How Many Licks Does It Take??? (11.26.07)

who said girls can't rock???????...well, i have.....with the recent displays of faux-femme-fatale rockers trying to piddle on the scene is quite embarrassing both as a female artist and as an overall appreciator of the strong female archetype in music.....i.e., Janis Joplin, Sade, Tine Turner, Etta James, Nina Simone etc.etc....it seems like this generation is desperately searching for rock n' roll songstresses, but can't seem to find one....for example...Janis Joplin rocked and didn't really need to depend on a larger-than-life gimmick....no fancy hair-do...just the gusto to rock out with Big Brother & The Holding Company holding her up proud as the bridge between them and the crowd....in my experiences, it's rare/few-and-far-between occurrence to see a female-fronted band throw it down with conviction, purpose and raw energy......there was the Lisa Kekaula of the BellRays (awesome band and insanely awesome frontwoman~check them out!!!)...now i add another...enter the events of Sunday, November 11th inside The Mod Club on College St. in Toronto....

Juliette and the Licks....a band fronted by    LA born actress Juliette Lewis (made infamous by playing characters in movies such as Cape Fear, From Dusk Til Dawn, Kalifornia and Natural Born Killers)...the grapevine has promised this band to rock hard...so my expectations were high...AND with seeing clips with my own eyes via the dummy-tube, especially Nardwar The Human Serviette (by the way look him up...by far Canada's most unhinged, off-beat, and dare i say most knowledgeable music journalist~it's true...ask Snoop)......i had to buy a ticket for this one.....

The Licks...incredible rock band....they kept it going.....if the drummer faded out, the guitar boosted in...if the bass was weary, the drums blasted back....great band regardless of who the lead singer was and what "star-power" she may have possessed......however, in tune with my rant above about kick-ass, awesome females that can rock...she did indeed.....she definitely seemed to think that her band was the greatest band in the world (a true indication of being selfless on stage~as a frontwoman/man you have to have that chemistry that you are apart of the band not below, above or beside them...it's key to be a cohesive crew.....it's true)......

Juliette had an energy that was truly refreshing to see...it seemed as though this is what she really wanted to do....what she was meant to do and she was going balls to the wall doing it (figuratively, of course)....it was awesome to behold.....she was into her songs (American Boy...a new favorite of mine) and most importantly into the audience that was all about the band...there were even a few that seemed to know what head gear was to be sported by the songstress (maybe from checking out other shows???)and adorning the same piece...kinda freaky but still endearing.....from singing with a fan on stage to diving into a crowd of 200 or so people....she seemed to want to make a connection with the on-lookers....again bridging the crowd to the band.....

there were a couple of times throughout the show where the emotions were a little drama-school with the outward expressions (especially during a choice ballad)...keep in mind, she IS an actress...and some of the theatrics were a lil bit...well..."actressy"......but if she truly felt it then...hey....so be it!!!!.....

in all checking out Juliette and the Licks, especially after not going to a music gig in what seems like months.....was a great experience and not-a-waste-of-money night...it also helped me keep the faith that more woman can rock than i thought (i think you have to be over 25 to really let go of the pretty and get into the dirty......hmmmm...maybe a future blog post of mine????...stay tuned)...

(Ka)Nish

Beasties On The Mic...Check 1. Check 2. (9/24/07)

tailored-fit suits and a giant crystal ball...nuff said. that and....I LOVE ADROCK.

seriously, Adam Horowitz and i in past lives reigned in a majestic union over the universe...HA... kidding?????

he is a fly, vintage B-Boy...truth be told....still not enough. no. not enough said at all....

so i'll start this tale from the beginning.....

