Texas in concert at "Bospop" (July 8, 2011)

Several days after watching The Trews play an excellent show at Alderney Landing I was on my way to Europe: a Scottish band called Texas were scheduled to play the first day of a Dutch classic rock festival called Bospop. I’m not sure why it’s called Bospop; “bos” is Dutch for forest, but the festival site was in the middle of a meadow. By the way: I saw a guy sporting a Trews T-shirt, but I didn't get the chance to find out whether he's Canadian or not.


Still jetlagged, I met a couple of friends at the entrance of the festival site. It was sunny and I was looking forward to spending time with them, catching up and enjoying the music. Among the better known bands playing that day were The Faces, Foreigner and Journey. I have to admit I didn’t care enough to check them out all the bands. I was there to see Texas: it’s been several years since I last seen them in concert (the first time I saw them live was some time in the early 90s as Bryan Adams’s opening act).
The band played the smaller stage (in a huge tent) between Journey and closing act Joe Cocker (both on the main stage), and I didn’t have any problems with skipping Journey in favour of getting a spot at the front row - or as close as I could get - at the Texas gig. (In case you were wondering: I managed to get a spot in the second/third row throughout the concert.)
I could tell by eavesdropping on conversations most of the people in the front rows were fans. What I liked about the festival is the fact that people who had (never) heard of the band had the opportunity to check them out. 



 



Texas did not disappoint: even though their set was short (they weren’t headlining) they made sure to play their biggest hits, and gave it their all while doing so.
Guitarist Ally McErlaine, who suffered a brain aneurysm a few years ago and recovered, has been on the band’s current tour: Bospop was one of their dates on their schedule. It was great to see him back. This was their setlist that night:  


I Don't Want A Lover
Everyday Now
In Demand (yes, that’s professor Snape dancing)
Black Eyed Boy
Halo
In Our Lifetime
When We Are Together
Summer Son
The Conversation (a new song)
Say What You Want
Inner Smile
Suspicious Minds (yes, an Elvis cover)


Before I knew it their show was over, and Joe Cocker was about to start on the main stage. I knew that high of having enjoyed a good show was going to wear off soon, and then my jetlag will hit me even harder, so I decided to go home. I can’t wait for their new album, and a new tour.

Bad Monkey plays Serena Ryder's "Stumbling over you"

After recording Bad Monkey's first rough demo in April, we realized there's plenty of room for improvement. I suggested we focus on playing other songs (new stuff) before going back and rehearsing the songs we want to record for the final demo. It works for me, and singer Mirthe attested it works for her, too. The drummer and bass player are fine with it and go along. We all suggested some songs we wanted to play and eventually picked 4 songs for the next rehearsals - which were last weekend.
I made one suggestion, shortly before I went on a short vacation: Serena Ryder's "Stumbling over you".

A couple of years ago, I had given Mirthe's boyfriend EJ a copy/complilation of Serena Ryder songs off all her albums, knowing he'd like it. So Mirthe's familiar with her music, but in order for the other two to rehearse the song I had to send them an MP3 file of the song (which I incidentally have).
I figured, since the last rehearsals would be amongst trips of various band members (everybody but the singer) and we had very little time to practice before getting together, you'd want a song to be simple - or easy to play. Hence my suggestion.

After playing a couple of songs to warm up Mirthe's vocal chords we played "Stumbling over you". I was pleased we had it down after two takes, but imagine my surprised when the others praised me for picked such a good song. They love it because it's (fairly) easy to play, but they also love the song for the song itself!

We unanimously decided that this song is going to be recorded for the final demo! :D

Afterwards we had dinner at a lovely place, where we reflected on the rehearsals and planned ahead. Knowing bass player Ester is also a Melissa Etheridge fan I sent her Serena Ryder's duet with Melissa called "Broken heart sun" via blue tooth, which Ester immediately made her new ring tone (her previous one is some Madonna song). Ester is now "converted" and a Serena fan as well. Her last album "Is it O.K." is (still) not available in the Netherlands, so Ester had to order it.

Skunk Anansie: Wonderlustre tour at HMH, Amsterdam (the Netherlands)

This was originally posted on March 3rd, 2011.

While taking a break from The Great Lunenburg Schooner Race last year (I was crew on the Avenger), I received an E-mail from my friend EJ. He informed me that SA was planning to tour Europe, and asked me if I would like to see them. I can assure you I was looking forward to February 25th ever since EJ told me he managed to get tickets to the concert.

