HPX 2010 - Night #4 Recap // PART 2: Tiff & Gwyneth


Tiff @ Coconut Grove

Dose.ca Presents
10:00 PM - Pop Winds
12:00 AM - Windom Earle

Friday was probably the most ridiculous night I experienced during the entire festival.
There had been a bazillion updates on the HPX site, facebook page and twitter - all week - saying that venues had been reaching capacity just about every night. Why some people neglected these warnings, I have no idea, all I know is, I am glad that I religiously show up at shows early. 

As soon as I walked into the venue, I grabbed myself a drink and parked myself up front to check out Pop Winds. I really wish I would have had the video camera with me at that point as I have never seen anyone play a saxophone through a delay pedal up before! I have to say... it was pretty awesome. These guys were a perfect opener for the show - the whole time they were playing, I just kept thinking to myself, I should really get a hold of Jonas from the Evolve Festival and get these guys on the bill for 2011, because they would be PERFECT.

HPX 2010 - Pop Winds 01

HPX 2010 - Pop Winds 02

The whole reason I wanted to go to this show tonight, rather than any of the others, was actually because I missed both Tupper Ware Remix Party and Windome Earl this year at the Evolve Festival. I was taking this as my chance to complete my summer by seeing them now.

Tupper Ware Remix Party pretty much kicked my ass.
I had never seen these guys perform before and well, even if you hated the music they were creating you would still not be able to take your eyes off the stage while they performed. Not one band member walked up on stage without some over the top costume. Hooded spandex outfits, with ridiculous hats or masks completely took over - I mean what other band do you know of has one of their members wear a pylon on his head with pride? Tupper Ware Remix Party were bouncing around the stage on the misson to force the entire crowd to have a full on dance party! 

HPX 2010 - Tupper Ware Remix Party 06

HPX 2010 - Tupper Ware Remix Party 12

HPX 2010 - Tupper Ware Remix Party 09

HPX 2010 - Tupper Ware Remix Party 03

The crowd had gone from filling half the dance floor to filling most of the bar at this point.
I kept sending messages to Dan as he hopped from bar to bar checking out different bands - it was my job to keep him informed about venue capacities as I had HPX updates being sent to my phone via SMS. Things seemed to be going well on his end, so as the crowd dispersed at the end of Tupper Ware's set, I grabbed another drink and stood in front of the stage as Windome Earl set up. I knew my chances were very slim of wiggling back up there once the set started, so... I got comfy and got my camera gear ready.
Now lets establish something right now...
For years now, Windome Earl has been my favorite, local, dance party band (only recently seconded by Rich Aucoin). I know that every time I catch these guys, I will end up dancing - there is no way around it.


 HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 06

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 07

Tonight was no different... well, except for the couple of people just behind the front row...
I have never ended up with bruises after watching a good dance band before. There might be the odd bump when someone who has had a little too much to drink looses their footing, but other than that - i leave the pushing, shoving and major rough housing for the metal shows. 
This lovely group of people behind us all in the front row, decided that this was going to be the start of their rowdy 'lets jump on every person within a 7 foot radius and see if we can knock them over' night.

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 14

The thing is, bashing me into the monitors and trying to knock my camera out of my hands while screaming nonsense into my ear is not going to get you any closer to the stage. If it wouldn't have surely got me kicked out of the bar, I would have turned around and punched the guy in the face and told him to act his friggin' age.... 
Windome Earl is a fun band. They are a band that makes you feel like a kid again and dancing crazily is totally exceptable, but this was just way too much.
*the situation stirred up some rage for me*

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 08

The favorite part of the set for me was when Windome Earl was accompanied by Rich Aucoin on trumpet! My top 2  - dance party bringers - on stage - together! 
I got my dance on, took some photos, jabbed the dude behind me, who kept kicking me in the calves, with an elbow and then enjoyed the rest of the set dancing in the back of the room with a couple of friends. It was pretty awesome.

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 03

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 04

HPX 2010 - Windome Earl 01


After the set was over, I headed to the bar, got another drink and calmed my nerves...
At this point, another friend of mine had made it to the show and we went outside on Coconut Grove's rooftop patio for some air. The bar was busting at the seams at this point...

I checked my messages, to find out that Dan had made it back into the Paragon for The Hold Steady and was now on his way to Coconut Grove to try to catch Ruby Jean's set.

Tim and I waited on the roof, looking down for Dan when we finally saw him jump in line.
His original plan did not include Coconut Grove so he didn't have a stamp or anything, so he was forced to wait.
I knew Ruby Jean would soon start and if i didn't claim my spot at the front I would see nothing for the entire show, so.. i yelled down to him and then ducked back into the bar.

I claimed my spot with ease...

When the show got started and the crowd got moving, I knew it was going to be a repeat of Windome Earl's set, only with a little bit more intensity from the guys in the back. Oi.
I was snapping pictures as well as I could while being tossed back and forth and thrown into the front of the stage, hanging on to the mic stand for support at times.

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 04


Rebekah Higgs (Ruby Jean, if you will) even asked the guys to calm it down a bit, "please be careful not to crush the little ladies at the front guys. You don't want to make baby Jesus cry, please don't make little baby Jesus cry by crushing the ladies." haha! Even with a plea such as this, it didn't stop...
I packed up my stuff, grabbed my coat and decided to just enjoy the show from the side lines.
All I could see was the top of Rebekah's head, but Dan had made it into the bar at this point so, we just danced the night away regardless of not being able to see anything.

