Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Alex Cuba and Redbull Crashed Ice to Double Barrel and Duchess Says

If you want to kick off your week by taking a trip down memory lane, you can catch The Teat Party live at the Algonquin Commons Theatre. The Canadian rock (or “Moroccan roll”) band which was a huge hit in the 90s will be playing live in Ottawa alongside The Road Heavy as part of their 20 Years of Transmission reunion tour.

From March 1-11 at the Gladstone Theatre, you can catch Finishing The Suit, a play written by Lawrence Aronovitch that’s set in 1972, when being out of the closet can get you jailed. But inside a Jewish tailor’s shop, all secrets are on the measuring table, as the tailor puts the finishing touches on a morning suit. Eavesdrop as he remembers and mourns the two great loves of his life: a young, brash Irish actor and an enigmatic, battle-weary duke.

At Live on Elgin this Wednesday, March 1, you can start the new month in music with live performances by Ottawa’s Jumpin Joel Flash & The Magic Machine, multi-instrumentalist Jasen Colson and jazzy pop singer-songwriter Alanna Sterling.

The Ottawa Jazz Festival is swinging into spring with a live annual auction and benefit concert featuring Latin Grammy/Juno winner, singer-songwriter Alex Cuba at Library & Archives Canada this Thursday, March 2. The auction, hosted by auctioneer Alan Neal of the CBC, will be followed by a performance by latin sensation Alex Cuba, who will take the stage to present his latest release Healer.

If you’re up for a night of live local music this Thursday night, head over to House of Targ to catch Ottawa rock band Riishi Von Rex, soul/blues singer-songwriter Bella Cat and reggae outfit Nile Groove.

Red Bull Crashed Ice: there’s nothing quite like it! This intense high-energy event will be happening in Canada’s capital city this weekend and for the first time ever. The event will feature the World Junior Championship and Ice Cross Downhill World Series Season Finale, between the Bytown Museum, the Rideau Canal locks and the Chateau Laurier. This event is free and open to the public and presented as part of Canada 150.

Toronto punk rockers Billy Talent will be making a stop in Ottawa this Friday night as part of their Afraid of Heights Tour. This time around, the guys will be playing live at TD Place over at Lansdowne.

Ottawa post hardcore/experimental band Halfsleeper will be giving their first show of 2017 this Friday night at an undisclosed location (in other words it’s a house show) and they’ll be joined by Toronto post rock/instrumental group Vistas and Ottawa alt rock/grunge trio Elementals.

Sam Patch (made of up members of Arcade Fire) will be playing live at Zaphods this Friday night and for the occasion, the Montreal indie project will be sharing the stage with Montreal dream pop outfit Loon and Ottawa indie rock newcomers Baker (André M. Bluteau and members of Lost to the River).

This Friday night at Bar Robo, three of Ottawa’s saddest songwriters will croon softly to you about loves lost and opportunities missed with their own brands of folk/country musings.

Double Barrel, one of Ottawa’s most popular monthly dance parties, is going down inside its new home at Babylon this Friday night. Resident DJ Magnificent will be gracing the 1s and 2s with his new sidekick Trevor Walker and there will also be a live performance by Ottawa’s new funk outfit Slack Bridges. Detroit Soul Food will also be back to provide tasty eats. An all-vinyl funk, soul, Motown and vintage reggae dance party you don’t want to miss!

The Brass Monkey seems to increasingly be the place to go to check out quality rock, metal and hardcore shows and this Saturday is no different as the venue welcomes Buffalo hardcore/metal band Every Time I Die, Kentucky hardcore/nu-metal group Knocked Loose, Chicago hardcore outfit Harms Way, and Pittsburgh hardcore/metal project Eternal Sleep.

At the Minotaure in the Hull sector of Gatineau this Saturday night, Vile Productions presents a four-band bill featuring Gatineau rockers Eldorado, Gatineau rockers Colorsfade, Toronto project Polarity and Ottawa/Montreal rock outfit Règlement17.

The good folks at Venus Envy are turning 16 this year and they’re throwing their 4th annual fundraising group show of erotic/sensual/sexy work called the Filthy Dirty Art Show. The event will be held on Saturday, March 4 and will feature works by artists Mique Michelle, Twin Ravens, Alexandre Aimee, RJ Jones, Daniel Davidson and more and there will be live music by DJ del Pilar.