The Virgin Marys, fellow Brits, were Skunk Anansie’s opening act. The music was alright, albeit mediocre. The singer’s vocal abilities were pretty much limited to one style of singing, and I was wondering how he could have been performing all this time without completely losing his voice (especially, after noticing how he sounded like towards the end of their set). Anyway, I think the drummer was entertaining to look at for a while (think “Animal” of The Muppets). Right then, it wasn’t really showing the SA concert was sold out: there was plenty of empty space towards the back - in front of the seated area. (Have a behind the scenes peek here, with guitarist Ace joking around a bit at the end.)

Then, finally: Skunk Anansie time! After an intro where the band made a grand entrance, they kicked off with a song off their debut album (check out the Amsterdam set list here). It was obvious Skunk Anansie was ready to blow their audience away, and that they had planned on having a good time. By the time the band finished their first song the venue was packed.

Singer Skin needed about three songs to get her vocal chords properly warmed up. Little time was wasted in between songs for meaningless chit chat, which only added to their high energy performance.

Their second song (“Charlie Big Potato”) is one of my favorites off the “Post Orgasmic Chill” album: after a Drum n’ Bass inspired intro, the song takes you on a little musical roller coaster ride. (If you haven’t checked out the video through the set list, you might want to do that now to get what I mean.)

“I can dream” is another one of my SA favorites (“Selling Jesus” is my other fave off their debut album, but they didn’t play that one) and is blatantly sexual. When I heard the opening riff to “Twisted (Everyday hurts)” I was super thrilled: that bass line still kills in my opinion.

The band made up an excellent set list in my opinion: uptempo rock songs were followed by poppier songs or ballads in an inconspicuous way. The audience was in for the ride and having a great time. Skunk Anansie treated us to a new song (“I don’t want to kill you”), which I found to sound promising (another Skunk Anansie album in progress?).

Even though the sign to NOT crowd surf were clearly visible, Skin had no problem ignoring them, and the audience in the front rows love her for that: they made sure she didn’t fall. She did, however, trip about halfway through the show and came close to landing ungraciously on the floor. But she quickly regained her balance and continued singing.

When it was time to introduce the band, Skin had a little fun with the guys in the band, and they each had their moment in the spotlights. Literally. (I have to admit I was envious of Mark’s drum kit: what a beauty!)

I noticed that the Dutch audience just seem to love their ballads, which I found interesting.

The band came back for two encores, ending the show with an acoustic rendition of “You’ll follow me down”. Again, Skin’s sense of humor shines through, when she made a reference to her trip earlier that evening.

And just like that, the concert’s over. Skunk Anansie played a great show, and I had an excellent time.

Dreaming big

Originally posted on February 27, 2011.



When, last year, I gave the band its current name I told them I wanted to record a demo - before I was going back to Canada. I kept my eyes and ears open for a decent backing singer, and a solo guitarist (being a rhythm guitarist only gets you so far). The drummer and bass player both did the same.
The bass player suddenly announced she found a sound engineer with a home AND a portable studio. How awesome is that? The sound engineer apparently just loves to record music.
For now the band is only playing covers for the sole reason that it makes for good "bonding" (rehearsing takes place whenever our busy schedules allow). And the demo will show how well we sound as a musical unit.
A friend of mine is an amateur photographer (a great one) who I've asked whether he wanted to do a photo shoot with the band. He excitedly jumped up at the request; he would love to. The one thing Bad Monkey has to do is wait for Summer for the shoot.
Talking to another friend earlier today, she joked (I think she did anyway) she would do the video. The bass player, who was eaves dropping, loved the idea and asked me when we were going to do the video. Um, like, when the rest is able to come to Canada? For now I continue to dream big.

Broken heart sun

Originally posted on February 10, 2011.

For those out of the loop: Serena Ryder's going to open for Melissa Etheridge during the Canadian part of her "Fearless love" tour. As you can probably tell by the cover artwork displayed above: the two have recorded a duet - their voices are an excellent match. I'm very excited, and even though I have to miss out on their shows in Halifax, NS, I'm hoping they'll also record a video to go along with it (it's been a while since Serena last released a single). There's only one thing that kinda irks me (I'm biased, I know): even though Serena wrote the song, Melissa's name's on first. Why? Probably because Melissa's more famous than Serena. It'll sell better, that's for one. And hopefully that means Serena's going to reach a bigger audience than she already did.

Read a short interview Serena did for Melissa's official site. And in case you still haven't heard the song: here's Broken Heart Sun.

Here's another article on Serena Ryder, which basically recaps the abilities of this Canadian songstress.

Beth Hart: secret showcase @ Amstelkerk, Amsterdam (NL)

Originally posted on September 26, 2010.



