The Windsor Scene with Lauren Hedges

Lauren Hedges

The playlist for Wednesday, April 27, 2011;

Trish Wales – Holding You (Single – 2010)

Shared Arms – Zavits (Unreleased Jams – 2009)

Wayfarer – Arts and Warcrafts (Our Fathers – 2010)

The Decay – That Street (This Month’s Rent – 2009)

Devilz By Defintion – A Gram Short 20 (Windsor Zene February Sampler – 2011)

The Heatseeking Moisture Missiles – Hidin’ in the Bushes (Windsor Zene December Sampler – 2010)

Gypsy Chief Goliath – Elephant in the Room (Windsor Zene December Sampler – 2010)

Pitch Union – Yeah (Windsor Zene January Sampler – 2011)

Surdaster – The Truth (Acoustic) (Surdaster Live – 2006)

Anonymous Bosch – Offspring Back in the Race (Anonymous Bosch – 2010)

The Vaudevillanaires – Your Filthy Swagger (Race Hell) (From The Tank – 2011)

Weirdonia – 1960’s Antique Clock (Jarritolum – 2010)

Awake to a Dream – Tainted (EP – 2011)

High Mother – Not For Another Day (Gotta Get Love – 2011)

Dave Russell – Rocking Chair (Unnatural Disaster – 2010)

Hammerdown – Burn it Down (EP – 2011)

Desertion – Love, Hate, Homicide (Welcome to Nothing – 2009)

The song that opened today’s show, “Holding You” by Trish Wales is a cover of a song originally written by Tim McDonald, who was last week’s guest on the show. A big thanks to both Tim and Trish for providing that some for me to spin today. Here’s another of  Trish’s songs for you to check out;

Last Friday’s The Creepshow concert at The Blind Dog was everything that I could have hoped for. EVL, The Fourjury, and The Locusts Have No King all did a fabulous job opening the show and showing our guests just what Windsor has to offer musically. Punk, alt-country, and roots-rock bands that got the crowd warmed up for some wild psychobilly. To get all the details, and see some pretty rad shots, read the article.

On Saturday Inferno Fest went down on both stages of The Blind Dog. I hungout for a little while, liked some of what I saw, didn’t like some of it. Things were running behind, as would be expected – but by about an hour and a half? (I personally found this to be a bit excessive). There were also perhaps some organizational matters I might have handled differently, but I host a radio show, not concerts, so what do I know? All of those in attendance seemed to be enjoying themselves, and the bands as well, and that’s really what matters.

Coming up this Friday at FM Lounge is the High Mother CD release show with Curbside Sofa. These guys released a demo last year, which I was definitely impressed by, and the quick listen that I gave to their full-length leaves me with the same impression. This show is probably one to check out, and the band one to follow.

In another massive event of Windsor talent, this Saturday sees downtown taken over by the Songs for Sangha event, where bands are donating their performances to help raise money for Sangha Human Services Inc, a charity looking to help battle poverty in Windsor-Essex. There will be performances from fourteen local groups at three venues, starting around 10pm. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door, and raffles at each venue with tickets going for $5 each or 3 for $10. There will be a more in depth look at the event posted soon, so keep an eye out for that.

Tune in next week to The Windsor Scene on CJAM 99.1 FM between 5 and 6:30 for more on the city’s musical culture.

The Windsor Scene with Lauren Hedges

Lauren Hedges

This week’s playlist, excluding live performances;

Brenda Eyler – Dream with Me (Dream with Me – 2008)

Crissi Cochrane – Coming Home (Darling, Darling – 2010)

Luna Borealis – Bed Bugs Inn (The Windsor Zene January Sampler – 2011)

Goliath – What Happened Last Night (Funweiser EP – 2011)

Assassinate the Following… – Death Row (Massacre of the North – 2009)

Desertion – From here to Oblivion ( Welcome to Nothing – 2009)

Tyburn Tree – Arch Stanron (Parliament of Trees – 2008)

Tim McDonald – Stand Tall (Somehow, Somewhere – 2007)

The Creepshow – Demon Lover (Run For Your Life – 2008)

The Locusts Have No King – Last Night In My Favourite Bar and The Repurcussions Thereof (Come One, Come All – 2010)

EVL – Out of Reach (I’ll Keep Mine EP – 2009)

Monique Belanger – Through Yellow Fields (The W Music Compilation – 2008)

This week I was joined in the studio by local songwriter, performer, and paramedic, Timmy McDonald. Tim’s songs have been covered by other artists, and the song that opened the show, “Dream with Me” performed by Brenda Eyler, is a cover of one of Tim’s songs from his 2007 release, “Somehow, Somewhere”. Tim also is set to play at numerous Relay for Life Cancer Fundraising events across Ontario, and is recording a song just for others that he cannot make it out to. He will shortly be travelling to Nashville where he will play various songwriter shows at popular venues including The Commodore Lounge. A name that you might not have heard before, Tim McDonald is nonetheless a figure in our local music scene, and someone I am happy to have had on my show. Keep an eye out for a new release from Tim in the coming months.

