"(To) all the sniffling indie kids: Hold Steady!"
This week, the $75 000 dollar men play what will arguably be one of the biggest 'indie' shows this city has ever seen. No no, not The Soft Disaster, but rather Death Cab For Cutie, that band indie kids everywhere love to hate to love. And though the band has been constantly accused of playing too large a part in the increasing commodification of indie-rock, it's just pretty much impossible to ever be/stay mad at Ben Gibbard... 's glasses.
By contrast, The Hold Steady, that raucous indie-rock band that indie kids everywhere love to actually love, play Zaphod's on Sunday. This is a show you're supposed to go to and tell everybody how you swear you had their great new album, Boys And Girls In America, on pre-order before anybody even knew it was coming out, and that you also have their first, the awesome Separation Sunday. And then somebody tells you that their first album was actually The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me. And then, while stifling tears, you pull out your most obscure band pins and try to poke that jerk's eyes out.
Ok, uh, other notables coming to town are Priya Thomas, who indie-rocks out like few others can; Raising The Fawn, featuring members of Broken Social Scene, with locals The Soft Disaster also on the bill; and geez, there's a lot of others. More legendary punk comes to town via The Subhumans, the Black Sheep Inn hosts interesting alt-country band Ox, and Sarah Harmer, one of the best female voices in Canada, plays two shows.
What shows are you most looking forward to this week?
Want to put the 'argu' in 'arguably' and throw out a 'bigger' (as in popular, I guess) indie name that's come to town?
If you had to choose just one Sarah Harmer show, which one would it be, and why? (five-paragraph essay format, please)
Mon - 10.23.06
Twelve 34* with Cue Madison, Eppiphane*, at Zaphod's
Wed - 10.25.06
Priya Thomas with Chet, Away Ri'O, at Zaphod's
-->stream tracks at website and myspace, including She Said (Why Were We Born)
Raising The Fawn with In-Flight Safety and The Soft Disaster* at Café Dekcuf
Thurs - 10.26.06
The Diableros with Uncut, at Zaphod's
Ox with Adam Puddington, at The Black Sheep Inn
Sarah Harmer, at Capital Music Hall
Fri - 10.27.06
These Arms Are Snakes with Mouth Of The Architecht, Young Widows, at Babylon (5pm)
Clothes Make The Man with The Love Machine*, at Babylon (10pm)
-->The Love Machine - We Are Squirrels And This Is Nuts (website, myspace)
Sarah Harmer, at Capital Music Hall
The Subhumans with The Riptides, Four-Stroke*, at Maverick's
We Are Wolves with Crystal Clyffs, Daiquiri, Place*, at Zaphod's
Sat - 10.28.06
Death Cab For Cutie with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, at The Civic Centre
-->Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Me & Mia (website, myspace)
-->Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Timorous Me
Jambands.ca Halloween Party ft. Inglewood Jack*, Souljazz Orchestra*, and The Tad Hackish Band*, at The Bytown Tavern
Johnny Ballistic & The Crackband* with The Ashley Newall Band*, at Zaphod's
Sun - 10.29.06
The Hold Steady with Sean Na Na, at Zaphod's
-->The Hold Steady - Chips Ahoy! (website, myspace)
-->The Hold Steady - Your Little Hoodrat Friend
-->The Hold Steady - Positive Jam
* denotes local act
10.23.2006
this week in Ottawa: 10.23.06 - 10.29.06
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4 comments:
No We Are Wolves love? Tear...
Arcade Fire came with U2 that one time...that may or may not qualify. But other than I think you may be right on the nose.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! Arcade Fire at the Black Sheep/Barrymore's! Umm...The Strokes!
Actually, have you ever looked at the "History" page on the Zaphod's site? They've had some really impressive bands come through there: The Dears, post-pop music/pre-Jagged Little Pill Alanis, pre-Naveed Our Lady Peace, Hawksley Workman, The Constantines, Broken Social Scene/Stars, Yo La Tengo, The Unicorns...even, uh, Nickelback. I remember when The Weakerthans and The Constantines played at Babylon in 2000 or so, and when Pearl Jam played at Robert Guertin Arena in 1993. And Barrymore's has hosted U2, Iggy Pop and Gang of Four. As boring as this city seems, we've had some excellent shows come through here.
Anyway, I'd like to go see Raising The Fawn or The Diableros, but I don't know if I will. And I'm definitely seeing Death Cab/Ted Leo.
Man, Matthew, you'd better not be paying 35 bucks to see Death Cab. Seriously: not. worth. it.
Enh -- I've dragged my girlfriend to all kinds of shows she has no desire to go to, so I figure it's only fair I spend some money and go to a show she wants to see.
Also, D613:
1) Hottest bands/artists in Canada list?
and
2) there's a show I just found out about that you should add -- this Friday at Irene's, The Awkward Stage (from Vancouver, on Mint Records) are playing. Jon Bartlett from Kelp is promoting it. No opener right now, because the person who was in that slot dropped out and Bartlett is trying to find a replacement.
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