Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-settings.php on line 517

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-settings.php on line 532

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-settings.php on line 539

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-settings.php on line 575

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Page::start_lvl() should be compatible with Walker::start_lvl(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 594

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Page::end_lvl() should be compatible with Walker::end_lvl(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 594

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Page::start_el() should be compatible with Walker::start_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 594

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Page::end_el() should be compatible with Walker::end_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 594

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_PageDropdown::start_el() should be compatible with Walker::start_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 611

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Category::start_lvl() should be compatible with Walker::start_lvl(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 705

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Category::end_lvl() should be compatible with Walker::end_lvl(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 705

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Category::start_el() should be compatible with Walker::start_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 705

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_Category::end_el() should be compatible with Walker::end_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 705

Strict Standards: Declaration of Walker_CategoryDropdown::start_el() should be compatible with Walker::start_el(&$output) in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/classes.php on line 728

Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class wpdb in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 316

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/cache.php on line 103

Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class WP_Object_Cache in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/cache.php on line 425

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/query.php on line 21

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/theme.php on line 623

Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class WP_Dependencies in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-includes/class.wp-dependencies.php on line 15

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 160

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 395

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 397

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 401

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 496

Warning: Creating default object from empty value in /home/civl/www/blogs/wp-content/plugins/paged-comments/paged-comments.php on line 31
CIVL News » 2009 » May

Archive for May, 2009

Wildlife // Langston Steel // Paul Gilles // Cassie McMartin & Evie Gendron :: Live

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

The following was contributed to civl.ca by Pop Music From Around Here host Nathan Moes.

I like the suburbs. Not from a city planning perspective, but for events like that which happened at Fernridge Hall in South Langley on May 30th, 2009. Suburban musicians putting on legitimate shows in dilapitaded vinyl sided community halls, spurring the urban to revitalize their own communities with melodic entertainment. While lacking in aesthetics, the Hall sufficed, with a tiny stage filled with musicians. The evening kicked off late with Cassie McMartin & Evie Gendron playing a short collection of original material and covers. Covers of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and Heart’s “Magic Man” were particularly commanding.

The lineup reads like a list of Thursday Open Mic at the Murrayville Wired Monk regulars. I had only heard Paul Gillies play acoustic guitar work inside a coffee shop, and was pleased to see him playing with a full band. Opening with a driving sitar led instrumental, Gilles, accompanied by the absolutely phenomanal Steve Johnson on the electric guitar trecked a similar path of McMartin and Gendron, playing a mix of covers and originals. Gilles has an excellent voice, but I would have appreciated a bit of attitude along with it. Even a collared shirt to match his bandmates would have been nice. If you dress for the part…Whatever the case, a great set, the full band lending weight behind Gilles good songwriting

I caught most of Langston Steel’s set, but the 6:30AM start to my Saturday (Cleaned out the attic in the early morning coolness) had me fatigued. Steve Johnson again at the helm, Langston Steel plays rock’n'roll. And well. Johnson is one of the most skilled guitarists I have ever seen, but not simply technical, possessing an excellent feel for songs. This reality was appreciated by one fellow in the audience who, as dancers came and go, generally stuck around to interpret Johnson’s solo’s through dance. I couldn’t help think that for Johnson this was particularly fun. It’s kind of like controlling a puppet, pull a string to to get the head thrown back, really ripping to recieve a pained, melting face look on your audience member… Entirely competant, the drum and bass backing Johnson well, with style to match, Langston Steel, while loving the suburbs, deserve to be well recieved in our urban areas as well. I hope they begin to book downtown…but still occasionally come back to pay homage to their suburban roots.

Sebastian Tellier :: Live

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Sebastian Tellier appears in wind swept dischevellment(apart from coat and tie) against tin siding.

The following was contributed to civl.ca by The Angus and Parker Show co-host…Angus Macdonell. Much thanks to Angus, Seb, and the Internet.

Well, Nathan asked me to write this review and given that it’s been almost a month since the show took place, and the amount of alcohol I consumed the night of the show, my recollection of the events that took place that night are a tad hazy. However, one thing has stood out amongst everything else and that is the sheer awesomeness which is Sebastien Tellier. Seb, as I like to call him, is a character who exudes charisma. Staying close to the French stereotype, he enjoys his wine (consuming a bottle and a half roughly over the course of his hour and halfish set) and maintains a low level of personal hygiene. Yet, despite his burly beard and greasy locks, he is a strangely seductive man who likely would’ve had no troubles bedding any of the ladies in attendance that night.

The night opened with Portland’s own Chairlift. Now I’m not too familiar with Chairlift, but from what I heard leading up to the night of the show I thought they were a group who played a lot of poppy piano tunes a la Feist, or basically half the songs you hear on Telus commercials. The set however displayed a different side to their music; mostly playing synthy oriented jams which served as a perfect segue for Tellier’s tunes. One highlight was a cover of Snoop Dogg’s Sexual Seduction and some 80’s love ballad for which I’ve forgotten the name (again, time and booze being a factor for this). In all, despite being down a member, Chairlift played a strong, short and sweet set.

When the man himself finally arrived on stage I was surprised to find myself cheering and screaming just as fanatically as one of those teeny bopper girls who go to Jonas Brothers concerts. Maybe it’s because I admire his beard so much, or the way he can move his fingers around a keyboard, whatever the reason I pretty much lost my voice by the end of the night. He kicked things off with ‘Kilometre’, a song from his latest album ‘Sexuality’, playing with a full band- no pre-recorded drum beat nonsense here. Other songs played included hits such as ‘Roche’, and crowd favourite ‘Divine’. As the night progressed, Seb got drunker, his bantering with the crowd became more incoherent, yet, the music remained impeccable. It would seem that alcohol for Tellier only serves to produce better playing skills evidenced in his faithful recreations of ‘La Ritournelle’ and ‘L’amour et la violence’, two songs I like to think were played as an encore solely through the efforts of Parker and myself. For the finale, the night ended with ‘Sexual Sportswear’ which had Tellier making sweet, sweet love to his mic stand- it was hilarious and well worth the $20 spent to get in, amongst everything else. Kudos must also be given to his bandmates who were on point the whole night as well. If he ever comes back again, make an effort to see this man play his beautiful, synth-soaked love jams for he is truly some of the best stuff happening in France right now.

Friday, May 8th, 2009. What are YOU doing?

Friday, May 8th, 2009

The sun is back after a couple of dreary days. Perhaps summer is now here to stay. Is it too early to say such a thing? May 8th? I think that is reasonably conservative.

Whatever the case, on Thursday May 14th, we welcome all friends of CIVL Radio (That’s you, reading this page!) to a BBQ in celebration of our station. We have been broadcasting for a little of a year at CIVL.ca and we can toast to the past year and to the next (Toast will occur at 4:30PM) with your fellow audiophiles. Please join us in celebration!

If you want to celebrate a little earlier, head to the Biltmore tonight! Immaculate Machine releases High on Jackson Hill along with Lakefield and Strange Magic(I just heard these fellows on Bandcouver yesterday. Live. Real good). Again. The Biltmore, May 8th, 2009, release show for Immaculate Machine.