KJames199
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|  #1 Posted on 2.11.17 0837.16
Reposted on: 2.11.24 0837.25 | Three hundred! My goodness. It feels like I just did a milestone post last year. And I've run out of gimmicks, I'm not going to promise a book that we all know I'll never deliver, and I can't even threaten to quit doing these things because I've been doing that for at least 15 years already. So let's just talk about this guy I'm completely unfamiliar with.
The only thing I knew about David Myles is that a few years back, he had a hit with the song Inner Ninja, a collaboration with the Canadian rapper Classified (Myles did the non-rapping parts). I saw them perform the song at the Junos Songwriters' Circle, where host Tom Cochrane referred to the pair as "Eminem meets Buddy Holly." This was fun, but they only got to do a few songs, Classified was presented as the star of the pair, and Myles didn't get to perform any of his own stuff.
So once again, I was basically going in blind. However, I did hear that Myles put on a great live show. Of course, I heard that from the advertising FOR said show. Clearly an unbiased source. But whatever, I guess I believed it, I bought a ticket and all.
Telling this story (such as it is) now, I really can't identify why, exactly, I decided to go to this. He's a guy I barely heard of and I only knew one song - which he wouldn't even be able to perform unless he brought a surprise rapper in his carry-on. Plus Mika couldn't go so I was flying solo. I'm not sure what part of this made me think this was a good idea. Though I suppose that's never stopped me before. Apart from all the times where it stopped me.
I got to the Artesian and wandered in at the same time as Mark's friend Rob, who I met at the New Pornographers show and didn't tell you about. We work together, though I don't believe our paths have ever crossed in an official capacity. At any rate, he was there with his wife, and seeing that I was unaccompanied, he invited me to sit with them. What delightful folks! I was pleased to take them up on their offer, though I did keep a seat between us since the place wasn't sold out and I was pretty sure the offer didn't include cuddling. Maybe next time.
The openers were Port Cities. This was a folk trio consisting of three singer-songwriters who've joined forces - Dylan Guthro, Breagh MacKinnon, and Carleton Stone. That last name sounded super familiar to me - some quick Googling confirmed that Hawksley Workman had produced one of Stone's solo albums and he'd talked a fair bit about it when it came out. I feel like I listened to that album back then? Not sure. Though of the three, MacKinnon sounded the most familiar, with a voice exactly like... someone I couldn't place. Still can't.
This was the first night of their tour with Myles and their first time in Regina as a group. They played most of their first album, with Back to the Bottom and On the Nights You Stay Home as a few standouts. The highlight of their short set was the last song, where they all left the stage and performed the last song off-mic, on the floor. That was a great way to close things and make a big impression. I'd see these folks again. And maybe I will? They draw once a year for a free house concert from the names signed up for their email list. I don't know that my house is well suited to that but maybe I could knock out some walls or something.
David Myles is a different sort of guy. He's a folk singer from New Brunswick who has both a Latin Grammy and a Juno for Rap Recording of the Year. In 2017, he released a new album inspired by 50s and 60s rock and country. He once did a 24-stop tour of Saskatchewan without playing Saskatoon or Regina. And his live show is a blast.
Drawing from the new album, the show had the sound of late 50s/early 60s rock, with a diversion into doo-wop (with backing vocals from his very game band) and even a bluegrass take on another of his collaborations with Classified. He also brought out MacKinnon to do a song they'd written together - performed live for the first time ever. In between songs, he told stories and self-deprecating jokes, heaped praise on Port Cities and his band, and came across like the most likable guy ever. It was a high-energy show with a lot of humour, and I quickly went from "I'm not sure why I'm here" to "I'm very glad I'm here" to "next time, I need to get more people here." Great songs, very entertaining, and even a high-tech light show (white Christmas lights wrapped around TWO mics). Highly recommended.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:
• Headstones w/SNAKEandtheCHAIN (November 17)
• Andy Shauf (November 18)
• Corb Lund (November 23)
• Cold Specks w/LA timpa (November 24)
• Tanya Tagaq & the Regina Symphony Orchestra (November 25)
• Hawksley Workman (December 9)
• Tom Wilson w/Mariel Buckley and Belle Plaine (January 19)
• Mo Kenney w/Lindi Ortega and Megan Nash (January 20)
• The Dears (March 17)
• “Weird Al” Yankovic w/Emo Philips (June 1) | Promote this thread! |             | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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