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 02

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 01

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 03

All in all it was a great night!
Ruby Jean & The Thoughtful Bees put on an amazing show, which would have been worth every bruise I avoided. hah! I can't wait to check out all of these bands again in the hopefully near future!!
 
You can read more about the set in Part #1 of  Night 4 recaps - HERE

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 07

HPX 2010 - Ruby Jean & The Thoughful Bees 08



Gwyneth @  Citadel Hotel/ St. Matthew’s Church/ The Foggy Goggle
 
Bonsound Showcase @ The Citadel Hotel
06:00 PM - Camaromance
07:00 PM - Random Recipe
08:00 PM - Radio Radio

Acadian rap trio Radio Radio performed to a contented, post-happy hour crowd at the Citadel Hotel on Friday night.

Much was expected from this show. After all, this band was just nominated for the most prestigious award in Canadian music.

For those unfamiliar with the band, the only genre that could be used to explain the music that Radio Radio makes is frat boy rap.

They lyrics are silly and so simple that anyone with elementary French can understand. Some of their popular refrains are “Do you want to get in my jacuzzi?” and “I don’t djembes”.

Without a DJ, it was just the three MCs on stage. While some of their moves were un-rehearsed, they had some choreography that was more like The Temptations than The Beastie Boys. Disguised beneath their too-cool-for-school sunglasses and the inherent sexiness of the French language, these guys are just goofballs.

Radio Radio took a while to get the momentum going, but got into a groove once they started their song “Guess What?”. Their ridiculous Bee-Gees-like falsetto with the disco synths revved up the post-happy hour crowd.

In another unexpected touch, they used pan flutes to introduce their song “Dekshoo”, which is about ---you guessed it --- deck shoes.

Radio Radio’s refreshing irreverence is what will keep audiences grooving along well into the future.

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Lixar Presents @ St. Matthew’s Church



HPX 2010 - Great Lake Swimmers 2

At 9:30 p.m. under the rose window of St. Matthew’s Church, the Great Lake Swimmers proved that they are the perfect Canadian band. Singer Tony Dekker was polite, self-effacing and, well --- spineless. The band played through their set with precision and efficiency but with little else.

Despite this, the crowd was visibly wooed by their sleepy style of folk country.
The general sedate tone of the concert was set by Dekker’s soothing voice. It is no wonder that it has been featured on an album of children’s lullabies.

The unmodulated tone of the show was broken by the song “Ballad of a Fisherman’s Wife”. Dekker composed the piece to address the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Dekker’s passion about the issue briefly redeemed him from his colourless performance.

HPX 2010 - Great Lake Swimmers 1


“I Could be Nothing Without You” was also a relief from the relaxed set. With Erik Arneson’s delicate banjo and Miranda Muholland’s mournful violin sounded like a hymn to the old country. The intricate syncopation highlighted their technical skill and hinted at their background in traditional folk.

The crowd was finally roused from their stupor when the band played “Your Rocky Spine”. Using the shaker “eggs” provided the Pop Explosion, the crowd rose to their feet and sang to the familiar words.

Dekker cracked a grin and soon he was almost forgiven for lulling an audience to sleep at a concert on a Friday night.
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The Gertrudes @ The Foggy Goggle

12:00 AM - micro-organs
09:30 PM - Freelove Fenner
11:30 PM - Gertrudes, The
12:30 AM - Hot Panda

You could call The Gertrudes’ music urban hillbilly. Or perhaps, Woody Guthrie-inspired zydeko. Frankly, it doesn’t matter what it’s called because it’s thoroughly fun.

The bluegrass collective hushed the Foggy Goggle’s crowd at 11:30 p.m. on Friday. The Gertrude’s euphoric sound is created by an impressive assortment of instruments. The haunting, whale-like sounds on the song “Sailor” came from a theremin --- a instrument that singer Annie Clifford offered to the audience to play after the show.

HPX 2010 - The Gertrudes1


The anthemic quality of The Gertrudes was revealed with their song “Ronnie Hawkins”. Complex, yet tender the song showcased singers Greg Tilson, Amanda Balsys and Clifford’s chorus-belting ability.

HPX 2010 - The Gertrudes 2


The concert had the potential to develop into a full-blown hoedown, but the venue wouldn’t oblige. Squeezed onto the small stage, The Gertrudes’ explosive sound was confined by the narrow brick walls. The stage is tucked at the end of a long room, meaning people standing at the front obscure the band for the rest of the venue. The technician also had trouble balancing The Gertrudes’s wealth of voices and instruments.

HPX 2010 - The Gertrudes 3

Despite the technical problems and the poor venue, The Gertrudes’ set was a wild success. Their playful and unique songs shone through all the noise to demonstrate their raw talent.

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Stay tuned for tonnes more reviews, photos and videos from our last day at HPX 2010!
We collected a lot of stuff, so its taking us a bit longer to get it to you, than we had expected.

But in the meantime, check out all our HPX photos that have been uploaded so far - HERE

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