ROAD TRIP! Best kept Wet Secrets

Sat., Feb. 15
Call the Office ~ London

This is one secret that should be shared, not kept: Edmonton's The Wet Secrets have a new album out and they're playing a few shows before making their way to SXSW. Way better than a box of chocolates, that's why we're heading for London to happily pay for some Free Candy. Listen: "Nightlife."

Show Alert: Fridays at the Library

Library Voices
Fri., Jul. 13
Phog Lounge, Windsor ~ $15 at the door
w/ Frontiers (Windsor)

Fri., Jul. 20
Call the Office, London

Regina's Library Voices was the very first show review we ever wrote, and everything we observed then holds true now: in our humble opinion, they deliver one of the best live shows of any Canadian indie band. We love them so much, our Traveller's Digest includes spending our next two Fridays with them. We'll be tunneling over to Windsor tomorrow (as long as there isn't another bomb threat), and next Friday in London when we're in town for the Home County Folk Festival. The Summer of Lust lives on.

We need more drummer photos.  Here's a drummer photo.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images

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 Alert - London: PS I Love You and Suuns

PS I Love You and Suuns @ Call The Office 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 - 9:00PM

(Suuns video is brilliant but NSFW)

Show Review: That's Fucked Up

Post rating: NSFW
Warning: contains repeated instances of profanity

Deciding at the last minute to drive five hours round-trip to Call the Office in London, Ont.? That's Fucked Up.

Meeting up with fellow R3 bloggers ryanmaksymic and StephRamsahai for the show? That's awesome, not fucked up.

Seeing lead singer Damian Abraham's alter ego as doting dad? That's awesome, too. (Like we were going to say that's Fucked Up.)

Listening to Damian belt out "The Other Shoe" into a dead microphone? That's Fucked Up.

Receiving a sweat-drenched hug from a half-naked Damian? That's Fucked Up.

Getting your glasses destroyed in a mosh pit? That's Fucked Up.

Getting a negligible set of photos because you had to leave the good camera at home so it didn't get destroyed in a mosh pit? That's Fucked Up.

Marveling at the stoicism of a band that plays on while audience members crash the stage? That's Fucked Up.

Watching Damian give communion to the crowd during "Son, the Father"? That's Fucked Up.

Getting a parking ticket because you were so eager to get into the venue you forgot to pay? That's Fucked Up.

The Besnard Lakes are coming to the Great Lakes.

Somehow this one flew under our radar: Montreal's The Besnard Lakes are opening for Band of Horses tonight (Friday, Oct. 22) at the Fillmore Detroit.

To those of us used to budget-friendly Canadian indie shows, tickets are pricey: $35, not including fees. But if your wallet and schedule allows, we highly recommend  The Besnard Lakes. We had the great pleasure of seeing them perform this past June in London, Ont. at Call the Office.

The show remains in our Top Ten for the year (and we've had quite a year of shows), as might be expected for a 2010 Polaris short-listed band (for The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night). If you like atmospheric, 70s-inspired music that just plain rocks, you'll love The Besnard Lakes, and Jace Lasek's amazingly angelic and pure falsetto vocals. Bonus: seeing a show at the legendary and gorgeous Fillmore Detroit is almost worth the ticket price alone.

Here are The Besnard Lakes performing "And This is What They Call Progress" from The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night on Q earlier this year:



Photos: Russ Gordon