On Saturday night at the always-cool Record Centre, Ottawa Showbox, the OMIC and JUNOfest present Sight & Sound, an immersive audiovisual experience merging live music and video projections featuring Amos the Transparent, Trails and VJ LES666.

Over at the Petit Chicago this Saturday night, do yourself a favour and check out Montreal dance punks Duchess Says if you’re in the mood for a fun and rowdy show.  The Bonsound signees are set to play live with Gatineau’s own FET.NAT and knowing these two bands, it’s bound to be an epic show that you won’t want to miss.

What’s cool about the Deep Therapy monthly is that it keeps happening at different locations. This Saturday, it’ll explore the potential of an all new venue, Ottawa’s Arts Court. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Deep Therapy showcases the sounds of deep and cutting edge house music in a unique and inviting atmosphere that defies the ordinary.

Afropolitan is a 5-month series of events presented at the Mercury Lounge as part of Canada 150 that features DJs, percussionists and dancers showcasing the strong African, Caribbean, and Latin influences that have shaped today’s house music. The second edition happening this Saturday, March 4 will feature DJ Gabe Price of Montreal alongside the Tribal Threat DJs.

The Listening Party is a brand new monthly event happening at Makita Kitchen Bar that celebrates classic, new and local albums played in their entirety. We’re talking start to finish. Each month, organizers will select one record to be played based on their desires, your input and weather patterns. The inaugural event will feature the 1987 Grammy’s album of the year Graceland by Paul Simon. Love the concept, hope it’s as cool as it sounds.

Local DJ Jon Deck is bringing his We Good party back at the Elmdale this Saturday night and this latest edition will feature a live set by Redbull Thre3style Champion DJ COSMO of Montreal. The event will also include a pop-up shop that should be announced soon.

Ottawa’s own Chef Chico and Aunt Thelma’s are hosting the next Hip Hop Hangover Brunch of 2017 this Sunday, March 5. Happening at Kinki, the popular event will feature a finger-licking good thematic brunch menu paired with beats provided by Professor Mele and friends. One of the most solid brunches that you’ll ever try, trust me and my tummy.

The 2nd Annual Westfest “ALL STAR” Fundraiser, hosted by Councilor Jeff Lieper & local music icon Jim Bryson, is happening this Sunday afternoon at Orange Art Gallery. You can expect jam-packed live entertainment from the likes of Craig Cardiff, Mike Dubue (of Hilotrons), River City Junction, Jesse Dangerously and more as well as craft beer, wine & vodka, local fair-trade coffee, delicious food, and more.

If you want to end your weekend by checking out some live music, head over to Bar Robo this Sunday night to catch Vancouver indie rock/post punks Bad Pop, Ottawa indie garage band Empty Nesters and Ottawa garage rockers Holy Christopher.

Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Asinabka and Hopped & Confused to Switched on Synths and Deep Therapy

This Tuesday evening at the Ottawa Art Gallery, there’s going to be a special On the Grid edition of Beats & Boards in conjunction with the exhibition Jerry Grey on the Grid: 1968-1978. Between 6 and 10 p.m., drop in to play grid-based board games while enjoying music by DJ Hobo.

Hamilton-based singer-songwriter and musician Will Gillespie will be performing live in Ottawa this Tuesday as part of his Kings of the Summer Solo Tour. The folk rock artist will be playing at Avant-Garde in an effort to promote his latest album Kings of the Summer.

Over at Zaphods this Wednesday night, you can catch a night of live music featuring strictly local bands. Ottawa progressive experimental rockers Forest, Ottawa alternative rock/post hardcore band T-Rex Marathon, Ottawa experimental rock group In Fiasco and Ottawa garage punks Empty Nesters will all be playing live and sharing the stage.

For the fifth year, Ottawa will be home to the Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival celebrating Indigenous arts on Algonquin Territory. Following four successful editions, the annual festival is back with a 2016 installment taking place from August 10 to 14 that promises to offer a rich and engaging programming emphasizing art works that examine Indigenous issues and topics. The festival will take place over four days and will feature film screenings and gallery exhibitions, some of which are being held outdoors. Click on the below poster for festival details and check out Eventful Capital’s special feature on Asinabka to find out more.

