Look Again, It's Not Bon Jovi

Friday night, Feb. 26, I spent not watching the Winter Olympics; instead I attended a concert/show at the Cascades Casino in Langely, BC with my musician friend Michele Raye. A Bon Jovi tribute band called Blaze Of Glory was playing in the casino theatre. Michele knew a couple of the players, so we payed them a visit.

I thought I was not familiar with Bon Jovi's catalogue beyond hits like "Livin' On A Prayer," "Wanted Dead Or Alive," and "You Give Love A Bad Name." I confess that as the show progressed I recognized more tunes, Bon Jovi has entered my subconscious through osmosis. The band, of course, attempted to "be" Bon Jovi. Lead singer Ted Moore bore a passing resemblance to Jon Bon Jovi and the guitarist, Randy Robertson, dressed like Ritchie Sambora complete with long, black leather coat; black, designer cowboy hat; and requisite Stratocaster. Being a faux Bon Jovi was the task for these guys and, all in all, they pulled it off quite well.

The show was hampered, I thought, by an uneven mix throughout the night. Yes it was a rock show, but the presence of the "ice-pick-through-the-ear-drums" frequencies and overbearing bottom end took away from the band's efforts. Musically the band was precise in recreating Bon Jovi's sound and songs. The talk box was used by Robertson in "Livin' On A Prayer," along with the 12-string acoustic guitar in "Wanted Dead Or Alive." Musical subtleties were lost in the mix, which was unfortunate but did not damper the enthusiasm of the audience. For the most part, the crowd sang along, women danced by themselves and groped at the singer just like a real Bon Jovi show, and after all was sung and done, the band received a standing ovation and returned with an encore.

The Cascades Casino is a smaller casino and therefore does not have the budget for the big name acts. Perusing the upcoming shows revealed tribute bands seem to be the rage there. Up next on the calendar is a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute followed in the coming weeks by a Rolling Stones tribute and a Patsy Cline tribute. Along with faithful musical recreations, all of the groups, Blaze of Glory included, bore a passing resemblance to the original act. And this is key for audience acceptance. There is a level of authenticity these groups need to achieve in order to maintain the charade. The music is one component of this authenticity, the other is the visual representation. The audience, many of whom might never have the opportunity to hear the original acts in concert, buy into the act based on these authenticity markers and concomitantly do their part to fulfill the fantasy. They cheer, sing, grope, and dance just as if it was the real Bon Jovi on stage and not an impostor. Interesting phenomenon.

So, while other musicians toil away at cover songs in the "old" bars, some manage to capitalize on the success of other groups and take the cover band strategy to a new level. It's not enough to perform songs by other musicians, now actually "being" a famous musical act can be a lucrative gig. It's the cover band on steroids. And kudos to the players for pulling it off. There are not a lot of venues left for cover bands anymore, but for old rockers being someone else can be worthwhile.

Just a small footnote, while searching the Interweb I found a Bon Jovi tribute band based in Dallas, Texas called Blaze Of Glory: The Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience. I am writing about the Vancouver-based band with the same name.

Times Change But They're Still the Same

On Sunday (Feb. 21) I attended an afternoon jam session at the Biltmore Cabaret (don't let the name fool you, it's a hotel tavern) in almost-downtown Vancouver. Ridley Bent, Dustin Bentall (Barney's son), and a couple of other songwriters along with some members of their respective bands took to the stage for an afternoon of musical camaraderie. They each performed five songs, then groups were assembled and the jamming began.

Over the years I have attended and hosted numerous jam sessions. They can be lots of fun or a complete drag, depending on when and where the jam is being held and who is involved. Sunday's performance was interesting for me because of what the bar scene has become. The Biltmore Cabaret is the tavern of a Howard Johnson's hotel. No surprise there. The first difference I noticed was the lack of the "tavern smell" that permeated so many of the places that we used to play. Usually it's a kind of olfactory crucifixion consisting of stale beer and cigarette smoke topped off with a tinge of bathroom odour; instead walking into the place did not assault your senses at all. Anti-smoking rules do work. Who knew? The second was the house PA and lighting system. In our day we carried our own production. These days the venue supplies it. And, the soundman has become the soundwoman, and a good one too.

Another change is the lack of involvement of the club. Today, musicians do their own advertising and many times only play one night or even one set. We played six nights a week for five hours a night, the club or tavern advertised (sort of), there was rarely a cover charge, and we were paid a contracted amount. Today's players negotiate a base rate for the band, if they're lucky, and rely on the door charge which is usually split between several bands. No audience. No money. Tough gig. I think in this way, the change in the scene is not a good thing. It's now more difficult for young musicians to make a living, and they don't get the benefit of 30 hours a week playing together either.

