Show Review: Raised by Swans-- Barefoot in the Phog

The (sound)waves of the Cascade; a Pink Moth and Swans. Mid-February is a little too early for these sights and sounds of a barefoot walk in the park. The next best thing was walking into the Phog Lounge on  Sat., Feb. 12.

Opening band Two For the Cascade, besides being one of N2D's "Bands we most wanted to hear more from" in 2010, on a second listen also gets our vote for "Most unlikely combination that works." They are a study in contrasts: Kevin Buckridan's furious guitar work, his roadhouse vocals paired with statuesque wife Stefanie Zaccagnini's smoky voice, George Manury's capable drumming (surely the hardest working indie musician in Windsor), all doused in the B-movie effects of the theremin played by Holly Brush.

With just a guitar for accompaniment, Pink Moth, the alter ego of London's Ray Cammaert, provided a quiet interlude that showcased more of his folk music than his experimental explorations. Cammaert is in the middle of an ambitious six EP project (he's been producing one every two months) and preparing for an overseas tour that begins at the end of March. "Touring is great," said Ray. "Canada is great, and Europe is even better. I'm going for two months."







Raised By Swans, on a small stage in the best live intimate venue in Canada, are the musical mirror to the poise and elegance of their namesake: the graceful, beautiful swan, gliding across a pond. RBS's ethereal stylings, anchored by the precision of Brady Parr's drumming, offered another flawless performance of songs from 2010's No Ghostless Place and 2005's Codes And Secret Longing. Barefoot in the dead of winter, Eric Howden's vocals warmed our ears. Alex Wright's thoughtful guitar, bassist Andy Magoffin and guest keyboardist Pink Moth completed the musical picture for the evening. It's a sound so enchanting that Erin, a student from Bowling Green, Ken., drove all the way to Windsor just to see them. "While watching the film Chloe," said Erin, "I was captivated by the music and had to find more about the band."

Photos: Russ Gordon

Show Alert: Raised by Swans @ Phog Lounge Feb. 19

It promises to be an introspective evening at Windsor's Phog Lounge this Sat., Feb. 19. All three bands on the bill-- Raised by Swans (London), Pink Moth (Toronto) and Two for the Cascade (Windsor)-- are notable for pensive, wistful compositions that are best savored like dessert: slowly, one dreamy note at a time.

Raised by Swans, led by the quaintly bare-footed Eric Howden-- once a member of the Gandharvas-- has the most mature, fully-realized sound. CHRW 94.9 FM recently named no ghostless place its local album of the year for 2010. Many band names seem to have nothing to do with the kind of music they play; in this case, it suits them perfectly. Entranced by the beautiful melodies and Alex Wright's distinctive guitar work plucked high on the frets, Raised by Swans made our Top Ten list for last year and both of their albums get regular play.


We are also looking forward to (finally) hearing Two for the Cascade again, another favourite from 2010. Theremins rule. If their play list is any indication, we'll be hearing another unique instrument from Pink Moth-- the saw. Their songs range from straight-up indie folk to futuristic and experimental. We're okay with that.


Photos: Russ Gordon

A Vote for Us...

Is a vote for clean air, fresh water, lower emissions and higher mpg.

Well, that would be nice, but not really. Your votes did help us survive the first cut for the CBC Radio 3 Searchlight for the Best Canadian Music Website. And that's a vote for all the Canadian indie bands we know and love and support through what we do. For both, we thank you.

One of the other great things about Searchlight is that it does just that: shines a light on something that might not otherwise get noticed. Like a lot of other blogs and websites promoting Canadian indie music. The second round of voting (which will cut the list down to 30) continues until next week; be sure to check out some of the other folks putting passion over profit.

We'll be getting back to business shortly. Our show schedule has been quiet (March, however, is getting more awesome by the day); we're looking forward to a great lineup at Windsor's Phog Lounge on Sat., Feb. 19: Raised by Swans, Pink Moth and Two for the Cascade.  Until then, watch for a review of the Elliott BROOD show at the Capitol Theatre last month.


Photo: Russ Gordon