I had a day off on Friday, but it still was fairly hectic.
I packed a bag for the weekend, ran an errand, then caught the train to Amsterdam. I met up with my friend EJ on Central Station. We had a bite to eat, and then walked on to the venue, Amstelkerk, a former church:



At first EJ and I walked past, while looking for the venue. EJ thought the people waiting in line were tourists, I thought they didn't look like the fans I'm used to seeing at her concerts. (My bad, indeed.) It turns out a small, intimate place - perfect for the album launch. (I managed to get on the guest list for Beth's secret showcase; she performed songs (old and new, because her audience asked) to a select few.)
For 15 Euros EJ and I both got the limited edition of her new album "My California" (official release date is October 1st) and a poster. Oh, ya, we both got our copies signed by Beth!
Can you spot me in the picture below? (Hint: I'm wearing a grey/charcoal colored t-shirt, and I'm looking away, because I was talking to my friend Natasha.)

"My California" is Beth's most personal album to date. Her rawness and honesty - despite a tough life - are what I've always found appealing, but never have her songs hit so close to home.
For personal reasons both "Sister Heroine" and "Love is the hardest" stood out from all the songs in her set list. (Thank you, Beth, for your liner notes.)

Love is the hardest = I struggle with this one. The ability to love beyond conditions has been hard for me. To open my heart & be willing to choose forgiveness, will continue to be a daily practice. Wish me luck!
Sister heroine = For my sister Sharon & anyone who thinks they're no good, you're always somebody else's hero.

 

It was a very inspiring concert, to say the least...

Concert review: Nouvelle Vague

Orignally posted on October 18, 2009.


My brother is really much more of a fan than I am, so when I saw that Nouvelle Vague were programmed to play a venue nearby I alerted him. He got us tickets after he asked me if I wanted to come along. I've never seen them live, and was prepared for the concert to be dull. To my - and my brother's - surprise it was anything BUT dull.

The French band started a little late last night, but with current singers Melanie and Nadeah they put on quite a show from the first notes on. I like how Melanie, the dark haired and seemingly a little demure and sweet one, and Australian born Nadeah, the blond and more feral one (who dances like a woman possessed) play well off eachother. I can only imagine that it's part of the appeal for part of the men in the audience.
My brother and I like how Nouvelle Vague give New Wave and Punk songs a Bossa Nova spin, so part of the fun was trying to guess the titles and original performers. From what I remember they played "So lonely" (The Police), "Master and servant" (Depeche Mode), "God save the Queen" (Sex Pistols), "Ever fallen in love" (The Buzzcocks), "Road to nowhere" (Talking Heads), "In a manner of speaking" (written by Martin L. Gore of Depeche Mode) and "Too drunk to f*ck" (Dead Kennedys). And then some. The funny thing is that my brother and I both thought with the last song I mentioned that they were singing "Too drunk to fight", until dark haired Melanie started to have audience participation - in a very funny way...

Anyhoo, before we knew it and hour and a half had passed and with two two-song encores (which is French for, well, encore) the concert was over.

Wish I could play the piano...

Originally posted in September 5, 2009.

I was watching this animated video to "Sweeping the Ashes" the other day and was struck by how beautiful the stripped down version of the song sounds. No guitar, no vocals, just a piano and simple chord progressions. I play the guitar and drums, but apart from some chords and things I - unfortunately - can't play the piano.
Another video I really liked is this Irish ad for same sex marriage. Watch "Sinead's hand" here. The following isn't video related, but music related:

Yup, that's an amp - with a cool CANADA sticker. It's Sarah Bettens' amp :D

Plugging The Dudes on Kink FM radio

This was originally posted on July 26, 2009.


I was up late chatting to my friend AJ online, so when I woke up this morning... Let's just say I could've added another hour's worth of sleep easily. (To give you an indication it was 05:50 hrs Halifax time, or 01:50 hrs San Francisco time.)
Radio host Diederik called me to see if I was ready for the interview, told me that "Cup of Blood" by The Dudes was released in The Netherlands several weeks ago (oh? I didn't have the heart to tell him that song is on the previous album), then explained shortly what he was going to do. It was all very simple, and nothing I hadn't done before... Except this was going to be aired live.
With a minute left of an Oasis single he called me and told me we were going to go on air when the song had finished. And we did.
Before you start wondering what I was doing for Kink FM, here's a short explanation: I'm their one time "Zomerscout", meaning that I share whatever good music I heard in the country I visited. Always up to plug good Canadian music, I submitted an E-mail telling Diederik I'd like to put in my two cents.
I recently sent him another to share what music grabbed my attention, and of which I thought fits the station's format.
I told him about The Lost Fingers, who are hot in the French province of Canada, Bif Naked, The Dudes and (of course) Serena Ryder. Diederik likes them all, but decided to plug The Dudes.
On air he asked me what I was doing in Canada, how much Canadian music I'd heard, and general questions about Calgary's finest "The Dudes". I tried to answer all the questions without trying to sound like a rambling idiot (I didn't, according to my brother). There were a couple of silences, which - as Diederik later explained - was all thanks to him trying to locate a certain radio jingle to prelude the single.
All in all I think the interview went pretty well.

