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The W - Music - SLCR #211: Amelia Curran (March 27, 2015)
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KJames199
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Since: 10.12.01
From: #yqr

Since last post: 226 days
Last activity: 7 days
#1 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.62
There are shows where I think "dang, I am not going to have anything to write about." This was one of those times. The sum total of what I knew about Amelia Curran is that Mika liked her. Mika also liked the opener, Ryan Boldt, about whom I knew precisely one other thing, which is that he is the lead singer of Deep Dark Woods. I know one song that they do, and it's off a compilation album. So clearly we were off to a fine start.

One thing I did not know is if I'd actually seen Amelia Curran before. The answer would become clear to me later on, but she's one of those people I've heard about forever, you know? The kind of person who would maybe tour with someone else I like, or who would play at the Folk Festival - this show was part of the Festival concert series, in fact. But while it seemed plausible, a quick scan of old reviews reveals that her only mention was from when we were supposed to see her at Junofest but she was playing at the Six Shooter event that we couldn't get into, so now I'm mad about that, and that's awesome.

We got to the Exchange with plenty of time to get good seats. The place got pretty busy but never truly filled up. Having room to move and breathe delighted me, but later on, I just felt bad for people who missed out. But I will get to that. If I cannot fill this review with shenanigans, I will at least take up space with repeated foreshadowing.

Mark did not miss out. With about 15 minutes left before the show started, it struck me to text him and let him know that we were at the Exchange and that he should pop by if he was bored at home. I assumed he'd be off cutting up a deer or something - unlike me, Mark has hobbies - and in no way did I actually expect a response of "Save us seats. On our way." but I was delighted to receive it. The Artistic Director of the Folk Festival introduced the show; this always involves the reading of a long list of upcoming concerts and a longer list of sponsors. That gave Mark and Arlette precious extra minutes which enabled them to take their seats just as the show was starting.

Ryan Boldt played a selection of Deep Dark Woods songs, as well as traditional songs from his album Broadside Ballads. I mean, I'm assuming he did. Like I'd know? It seems like a safe thing to say. He played guitar and was accompanied by another guitarist, and it was a relatively laid-back affair. After the first few songs, Boldt got a little chattier with the crowd, with a dry delivery that made him come across quite likeable.

Not so likeable? Bram. What a dick that guy turned out to be.

Anyway, I thought he was real good. If you want an assessment of this performance from people who actually know things about things, Mark said that Boldt was worth the admission price by himself, and at one point during the show, Mika disappeared for a minute and came back with his album. Unanimous approval from our little crew.

Between sets, Mark chatted with Boldt while Arlette took a picture of a sweater (I know that is not exactly the right word for what this thing was) with a bulldozer on it. I am not sure who made better use of their time. I took the opportunity to pee, so maybe me?

As soon as Amelia Curran took the stage, I realized that I had never seen her before, because I would have remembered someone that charming and funny and delightful. And also I apparently have been pronouncing her last name wrong for as long as I've known of her existence and I like to think that I would have fixed that somewhere along the way had I known.

Anyway. She was great! I am a lyrics guy and she writes great songs.

(Let us take a moment to praise both The Exchange and the sound guy here. I could hear the singer clearly! Fine work! I wish all venues and techs, respectively, were like you.)

Great songs. Yes. As with Boldt, I was entirely unfamiliar with the music going into the evening, but I am listening to her newest album now ("They Promised You Mercy," which Mika also bought) and she played pretty much all of these. And I know she played The Mistress because she mentioned the title when introducing the song with a fun story that I won't spoil here. iTunes lists this as her #1 most popular single. Maybe you know it? I did not but it was real good.

Curran was backed by a full band that was as good as they were untalkative. The drummer declared at one point that he was "good," or maybe "fine," I forget. Beyond that, they let Curran do all the talking, which was fine because she came across really well on stage. She seemed a bit nervous in an endearing way with a great sense of humour and I was totally disappointed in my fellow Reginans that more people didn't laugh at the Simpsons reference. But she did promise/threaten a series of Kiss covers which didn't materialize (in favour of "more sad songs about my feelings") and I did think it was a shame we missed out on something that Mike would consider so sacrilegious.

Overall, this night was one of the great underdog success stories of the SLCR series. I hung out with good people and got introduced to new favourites and in a no-drunken-shenanigans, infrequent-chicken-fingers era, what more can one ask for? (Aside from drunken shenanigans and chicken fingers, I mean.) I knew Dan Mangan would be in the running for my show of the year, and I have high hopes for Joel Plaskett, but we have a new surprise contender. The year is off to a good start.