The biggest change, however, is with the music. When I was on the road, we played cover songs. There was not the competition or other choices for the Great Unwashed. There were no sports bars, neighbourhood pubs, or discos. Those venues emerged later. During the 1980s, if folks wanted to go out and dance there was only one choice and that was a live band. We had to play cover songs because that's what the people wanted to hear. They wanted to dance to the songs they heard on the radio. We couldn't play original music. The audience was non-receptive to creativity and club owners frowned on it. Original music sucked, or at least that was the perception. We would sandwich our original material between two cover songs and disguise the fact the song was one of ours. This was because most of our cover tunes were not the hit songs per se, so we could get away with playing material that was somewhat unfamiliar to the audience. To satisfy our musical "Jones" we played the other songs on the same album as a particular hit. We chose songs that we felt were much better than the hit song. In this way, our set list was eclectic enough that slipping in original material would not draw attention from the club owner and we could fool the audience. Isn't that sad? We had to fool the audience in order to play something we wrote.

Today's bar scene is the complete opposite of what we dealt with. And it's the music that does it. Whereas original songs were anathema in our day, today's bar scene thrives on original tunes. You can't be a front man unless you write songs. Being able to sing is not enough anymore. For example, at Sunday's jam Dell Cowsill (son of legendary singer/songwriter Billy Cowsill) took the stage with some of his friends. Dell plays bass with Dustin Bentall and during a lull in the activity had decided he wanted to play something just to have a good time. Cool. He played a couple of Beatles' songs and "Down By the River" by Neil Young. The boys did a great job of faking their way through the songs, it was musical self-indulgence at its finest. Been there, done that...lots. After his short session, Dell came off the stage to chat with some of the players scattered about. They were all laughing about the performance. "Total cheese, man, total cheese," said one. "Hilarious," said another.

To quote Bob Dylan, "The times they are a-changin'" and how they have. Musicians today are not the live jukeboxes they were when I was playing. Original music is seen as something you have to do, especially if you're playing the bar and club scenes. Sure, there are still bar cover bands, I saw one a couple of weeks ago, but audiences have moved from drinking and dancing to drinking and listening. It's the "old" bars that have the cover bands. And no one goes to the "old" bars anymore. The "new" bars have original music of all kinds. It's exciting and it's what people want and expect. Go figure.

At the risk of getting all weepy and sentimental here, just let me say that it's good to see the musical torch passed on to such a willing and able gaggle of young players. The legacy that my generation of musicians left behind can be heard in the songs of Ridley Bent, Dustin Bentall, and Corb Lund. While we may not have been able to play original music, we were able to create a western Canadian prairie sound that was different than what was coming out of central or eastern Canada. I hear Killer Tumbleweeds, Longshot, and Weekend Whiskey Band in the songs of Ridley, Dustin, and Corb. I hear the musical influences that had a hand in sculpting my style and the styles of my compadres being restyled and re-presented by the musicians playing today's country music. These guys are digging Gram Parsons and Hank Williams perhaps more than we ever did. Today's players play original music. And I think it's a good thing and about bloody time.

Get out there and support them.

Ridley Bent & Corb Lund: The New Prairie Country Music

The third in my personal Winter Olympics concert series was Ridley Bent and Corb Lund on Feb. 18. Together these two represent the new voice of Western Canadian country music. It's honky tonk prairie style that encapsulates traditionalism and progression, with a dash of cleverness and wit, some old-fashioned heartbreak, plenty of pedal steel guitar, and a footstompin' good time.

Ridley was backed by his usual cadre of players that includes ex-Killer Tumbleweeds guitarist Chris Dunn. So in addition to the music, hanging out with my old friend was another reason to venture into the wilds of Surrey and brave the growing madness that has become the Surrey Winter Olympics Celebration. Ridley has a considerable following in B.C. and last year won almost every award from the BCCMA (BC Country Music Association). His songs are simple, to the point, and readily identifiable by his audience. With some great guitar work by Chris and Johnny Ellis, Ridley rocked the house with the crowd singing along throughout the show. His hits "Nine Inch Nails" and "Buckles and Boots" were the obvious faves. Standing next to me were a couple of female Ridley fans sing/hollering the lyrics to both songs and swooning over his every move. It was classic. Ridley's a heartbreaker and homewrecker. A true country original.

Corb showed why he has become a modern day prairie troubadour. His songs reflect an Alberta sensibility that for both urbanites and farm folk alike speaks to common roots. The majority of his set consisted of songs from his second album Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer. Like Ridley's show, the crowd was energetic and receptive and by this time had swelled to twice its size. I'm not sure if the bigger crowd was entirely for Corb or because beer was available. Either way, Corb satisfied the crowd, at one point sending them into paroxysms of frenzy with a rendition of Stompin' Tom's "The Hockey Song."

Unfortunately, both groups suffered from bad sound. Previous shows I had seen in this venue had excellent sound, the vocals clear, guitars distinct, and a good mix overall. The soundman this night was either deaf or mixing by meter. In other words, not using his ears rather relying on the level meters on his console to mix. There was too much bottom end and the vocals were compressed to the point that they disappeared entirely on more than one occasion. The guitar sound for both bands was lost in a wash of low frequency rumbles that muddied up the sound and annoyed the hell out of me. Luckily the audience was familiar with both Ridley and Corb's material. They could sing along without having that nasty lead vocalist messing things up (I'm being sarcastic here).

It's becoming busier and busier at the Surrey Winter Olympics site. Security was beefed up considerably for this show. We had to empty our pockets and were wanded by a security guard that looked like he couldn't catch a bad guy even if his life depended on it. And in Surrey, it just might. Still, great show all around, sound notwithstanding, and fine Thursday night entertainment.