Toronto/Ottawa alternative hip hop artist Aron the Alien is celebrating his birthday this week and Rocksteady Bookings is throwing a party to mark the occasion. Happening at Flapjack’s this Thursday night, the event will feature live music by Trtlnckfx, Pippa (previously known as Pipahauntas), Kofee and Bear Trap Gang.

Ottawa pop/rock/folk/punk band Sweet Alps is having an album release show this Thursday night at House of Targ and for the occasion, they’ll be sharing the stage with Toronto indie rock group Towers and Ottawa progressive rock/funk project Grand Theft Ottawa.

Ever heard of the Hopped & Confused fest? Me neither. It’s a new addition to the ever-growing festival list in the Nation’s capital and it’s going down at the Mill St. Brewery this weekend. It’s basically a 2-day outdoor beer, music and food festival in collaboration with Dine Alone Records. It’ll feature performances by the Sheepdogs and Monster Truck as well as over 15 Mill Street beers on tap, unique casks, an exclusive Hopped and Confused White IPA and a glorious summer picnic inspired by San Antonio’s mexicana and barbecue culinary scene. Must be legal drinking age to enter.

Wakefield’s own Rebelle (previously known as The Strain) will be playing live at the Blacksheep Inn this Friday night and they’re bound to feature new material as part of their set. Also on the bill that night will be The Kents and Toronto garage rock band Bad Girls.

Toronto’s Red Handed Denial is coming to Ottawa for the first time this Friday, August 12 in an effort to promote their latest EP “Wanderer”. For the occasion, the progressive rock/metal band will be performing live at Cafe Deckuf with local voodoo-metal group ooluu, Montreal industrial metal formation Projekt F and Ottawa experimental synth noise/industrial/techno project Final Fall.

Last time I checked, Switched On Synths was a monthly, but it looks like they’re having two editions this month. The electronic music series dedicated to all things synth is having a second August installment this Friday night and this time it’s the Mutant Disco Edition. Happening at House of Targ, the event will feature a set by Brooklyn house/techno artist Steve Summers, Ottawa/Montreal dark synth pop group Violence, Montreal new romantic italo disco artist Automelodi and Denmark post punk queer synth wave project Prison.

This Saturday, August 13, check out OH Canada Music Festival, a fundraiser event focussed on promoting Canadian artists, which also supports charities that help improve our communities. The festival will feature Canadians artists from all ranges within the music and arts industry, including DJs, dancers, poets, musicians, urban artists, painters, comedians and more. The event goes down at Mooney’s Bay and all proceeds raised will be donated to CHEO.

 

This Saturday afternoon and evening, the Ottawa Rock Camp For Girls Summer Block Party is going down along Arlington Avenue. Come hang and enjoy the outdoors while you take in the BBQ, get some temporary tattoos, check out some sidewalk chalk, a girls skate competition and cover bands. Proceeds from the event will go to support this year’s Ottawa Rock Camp for Girls.

Ottawa natives and now Toronto-based band Thrifty Kids will be making a return to familiar territory to perform live at Flapjack’s this Saturday night. The indie pop/surf rock 4-piece will be joined by Montreal group Small Rooms as well as Ottawa bands Lees Avenue and Elementals.

Over at the Minotaure in the Hull sector of Gatineau this Saturday night, you can check out Gatineau rock band Eldorado, who’ll be giving their first show of 2016. For the occasion, the group will be joined by Montreal punk rock band Society’s IIIs and Gatineau acoustic folk project Chupacabra.

This Saturday at the Mercury Lounge, DJs Sergio Pari, Chiino and Tone A bring you Deep Therapy, a dance party that showcases the sounds of deep and cutting edge house music in a unique and inviting atmosphere that defies the ordinary. It’s your remedy from the mainstream, so let loose and dance.

 

From the Outaouais and Beyond: The 2014 FOÉ Keeps the Focus on Emerging Artists

Those who attended this year’s Festival de l’Outaouais Émergent, held from September 4 to 7, all ended up with a similar conclusion: the local cultural scene in Gatineau is certainly alive and well. Affectionately called the FOÉ, the annual festival that’s progressively growing, does a fine job at giving centre stage to emerging artists from the Outaouais and beyond in an effort to celebrate homegrown talent from a variety of artistic disciplines.