The Gaslight Anthem rock Effenaar

This was originally posted on June 10, 2009.


Late last year I heard "The 59 sound" and "Old white Lincoln" on Dutch alternative rock station Kink FM, and it immediately grabbed my attention: The Gaslight Anthem sounded like the boys are heavily influenced by Bruce Springsteen AND 80s New Wave band The Cure. They're more punk than both of them, without sounding like neither The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Black Flag nor The Clash.
(I've read that The Gaslight Anthem's toured with Springsteen and Dave Matthews.)
Lyrically, singer Brian Fallon seems to have a similar approach to writing songs to fellow New Jersian Springsteen: they are about avarage Joes and Janes (with names like Joe, Jimmy and Mary). Easy to relate to.
In the break between opening act and headliners Petra and I enjoyed people watching. There were preppy boys, punk girls, skinny dudes, and full figured ladies. Age wise anything between high schoolers to young parents. And tattoos. Many people with tattoos.

When the foursome from New Jersey take to the stage the venue is positively buzzing: The Gaslight Anthem recently played Pinkpop and apparently made a good impression - despite the early hour (noon).
The boys were looking energetic and ready to convince more people to join their growing fanbase. The Effenaar was packed, and the emergency exits were opened in order to let fresh air in.
Despite the bad mixing the band sounded alright. Brian Fallon took several moments to talk to the audience, to thank them for seeing them on a rainy Tuesday night.
Petra and I had fun recognizing the two covers The Gaslight Anthem played as intro to two of their own songs: "Stand by me" and "What becomes of the broken hearted". (I'm not sure the younger folks in the audience got it, though.)

The only downside to the concert: they played a little over an hour (too short) but Petra and I had a good time and we both enjoyed the music. By the time we got outside it was raining. By the time I reached the city limits it was pouring. The longer I was driving south, the harder it seemed to be raining. I was definitely driving much slower than normal (as did most others). Halfway home it was raining down so hard all I could see was water streaming down, water in front of me (instead of road surface) and tail lights some 100 meters in front of me. By then I was driving the speed of a snail - with almost a dozen cars following me.

I was glad I drove instead of taking a train: a short walk from the venue to the train station would have soaked me to the bone. And I'm not sure a 30-minute-trainride and a second soak (10-minute-walk home) would have done to me... Anyhoo, all in all The Gaslight Anthem delivered.

Whatever you want baby

This was originally posted in May 27, 2009.




I found Serena Ryder's cover of Kylie Minogue's "Slow" earlier today. I'm not a fan of Kylie's music (it just doesn't appeal to me), but I actually like this version better than the breathy original. Oh, and the first comment posted just cracked me up :D

Review: Antony and the Johnsons

Originally posted on May 3rd, 2009.

Tortillaz before heading to the Frits Philips Music Center. According to our tickets there were no designated seats, so we figured we'd arrive early to get the best seats (first row).
Imagine our surprise when we learned that, even though we were 45 minutes early, we had to go upstairs for seats on the balconies. Dang!




The show started with some performance art: a lady moving to music. Even though it started very promising (in my opinion) I ended up not liking it. Too much repetition and each segment a tad too long.
Anyhoo, after that it was time for Antony and the Johnsons. Arnold and I were both buzzing with anticipation. (It's thanks to my brother that I started to check out Antony's music; he told me Antony sometimes writes from a female point of view and likes to play with genders.)
During the opening song Antony sat in the dark and sang, while his band was in the proverbial spotlight.
I think he was a bit nervous at first (gosh, is he ever shy!) but the audience was warm and welcoming and he seemed to relax more with each minute.
Arnold and I liked that Antony played songs from all his albums, making it a nice mix of old and new. He also displayed his sense of humor, like when all of a sudden he interrupted a song to ask the audience who he was impersonating :D
A lady in our section guessed it right: Rufus Wainwright. It was cute.
Towards the end of the evening he picked up the pace and sort of started swinging it out. (Antony was getting his groove on behind the piano.)



The musicians in his band - the Johnsons - are amazing. I was in awe watching them: two of them were obviously multi-instrumentalists, playing guitars, clarinet, and saxophone besides violins.
My brother and I agreed that the violins and cello added to the mood in the music.
At the end of the set the band got up to bow to the audience and it was then that I saw how tall Antony is. A stark contrast to his voice. And I have to admit there's only so much melodrama I can take, but I can handle it in dosages. Besides, I think Antony (whether he identifies as a woman or a gay man) he certainly has cojones for opening up and writing about his turmoils, and be vulnerable. He seems like a gentle giant to me.
All in all a great concert!