it was my fourth time seeing one of the oldest B-Boy crews on the planet...25 years strong!!!...the incomparable OMC's....The Beastie Boys...they've grown up to be well-polished gentlemen...one major indication...(as the aforementioned)...suits!...flashing new, crisp and fresh attire ornamented by hats, pocket squares and ties...they took the stage at the scant and measly crowd at the Air Canada Centre Friday the 21st of September...although this venue is quite a challenge to fill especially during the last few days of the solstice (a.k.a the beginning of Yom Kippur and Ramadan...hmmmmm) i've seen the ACC packed to the rafters at many a show...one in which was the Beastie themselves in 2004....so it was a little disturbing to see such a semi-packed stadium...nonetheless they brought non-stop action....at the beginning of the show it seemed as though they weren't feeling the vibe, but the Beasties kept on trucking showing and proving that they are constant professionals...it is still a mystery why the nosebleed sections were rammed and completely full while the centre section on the 200 level (where i sat at the last Beastie show in T.O. in 2004~amazing seats!!!!)...were virtually empty?????...a lil mis-management by ticketmaster perhaps?????...computer glitch????...record company exec's that want to be hip and hang with the kids at the rap show???...or maybe a record exec's offspring that got tickets but decided to go to Europe for the weekend instead??????...boooooooooo...whatever it was, i was a lil vexed that my options were limited and that those seats in cyber-land were "taken" when in reality, they were vacant.....

but i proceed ......

playing old school sure-shots laced with vintage and newly released instrumental jam pieces off the new album "The Mix Up"....a definite rhythmic ride...highly recommended....the boys from NYC were well-stocked in ass-kicking musicianship.....Money Mark~ the amazing jumping-bean acrobat extraordinaire lit up the keys, as usual.....Alfredo Ortiz ~held it down on percussion, some skins AND the didgeridoo...yes the didgeridoo!......and of course the stupendous force of Mr. Mix Master Mike on the un's et deux's....they took it way passed the 3rd dimension inflating the originally limp crowd utilizing tried and true microphone commands i.e., "Throw your hands in the air"....and "The ladies in the house say...".....

Good work boys!!!!

Crowd Favorite: No Sleep Til Brooklyn

My Favorite: The Suits...of course!!!!

Summer Of Reggae Giants (9/21/07)

although a bit of time has passed since i took in the sounds of the top ranking Barrington Levy at the awesome...and free, Harbourfront Centre in Toronto....since it was Caribana long weekend it was extremely rammed with people of all different influences, ages and sizes.....i must admit i was taken aback by the turnout as i'm sure everyone else was...pushing, yelling and an overall tense atmosphere was testament to that...as soon as Barrington Levy stepped on stage a lot tenseness in the air evaporated...singing massive tunes like "Murderer" and "Under Mi Sensi" with golden classic like "Here I Come" and "Too Experienced" it was definitely worth all the shoe-stepping and sweat-sharing and arm-pit-handshakes that were taking place...and to be honest i would definitely go through it again in the name of the Levy...uplifting and jovial times...

flash forward to more recent past...Sly and Robbie and The Taxi Gang feat. Horace Andy at The Phoenix...was going to miss out  this one as tickets were a bit out of my tight budget at the time...but due to a stroke of well-guided luck and fortunate events...i managed to muster up the cyash to purchase TWO tickets the same day of the show...me witnessing the arguably, the most powerful duo in reggae and the fathers of DNB (as in drum and bass) was meant to be...indeed...upon arriving at the venue there was a notice stating that Horace Andy was a 

no-show...needless to say i was greatly disappointed...but Robbie Shakespere and Sly Dunbar and the Taxi Gang crew most certainly held it down that night...although i cannot recall the set list 

(6 weeks was a long time ago) i do know for a fact that along with the packed house, i was bubblin' all night and left the show feeling nice...complete bashment!!!! (definition: party)....

(Ka)Nish

Wish You Were Here (8/13/07)

reigning from the great state of California...Incubus has been around for a bit of time now...i got "into them" with the release of their first full length Cd S.C.I.E.N.C.E. in about 1998 ("Favorite Things" is still one of my favorite songs)...and i've seen them once before banck in 2000 when they were supporting their Make Yourself release (with the banger "Drive"...but personally, the hits off the album for me are "Pardon Me" and "The Warmth")

so they made their way to the Molson Amphitheatre (situated near thehistoric Canadian National Exhibition near the lakeshore) after cancelling two shows earlier this year.....once due to the evil snow storm that kept them south of the border and another due to an injury in the band...