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tarnish
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Since: 13.2.02
From: Back in the Heart of Hali

Since last post: 578 days
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#2 Posted on | Instant Rating: 10.00
    Originally posted by KJames199

    Not so likeable? Bram. What a dick that guy turned out to be.



Right, so I'm really sorry because I always read and enjoy your SLCRs and I always mean to comment and then I don't. And then you stick this non-sequitor in here and I'm all like, "he doesn't mean fucking Bram?! Surely he can't mean BRAM?!@#$@@!" and now my childhood is potentially ruined pending your reply and confirmation that you are talking about the guy who's Jeopardy question would include the words "Sharon" and "Lois".

(But now I see there's a wrestler named Bram and I'm so confused, because this is a Music post on an (ostensibly) Wrestling message board and JESUS CHRIST help me out here.)

ObOnTopic: I met Amelia Curran a long time ago at a party at the Halifax Club and she was pretty awesome. Haven't heard her play live, but always enjoy her stuff when Rich Terfry plays it on Drive.
KJames199
Scrapple
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Since: 10.12.01
From: #yqr

Since last post: 226 days
Last activity: 7 days
#3 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.62
    Originally posted by tarnish
    I'm all like, "he doesn't mean fucking Bram?! Surely he can't mean BRAM?!@#$@@!" and now my childhood is potentially ruined pending your reply and confirmation that you are talking about the guy who's Jeopardy question would include the words "Sharon" and "Lois".
I have heard unpleasant things about Bram The Wrestler but I was refering to Bram The Musician.

The short version from memory (so this could all be wrong to some degree) is that Boldt was supposed to play some workshop with Sharon and Bram and other folks (I want to say Buffy Sainte-Marie). It was a workshop about traditional songs, which makes sense, since that's what Boldt's album IS, but Bram sent an email to the festival head trying to get Boldt kicked off the workshop because what could some young punk kid know about traditional music?

("I'm not sure what HE knew about traditional music. He knows the skinamarinkydinkydink song.")

Anyway, Bram, being old, accidentally CC'd Boldt on the email. Boldt did not get kicked out of the workshop, but when they met in person, Bram was not very pleasant then either.



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tarnish
Landjager








Since: 13.2.02
From: Back in the Heart of Hali

Since last post: 578 days
Last activity: 20 hours
#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 10.00
    Originally posted by KJames199
    I have heard unpleasant things about Bram The Wrestler but I was refering to Bram The Musician.

    The short version from memory (so this could all be wrong to some degree) is that Boldt was supposed to play some workshop with Sharon and Bram and other folks (I want to say Buffy Sainte-Marie). It was a workshop about traditional songs, which makes sense, since that's what Boldt's album IS, but Bram sent an email to the festival head trying to get Boldt kicked off the workshop because what could some young punk kid know about traditional music?

    ("I'm not sure what HE knew about traditional music. He knows the skinamarinkydinkydink song.")

    Anyway, Bram, being old, accidentally CC'd Boldt on the email. Boldt did not get kicked out of the workshop, but when they met in person, Bram was not very pleasant then either.


Faux histrionics aside, I am honestly not that suprised to hear this.  I always kinda had the feeling that Bram maybe took himself a touch seriously; not Raffi seriously, but touchy.  Maybe I'm remembering something from seeing them when I was a kid.

Also, maybe this random blog entry about the 50th Mariposa Folk Festival in 2010 is referring to the same incident?  It is the case that Sharon and Bram were doing a thing at that event with Sylvia Tyson (similar Canadian Folk Royalty status as Buffy Sainte-Marie) and the Deep Dark Woods.  And apparently at least one person in the audience thought Bram was being a dick, particularly to DDW.

GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.

KJames199
Scrapple
Moderator








Since: 10.12.01
From: #yqr

Since last post: 226 days
Last activity: 7 days
#5 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.62
    Originally posted by tarnish

    Also, maybe this random blog entry about the 50th Mariposa Folk Festival in 2010 is referring to the same incident?  It is the case that Sharon and Bram were doing a thing at that event with Sylvia Tyson (similar Canadian Folk Royalty status as Buffy Sainte-Marie) and the Deep Dark Woods.  And apparently at least one person in the audience thought Bram was being a dick, particularly to DDW.

    GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
OMG yes that's totally it, you're right, it was Sylvia Tyson. I knew that Buffy Sainte-Marie didn't sound quite right but I couldn't figure who else it would have been. This is an excellent find.



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