Here is a video of Tim playing at Rymer Hall in Nashville. For the anecdote behind the video, listen to today’s archive.

Last Thursday I attended a punkrock show at The Coach and Horses, featuring local and out of town bands. It was certainly something. After hearing and enjoying Suppressulant recordings, it was great to finally hear them play. There’s just something about oldschool, dirty, DIY punk that gets me every time. The Rowley Estate performed as well as always, with great stage antics and catchy songs that stray near to the realm of pop-punk. Playing their second show ever, Repetitions are only getting better. All the way from Boston, Pious Dogs had a bumpy start, dealing with a damaged snare stand, but they overcame that and got things moving with some rough and traditional punk that was nothing overly remarkable, but with guitars that were far too loud. I don’t even want to talk about The Swabs! If you’re looking for further explanation on any of this, there’s always the WindsoriteDOTca article.

I’m so excited for Friday that I can hardly contain myself. Psychobilly/Horrorpunk quartet The Creepshow return to Windsor for the first time since I was in like, grade ten. So it’s been a while. This is going to kick copious amounts of ass. Joining them will be new collaborative act The Fourjury, local indie-roots outfit The Locusts Have No King, and EVL, who need no further introduction. The best place to pick up tickets for this one is from Mr. Jamie Greer over at The Manchester Pub, who will supply them to you for only ten dollars. No joke. Go get one.

Saturday is an intense day for metal, with both Inferno Fest at The Blind Dog and The Heavy Diversity Show at  The Coach and Horses. Inferno boasts 19 bands on two stages, raging for eleven and a half hours, all for only $10 if you go out and get yourself an advance ticket. The Heavy Diversity show features local favourites Weapon of Choice, blues-metallers Tyburn Tree, prog-rockers Perpetuate (coming from their gig at Inferno) and a band you should know, After Ashes. This one starts at 9, is 19+, and costs $5 at the door.

A great big thanks for Timmy McDonald for coming in today, he was a pleasure to have and I can’t wait to have him back.

Which local band or artist would you like to hear next on The Windsor Scene?

Fri. April 22: The Creepshow brings psychobilly back to Windsor

Burlington’s The Creepshow haven’t played Windsor since a stop at the University of Windsor in 2008, but they’ve hardly slowed down. In fact they spent much of 2010 touring North America and all across Europe in support of their latest album, 2010’s They All Fall Down. They’ve toured 25 countries, played with such bands as Rancid, Anti-Flag, Tiger Army, Agnostic Front and Mad Sin, were named Best Live Band by Toronto’s Edge 102 radio station, are signed to Hellcat Records (owned by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong and Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz) and in 2009 were named “one of the top bands you need to know about” by Alternative Press. These guys (and gal) are the real deal when it comes to straight ahead punk infused rockabilly.

Fronted by Sarah “Sin” Blackwood (who replaced her sister Jen “Hellcat” Blackwood during her pregancy in 2007 on a temporary stint that has since turned permanent) on vocals and guitar, and backed capably by Sean “Sickboy” McNab (formerly of the legendary Jersey) on bass, The Reverend McGinty on keys, and drummer Matt “Pomade” Gee (who also drums in Rehab For Quitters), The Creepshow has exploded over the past few years, routinely attracting huge crowds on their European quests and hitting major festivals in North America like Vans Warped Tour.

The Creepshow make their downtown Windsor debut this Friday night at The Blind Dog (671 Ouellette Ave.) in what is sure to be a high octane show of rockabilly, psychobilly and local roots rock.

Opening the show are two of Windsor’s local roots rock outfits, The Locusts Have No King and The FourJury. The Locusts Have No King have been somewhat quiet of late, working feverishly on their next record, the follow up to 2010’s Come On, Come All EP. They’ve been one of Windsor’s most beloved and respected acts since David Dubois built this project from the demise of his prior band, Theory of Everything several years ago. Adding bassist Paul Loncke (The Scarecrows, Years of Ernest) and guitarist Leigh Wallace (The Butterfield Gateway, Caught in the Moss, Years of Ernest) strengthened his already mighty chops and final pieces Tara Watts on guitar and vocals and drummer Joey DesRoches (ASK, Rose City, Years of Ernest) completed the line-up prior to the last offering. Bringing a Drive-By Truckers feel to his Windsor alt. country rock, Dubois and the rest of the Locusts have been one of Windsor’s finest musical exports as well, touring as far as Montreal and back, to great acclaim.

The FourJury is the new name for the amalgamated project featuring the reuniting of original Hung Jury vocalist Jamie Greer (The Vaudevillianaires, The Golden Hands Before God, Magic Hall of Mirrors) with his former Hung Jury bandmates Kelly Nicholls, Eryk Myskow (Eric Welton Band, ASK), and Bradford Helner (who had some notoriety in the national rockabilly circuit as the drummer in Michigan’s Twistin’ Tarantulas), who originally carried on post-Greer as FourLetterWord, with bassist/guitarist Gary Van Lare (Surdaster). Now called The FourJury, they’ve already played with bands such as Grady, The Benito Band and New Country Rehab, and it was The Hung Jury who played with The Creepshow their prior two stops in Windsor.