For Serena Ryder, size matters

By Tom Lanham
Special to The Examiner 4/16/09
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention.
Just ask Canadian folk-rocker Serena Ryder, who arrived at an unusual solution for the tennis elbow that was stifling her strumming. The tendonitis grew so painful, the petite powerhouse couldn’t play the big, full-sized guitars anymore.
That’s when she discovered vintage parlor guitars, popular in the late 1800s. “They were these tiny guitars, originally invented for women to play to the men in drawing rooms, and they’re amazing. I actually fell in love with their sound,” she says.
Now Ryder, 26, is an obsessive collector of parlor six-strings and their equally-comfortable competitors, half-sized guitars.



Next week at Slim’s, she’ll be playing a parlor, plus two half-sizes she tracked down on tour.
“They’re called Matons, you can only get them in Australia, and they’re the best I’ve ever found,” she says. “I actually have someone who’s making me a parlor guitar right now. He’s been crafting it for the last two years, and he keeps on sending me pictures of it. Other than that, if I can ever find any parlor better than the ones I have, I’ll get it — they’re that great.”
Plus, it beats the singer’s last obsession — sew-on buttons. It recently took her two full months to whittle her monstrous collection down to a prize 45.
All of these quirky eccentricities add up to some thoroughly refreshing songwriting on “Is It O.K.,” Ryder’s brainy U.S. debut for Atlantic.
From the chiming opener “Sweeping the Ashes” to a forlorn “Dark as the Black” finish, Ryder’s soulful rasp wends through tales of breakup, despair, even death, justifying her 2008 Juno win as Canada’s Best New Artist.
Ryder’s upbringing was equally odd. She hails from the rural Ontario village of Millbrook, population 3,000.
“The only thing that I knew of the outside world was by TV,” she says. “There was no bus that left town, no train — the only way to get out was by driving.”
Her biggest thrills were long woodland walks and the annual Millbrook Fair in June. “I had my first crush on the carny who ran the Octopus ride,” she says. “And I ended up writing an early song about him, which started out ‘I’m only 9/ What are you?’”
But she isn’t serenading any new beaus in her Toronto parlor; she’s looking inward instead: “I’ve actually been falling in love with myself and my life. Because only then can you truly love others and be loved in return.”
If you go
Serena Ryder
Opening for Paolo Nutini
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 22
Where: Slim’s, 333 11th St., San Francisco
Tickets: $11
Contact: www.slimstickets.com

Terry Guy

This was originally posted on April 8th, 2009.


A while ago I came across some kind of invite to an open audition for a band British popstar Terry Guy is holding. Needless to say my curiosity was piqued and I checked out his MySpace page just to get an idea of the kind of music. I have to admit that I actually like the songs on it; it reminds me of Billy Idol (and I like Billy Idol's old stuff).
I sent Terry a message telling him I like his music and that - basically - I'm interested, but that the distance (he's in London, UK) is too much for me. Then I kinda forgot about it... Till today.
Terry wrote this back to me:

Hi there, I got your reply for my "live band." Definately is a shame you live so far away. However, if you would be up for doing any session work in the studio, as I am still recording the album, drop us an e-mail and may be we can arrange a collaboration if you're up for it.

Hope you have a nice easter weekend and many thanks for getting back to me.
Terry Guy

Looks like I have something to think about over Easter, besides eggs...

I "heart" Serena Ryder

This was originally posted on April 1st, 2009.


When I blogged about Serena on Sunday, I noticed a little heart tattoo on her hand. It turns out she has one on each hand. Fellow forum member "gardengnome3" was kind enough to post a picture of it:



It's official: I "heart" Serena Ryder. How much cooler can this lady be?
Watching the tattoos, they remind me of my friend Kelly... :D
Update: I listened to this interview which Serena did for a radio station called Live 100.5 in Birmingham, Alabama: Serena's voice sounds just as sexy in my ears. And who would say no to free bubbles AND Serena? I wouldn't. In this interview she did for CBC Radio Ottawa (The Best of All In A Day) I'm amazed again by how well some of her impersonations of people are. (This one's very funny.) Watch her tell fans how she and her band got kicked out of a NYC rehearsal space. (Not for reasons you're thinking of...)

Beth Hart concert, De Kade in Zaandam (NL)

Orignally posted on February 1st, 2009.



