Show Alert: THREE Js For Valentine's Day

Friday, Feb. 14 ~ Phog Lounge, Windsor


                                                       Three of our favourites in one night!

 http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Shotgun-Jimmie

http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/By-Divine-Right

http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/James-O-L-and-the-Villains


Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images
Poster: James O-L

SHOW ALERT: Raleigh w/ The Highest Order @ FM Lounge

With James O-L and the Villains 

Fri May 10, 2013 

http://www.facebook.com/FMLounge
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/Raleigh
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/The-Highest-Order
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/James-O-L-and-the-Villains

Show Alert: The Blue Stones + The Unquiet Dead + James OL and The Villains + This Machine Kills Robots @ The Loop

Windsor Music On A Platter
Fri Apr 19, 2013

http://loopwindsor.com/
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/The-Blue-Stones
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/the-unquiet-dead
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/James-O-L-and-the-Villains&

http://thismachinekillsrobots.bandcamp.com/

Show Alert: It's going to be divine, right?

By Divine Right w/ Shotgun Jimmie 
and James O-L and the Villains
Sat., Feb. 9 ~ Phog Lounge, Windsor 

This is where we pinch ourselves to make sure we're not dreaming. Canadian indie legends By Divine Right? (Look for a new album from BDR in May 2013.) Shotgun Jimmie, on his way to becoming a legend? (Transistor Sister ranks as one of our favourite albums). And Windsor legends in the making James O-L and the Villains, all for only $10? We live a divine life, indeed. The early bird gets the ear worm in this case, because this one will be a sellout.

PHOG PHEST 4

Tickets only $15 ~ http://phoglounge.com

Cellos (Windsor)
www.cellos.bandcamp.com

Club Thunderbolt (Windsor)
www.clubthunderbolt.com

Cobra & Vulture (Montreal)
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/Cobra-Vulture

Gypsy Chief Goliath (Windsor)
www.reverbnation.com/gypsychiefgoliath

James O-L and the Villains (Windsor)
http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/James-O-L-and-the-Villains

Learning (Windsor)
www.wearelearning.bandcamp.com

New Country Rehab (Toronto)
www.newcountryrehab.com

Rural Alberta Advantage (HEADLINER from Toronto)
http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/The-Rural-Alberta-Advantage

The Unquiet Dead (Windsor)
www.music.cbc.ca/artists/the-unquiet-dead

Vultures? (Windsor)
www.facebook.com/groups/vultures.canada/


With a special 90-minute opening set by Jam Space Academy bands:
9 Volt, 24 Sussex, Arcadia, Jinx, Lawless, Lost Weekend, Tremors
www.jamspacewindsor.com/JamSpaceAcademy.php

Show Alert: Bend Sinister

Thu., Mar. 8 @ Call the Office, London
w/ Teenage Kicks

Fri., Mar. 9 @ The Dugout, Windsor
w/ James O-L and the Villains and LEARNING

We have Bend Sinister (Vancouver) to thank for adding one of our favourite words to our vocabulary: flummoxoned. We think you will be flummoxoned too by Dan Moxon and Bend Sinister's 88-key powered indie pop/rock. Check out their CBC Radio 3 artist's page for a list of influences; but their sound is more ode than old. They're touring now in support of their just-released EP, On My Mind. Whatever you're doing tonight or tomorrow, give it a rest and go to one of these shows-- $5 in London, free in Windsor. (More tour dates below)




Mar 10 Toronto at Cherry Cola’s
Mar 13 Winnipeg, MB at The Pyramid Cabaret
Mar 14 Regina at The Exchange
Mar 15 Saskatoon, SK at Amigos
Mar 16 Calgary at The Gateway
Mar 17 Edmonton, AB at The Starlite Room
Mar 18 Banff at Wild Bill’s
Mar 19 Jasper at The Horseshoe Club
Mar 20 Fernie at The Northern
Mar 21 Nelson at Hume Hotel
Mar 22 Kamloops at Cactus Jack’s
Mar 23 Vancouver, BC at Venue Nightclub
Mar 24 Victoria at Club 9One9 

Show review: Rah Rah, We Were Lovers, James O-L and the Villains

Rah Rah

Tom Lucier of Windsor's Phog Lounge puts together some really interesting and amazing shows. The lineup on Tues., Oct. 26 was possibly the most diverse: an acoustic version of alt folk/rock, a dance club music duo from Saskatoon and some of the best power pop to come out of Regina.

James & Steve O-L

Windsor-based band James O-L and the Villains are regulars at the Phog. However, like the Rheostats the previous week, we got a pared down version-- just James O-L and his brother Steve O-L, both on guitars. If you want to check them out with their full roster, you can download their latest album, Alive at the Colch, for free at their MySpace page.


We've seen a few people cut loose and dance at the Phog, but for the most part it's more of a head nodding and toe tapping crowd. Despite a filmy indigo curtain with their name in silver sequins emblazoned on it for a backdrop, We Were Lovers couldn't quite get the dance club vibe going. Certainly not the fault of lead singer Elsa Gebremichael and partner Ash Lamothe. Their talent-- Elsa has a powerful and lovely voice-- enthusiasm for their craft is obvious, and their music would improve the playlists at any urban club in the U.S.




Okay, we're going to try really hard not compare Rah Rah to another Regina band with an expansive cast of musicians, an equal ability to write and perform imaginative, fun and charming sing-along songs, superb vocal harmonies and numerous singles from their latest album in heavy rotation at CBC Radio 3. No language barriers here: Rah Rah's tentacles and their sophomore album, Breaking Hearts, will wrap themselves around your ears and won't let go. We don't know what's in the water in Regina, but it sure produces some great pop. There is one thing Rah Rah has the other band doesn't: RoboCat for a "manager."

Photos: Russ Gordon

RoboCat: Rah Rah

Show review: The Locusts Have No King and Olenka & The Autumn Lovers

After some time off to catch our breath following September's ridiculously sublime lineup of shows, we belatedly began celebrating Rock-tober last Wednesday with a great evening at Windsor's Phog Lounge (we are back again tonight, Oct. 26, for Rah Rah, We Were Lovers and James O-L and the Villains, review to come).

Instead of the Rheostats from Sarnia to kick off the evening-- no, not the RheostatICs-- we got the Rheostat, as it was just band member John Pilat and his guitar. Pleasant enough, but hardly the opportunity to review the band.

Windsor-based The Locusts Have No King have been on the Phog bill several times this year and we'd heard the, uh, buzz, and now we know why. We debated how to describe them on the way home, and came up with quirky punkabilly, although with his full dark beard and glasses and slightly nasal vocals, lead singer David Dubois is more folk class than thrash. If you want to check them out yourself, The Locusts Have No King are opening for Nightwood at the Phog next month on the 24th.

"Oh my god," someone gasped when Olenka & The Autumn Lovers launched into "Odessa" from their new album, And Now We Sing. The outburst was a reaction to the beauty of the vocal harmonies of Olenka Krakus, violinist Sara Froese and cellist Kelly Wallraff. They're so good the band devoted two songs to "just the girls." "People like it when just the girls sing," Krakus commented with charming naivete. "I don't know why. What's wrong with boys?"


Not a thing, as drummer Daniel Mancini, the versatile Blair Whatmore on guitar, mandolin and lap steel and Simon Larochette on trumpet solidly supported the girls. The band's sound and songs might be inspired by the old country, but there's nothing dated or staid about this oom-pah-pah powered folk/country/pop. Like St. Patrick's Day when everyone is Irish, everyone's a little Polish when Olenka & The Autumn Lovers are in the house. (Photos: Russ Gordon)