Show Alert: Lindy + Wax + Repartee + The Unquiet Dead

Fri., Sep. 27
@Phog Lounge 

Poster: Jamie Greer

Show Alert: Wax and Spookey Ruben are DoneFor

Sat., Jun. 9
Phog Lounge, Windsor
Wax Mannequin, Spookey Ruben and the DoneFors

Shopping the other day, we perked up when we heard Cowboy Junkies over the store radio. Not that unusual, as they get commercial air play. Then Kathleen Edwards came on, and we had to ask the clerk: what are you listening to? "Oh, something on Sirius, I think."

We knew it wasn't CBC Radio 3, but that didn't stop us from launching into our spiel. "If you like Canadian indie..." Oh yeah, she said, and ticked off the usual suspects. "I like Tegan & Sara, Arcade Fire, Sam Roberts..."

Before we'd spent a cent, we closed the deal with an N2DS2W card and the following advice: check out our show calendar to discover other great Canadian indie acts playing Windsor/Detroit that you'll likely never hear on 89X or 93.9 The River, like this great line-up at Windsor's Phog Lounge tonight: the always entertaining and original Wax Mannequin, the equally unique and eccentric pop-rock of Toronto's Spookey Ruben and the DoneFors' "Canadiana Vanguard," also via Toronto.

Show Alert: Phog Lounge becomes the House of Wax

It's crystal clear to us: Windsor's Phog Lounge becomes the House of Wax tonight (Fri., Nov. 18) as one of our favorite performers, Wax Mannequin, brings his unique vocals, lyrics and delivery of progressive pop/folk back to Canada's Best Live Music Venue. We love his quirky show and his fifth full-length album, Saxon (2009), even more.

Also playing:

B.A. Johnston (Hamilton). We're not sure how to describe Johnston, but we're pretty sure "conventional" won't be one of the adjectives we'd use. Check out some of his album song titles on his website.

Blues guitar wunderkind Kess Carpenter

If you can't make it to Windsor, Wax and B.A. Johnston will be at the Black Shire Pub in London tomorrow (Sat., Nov. 19).

Please Help Wax Mannequin

"Help! Since The Burning Hell recently made 'getting robbed' seem like so much fun, I thought I'd try my hand at it. All of my money, cards and ID were stolen last night. Turns out it's Not Fun after all. Jesse Hildebrand has generously offered up the use of his paypal donation site to help me recoup some funds. If you'd like to make a donation, please go here: http://jbhildebrand.com/helpwa​x/ 
Thank you."

Show Review: Wax redux

We enjoyed Wax Mannequin's show at the Phog so much in February, we decided to make a run up to Narnia, uh, Sarnia at the end of May to see him again at Paddy Flaherty's. Unfortunately, a cool, rainy night kept us indoors, but then again, if we'd been outside on the patio, we wouldn't have gotten to see Wax bring down the house.

We jest about the whole Narnia/Sarnia thing, but a Wax Mannequin performance is a little like being in a fantasy land, between the handfuls of crystals, dark fairytale and fairytruth music and body bags full of balloons. Except this time, as Wax was hanging the bag, the shelf over the stage area he tried to affix it to split and gave way, and a treasure trove of bar bric-a-brac crashed down.

The rest of the show was anything but anticlimatic, as Wax delivered a jaunty set that included hits from his latest album, Saxon, plus, to the delight of the audience, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and "The Log Driver's Waltz." Even Paddy's sound man seemed to enjoy himself, despite the bag of ice on his head from the wreck of the shelf.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images

Show review: Independent Day

Toasted tomato sandwiches. Crystals and a chrysalis. Ghost passengers on an otherworldly plane. Exploding birds.* Welcome to an evening at Windsor's Phog Lounge with Wax Mannequin and Jenny Omnichord. Before it was over, we knew we'd seen one of our Top Ten shows of the year.


This is independent music at its best: artists with the valor, ardor and candor to share their original visions with an audience and most of the all, that elusive combination of charisma and talent. It's not just art for the eyes and ears, but the heart, soul and mind.

The now-iconic picture (on his latest release, Saxon) of Wax Mannequin's otherwise handsome visage sandwiched between the soundboard and strings of his classical guitar is just one metaphor for his music and lyrics-- sometimes uncomfortable ("God's Love") yet arresting ("Everything and Everyone"), deeply ingrained and literally in your face. So were the crystals he tossed to the audience-- hard and pretty, something you can't resist picking up ("Pieces of Bird")-- and that giant mysterious body bag/chrysalis that spilled out colorful balloons, fragile illusions he then stomped on.


Jenny Omnichord's songs are less complicated, as playful as the cross-Canada board game that comes with the vinyl package of her latest album, All Our Little Bones, and just as irresistible. Although motherhood inspired not only a children's album (Charlotte or Otis, which features a who's who of Canadian indie musicians) and provided a significant muse for her recent material, all accompanied by the omnipresent omnichord, her music is never monotonous. With subjects ranging from the imaginative ("Ghost Flyers in the Sky", from Cities of Gifts and Ghosts) to gratitude for understanding tour mates ("Pain of Maybes"), how could it be?

Photos: Russ Gordon












*No actual birds were harmed
in the performance of this song.

Show alert: Wax Mannequin and Jenny Omnichord @ Phog Lounge

Just like the weather, the show season is finally starting to warm up. With Canadian Music Week (CMW) as a feeder, the next few weeks promise to be packed with great bands. Just take a look at our calendar to see what's on tap at Windsor's Phog Lounge (besides Steamwhistle and Mill Street).

Although not associated with CMW, the Wax Mannequin w/Jenny Omnichord show this Fri., Feb. 25 at the Phog feels like a kickoff. We're really looking forward to it. Both artists are original, somewhat eccentric and talented singer-songwriters. Check out the Wax Mannequin video for "Something to Hide" off of his 2009 release, Saxon, and Jenny Omnichord's "Pain of Maybes," from her 2010 full length album, All Our Little Bones; we think you'll agree.