the set list was non-stop goodness..."Are You In?"..."Wish You Were Here" (lighters and cell phones were lighting up the night sky...nice job!)..."Pistola", "Megalomaniac" (a political banger that everyone willingly and proudly joined in for)..."Dig" (a ballad off their new album Light Grenades~gorgeous writing and great composition...one of my new favorites) and '"Love Hurts" (another ballad off the latest..a little cheesey but nonetheless a great track to see them perform live).....

i must say...i was amiss at the exemption of a couple of songs...like "Warning" and "crow Left Of The Murder" but you can't always get what you ant...but i got good vibes....great jams....and in the end that all that matters.....

the guys looked like they were in top form...definitely into their music and the crowd in attendance ...i'd say the number one critieria for a good show~when the band actually wants to be there..they start the ripple effect that transcends to the crowd and the crowd gies it back 10 fold!!!!!.....especially in Toronto (just a lil heads up to the bandsthat plan on touring here in the not so distant future)....

now back to the Incubus performance....Brandon Boyd was stellar (Incubus fans~excuse the pun)...at one point he dawned a hand-held spotlight and was shining it onto the crowd in utter amusement...which got the crowd amped up to a completely higher level and was a great way to connect with the crowd.....again a concert is all about exchanging energy....the other embers of the band were in top form as well....mike einziger on guitars~shredded it...ben kenney on bass~took it "for a walk" the entire evening and those dance moves were impressive...jose pasillas on drums~like thunder but way more steady....DJ Kilmore~always KILLS it and adds that certain sumpthin' that adds depths of dimension to this emsemble.....

the best way to spend a Thursday night..hands down...for sure.

(Ka)Nish

Roger's Picnic...Sunny Sunday Sounds. (8/01/07)

one of the most organized outdoor events i've ever been to in a long time.....

there were food tents GALORE with it's own designated lineup of a vast array of dishes....from jamaican cuisine a la the Ackee Tree (one of my favorite Jamaican retaurants in Toronto ~ freakin' delicious!)...to sweet potato fries then to good old BBQ burgers, even of the veggie variety, which pleased me immensely....

anyway...to the reson why a 60 dollar ticket was purchased...the music.

The lineup:

Team Canada DJs

Apostle The Hustle

Little Brother

The Dears

The New Pornographers

Tegan And Sara

Bad Brains

Bedouin Soundclash

The Roots

because i got there half way through the day (partly because it was a Sunday ~ i get a little slow on the sundays and it was sooooo hot it took a lot to muster up the courage to brave the 30+ degree C temperature...not to mention the humidex)...i can only share my thoughts on the last 4 acts...3 of which had good sound and the other...well not-so-much...which is a shame.

first up....

Tegan And Sara~like i said earlier...couldn't really hear them...but that may be due to the fact that i was in the beer tent and things get a little crazy in there as many others could testify....it's like you're at a completely different venue...but whati managed to catch...i thought they were really decent.....

next....

Bad Brains~ oh geez...can not describe how excited i was to see that band...i've seen them once as Soul Brains a couple of years ago and since then, i was anticipating the next time i'd get the opportunity to take then in again...and let me say it was well worth the wait...a short set but a sweet one...al of them looking fresh and into the niceness...it was fantastic to hear their latest collection of works that proved they were back in an ital way.....to see them live made me smile...then sway...then head bang a bit...then smile some more......

then...

Bedouin Soundclash~i've seen this Canadian roots/dub ensemble many-a-times throughout the past 3 - 4 years...opening up for John Butler, Big Sugar...and they were always just o.k....and i've always enjoyed their music...but more on an easy-listening level...i needed more bass...more ballz to their sound (a good dub/reggae/roots/rock band always does...right???)...and low-n-behold...i got the ballz i was looking for!!!!.....this trio is definitely reaching a level of heavyweight class...i went from a so/so, whatever, meak opinion of them to honestly being moved by their tunes and most importantly, the execution of their tunes...i think Mr. Darryl Jenifer has sprinkled some magic upon these lads (he produced their last 2 LPs)...i enjoyed the set.....and i do believe that one of the amps blew during the performance.....ballz.....

lastly....