Sickboy (Creepshow), Greer (FourJury), Nicholls (FourJury), Sarah Sin (Creepshow), Myskow (FourJury) and Pomade (Creepshow) at St. Clair College post-gig, 2007

At press time, another local opener, Motorcity Headrush had to pull out of the show and another local is being added before showtime.

Advance tickets are $12 (although members of The Locusts Have No King and The FourJury are selling them for $10) and it’s $15 at the door, for what is sure to be a freewheel burning night of raucous and roll downtown.

The Creepshow with special guests The Locusts Have No King, The FourJury and TBA, The Blind Dog (671 Ouellette Ave.), Friday April 22, 8pm, 19+

Thurs. March 17: Your St. Patrick’s Day alternatives to green beer and “Whisky in the Jar”

No doubt on Thursday, many of Windsor’s Pubs and Taverns – such as Mick’s Irish Pub, The Manchester Pub, O’Maggio’s Kildare House, The MiLL Tavern and The Dominion House – will be packed to the rafters with what many people call “amateur drinkers”. These are the folks that generally don’t go out much and only really let loose on the Big 3 (New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day and their respective birthdays). They’ll all claim to be Irish for one day and will point to the fact that they are drinking “green beer” as signs of this authenticity (despite the fact that no self respecting Irishman would drink beer with green food dye in it).

They’ll also undoubtedly be harbouring all the musicians in town who play Irish, Scottish and Maritime Celtic music, so you’ll be inundated with several dozen renditions of songs like “Black Velvet Band”, “Barrett’s Privateers” and “Whisky in the Jar”, with a few Great Big Sea, Pogues and Spirit of the West songs thrown in for good measure.

But what about those of you who would like to go out and celebrate good friends rather than the idea of painting shamrocks on your cheeks or holding your friends hair back while they’re throwing up corned beef sandwiches at 3 in the afternoon?

Well, a few downtown music venues are offering something a little less Irish, but no less entertaining, as a musical alternative on the big Irish day out.

Windsor’s premiere roots rock outfit, The Locusts Have No King, are quietly holed up working on material for their next recording, a follow up to their 2010 EP, Come One, Come All, and their members are out plying the trades of their other musical ventures – David Dubois and Tara Watts are playing solo more often right now, while guitarist Leigh Wallace, bassist Paul Loncke and drummer Joey “The Wiseguy” DesRoches have hooked up with singer/songwriter Andrew MacLeod in the fantastic rock outfit Years of Ernest. But the Locusts Have No King are pulling it all back together with a special show at Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West) on St. Patrick’s Day, with a taste of Canadiana instead of the Irish.

If you’d rather hear the thunder of Windsor’s metal scene rather than an Irish jig, then the legendary Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, basement level) is where you’re going to want to end up on St. Patrick’s Day. Devilz By Definition, who have been finishing up their album and picking up some great slots on some out of town shows, lead a three band line-up that also includes The Kettle Black and Awake To A Dream.

One of Windsor’s most entertaining performers, Kenneth MacLeod, leads his revamped Windsor Salt Band – featuring Max Marshall on bass, Scotty “Shoes” Hughes on guitar, Aaron Stanton on drums and Damien Zakoor on percussion. A native Cape Bretoner, MacLeod, the brother of Years of Ernest’s Andrew, will probably have his fare share of East Coast Celtic in his set list when he rips up the stage at The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West, main level).

As for the pubs themselves, expect a full day of music at The Manchester Pub (546 Ouellette Ave.), O’Maggio’s Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East) and Mick’s Irish Pub (28 Chatham St. East), with doors at 11am and the party’s going right to 2am. If you’re planning to hit either of these places, I’d get there early. They will most likely be St. Patrick’s Day’s premiere destinations for some Celtic revelry.

The Manchester’s Open Mic host, Clinton Hammond, kicks off the day at the Manchester, followed by Clusterfolk! (featuring Brian VanderPryt and Frank Edgley Jr., formerly of Celtic Cross). Original headliner Tartan Army had to recently withdraw due to a serious injury to member Kit McEvoy, but they’re being covered by Manchester regular Jamie Reaume (Foreign Film Star, The Golden Eagles, Dave Russell & The Precious Stones).

O’Maggio’s is throwing a two part party, with entertainment inside and outside in their tent. Sean Gillis opens the day outside, followed by Jamie Reaume, and then headlined by Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers. Inside, Chris Bollister kicks off the festivities, followed by Rick Rock and then The Mid Life Trio.

ReGael – featuring the two other former members of Celtic Cross, Mark Crampsie and Glen MacNeil – will be starting things off at Mick’s Irish Pub, with their unique blend of Celtic and contemporary, mixing original songs with classic East Coast and UK Celtic.

I’m sure just about every bar, pub or tavern in Windsor will have something going on on Thursday. This was just a quick direction as to what some destinations will have should you want green beer or black metal.

Slainte!