I took my mom to her first Beth Hart concert, a couple of days before we left for Indonesia last year. It was an unplugged show, and even though it was a pretty good one my mom was a little disappointed: she was hoping for a rock show.
Several weeks later my friend Mirthe called me and asked me of I wanted to see Beth Hart in her hometown. I told her I ask my mom if she wanted to come along. Shortly after that I read the show was sold out (it sold out in one day). Mirthe's boyfriend then offered to pull some strings; he managed to get us on the guestlist!
Thanks to road construction the drive took 4.5 hours and by the time I reached my friend's house I was tired. My injured shoulder hurt, and my back cracked and popped as if there was no tomorrow.
Mirthe, EJ, mom and I had dinner at a place called The Mail Company - just around the corner of the venue. And guess what. Just as we were starting to eat in walked the band (sans Beth) and sat down at the table next to us! Seriously, if guitarist Jon Nichols hadn't looked in our direction so deliberately, I wouldn't have noticed them. Mirthe and I started speculating why Beth and her husband weren't with them; she wasn't at the sound check either...


Some cute chick called Julie was Beth's opening act. (I looked her up on the web, and it turned out to be none other than Julie Neumark. DANG! I hadn't recognize her, although I was practically standing next to her after the show. I could've told her I like her music and that I've seen her on AfterEllen. *Hint-hint*)... EEP!


Then it was Beth's turn to take the stage. When she walked on I briefly wondered if she was pregnant (she gained some more weight), but when she lit a cigarette I knew for certain she wasn't. She started with a couple of personal songs as if she needed to purge the fact she fell of the wagon and struggled back on. She connected with the audience, but her usual banter was kept to a minimum. I thought something was eating her, even though she tried to keep up appearances. After the show Mirthe told me she got the same impression... I just felt like walking up to Beth and giving her a bear hug.
So, even though she totally rocked De Kade, I felt it was a little off. (Too bad for some of the audience members - including mom, Mirthe and me - they didn't play Led Zep's "Whole lotta love".)


So, after the show we went into a little room off the side of the main hall. My mom, who wanted to rest her tired legs sat down on a couch. Next to drummer Todd Wolf! (I think he's kinda cute.) He was very polite, according to mom, but my mom was too tired to respond to him properly. Awww mom! She missed her chance to possibly snag a drummer ;)
And I... was too tired to even recognize Julie Newmark. (I think she already has a girlfriend...)

Serena Ryder is very o.k.

Rarely do I stumble upon an artist that instantly blows me off my socks. When it comes to music, I admit there are a lot of good stuff out there, as well as lot of crap. Few are very talented in my opinion. So, I'm not easily impressed. But Serena Ryder did the other day. Today I got my copy of her latest album "Is it O.K." by mail :D



Serena Ryder and actress Ellen Page (a fellow Canadian) have much in common, besides their physical resemblance – both are highly talented, in their 20s and on the cusp of major fame. Like Page, Ryder has already earned raves for her work; having won the 2008 Juno for New Artist of the Year.
When Ryder won the Juno Award in April, many were left scratching their heads. It was not in criticism of Ryder’s deservedness of the accolade. But to them, her name was not new at all. She’s just one member of a group of underrated Canadian female singer/songwriters. (Ryder has been active in the Canadian music industry for years before nabbing the Juno.)
She's proven herself to be a hard-traveling troubadour, with a long series of tours in her native Canada, France and Australia. In the U.S. she's shared stages with artists as Paolo Nutini, and Xavier Rudd, not to mention performances at festivals as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Denver’s Mile High Music Festival.
2008 was a rough year: she toured a lot, and spent a lot of time by herself on the road, she went through a breakup, and her best friend died. Ryder put all of that pain into her latest album.
Losing her friend and manager of six years - Bonnie O'Donnell - was possibly the biggest blow in Ryder's personal life during the making of the album, which is dedicated (as was Ryder's '08 Juno for Best New Artist) to her memory. After O'Donnell's passing in January, Ryder says she emerged from "three weeks of being in an absolute haze" to find the music pouring out of her. Half of the material on "Is it O.K." was completed in a one and a half week burst of creativity. Songs inspired during that time include "Dark as the Black", "Truth", "Stumbling Over You" and the twangy, folk-rocking title track.
"She would have loved it, I think she would have loved it,"” Ryder says when asked what O’Donnell’s reaction to the record would be. "There were a lot of songs that were written after she had passed on. She would definitely have loved the record. I hope."



Her lead single, "Little Bit of Red", exemplifies that liberation of pain. At the height of the song’s chorus, Ryder sings, "Your black and white needs a little bit of red," reflecting on her frustration with constant human urge for self-definition in order to feel comfort.
"I like to think of the line as maybe even bleeding a little bit," she says. "The song is really about trying to fit yourself into those boxes and using those boxes as excuses for a lot of your fears. But humans are multi-faceted beings. There’s never one thing that can define us."
Ryder says she likes to keep things open-ended with her words. "It makes it like something we can all relate to - how you feel when somebody loves you or doesn't love you. We can all relate to that regardless of whether it's a dude, or your mom, or your friend."
My friend Sacha called the singer the missing link between Melissa Etheridge and Beth Hart, and I agree with him: it's not just the vocals that range from raspy (Ryder smokes) to smooth (not to mention her 3-octave range, on a good day), it's also in the lyrics in which she pours out her heart. In interviews I've seen comparisons with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Nicks, Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, and Janis Joplin. And she can rap!
While surfing the web in search of info on the 25-year-old, I suddenly realize I have heard Serena before on some Canadian rock radio station: "Just another day" is a tune that I found myself humming at one point several years ago :)

Serena Ryder

Originally posted on December 1st, 2008.


