of reasons right now, but music sure isn’t one of them. Just wow.
BB Bomb, Taiwan
These guys have been a band for 20 years. I tried to think of something witty to say about Taiwan, but I’ve got nothing. Maybe I will after the show.
I'll get this one out of the way 15 minutes before they go on - this is absolutely the best Taiwanese band I've ever seen. Not even close. It's not a helpful statement, but it was necessary.
I used to see a lot of stage dives at shows. Guys climbing on stage and jumping off before security gets them. Haven't seen many lately. Almost none. Sign of the times. Just saw the most suicidal one I've ever seen. That the guy was totally fine is a fucking miracle. Kudos says the punk fan. Don't be a fucking moron says the parent.
Also haven't seen a pit this legitimately crazy for a while. Most Calgary pits only act up when the lead singer tells them to. But this is legit. Spontaneous. Intense. Calgary really loves their Taiwanese punk, it turns out.
They just said that this is their first time leaving Asia in 22 years as a band. I hope they don't think all Canadian crowds are like this one. This is something special.
That a band can completely own a crowd like this without singing a word in English… something, something, music is the universal language that will save us all.
Crowd surfing is terrifying to watch from up above. I'm glad I'm normally a floor guy.
Otoboke Beaver, Japan
This band is named after a love hotel in Osaka that was located next to the high school of one of the band members. The only thing close to my high school was a polo club. I think I missed out. Maybe that’s why I’m not in a punk band. I can't think of any other reasons.
This may or may not be the best Japanese band I've ever seen - in this room or otherwise - but before they even start I can say with authority that this is an all-timer of a night of music. This is why I love live music so much. There is nothing I've seen tonight that you can replicate on your couch. Or even come close. This is life in full display. I'm living a peacock tonight. And I'm very thankful. I'll go to shows until I'm 90 to chase nights like tonight.
If you saw these four women in these sundresses they are wearing walking down the street in Banff you would guess it was a bachelorette party. You would never guess that it was a soul eating punk band. Looks, it turns out, are deceiving.
Unexpected thing I learned tonight - Japanese women don't care who sees their underwear. They wouldn't act like this in those sundresses if they did. It might be an unpopular opinion, but this is a cultural trend I'd embrace as a Canadian. For the sake of world unity, obviously.
My intention was to watch this show and go home. But this is how these festivals get in your brain. They were really great, but I'd seen Hanabie last year, so I wasn't surprised by tiny Japanese women who were shockingly fierce. And the bassist kept having amp troubles which caused delays. So a half hour in I bolted the great show because I am in a zone tonight, and there was another intriguing show across the street and around the corner. Why choose when you can have it all?
Dresser, Montreal
Montreal had been treating me very right this week, so I'm back for more. I knew little about the band, but knew that the Legion offered free pizza upstairs, so I was sold. The pizza was grand. It was only mediocre, but it was free, and free pizza has to only be okay to be great. I have an economics degree, so I know that.
This is the third time an out of town band has mentioned that they bought cowboy boots while they were here. As if that's what you have to do here. I've lived here my whole life. I don't have boots now, and have only every had one pair. I know lots of real Calgarians who have never had any. It's weird what comes to define places.
Have you ever had that experience where you have listened to a guy with a deep voice on the radio and imagined what he looked like, then you saw him and he was far scrawnier than your mental image? Dresser. Fan of the band despite the deception, though.
Ribbon Skirt, Montreal
I started this project a year and a quarter ago to prove that I'm not nearly as old as my birth certificate suggests. And here I am, seeing my tenth band of the day seven hours, and several beers, after the first one. And my 22nd band since Wednesday night. Mission fucking accomplished, I'd say. These guys were a massive highlight of the festival yesterday, and they will be again here. Because they are really great, and you need to listen to their profoundly good new album. But that's not the point. The point is that I'm basically like 35. Or younger. Look at me!!!!
The details: Grimelda, blind commentary, schoolyard, Pnoom, and The Garry’s at The Palomino; Brain Bent, BB BOMB, and Otoboke Beaver at the Palace. Dresser and Ribbon Skirt at the #1 Legion. Saturday, June 21, Calgary.
Up next: A bit of well earned time off, then back to Spruce Meadows next Saturday night for Metric.