Here's some video of Ridley Bent performing "Nine Inch Nails."

There's Something About Serena Ryder

The second of my Winter Olympics concert series was Serena Ryder on Valentine's Day. Apropos? Not really. Killer concert? Absolutely. Serena writes great songs, sings incredibly well, has a captivating stage presence, is really funny, and she's damn cute too.

My favourite album of 2008 was Serena Ryder's Is It OK?. I played the thing to death, so having the opportunity to see her live for free was not to be passed up. Playing most of the songs from Is It OK? along with her cover of "Good Morning Starshine" and the poignant "Weak In the Knees" from her first album, she carried the show like a veteran, belying her sophomore status. Halfway through the concert an errant fire alarm provided some annoyance by disrupting the show. She cleverly and amusingly began vocalizing along with the incessant beeping of the alarm, turning what could have been an uncomfortable few minutes into a hugely entertaining vocal improv with the alarm providing weird counterpoint. And as quickly as it started, it was over. "I am psychic and feel it has stopped," she said. "But if it doesn't, fuck it." To which the adoring crowd went crazy.

In the days of vinyl LPs, a band or solo artist could release three albums before "the big one." Promotion would be ramped up with each album as the consumer field was tended for the big third album payoff. Sometimes the strategy worked, sometimes not. After all, not every artists' third album is a gem. Serena has released two albums, both containing excellent songs and production, yet there seems to be zero effort by Capitol Records Canada, her label, to promote her beyond what is the normal cursory "working" that does nothing more than help fulfill the label's part of the contract. Seriously. If Capitol were to push Serena the way they push Nickelback, she would be a bigger star than she is. Maybe they are saving themselves for her next album. One can hope. 

Serena is one of those "under the radar" singer/songwriters. She isn't as quirky as Martha Wainwright or as ironic as Alanis Morrisette, but listen to "Sweeping the Ashes" and tell me if she's not skewering an ex- or soon-to-be-ex-lover. She has a knack for picking cover songs that suit her original style too. Both "Good Morning Starshine" from Hair and Leonard Cohen's "Sisters of Mercy" do not seem out of place when juxtaposed against her original material. In fact, if you didn't know better (and many out there don't) you would think she wrote them. She could be the next Sarah McLaughlin without all the weepiness and sick pets.

Previous to Serena, we were entertained by Jim Byrne and the Sojourners. Jim Byrne is a "that guy" actor and blues/gospel singer of some reknown. The Sojourners are four black gospel singers that could pass for The Blind Boys of Alabama without the seeing-eye dogs. Along with a smoking backup trio, Byrne delivered swampy, bluesy, rocking gospel music that featured some serious guitar playing by a guitarist whose name I couldn't hear when it was introduced. Boy could he play.

All in all, it was a great night with some great music. And for free. Gotta love that.

Here's some video of "Good Morning Starshine"

Blue Rodeo, A Winter Olympic Opener

Wow. Has it been five months since my last post? It has and time does pass quickly when you're not paying attention. Since my last post, I have relocated. I have fled the snowy, frozen confines of Fort McMurray for much more hospitable climate in White Rock, B.C. Which brings me to the point of this post.

Unless you live under a rock, you know the Winter Olympics have begun in Vancouver. Along with the requisite sporting events, Vancouver and its surrounding boroughs are collectively celebrating with free concerts. Artists such as Wilco, Ridley Bent, Blue Rodeo, Serena Ryder, Headpins, Streetheart, Randy Bachman, et.al. are featured at various venues scattered between Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, and North Vancouver.

Last night (Feb. 12) I attended Blue Rodeo's concert at Holland Park in Surrey. I went with Michele Raye, an old friend and fellow musician. Being February in Vancouver, it was raining and while walking to the site I naively asked if the show would be cancelled, given the wetness and all. "If things were cancelled because of rain," she said, "nothing would happen here." Nuff said.

The band was in great form. The sound was good, not too loud and an excellent mix. Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor and the rest of the boys played well and were obviously enjoying themselves immensely. The show started with "Rose Coloured Glasses" and the band did not disappoint. Mixing in some new tunes from their latest album The Things We Left Behind they satisfied the crowd with the usual staples like "Bad Timing," "Five Days in May," and "Till I Am Myself Again." Jim was in fine voice and with the exception of what seemed to be some miscommunication between Jim and Greg, which was "blamed" on the kind of confusion created by smoking too many joints, the show went off without a hitch. The band did have an extra member though, in a young fellow playing acoustic rhythm guitar and singing harmony. We surmised he was the son of either Jim or Greg.

I have seen Blue Rodeo on more than one occasion. The band is remarkably consistent with their performances. They always manage to deliver a good show and last night was no exception. Last night's show was a milestone of sorts for the band as well. They were celebrating their 25th anniversary. 25 years of Blue Rodeo. They have been pretty good years too, I think.

There are other concerts that I will be attending during the Olympics. Stay tuned for further posts, not five months between this time, I promise.

Here's some video of "Rose Coloured Glasses."