Ik ben niet snel van iemand onder de indruk. Muzikaal gezien ben ik ook nog eens redelijk kieskeurig; ik heb weinig met "pre-fab" groepjes jongens of meisjes die bij elkaar geraapt zijn vanwege hun uiterlijk. Op de een of andere manier word ik sneller aangetrokken tot singer/songwriters die recht uit het hart zingen. Ieder z'n eigen ding natuurlijk... Maar goed, ik was 9 toen ik de eerste keer Bruce Springsteen hoorde. En het sprak me aan. (Zo erg zelfs dat ik hem wilde zijn!) Een paar jaar later hoorde ik Melissa Etheridge voor het eerst op de radio - haar debuut album was net uit. Ik was verkocht al vanaf de eerste akkoorden van "Bring me some water"; het klonk als niks dat ik ooit gehoord was. En dat rauwe sprak mij ook erg aan. Een paar jaar later werd ik spontaan verliefd op de stem van Sarah Bettens (toen nog "The Choice" met broer Gert). Een bijkomstigheid is dat ik ze er ook nog eens leuk uitzag. (Mijn mening.) Weer een paar jaar later werden mijn oren gestreeld door TOOL. "Sober" was mijn eerste echte kennismaking met de Amerikaanse band, en hun muziek valt niet te categoriseren. Het is donker en intens.

Afijn, vorige week "ontdekte" ik Serena Ryder, een 25-jarige Canadese wiens album "Is it O.K." sinds 11 november jl. uit is (in Canada). De VS zullen volgen. En hopelijk Europa ook. Vanaf het moment dat ik "Little bit of red" hoorde, was ik verkocht, en met behulp van het internet ben ik wat over de jonge Canadese te weten gekomen. Serena heeft een zwaar jaar achter de rug (een relatie dat op de klippen liep, haar beste vriendin en manager die afgelopen januari op 32-jarige leeftijd overleed) en al die pijn heeft zij van zich afgeschreven. In april van dit jaar won de singer/songwriter een Juno (de Canadese Grammy) voor Best New Artist, maar als ik "Just another day" van haar hoor, besef ik dat ik dit nummer ken! Ik heb dit nummer een aantal jaren geleden gehoord, tijdens één van mijn trips naar Canada.
Als je die stem hoort (Serena heeft een bereik van 3 octaven - en rookt!) en de teksten van haar meest recente album beluistert, dan zou je haar ouder schatten dan 25, maar als je haar ziet...



Vrienden van me hebben haar al vergeleken met Melissa Etheridge, Beth Hart en Ilse DeLange. Hm. Nou, ik zie geen van hen rappen op een tv show zoals Serena hier doet :) Ze spreekt ook over het opnemen van een video clip voor haar huidige single ("Little bit of red"). Ik hoop dat "Is it O.K." ook in Europa wordt uitgebracht, zodat meer mensen met haar muziek kunnen kennismaken. En mocht zij haar album in Nederland komen promoten, dan hoop ik vooraan te staan bij een concert!

Never say goodbye - Sarah Bettens concert review

Originally posted on November 12th, 2008



When I woke up I was super excited. I had slept well, but felt like sleeping at least another hour. I was running a little late and quickly threw on jeans, a black shirt and white tie. At work I had arranged to leave early and come in later the next morning - so I could attend the fan meeting as well.
I arrived a little early at the venue in Eindhoven; traffic was lighter than I had anticipated. By the time my friend Petra arrived the restaurant at the Effenaar was crowded. We went in to see how long it would take for us to get a table (they were serving yummie vegetarian lasagna that evening...). Alas, waiting for a table would mean we would not be in time for the start of the show. So Petra and I had a bite at a little Mexican restaurant, called Tortillas, nearby. They were very accomodating: when I asked if it was possible to bring our dishes as quickly as possible because of a concert, the food arrived within 15 minutes. It was good, and I was hungry, and I managed to wolf it down (I'm really a slow eater). Then we lined up for the concert at the Effenaar.
Once inside it turns out it's a partially seated concert, but I asked my friend if she was ok with not taking a seat: the front rows were already taken, and if a tall person sits in front of me I wouldn't be able to see much of the stage. She agreed and followed me to a spot from where we had a great view at both the stairs (leading down to the exit) and the stage. Further to our right is where several people in wheel chairs had their places. Petra was wondering about the support act, and after about an hour it became apparent there wasn't one.