This year, on top of the shows presented at the main festival site, organizers made great use of existing venues in the Vieux-Hull sector to offer a series of late night sets that allowed downtown bars, restaurants and art galleries to host a welcoming amount of festival-goers. A sure sign that the FOÉ is spreading its wings and expanding towards wider horizons.

It was the first year that Eventful Capital got to cover the festivities, and overall I walk away with a very positive experience, and it somewhat felt like Gatineau’s equivalent to Ottawa’s DIY Arboretum festival.

Philippe B giving an intimate acoustic set as part of the 2014 FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

I jumped feet first into the FOÉ on Friday by catching Philippe B’s set at the AXENÉO7 art gallery located a stone’s throw away from the main stage. Because of a power outage, the talented folk pop singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based out of Montreal gave an intimate acoustic performance in a constricted muggy room piled with about 70 attentive festival-goers. Although Philippe B ended up playing a shortened 30 minute set given the circumstances, it was extremely special, moving and a rare occasion for both the artist and the audience. In this case, less was certainly more. Joined by two vocalists who complimented the performance with beautiful harmonies, the artist humbly offered the songs La complainte du scaphandrier, Ornithologie II, Archipels, Nous irons jusqu’au soleil, Les prisonniers du Lac Dufault, Petite Leçon de Ténèbres, Calorifère, and a cover of Gainsbourg’s La chanson de Prévert. The crowd unsurprisingly called him back for an encore, which he gladly delivered. 

Local singer Gabriella Hook performing live on the Main Stage as part of the 2014 FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

Following Philippe B’s unique set, I crossed the street to see Gabriella Hook who was opening the night on the main stage.  The pop jazz singer-songwriter and musician originally from Chelsea was in great shape and gave a noteworthy performance to warm up the crowd gathering for headliners Half Moon Run. Armed with a good stage presence and accompanied by a drummer and keyboardist, the lovely Hook delivered material from her debut album “Build a Storm” including the songs Don’t Put Your Hands Down, Miles, and Barrels and Bears.  

Alexandre Desilets keeping the crowd moving on the Main Stage as part of the 2014 FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

Soon after Hook, it was Alexandre Desilets’ turn to take the stage. The 30-something Montreal-based pop rock artist originally from Gatineau, was joined by his band and together they jumped right into their set with tunes from Desilets’ latest studio album “Fancy Ghetto” including the title track, Perle rare, and Bat toi mon coeur along with older songs like Le repère and Si loin. Desilets, who was clearly happy to be back home performing in front of a local audience, delivered a high energy performance complete with great stage presence. He had just the right amount of interaction with the crowd and had festival-goers singing and dancing until the end.  

Milk And Bone giving their first full performance as part of the FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

I returned to the FOÉ on Day 2 just in time to catch Milk And Bone at AXENÉO7 and I’m really glad that I chose to arrive early to see them because they surely didn’t disappoint. The electro synthpop duo from Montreal comprised of Laurence Lafond-Beaulne and Camille Poliquin, gave an intimate set in front of about 60 people and for artists who performed their entire repertoire in front of a live audience for the first time, they sounded flawless. Their sound, somewhat reminiscent of Purity Ring, Blue Hawaii and Jessy Lanza, was mesmerizing, combining hauntingly beautiful harmonies with simple synth melodies and drum beats. The duo, who’s currently working on a debut album, gave a solid 45-minute set including the tracks New York and Sochi. The whole thing was extremely candid and honest and it just felt right. Look out for Milk & Bone and keep them on your radar, because they girls are definitely going somewhere.

Mastik performing live as part of the FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

After Milk And Bone, I made my way over to the main stage for Mastik, a Franco-Ontarian indie rock trio based out of Ottawa. The guys, who are about to release their  first full-lenght album, previewed some of the new material to those gathered at the FOE to discover them. Mastik delivered a respectable performance, however there was something missing that I couldn’t put my finger on, either from their stage presence or their overall sound.

