Miscellaneous - LeBreton Flats, Ottawa, 7/7/2008...13/7/2008

  by Andrew Carver

published: 31 / 7 / 2008

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Article

While Bluesfest atracts most of its audience with big names like singer-songwriter James Taylor – the main stage headliner for Monday – the performers on the side stages are frequently more compelling. While baby boomers were placing their lawn chairs in anticipation of 'Sweet Baby James' and other classics, Guelph post-punkers the D’Urbervilles were jerking to their angular guitar pop. While fairly active, the band has given better performances, and spindly frontman Tim Bruton appeared far less comfortable on the vast expanse of stage than at the club gig where the band first played town two years ago. At least they fared better to modern ears than the Cooper Brothers, an Ottawa supergroup that had its heyday in the 1970's, when it scored hits like ‘Rock’Roll Cowboys’ and ‘The Dream Never Dies’ on Capricorn (best known for bringing The Allman Brothers). In their day they must have sounded pretty rocking; in hindsight you understand why punk rock happened. The only other band of note performing at the time was New Yorkers Frank Vignola's Rhythm Machine on the Roots Stage. Vignola is widely regarded as one of the best guitarists around, and his Rhythm Machine has mighty chops as well. The band’s fun set featured brisk improvisation that stretched from jazz to bluegrass and even sneaked into classic rock with a Led Zeppelin quote. The next act of note was Argentina’s Federico Aubele, whose dreamy pop is alleged to contain dub, ambient and hip hop influences. While Natalia Clavier (the Argentinian singer-songwriter with whom he was touring) did occasionally linger over a laptop, most of his set was hazy folk music with Aubele strumming on a classical guitar. It was pleasant, though some of his tunes sounded similar. The best show of the evening was from soul singer Bettye Lavette, who made a ferocious impression as she stalked the stage in skin tight black and white outfit. Unlike some performers in the genre who are forced to rely on hits from their glory days in the 1960's and 1970's, Lavette has turned out three albums since her return to performing – indeed, she’s had better luck during her second wind than during her first. Her attentive audience ranged from contemporaries to a pair of young girls who arrived with a “We Love Betty!” sign – and was treated to songs from 1962’s ‘My Man – He’s A Loving Man’ to ‘The Battle of Bettye Lavette’ from her latest album with the Drive-By Truckers. Her excellent set still left enough time to see one more act, and it was a short walk over the hill to see legendary French-Algerian performer Rachid Taha. Taha has a wicked band to support him, including mandolutist Hakim Hamadouche, whose chosen instrument gives much of Taha’s blend of French rock and traditional Arabic music its distinctive character. The audience was mighty worked up by his performance - several people were heard saying it was the best Bluesfest concert they'd been to yet – but Taha looked a little worse for wear. His voice got a little bit creaky at points, and the fact he had a stagehand turn the pages of a music book propped on a monitor and help him back into his jacket left the impression of past hard living - possibly just before the set itself. On the other hand, he was quite lively during at least part of the gig, jumping off the stage (into the hands of the aforementioned stagehand) to meet and greet the audience and thrust his microphone into the crowd. Tuesday was a big day with popular indie performers like Stars, Most Serene Republic, and Jason Collett on The River Stage and Born Ruffians and Tokyo Police Club on the Black Sheep. Over on the major stage area one could also subject oneself to the neo-soul stylings of Jully Black, the sophisticated roots music of Boz Scaggs or Fergie and her humps. Jason Collett is a member of Broken Social Scene’s vast collective. His rootsy pop is entertaining, but the same intelligence which gives it an edge sometimes bubbles over into annoying smugness. The music of Born Ruffians has far more boyish charm. The influence of New York’s new wave – Television, Richard Hell, Talking Heads – as well as Jonathan Richman can be heard in their wiry, naive rock. The lull deepened further on Wednesday; Brian Wilson was a temptation, as was Calexico. But once again other sets didn’t pose the same attraction as Ottawa’s nightlife. Thursday was a different story; local act Sadie Hell’s hollering folkpunk sparked things off, and Montreal buzz band Plants and Animals attracted a large crowd. The band’s debut LP has been nominated for Canada’s biggest independent music award, the Polaris Prize. The band describes their sound as “post-classic rock”. That may sound like a joke, but on album they do sound something like a modern update on the Move or early ELO. Soaring vocals and string arrangements sweeten their recorded work. Live the band gets back on effective harmonies from its three members. In comparison, there was no modernizing at all to be had from Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed on the main stage. A belter with a fondness for Sam Cooke, Reed’s avowedly retro R&B and soul is capable – he has a powerful voice, well-oiled pompadour, a brass section and a sharp band – but could do with a twist or two on the formula. Meanwhile, the Remesha Drums were bringing a bit of their native Burundi to the expanse of concrete in front of the Black Sheep Stage. The nine (or is it 10?) drummers spin and jump around a semi-circle of drums centred on another ingoma, where each man takes his turn pounding out a rhythm of his own selection. Twisting and shouting in their bright red robes, they made for an engaging spectacle. The Mighty Pop, a local performer, who hails from the same part of the world, then took the stage for some of his own jaunty afropop. Later in the evening Michael Jerome Brown performed some folk-blues of prewar vintage on the Roots Stage. Chess, Decca and Champion veteran Charles Walker also put in an appearance with the Dynamites for an old-style soul revue much in the vein of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Tones. Seun Kuti performed an electrifying set with his father Fela’s