Sarah and her musical partner in crime Tom Kestens walked on stage and the framed silver screen was showing a picture of Marvin Gaye. While Sarah and Tom took their places there was an audio quote by the late Marvin in which he spoke about his music. When that was over the spotlights came on and the duo played "Heard it through the grapevine". That was followed by Ella Fitzgerald's "Everytime we say goodbye". The fun part for me was recognizing the artists from the pictures and the quotes. I had already browsed the innerweb for setlists, so I had a general idea of the songs she's be playing
The rest of the set included: "Sitting on the dock of the bay" by Otis Redding (the audience whistled along - yes, I did too - much to Sarah's amusement), "Just the two of us" by Bill Withers, "Long December" (my favorite song) by Counting Crows, "Do that to me one more time" by Captain and Tennille, "Three times a lady" by the Commodores, "Money money money" by ABBA, "Cry me a river" by Julie London, "Ne me quitte pas" by Jacques Brel, "Little red Corvette" by Prince (one of my favorites by this little guy), "At seventeen" by Janis Ian, "I will carry you" by Woodface (yes, that's her brother Gert's band).



Even though at moments it was a complete cheese fest, I was pleasantly surprised at some of her song choices (Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding?); Sarah's a big Indigo Girls fan so I expected an IG song. Granted, the ladies never had a hit song on this side of the Atlantic (that I know of - unfortunately) so it's not that strange. Sarah and Tom did play 3 new songs: "I can do better than you", "Slow you down" and "Win me over" which she wrote for her girlfriend Stephanie, who was with us. (That immediately explained why Sarah suddenly switched from Dutch to English...) I couldn't help but think "Crap, I am so not going to like that song". But I did. There was no "I was lost but now I'm found" line in the song, which definitely helped. They also played "Shine", which Sarah wrote for her (step)daughter Taylor.
Sarah's voice really shone in this intimate setting. (If the venue had been any smaller, it could've been a swanky night club - sans smoke.) The last song was Bonnie Raitt's "I can’t make you love me". After that die hard fans lined up for autographs, a quick chat and a photo opportunity with Sarah. I think this is a regular Sarah Bettens post concert ritual  I found it a very interesting night - certainly from a musical point of view.

Beth Hart - theater tour

Originally posted on September 27th, 2008.





I was supposed to take my mom to a Beth Hart concert on December 31st, but she got sick. When a few months ago I incidentally saw she and her band were doing a theater tour and were scheduled to play in Eindhoven I got us tickets. Tonight's show was sold out.

Beth looked radiant (mom noticed she gained some weight, and less looking like an addict) and was stoked to be playing. She kicked off the set with "Stinky feet", followed by "Hiding under water" and "LA Song".
She's adapted several songs to be played in an acoustic setting, and I enjoyed it. Still: it was weird to be at a seated concert, when what you really want to do is sing along and move to the music. I think Beth and the band noticed the difference, too; Beth is the kind of performer who feeds off the energy of the audience. And with a seated audience the vibe is definitely different. The audience consists of people of all ages, who prefer substance over style. Speaking of which: Beth may not be MTV-pretty, she sure knows how the catch your eye. And I think some lady lovin' ladies agree (there were plenty of those in the audience). By the way: did you know that Beth used to date this Geany character she sings about in "Get your shit together"? I remember Beth telling the audience (at another concert) that her brother was dating a woman who she thought was very wrong for him. When they broke up, she started dating her...

By the time the band started playing "Face Forward Son" the enigmatic singer had jumped off the stage and walked into the audience, before climbing onto the balcony. How cool is that? The New Year Eve concert in Amsterdam was my first time I heard them play Otis Redding's "A change is gonna come", and they played it again last night. I like me some Otis. They played some new stuff, too: "Beautiful Child" and "Congratulations". The first is about if Beth and husband Scott would start a family ("It will be in rehab by the time it's one", joked Beth) this is the lesson she would give it. The second one was written after an ordinairy fight, and basically reflects Beth's insecurities. She also shares with the audience that after more than 5 years of sobriety she fell off the wagon some 2 months ago. This is why I really like this woman: in addition to writing beautiful songs she is, above all, very human. Not pretend-perfect like Britney Spears once was, but flawed and very real.

After a short intermission, where the roadies slightly altered the set, the band came back and played in full blues/rock mode: "Good as it gets", "Sick" and "Sky full of clover" (the latter being a request of a bunch of girls Beth met before the show).

The entire show lasted about 90 minutes, but it sure didn't feel like it. And even though Beth and her band delivered, I can't wait to see her play a regular show.