Les Trois Accords headlining the 2014 FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

After a well-deserved lunch break, I returned to the main stage to check out headliners Les Trois Accords. A rather big name for a relatively small festival, the pop/punk rock band from Drumondville, Quebec attracted lots of fans to the FOÉ and did what they do best: entertain. Bringing tons of energy to the stage, the trio interacted with the crowd throughout the set and clearly had fun with festival-goers who seemed to love every minute of it. It’s always a good time with them and there’s never a dull moment so it was certainly a good move from festival organizers to book them as they were sure to bring in a good crowd. The group’s set features the songs Saskatchewan, Le Bureau du medecin, Lucille, Elle s’apellait Serge, Tout nu sur la plage, Son visage était parfait, and Dans mon corps among others.

Alaclair Ensemble keeping the party going at Bistro as part of the FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

It’s at the Bistro that I chose to end Day 2 of the FOÉ, by checking out the live performance courtesy of Quebec “Franglais” hip-hop supergroups Alaclair Ensemble and Dead Obies. Judging by the lineup outside the bar and the ever-growing buzz around these two groups, Bistro was definitely the place to be on Saturday night. And what a party it was! The minute Alaclair Ensemble hit the stage, the young crowd lost it and went wild. It was a packed house and everyone in attendance was singing along to their favourite tracks and bouncing to the beats. Alaclair Ensemble are known for clowning around and offering high-energy performances without taking themselves seriously and that’s exactly what they did on Saturday. The boys had fun with the crowd and couldn’t be bothered by much. They performed a variety of tracks from their repertoire namely Babouine, Snare Drum, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mon Cou and Capoté including the ridiculous slow song Calinour, to which I shamelessly danced to with the good-looking Claude Begin, one of the group members, as though I were still in 8th grade. 

Alaclair Ensemble member Claude Bégin © Photo: Eventful Capital

Dead Obies hit the stage right after Alaclair and received the same warm welcome from the pumped up crowd. The energy inside the Bistro was at an all-time high. It was the second time that the Montreal-based post-rap collective gave a show in Gatineau, and for the occasion, they delivered tracks from their debut album including crowd favourites Montréal $ud, Do or Die, In America and What It Is.

The Dying Arts performing live at the Petit Chicago © Photo: Eventful Capital

For the final day of the FOÉ, I concentrated my efforts at Petit Chicago where I caught The Dying Arts, Eldorado, We Are Wolves and Ill Scarlet.

I arrived just in time to catch The Dying Arts, a Toronto-based garage indie punk rock band. The 4-piece group started out somewhat slowly and tame, but quickly built up their set to a lively in-your-face punk rock revival. Having done my homework and listened to the debut EP at home before making my way over to the Petit Chicago, I was quite pleased with the raw punk rock that I heard and the rowdy energy that I saw live. The Dying Arts performed material from their self-titled EP including Fame, Scratch and Snake in the Grass and I could’ve gladly listened to a longer set.

After a short intermission, the show continued with Eldorado. Performing at home in familiar territory, the band was right at ease and exuded confidence. The boys rocked out to songs from their debut album “Gin Vinyle” including the catchy Corvette 67. It’s obvious that the Gatineau-based rock/rock n’ roll 4-piece has great stage presence and energy to boot, but there seemed to be a disconnect with the crowd who barely reacted to their set. It was disappointing to see such a lack of response from the audience towards a local band.

We Are Wolves giving a live set at Petit Chicago as part of the FOÉ © Photo: Eventful Capital

The 2014 edition of the FOÉ closed off on a high note with the excellent We Are Wolves. The Montreal-based electro/rock trio who’s no stranger to the FOÉ or the Petit Chicago made a triumphant return to the Outaouais to the delight of their fans. By the time they hit the stage, a good crowd of people had gathered at the Hull venue to catch the magic operate live.There’s something really special about this band aside from their contagious charisma and electric stage presence. Whenever they perform, they exude talent and give out so much energy that it’s impossible to remain still. We Are Wolves gave a generous 60-minute set including the songs Angel, Sun, Paloma, Night, Snake in the Sand and We Are Made of Fire. Although they weren’t technically supposed to, they came back for an encore with the Black Sabbath cover Paranoid as the crowd danced and cheered on.

FOÉ organizers can pat themselves on the back for a job well done as a 7th successful edition has come and gone, attracting a larger crowd and continuing to make ample room for local and emerging artists that deserve a place in the spotlight.