The Roots~another band i've seen quite a few times over the years....although ?Love wasn't in the mix and pulled a no-show....the carried on as mighty as a headliner should........they added stellar talent and shared the stage with Posdnuos a.k.a Pace 1 and Maseo of DeLa Soul (another progressive hip hop cornerstone collaborative that i am an admitted fan of), Lupe Fiasco to beef up the presence and tear the roof off of an open-aired venue....with their 10 year tenure...they certainly have grown in mass appeal....when i first saw them back in the early 90's, the crowd in Toronto was no more than a couple hundred people with about 1/3 of people knowing their repertoire...now, thousands were grooving along to songs of new and old.....their scope not only encompasses hip hop to the fullest but embraces other musical styles to truly be one of modern day music's true musical band collective.....the Roots laced up the set with songs that ranged from rocked out jams then going back to their funk-filled hip hop classics...true classics....and dare i mention the James Brown funk-fest???????........nuff said.

(Ka)Nish

Enlightenment For 30Bucks?????!!!!! (7/06/07)

better believe it....The Polyphonic Spree @ Phoenix tickets....worth every penny!

usually i wait a few days to express my thoughts and re-live my concert-going experience, as i tend to contemplate the event then convey via verbiage...

however, i was so elated by this show i couldn't wait....

last night i witnessed one of the most spiritually, positive, motivational, feel good musical collaborative efforts ever to bestow upon my eyes in my existence thus far....on this earth....

The Polyphonic Spree!!!!

this 20 piece pop-orchestra blew my mind, opened my heart and delighted my eardrums....

clad in black army Gestapo-like gear, their presence filled the venue like no other band i've seen (and i say this as i have frequented many fantastic musical events there over the years from 311 and Fishbone to Digable Planets etc. etc.)

Mr. Tim Delaughter (previously a member of the 90's band Tripping Daisy) who fronts this collective, captivates you not only with his piercing blue eyes and extravagant arm movements but with his voice of that of an angelic creature with absolutley no pre-tense and arrogant swagger.......

the choir suitably stood behind the entire band like a strong, sturdy backbone on risers and kept the songs in driving gear with awesomely quirky and campy choreography....

there was confetti, a huge disco ball and cool lighting effects that most certainly made this a celebration.......

of what?????

i couldn't really place it....

maybe of stellar musicianship???...our complicated yet purposeful lives???...or just a plain old Thursday summer night......

whatever it was......it was a jubilation of sorts and an experience i'll never forget....

if you have the chance...when the Polyphonic Spree roll into your corner of the earth....check them out!

(you will NOT regret it)

MY FAVORITE: When A Fool Becomes A King

CROWD FAVORITE: Nirvana "Lithium" cover/Light & Day

(Ka) Nish

Clutch @ Roxy (LA) No. No. (6/20/07)

Hmmmmmmm....what can i say...it was LA...

no disrespect meant to any of the SoCal natives, 'migrants or re-locators....

i love LA (dude i even bought a Tshirt that says it....i'm starting a collection of "I Heart" Shirts based on my I Heart LA shirt....true things!)....

it's the "land of the No"....no worries, no cares...no boundaries, no normality....no rules...no rain (that is: between October and April)...AND most importanly...no snow!!!!!~at least not yet....

but on May 25th @ The Roxy...it was no vibe.

the band was great ..but just no vibe generated from the crowd....

there were girls in high heels and people that just didn't seem that into the band themselves...that could be said about almost every show.....there are always stragelers and poseurs and people that truly aren't interested in live music....

however...it just seemed a little....well......off.

the no-no started when i walked in and attempted to walk up a set of stairs to my left for a better view and an alcoholic beverage....i was stopped by the only not-so-big bouncer employed there with a "This is V.I.P."...to my daunting surprise, i couldn't believe what i was hearing......so i decided to ask him politely to repeat himself....he said it AGAIN.....i was virtually speechless...so much in fact, all that could come out of my agaped mouth was a friendly mocking..."Ooooooo V.I.P.".....the guy looked at me with a "I know. Ridiculous" face....it seemed as though my friendly mocking tone transcended some truth......

V.I.P. @ a Clutch show?????????????????????.....no.

Only in LA.