band Egypt 80 on the Black Sheep Stage. The younger Kuti is following more closely in his father’s musical footsteps than his older brother Femi, and his set was a treat for hard core Afrobeat fans. A massive crowd also turned out for the Black Crowes, who provided a mammoth festival rock experience. The band itself was vaguely visible amid their blinding lightshow. Friday began with the soulful country rock of the Brothers Chaffey. The local band doesn’t receive half of the acclaim it deserves. Between Matthew Chaffey’s yearning vocals and Kurtis Chaffey’s Telecaster licks they nail the Tony Joe White/Jim Ford sound. They had a rhythm section and an extra guitarist with them, so they rocked pretty hard on their own tunes and a cover of Bo Diddley's ‘Mona’. The Love Machine is another local band, both younger and more popular than the Brothers Chaffey. Like many bands today, the Love Machine like to link high volume with sensitive thoughts (at least on stage). Unlike most bands, this does not lead them to sound like blustering wimps. Despite being grilled by the descending summer sun, they put on a fairly energetic set. Country singer Shelby Lynne also performed to a large crowd. Though it wasn’t exactly hers (most seem to have staked out a spot in anticipation of Ray Davies), the spitied country singer charmed them anyway with tunes from her 20-year music career. She has a new record of Dusty Springfield tunes - her first actual vinyl record in a 20-year recording career, she says - and treated the audience to such Springfield tunes: ‘Breakfast in Bed’, ‘I Only Want To Be With You’ and Tony Joe White's ‘Willie and Laura Mae Jones’ (which sounded a bit more like White’s version than Springfield’s). She had a very good band of Nashville musicians with her and it all sounded very sharp. She also amused the crowd with her banter, complimenting one concert-goer’s "fine-smellin' reefer" and describing one song as being written after 14 drinks. Ray Davies hit the stage as the sun dipped below the horizon with only guitarist Bill Shanley for company - it seems the rest of his band went off and got married last time they were in Canada. Davies did play a tune or two of recent vintage, including the title track of 2007's Working Man's Cafe, but mostly treated the enraptured crowd with well-known Kinks classics: ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’, ‘See My Friends’, ‘I'm Not Like Everybody Else’, ‘Lazy Sunday Afternoon’, ‘Tired of Waiting for You’, ‘Dead End Street’, ‘I Need You’, ‘Where Have All the Good Times Gone’ and a final one-two punch, assisted by Shelby Lynne's band, of the eternal ‘Till the End of the Day’ and ‘You Really Got Me’. His between song chatter was also amusing and sometimes mischievous. "You sound like a football crowd" he told them after one attempt to sing along. Saturday kicked off with the XTC-loving sounds of local quintet the Hilotrons. Hamell on Trial also amused at the Black Sheep Stage, but the New York acoustic protest rocker seemed to have slowed down a step since his 2006 appearance. In contrast, Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials had energy to spare. Or at least, Lil’ Ed did. Sporting a jaunty fez the diminutive bluesman jumped and strutted his way through his set to a rousing climax of ‘Got My Mojo Working’ sung by his hefty half brother James ‘Pookie’ Young. Shakura S'aida also injected some more actual blues into the Bluesfest (many longtime attendees complain about the dilution of its purpose) with some Etta James style R&B. Redd Volkaert and steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar provided an unexpected highlight with rollicking covers of George Jones, Santo and Johnny's ‘Sleepwalk’ and the Boxtops' ‘My Baby Sent Me A Letter’. For pure energy, it was hard to beat gumbo prophet and pitchman The Sauce Boss. Part chef, part bluesman, part carnival barker, possibly all nuts, The Sauce Boss mixed up a pot of gumbo (made of course with his own brand of hot sauce, available for purchase of course) while rocking out a few numbers, one of which brought him down into the audience, resonator in hand. The resulting gumbo was also pretty tasty, though the show itself might have been hard to swallow for those allergic to either shellfish or shtick. Mofro capped the evening with a typically excellent evening of soul-inflected southern rock. Bluesfest’s final day began with more blues courtesy of Debbie Davis, a skilled guitarist who plays in the traditional Chicago electric style of Magic Sam. On the main stage Trevor James and the Perfect Gentleman were adding some rock to James’ sensitive lyrics. They sounded better when James stuck to the high notes and an acoustic guitar. Local country Rocker Trevor Alguire fared far better. He’s collected some journeyman country rockers into his band, the Roving Troubadors, including ace local fiddler Michael Ball and Prairie Oyster guitarist Keith Glass. The last show of the festival for this reviewer was Martha Wainright. An early evening slot on the Roots Stage seemed like a bit of a step down from a headlining spot at the festival in 2006. Then again this time it was just her and an acoustic guitar. Even without her backing band she proved an adept performer. Her mother, famed Canadian folksinger Kate McGarrigle, also joined her to sing backup and play piano on a few songs, including a cover of Ma Rainey's version of 'Oh Papa Blues'. After that, the festival finished off with their usual disco-oriented Sunday evening (this year it was Donna Summers’ turn to boogie on down). In summary, 2008 seemed heavily weighted to local and Canadian acts – thus of less interest to the dedicated showgoer who looks to festivals to attract the kind of bands normally unswayed by club fees – and also boasted more blues acts. The main stage scored a number of big hits: The Black Crowes and James Taylor attracted considerable acclaim, as did popular Canadian acts like Great Big Sea. It also scored a couple of duds: Steely Dan was widely excoriated, and poor Brian Wilson was plagued with technical difficulties. Over 10 days, the most brilliant performances were claimed by Richard Thompson and Bettye Lavette, but their competition wasn’t as strong as it had been in previous years.

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